Reza Shah Pahlavi << rih ZAH SHAH pah lah VEE >> (1878-1944) was the shah (king) of Iran from 1925 to 1941. Reza helped make Iran a more modern and self-reliant country. He built railroads and factories, promoted education, reformed the legal system, and increased the role of women in society. But Reza was also an authoritarian ruler who expected strict obedience.
Reza was born on March 16, 1878, in Alasht, a village northeast of Tehran, Iran’s capital. His original name was Reza Khan, also spelled Riza Khan. Reza enlisted in the armed forces, and by 1915, he was a colonel in the Cossack Brigade, the principal military unit of Iran. In 1921, he worked to overthrow Iran’s government in a British-supported military coup. Reza became prime minister in 1923. In 1925, he overthrew Ahmad Shah, the last king of the Qajar dynasty. Reza was crowned king in 1926. He changed his family name to Pahlavi, also spelled Pahlevi. He named his oldest son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, crown prince.
Soon after World War II (1939-1945) began, Reza declared Iran’s neutrality in the war. However, the Allies felt Germany had too much political influence in Iran. During the war, Allied troops needed to use Iran as a supply route. When Reza refused to cooperate, British and Soviet troops invaded the country and forced him to hand power to his oldest son. Reza died in exile in South Africa on July 26, 1944.
