often nowadays we hear the story of a country in the southwestern part of Asia, which is called Persia.What is now the country has replaced it on the political map of the world?Since 1935, Persia became officially known as Iran.
In ancient times, this country was the center of a vast empire, whose territory stretched from the Indus River to Egypt.
Geography
It is said that at the time did not have clear boundaries State Persia.What is now the country is on these lands, identify problematic enough.Even modern Iran is only about the territory of ancient Persia.The fact that in some periods of the empire was on most of the known world at that time.But there were also the worst years, when the territory was divided between Persia a local rulers, hostile against each other.
relief of most of the current territory of Persia is the highest (1200 m) Plateau, which is crossed by a chain of stone ridges and individual peaks, towering up to 5500 meters. In the northern and western parts of the area are mountains Elbrus and the Zagros.They are arranged in the form of the letter «V», framing Highlands.
located west of Persia, Mesopotamia.It is the birthplace of the oldest civilizations in the world.At the time, the state of the Empire greatly influenced the culture of the country is still in its infancy Persia.
history
Persia (Iran) - it is a country with the greatest past.Its history includes aggressive and defensive wars, uprisings and revolutions, as well as the brutal suppression of all political action.But at the same time, the ancient Iran - is the birthplace of the great men of the time, which led to a flowering of the arts and culture of the country and built the amazing beauty of their buildings, the architecture which still amazes us with its magnificence.History of Persia has a large number of ruling dynasties.Convert them is simply impossible.Each of these dynasties bring into force laws and regulations which violate one just did not dare.
Historic periods
Persia suffered a lot in the way of its development.But the major milestones of its development are considered to be two periods.One of the pre-Islamic, and the second - a Muslim.Islamization of Ancient Iran was the reason for the fundamental changes in its political, social and cultural spheres.However, this does not mean the disappearance of the old spiritual values.They are not only not lost, but also to a large extent influenced the new culture, which originated in the country at the turn of historical periods.In addition, many pre-Islamic customs and traditions preserved in Iran so far.
Board Achaemenid
As a state Ancient Iran began its existence with Cyrus II.This ruler was the founder of the Achaemenid dynasty, which was in power from 550 to 330 years.BC.e.When Cyrus II first had united the two largest Indo-Asian tribe - the Persians and the Medes.This was the period of greatest power of Persia.Its territory extended as far as Central Asia and Asia Minor, Egypt and the Indus Valley.The most important archaeological and historical sites are the ruins of the Achaemenid capital of Persia - Persepolis.
Here is the tomb of Cyrus II, and the inscription carved by Darius I at Behistun rock.At the time, he burned Persepolis by Alexander the Great during his campaign to conquer Iran.This put an end to the great conqueror of the Achaemenid Empire.Written evidence of this era, unfortunately, did not survive.They were killed on the orders of Alexander the Great.
Hellenistic period
From 330 to 224 BC.e.Persia was in a state of decline.Together with the country and its culture is degraded.During this period, Ancient Iran was ruled by the ruling at the time of the Greek Seleucid dynasty, being a part of the eponymous state.To change the culture and language of Persia.They are influenced by the Greeks.At the same time the Iranian culture is not lost.It had an impact on immigrants from Greece.But this happened only in those areas where there was self-sufficient and large Greek community.
Parthia
years passed, the power in Persia, the Greeks came to an end.History of Ancient Iran has entered a new stage.The country became part of the Parthian Empire.Here dynasty Arshakids, consider themselves descendants of the Achaemenid.These rulers of Persia was released from the Greek authorities, as well as protect it from the invasion of the Romans and the nomads.
In this period was created by the Iranian national epic, a large number of subjects with heroic characters.One of them was Rustem.This Iranian hero in many ways similar to Hercules.
In the Parthian period saw the strengthening of the feudal system.This weakened Persia.As a result, it was conquered by the Sassanids.A new stage in the history of ancient Iran.
Sasanian Empire between 224 and 226 years BC.e.from the throne overthrew the last Parthian king Artaban V. The power thus captured the Sassanid dynasty.During this period the boundaries of Ancient Iran was not only restored, but expanded to the western regions of China, including a Punjab and Transcaucasia.Dynasty waged a constant battle with the Romans, and one of its representatives - Shapur I - even managed to capture their Emperor Valerian.Constant wars waged Sassanid and Byzantine.
During this period, Persia had the development of the city, and was strengthening the central government.Then there was Zoroastrianism, which became the official religion of the country.In the Sassanid era it has been developed and approved four-existing system of administrative division and stratification of all walks of life to 4 class.
In the era of Sassanid Persia penetrated Christianity that negatively met Zoroastrian priests.Then there were some other opposition religious movements.Among them - Mazdakism and Manichaeism.
most famous representative of the Sassanid was the shah Khosrau I.The literal translation of its name means "immortal soul."His reign lasted from 531 for 579 years.Khosrow I, was so famous that his fame remained for many centuries after the fall of the Sassanid dynasty.This ruler has remained in the memory of posterity as a great reformer.Great interest has been shown Khosrov I to philosophy and science.Some Iranian sources present even compare it with Plato's "philosopher king".
Sassanid significantly weakened the constant wars with Rome.In 641, the country has lost a major battle of the Arabs.Sassanian stage in the history of Iran ended with the death of the last member of this dynasty - Yezdegerda III.Persia came into the Islamic period in its development.
Board local dynasties
Arab Caliphate gradually expanded to the east.Moreover, its central government in Baghdad and Damascus could not keep strict control over all the provinces.This led to the fact that in Iran there were local dynasties.The first of them - Tahirids.Its representatives have ruled between 821 873 years.Khorasan.In place of this dynasty came Saffarids.Their dominance in the territory of Khorasan, Iran and southern Herat lasted throughout the second half of the ninth century.Then the throne was captured by the Samanids.This dynasty proclaimed themselves descendants of Parthian military commander Bahram Chubin.See Samanids held for over fifty years, extending its authority over large areas.Country Iran during their reign ran from the highlands to the eastern outskirts of the Aral Sea and the Zagros mountain range.Bukhara was the center of the state.
Later in the territory of Persia ruled two kinds.In the second half of the tenth century it was Ziyaridy.They control the territory coast of the Caspian Sea.Ziyaridy famous for his patronage of the arts and literature.In the same period in the central Iranian dynasty was in power Bund.They were conquered Baghdad and Force, Khuzistan and Kerman, Ray and Hamadan.
Local Iranian dynasty sought power in the same way.They seized the throne by raising an armed rebellion.
Ghaznavid and Seljuk Dynasty
Since the eighth century on the Iranian Plateau began to penetrate the Turkic nomadic tribes.Gradually life of the people became sedentary.There were new settlements.Alp Tegin - one of the Turkic tribal leaders - began to serve the Sassanids.In 962, he became in power and the rules of the newly created state, whose capital was the city of Ghazni.Alp Tegin founded a new dynasty.Power Gaznevity held a little over a hundred years.One of its representatives - Mahmud of Ghazni - kept under close control of the territory from Mesopotamia to India.The same ruler Harasane was settled tribe of the Oghuz Turks.Subsequently, their leader Selcuk revolted and overthrew the Ghaznavid dynasty.Iranian capital was declared a city Rey.
Seljuk dynasty belonged to the orthodox Muslims.She took control of the local rulers, but for many years its dominance led constant wars.
During the flowering of a special power of Seljuk architecture received.During the reign of the dynasty built hundreds of madrassas, mosques, public buildings and palaces.But at the same time, the reign of the Seljuk prevented permanent rebellion in the provinces, as well as the invasion of other tribes of the Turks, who moved to the western lands.Constant wars weakened the state, and by the end of the first quarter of the twelfth century it began to disintegrate.
Mongol domination
invasion troops of Genghis Khan not passed and Iran.The country's history tells us that in 1219 the commander was able to master the Khorezm and then advancing to the west, sacked Bukhara, Balkh, Samarkand, Merv and Nashapur.
His grandson, Hulagu Khan in 1256 again plunged into Iran, and took by storm Baghdad, destroyed Abbasiysky caliphate.Ilhan Conqueror took the title, becoming the founder of the dynasty Hulaguid.He and his successors adopted the religion, culture and way of life of the Iranian people.Over the years, the position of the Mongols in Persia began to wane.They were forced to wage a constant war against the feudal rulers and representatives of local dynasties.
Between 1380 and 1395 years.the territory of the Iranian plateau was captured by Timur (Tamerlane).They were subdued, and all the land, which is adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea.The descendants of the great military leader until 1506 kept the Timurid state.Further, it was subordinated to the Uzbek dynasty Sheibanids.
history of Iran from the 15th to 18th centuries
Over the subsequent centuries in Persia continue the war for power.Thus, in the 15th century, the tribes fought each other ac-koyundu and Kara-aoyundu.In 1502 the authorities seized Ismail I. This monarch was the first representative of the Safavid - Azerbaijani dynasty.During the reign of Ismail I and his successors Iran revived its military might and become economically prosperous country.
Safavid state remained strong until his death in 1629, he was the last ruler Abbas I. At the east of Kharassan Uzbeks were expelled, and the west - the Ottomans defeated.Iran, which indicate the card belonging to his impressive territory subdued Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.Within these boundaries it existed until the nineteenth century.
on the territory of Persia were the war against the Turks and Afghans who sought to conquer the country.It was a time when power was Afshar dynasty.Southern Lands Iran 1760 to 1779 were ruled dynasty, founded by Karim Khan Zand.Then it overthrew the Qajar Turkic tribe.Under the guidance of their leader, it has gained ground in all of the Iranian plateau.
Qajar dynasty
In the early nineteenth century, Iran had lost province, the territory of modern Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.This was the result of the Qajar dynasty was never able to create a strong state apparatus, a national army and a common system of tax collection.The power of its representatives was too weak and could not resist the imperial desires Russia and the UK.Under the control of the great powers in the second half of the nineteenth century moved land of Afghanistan and Turkistan.Iran has unwittingly become an arena of Russian-British confrontation.
Last of the Qajar was a constitutional monarch.This important law Dynasty was forced to take the pressure of strikes carried out in the country.Against the constitutional regime of Iran were the two powers - Russia and the United Kingdom.In 1907, they signed an agreement on the division of Persia.Its northern part of Russia withdrew.In the southern lands to exert its influence UK.The central part of the country was left in a neutral zone.
Iran in the early 20th century
Qajar dynasty was overthrown in a coup.It was headed by General Reza Khan.To power a new Pahlavi dynasty.This name, which is translated from the Parthian means "noble and brave", was intended to emphasize the kind of Iranian origin.
During the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi of Persia survived their national revival.This is due to numerous radical reforms undertaken by the government.It was the beginning of industrialization.Large investments were allocated for the development of the industry.Built roads and railways.Actively conducted the development and production of oil.Sharia courts have been replaced by the proceedings.Thus, at the beginning of the 20th century in Persia began an extensive modernization.
In 1935, the state changed its name Persia.What is now the country is its successor?Iran.This ancient Persia self, which means "land of the Aryans" (the higher the white race).After 1935 started to revive the pre-Islamic past.Small and large cities of Iran began to be renamed.They restored the pre-Islamic monuments.
overthrow of imperial power
Last Shah Pahlavi came to the throne in 1941. His reign lasted for 38 years.In conducting its foreign policy was guided by the opinion of the shah USA.However, he supported the pro-American regimes that existed in Oman, Somalia and Chad.One of the highlights was the Shah opposition Islamic priest KMA Ruhollah Khomeini.He led the revolutionary activities against the existing government.
In 1977, US President Jimmy Carter forced the Shah to ease the repression of the opposition.As a result, Iran began to appear numerous party critics of the current regime.Preparing Islamic revolution.The activities carried out by the opposition intensified protests of Iranian society, who opposed the country's domestic policy, harassment of church and pro-American foreign policy.
Islamic Revolution began after the events of January 1978 It was then that the police was shot demonstration of students who opposed published in the state newspaper slanderous article about Khomeini.The unrest continued throughout the year.Shah was forced to enter the country under martial law.However, to keep the situation under control was impossible.In January 1979, the Shah left Iran.
After his escape in the country held a referendum.As a result, April 1, 1979 there was the Islamic Republic of Iran.In December of the same year saw the light of the updated constitution.This document approved the supreme authority of the Imam Khomeini, who after his death was to be handed over to his successor.The Iranian president, under the Constitution, was in charge of political and civil authority.Together with him the reign of countries to implement the Prime Minister and an advisory board - mendzhlis.The Iranian president is the guarantor of the law adopted by the constitution.
Iran today
very colorful state is known since ancient times Persia.Which country today can so accurately reflect the adage "East - a delicate matter"?This has been confirmed over the existence and development of the State in question.
Islamic Republic of Iran, no doubt, is unique in its originality.And that distinguishes it from other Asian countries.The capital of the Republic - the city of Tehran.This is a huge metropolis, which is one of the largest in the world.
Iran - a unique country with many attractions, monuments of culture and their way of life features.The Republic has 10% of world reserves of black gold.
