Pāyān-i pādshāhī

Pāyān-i pādshāhī, by Muḥammad Ḥasan Ṣanʻatī and edited by Ḥusām Ḥaqīqiyān, presents a critical account of the Pahlavi monarchy and its collapse. The book is organised around the reigns of Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Shah, tracing the acquisition of power, the consolidation of royal authority and the pressures that contributed to its loss. Its first section addresses Reza Shah’s rise, relations with religion, landholding, authoritarian rule and dependence on foreign powers. The second examines the monarchy’s family foundations, corruption, relations with religious institutions, intellectuals and political parties, Freemasonry and Western influence. The author connects these themes with the approach to the end of the monarchy and frames his interpretation in relation to the Islamic Revolution. Drawing on historical writing and cited accounts, the work offers a perspective on power, opposition and legitimacy in twentieth-century Iran. A bibliography lists books and periodicals.