Soraya Esfandiari: how Russian German became the ruler of Iran

History 26/12/19 Soraya Esfandiari: how Russian German became the ruler of Iran

Joseph Stalin, as we know, was not very fond of royalty has blue blood. But the wedding of the Shah of Iran and his second wife Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari in 1951, the Soviet dictator suddenly sent lush gifts – mink coat and Desk accessories, decorated with precious stones Carbonado. Probably, Stalin was aware that the new wife of the Persian rulers has Russian roots.

the Origin

the Grandfather of the Iranian Empress Franz Karl, a native of St. Petersburg, in the beginning of XX century was engaged in the improvement of weapons in Russia. Probably, by nationality he was a Baltic German. Wife Franz took the girl from the Estonian city of pärnu. Their daughter Eva Karl was born in 1906 in Moscow. Before the First world war, the family moved from Russia to Germany.

In Berlin, Eva Carl worked in the field of trade – has not yet met with a young Iranian Khalil Esfandiary-Bakhtiari (also meets writing Esfandiari) receiving education in the University of Berlin. Khalil conquered eve not only the outstanding appearance, but also social status. He was a member of one of the most influential clans of Iran. Family Esfandiari occupied a key position in the warlike tribe of bahtiarov, bayonets which often changed the Iranian history.

a German and an Iranian were married in 1926. Their first child, Soraya, was born in the sixth year of marriage, when the family lived in Isfahan. An exotic mixture of blood gave the girl incredible beauty, which subsequently admired by many world powers, for example, US President John F. Kennedy. The Soraya had unusual blue-green eyes and delicate features. Her childhood was spent traveling between the three countries, Persia, Germany, where he served as an Ambassador to her father, and Switzerland. In addition to Farsi and German, Soraya has taught French and English.

Marriage with the Shah

In 1945, the pirst wife of Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and Egyptian Princess Fawzia Fuad, a disgruntled husband, has gone to Cairo. The Shah tried to bring her back, but after three years of negotiations officially divorced. People announced that the Egyptian did not fit “the Persian climate.” Disgraced Governor was a bachelor and immediately began to look for a bride this time not a foreigner. That day, when 29-year-old Mohammed Reza first saw 16-year-old Soraya, he asked for her hand. Of course, the girl’s father could not deny the Shah’s request.

the Wedding took place after 3 years, and was conducted with great pomp. Wedding dress of Soraya, decorated with hundreds of diamonds, pearls and marabou feathers, weighed 20 kilograms. Settled in the Palace, European-educated girl tried to fight the excesses of the Persian court ceremonies. It also influenced the Shah in political issues and engaged in charity.

Divorce, later life

Outwardly, all went well, but Soraya was more and more discouraged, for what it is even called the “Princess with sad eyes”. Shah was waiting for the wife of the heir – but she was barren. Although medical luminaries just shrugged – the level of science at that time did not allow to establish the exact cause of the disease. In 1958, the Shah and his wife divorced. Soraya could remain Empress, but did not want to Mohammad Reza with her took a second wife. In her opinion, which went against the norms of Islam, polygamy was a violation of the sanctity of marriage. It is noteworthy that he left Iran, she converted to Catholicism.

Soraya kept the Royal title, and received from her husband’s generous “compensation”, however, never recovered from the shock caused by the divorce. For many years she suffered from depression and tried to find solace in the short novels. Married Soraya is no longer published. For a while she dabbled as an actress. Remembering Russia’s past of their ancestors, ex-wife of the Shah agreed to play the main role in the film about Catherine the great. It could be the only tape in the history of cinema, in which the Empress played the other the Empress – however, the project was not implemented. Recent years, Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari spent in France, she died in 2001. Considerable condition of the deceased was divided between the charities.

Timur Sagdiyev

Source:
© Russian Seven

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