The Story of a City: Tehran

Introduction: 

It was quite hard for us to study the long history of a city and write it in just a few pages. We tried to tell the story in broad strokes rather than focusing on a specific period. Like every city, our information about Tehran’s earliest days is small, and the available facts are truly tangled and confusing. For example, the claims about where the name Tehran comes from are unclear and look far from real. Also, the letter changes in its name throughout history make it partly difficult for the researcher while searching sources.

Keywords: Tehran Mega-city, Water Crisis, Air Pollution, Alborz Mountains, Tehran History, City.

Tehran The city of Tehran is in northern Iran, located south of the Alborz mountains. It is bordered by Mazandaran province to the north, Semnan province to the east, Qom province to the south, and Qazvin province to the west (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam).

“Its name is generally written as Tihrân, and sometimes Tehrân-Tahrân, in Middle Ages sources” (Naskali & Özgüdenli, p. 416). From the Danişname-yi Cihan-i İslam encyclopedia, we understand that Tehran’s name was written as طهران for a long time. Even though its spelling was officially made تهران during the Reza Shah period, it is mentioned that it was written as طهران for a long time (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam). We understand from the mentioned encyclopedia that the difference in how the word Tehran was written was passed on through pronunciation when transferred into the Turkish language, making it hard for the reader to understand.

The information we have about Tehran’s name and origin is not enough and is controversial. There are various claims that a settlement named Behzân and Behrân, which might be Tehran, existed in different copies of the work Mesâlikü’l-Memâlik by İstahrî, a geographer from the 10th century (Naskali & Özgüdenli, p. 416).

Muhammad b. Hamad is a very important name for Tehran’s origins. The fact that Muhammad b. Hamad carried the title “Tihrânî Râzî” made researchers say that Tehran has been a settlement since at least the 9th century (Naskali & Özgüdenli, p. 416). According to the information recorded by Sem’ânî, a writer from the 12th century, he died in Ascalon in 261 (875) (Naskali & Özgüdenli, p. 416). However, no information about his birth date has been found. Despite the information above, another source recorded the year Muhammad b. Hamad lived differently. Zehebi, in his work (سير اعلام البلاء و تاريخ الاسلام), recorded his death age as 271 (estimated 885) and gave the information that he was more than 80 years old when he died (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam, p. 718). Therefore, it is thought that he was born in 191. Perhaps it would be better to start the use of Tehran as a settlement with his birth rather than his death. It is likely that the latest date Tehran began to be used as a settlement can be seen as the 8th century.

There are also some studies done on the origin of the name Tehran. These studies have not made the name clear enough. Küsrev called Tehran a hot “settlement/land” (جایگاه و سرزمین گرم). According to him, the word teh (ته) meant hot (گرم) and the word Ran (ران) meant place (جا) (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam, p. 717). Tehran is really a very hot city. People going to other places because of Tehran’s heat have been recorded in history from time to time. Therefore, the chance that it took this name because of being in such a geographical location must be kept aside as a possibility.

Tehran remained a village for a very long time and slowly became a town. Its turning into a city would happen much later. However, archaeological excavations near Tehran show that Tehran hosted some tribes in the very distant past. Excavations at Çeşme-i Ali hill and Kayteriye hills near Tehran showed that very old tribes lived there. For instance, the 6,000-year-old decorated pottery at Çeşme-i Ali proved that Aryans lived in this region (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam).

An important question asked here is how this place, inhabited by people described in sources as like cave dwellers, who lived by farming, and called “quarrelsome and obstinate” (Planhol, n.d.), managed to progress and turn into an attractive place. We will see some important changes in Tehran, especially with Shah Tahmasb. We need to say that there were some important factors here. First, the decline of the city of Rayy following the Mongol raid, which is often mentioned in sources, and, on the other hand, the change in Tehran's fate and its rise. Rayy had been the favored city for many years and slowly gave its place to Tehran. Hamdullah Mustawfi, in 1340, mentioned Tehran as an “important town” and said that it had never had such a crowded population (Planhol, n.d.).

Later, the Spanish traveler, who was an ambassador in Timur’s court, stopped in Tehran in 1404 and essentially called it a Town. He would talk about Tehran as a very large place and would also mention that it did not have castle walls. As we know today, he said that Tehran’s air was hot and its population was high. The traveler would go to the city of Rayy after Tehran and continue to write his impressions about that place. The information he gave about Tehran also makes it clear that Tehran was the camp area of Timur's stepson, Grand Mirza, at that date (Clavijo, p. 166-167).

We start getting reliable information about Tehran from the 13th century. After those dates, we will start hearing the name Tehran more often. Those who give us this information are usually travelers. Perhaps the most important of these is Yaqut. He was in the city of Rayy in 1220 and had gathered important information about Tehran. This information was not his own or what he saw. He did not go to Tehran but collected information about Tehran from local people. The information he provided holds an important and key feature about Tehran’s first stages. He shows Tehran to us as a large village at that time. After him, Zakariya b. Muhammad al-Qazwini would write an important source for us. He finished his work in 1275. Even though there were different additions, he was repeating what Yaqut had written. The information he gave us was that there were 12 villages in Tehran, and because of the bad relationships and hostility of the leaders between them, it was not possible to move to another village (Planhol, n.d.).

We will also see the name Tehran in the work Jami' al-Tawarikh by Rashid al-Din Fazlullah (1247-1318). Although the name Tehran is mentioned very little, we understand from the work that Tehran had a gate at that time. This gate, called a Dervâze, also shows us that its surroundings were surrounded by walls. However, another source mentions that the city lacked walls for a long time and that this would only happen with the Safavids. We also understand that the Tehran area was a place being tried to be captured. This partly shows us Tehran’s importance at that time. Also, the fact that Tehran’s name appears as طهران and not تهران was another point that caught our attention (Fazlullah, 1971, pp. 114-115, 117).

Another point understood when looking at the sources of this period was that people lived underground, like cave dwellers. This is mentioned in Zakariya's work. While it is somewhat possible to say that the confused situation in society was a factor, the main reason was the cold that came in winter (Planhol, n.d.). Perhaps people started such a thing due to poverty too. It cannot be said that all houses were like this then. There were houses that were not underground, but we can say that there were enough underground houses to catch the attention of visiting travelers. People’s long habit of living underground continued until recent times. Especially recently, the poor and some animals lived in parts and places made underground. Qazwini compared these places to jerboa nests (Planhol, n.d.).

Especially from the 12th century, the name Tehran would be mentioned often, and Tehran would grow over time and become a city. Until the time the Mongols destroyed Rayy (1220), Tehran was a village. They mention that some villages of that period, such as Dolab, Tajrish, and Vank (دولاب, تجريش و ونک), were more famous, to point out how unimportant Tehran was then. Tehran was a village linked to Rayy then, and like other villages linked to Rayy, it was watched over by the Khwarezmshahs. The destruction of Rayy by the Mongols was an important event for Tehran. While the city of Rayy was ruined after the Mongol destruction, the nearby city of Varamin was also in a difficult situation because of its dense population. Tehran successfully got out of this difficult situation and started to gain power (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam). Especially before this date, Tehran had become a shelter for people running from the Mongol invasion and grew with the arriving people. Naturally, the incoming people included craftsmen, merchants, and officials, and this quickly made the city lively.

While Tehran was not a very important city until the Safavids, it is seen that Tehran came to the forefront with the Safavids (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam). Especially during the time of Shah Tahmasb I (1524-1576), Tehran was made stronger in terms of location. The city’s defense was strengthened against Ottoman and Uzbek attacks. It is specifically said that some natural reasons caused this city to be chosen as a center and draw attention. They list its closeness to Rayy, the presence of Imamzadeh Hamza's shrine, and Hazret-i Abdulazim's tomb as reasons for its attractiveness (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam). Among these, Imamzadeh Hamza’s shrine has a special place. The Safavids trace their lineage back to Imamzadeh Hamza. In addition to these, Tehran had been the center of Shi'ism for a long time. Apart from these, the main reason given is Shah Tahmasb’s building a wall in Tehran against Ottoman attacks. When he was threatened by the Ottomans later, he had to leave Tabriz and settle in Qazvin. Thus, he focused on Tehran, which was relatively near him, and took charge of its management and construction (Planhol, n.d.).

By Shah Tahmasb's order, they built a wall here, 6,000 steps long and having 114 towers (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam, p. 720). It is said that a chapter (sura) from the Qur'an was buried under each tower, and they made 4 gates for the city. Later, when the Bazaar was also built, the city got a beautiful look. At the same time, mosques, public baths, and schools (madrasas) were also built. Over time, the Safavid kings would turn Tehran into a city.

Sir Thomas Herbert visited Tehran in 1627 and gave Tehran's population as about 3,000 households (Naskali & Özgüdenli, p. 417). If we assume 5 people per family on average, we see that the population was around 15,000 then. A comparison can be made about how small or large this number is by looking at the population of other cities at that time.

Towards the last periods of the Safavids, Tehran would serve as a temporary palace. Shah Suleiman I Safavid (1664-1694) built a palace there (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam). Later, there would be an Afghan attack. The city of Tehran could not hold up against the Afghan attacks and fell, and it is said that the Afghans returned to Isfahan, committing a massacre after being defeated in the Battle of Mihmândûst (1728) (Naskali & Özgüdenli, p. 417).

In 1760, Karim Khan Zand sat on the throne in the palace built by Suleiman I (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam). In the summer of the same year or the following year, because of Tehran’s heat, he went to Shemiran and ordered the construction of Government buildings, the divankhaneh, a palace, and various other structures in his absence. He came back when the construction was finished at the start of winter. He put a lot of effort into making Tehran the capital.

Agha Muhammad Khan, who replaced him and took it without fighting, chose Tehran as the capital (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam). He also chose the Arg area of Tehran as the residential area of his rule and started heavily building mansions and government buildings there. At the same time, he minted coins and had a khutbah (sermon) read in his name (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam). During his time, Agha Muhammad Shah (1779-1797) was fighting the Afshar ruler Adil Shah for power over Iranian lands. Agha Muhammad Khan later defeated the Zands, ended Afshar rule in Khorasan, ascended the throne, and also moved the capital to Tehran before he was assassinated (Gartwaite, 2011, p. 176).

A census of Tehran was taken toward the end of the Qajar period. Mirza Abdulghafar Khan did the census of Tehran with his 8 students (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam). The population of Tehran in this census was 147,256 people.

From the beginning of the Qajar period, and especially during the time of Fath-Ali Shah, we see Iran getting closer to Western culture. The look of Iran, opening up to the West, was naturally changing. Therefore, foreign architects were now changing the face of Iran. Italian, German, and French architects were important in Iran’s construction work (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam). Western-style architecture started to grow, beginning with palace buildings. Thanks to students sent to France and masters who came from there, the French style became dominant in architecture.

During Naser al-Din Shah’s time (1848-1896), the old walls of the city were removed, and the city was made bigger. Factories for thread, arms, paper, and matches were established. The Naser al-Din Shah period is important for Iran’s modernization. The key figure in this period is Amir Kabir, or Mirza Taqi Khan. Mirza Taqi Khan (d. 1852) was appointed in 1835 to be responsible for the financial affairs of the Azerbaijan army (Kurtuluş, p. 168-169). During this time, he traveled to Russia and used this experience in his leadership after seeing schools, factories, and important places there. When Naser al-Din Shah became ruler, he made him Grand Vizier (1848). He quickly started reforms. He made important changes in finance, military, and education. He sent students to Russia for technical education and started construction work in the country. He also founded the Dar al-Funun, a primary school in the European style.

After him, another important person, Mirza Hossein Khan Sepahsalar, reached the position of Grand Vizier after Amir Kabir. He followed his steps in the military area. Sepahsalar took Naser al-Din Shah on a Farangi (European) trip, and the European police there caught Naser al-Din Shah's attention. Later, Naser al-Din Shah decided to create a modern police force (Gıyanfer, p. 5).

Reza Khan took control of Tehran with his soldiers from Qazvin in 1921. In 1923, the last Qajar Ruler Ahmad Shah left the country. Reza Shah was crowned in Tehran in 1926. During this period, important changes were made in Tehran’s look by passing laws about the city’s structure. We see that large avenues were built. Wide avenues were opened, giving a modern look (Naskali & Özgüdenli, p. 418).

Iran faced great difficulties during and after World War I. The famine and flu epidemic that came later in 1918–19 greatly lowered the population. The state had lost authority and central control. At the same time, social and political movements grew faster with the war (Gartwaite, 2011, p. 198).

Reza Shah’s goal was to make Iran look like a European city and Tehran like a European capital. Therefore, he expanded Iran in a Western style. He had government buildings built. Places like Saadabad Palace were constructed. At the same time, squares like Ferdowsi and Hasanabad were built. Also, in World War II, Iran faced a lot of political and economic pressure. Many people moved to Iran from villages and towns. As a result, new, unplanned settlements happened, and residential areas were opened (Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam).

Conclusion As a result, Tehran grew fast after becoming the capital. The population of Tehran, which has seen fast urbanization recently, has continuously increased. In response, the number of new buildings, new residential areas, schools, and hospitals in the city has increased.

Tehran is a mega-city today, home to millions of people. It is one of the most populated cities in the Middle East. The snow that collects in the Alborz mountains during winter supplies Tehran with water. Although Tehran hosts this large population, its air is very polluted. In the summer, temperatures are very high and almost unlivable. While there are neighborhoods where very rich people live, slum areas also exist. In recent years, many people from the lower class have migrated to Tehran. Iran is also dealing with significant water shortage problems. The uncontrolled and incorrect use of water has played a role in this situation.

References (Kaynakça)

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Fazlullah Reşidüddin Fazlullah, R. (1971). Cami’üt-Tevarih. Tahran: Miras Mektup. Fazlullah, R. (1971). Compendium of Chronicles. Tehran: Miras Maktub.

Gartwaıte, R. Gene Gartwaıte, R. G. (2011). İran Tarihi Pers İmparatorluğundan Günümüze. İstanbul: İnkilap. Gartwaıte, R. G. (2011). History of Iran from the Persian Empire to the Present Day. Istanbul: İnkılap.

Gıyanfer, Cemşit Gıyanfer, C. (n.d.). Sahtar-ı Teşkilat-ı Hükümet-i Şehr-i Tahran der Nizam-ı Sünneti. [Unpublished manuscript]. Gıyanfer, C. (n.d.). The Structure of the Organizations of the City Government of Tehran in the Traditional System. [Unpublished manuscript].

Kurtuluş, Rıza Kurtuluş, R. (n.d.). Mirza Taki Han. In Diyanet İslam Ansiklopedisi (Vol. 30). Kurtuluş, R. (n.d.). Mirza Taki Khan. In Diyanet Encyclopedia of Islam (Vol. 30).

Naskali, Esko ve Özgüdenli, Osman Gazi Naskali, E., & Özgüdenli, O. G. (n.d.). Tahran. In Diyanet İslam Ansiklopedisi (Vol. 39). Naskali, E., & Özgüdenli, O. G. (n.d.). Tehran. In Diyanet Encyclopedia of Islam (Vol. 39).

Planhol, De Xavıer Planhol, X. de. (n.d.). Tahran [Tehran, Iran]. In Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved from http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/tehran-i-a-persian-city-at-the-foot-of-the-alborz Planhol, X. de. (n.d.). Tehran [Tehran, Iran]. In Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved from http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/tehran-i-a-persian-city-at-the-foot-of-the-alborz

“Tahran.” Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam Tahran. (n.d.). In Danişname-i Cihan-ı İslam [Encyclopedia of the Islamic World]. Retrieved from http://rch.ac.ir/article/Details/10685 Tehran. (n.d.). In Encyclopedia of the Islamic World. Retrieved from http://rch.ac.ir/article/Details/10685

Ozan Dur

Türkiye based Middle East, History and Language Researcher