The Ghavam (Qavam) family (Persian: خاندان قوام شیرازی) was an Iranian family in the Qajar era (1785–1925). They were descendants of Haj Ebrahim Khan Kalantar.[1] British secret documents and Nasser Al Din Shah Qajar[2] believed that the family was Jewish. Due to the family's wealth and political power, it was often said in Shiraz that "Before Reza Shah, Qavams were Shah here."[3] The surname Ghavam is borrowed from honorific title Ghavam-al-saltaneh from Qajar court, which means pillar or continuation of Kingdom.
The Ghavam family traces its ancestry to Hajj Ghavam ol Din, a 14th-century Vizier, and a contemporary of Hafez, who is mentioned in his poems. Local tradition portrays the family as Jewish. This claim was confirmed in secret British memoirs of 1890s called Who's Who in Iran.[4]
The first member of the family to reach political influence was Hajj Ebrahim Kalantar Shirazi. He was a Vizier and Kalantar of Fars in Zand government. His decision to betray Lotf Ali Khan Zand influenced the ending of the Zand dynasty and elevating Qajars to the throne. Naser al-Din Shah Qajar addressed him when he met with the representatives of Alliance Israelite Universelle in Paris by saying,
I shall not forget it was a Jew, Hajj Ebrahim, who helped ascend the Qajars to the throne.[5]
However, Fath Ali Shah Qajar did not trust Hajj Ebrahim and had him executed in 1801. His fourth son, Ali Akbar Khan, was young and ill and was spared from Shah's revenge. He later returned to Shiraz and gained influence. He became the Kalantar of Fars by Fath Ali Shah in 1812. He was awarded the title Qavam ol Mulk (Pillar of the kingdom) in 1830, which became the family's last name. In 1864, he became the administrator of Imam Reza shrine at Mashhad. Hajj Ali Akbar Khan was survived by his fourth son Ali Mohammad Khan who also inherited the title Ghavam ol Mulk. In total five members of the family held that title before it was abolished by Reza Shah in the 1930s. Ebrahim Khan, Ghavam ol Mulk V was exiled by Reza Shah to Tehran. Fath Ali Khan, Saheb Divan, another son of first Ghavam went to Tehran in 1830 and married a daughter of Fath Ali Shah and became influential in government. He became governor of many provinces. Another son, Nasir ol Mulk, remained in Fars and served as governor of Bushehr, Lar and Bandar Abbas.[6]
Thus the three major branches of the Qavam family are:
The British enjoyed the loyalty of Ghavam family in Fars. Ahmad Ghavam, son of Ghavam Shiraz, was an influential intermediary between the British and Reza Shah. He often shuttled between the palace and the British embassy.[7]
General Hussein Fardoust wrote that British staff often spent weekends in Ghavam's house and they were treated like family members. Ghavam's emissaries often moved between Shiraz, Tehran and the British embassy, but for important decisions Ghavam came to Tehran to meet with the British. For example, in August 1941 when Reza Shah was showing pro-Nazi views, Ghavam met with Sir Reader Bullard to decide the Shah's fate. The decision to depose Reza Shah in favor of his son was made with the influence and the approval of the Ghavam.[8]
Ebrahim Ghavam was exiled, but remained powerful. His son Ali Qavam married Princess Ashraf Pahlavi. However this marriage was forced upon Ashraf by Reza Shah in order to gain British favor. When Iran was invaded by the allies, Ghavam tried to distance himself from the Pahlavis. Their son Prince Shahram Pahlavi Nia was the grandson of Reza Shah Pahlavi and Ebrahim Ghavam. Ali Ghavam later divorced Ashraf Pahlavi and married a sister of Asadollad Alam.[9]
Their properties included Ghavam Husseinya, Afif-Abad Garden, Delgosha Garden, Kalantar Garden, Biglerbeigi Garden, Zenatolmolok House, and Narenjestan Qavam.
