Princess zahra khanom taj. Iranian princess Anis al Dolyah: a man or a woman in the photo, what is known about the life of the princess

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At all times, the earth was filled with all sorts of myths, and with the advent of the Internet in our lives, true and not very stories instantly become known to the general public. Probably, you have already heard about the "incomparable Anis al-Doly", because of which 13 young people took their own lives, and even saw her photo. And what can you say about grandmother Melania Trump: are they similar to the alleged granddaughter or not?

website did a little research and found out what is really behind some popular internet stories.

Myth #16: The Iranian princess Qajar was a symbol of beauty in the early 20th century. 13 young people committed suicide because she did not agree to become their wife

You have probably seen a photo of "Princess Qajar" or "Anis al-Dolyah" with such a caption. This woman does not fit into modern beauty standards even in Iran itself, but some people believe that more than 100 years ago, everything was very different.

There is some truth in this, but it is worth asking another question: did such a princess really exist? Yes and no. The woman in a tutu-like outfit was named Taj al-Dola, and she was the wife of Nasser al-Din Shah of the Qajar dynasty.

There is an opinion that the photo does not real wife Shah, and a male actor, but this is probably nothing more than speculation, because Taj was a real historical figure.

Princess Qajar is a symbol of beauty in Persia (Iran) 13 young men killed themselves because she rejected them. pic.twitter.com/DYvOd41LT1

— Creatures Of Earth (@culture_pix) November 2, 2017

And here is another “Princess Qajar” (on the left), whose photo you could also see with the same text about the symbol of beauty and 13 unfortunate young people. This lady was the daughter of Taj al-Dola and her name was Ismat al-Dola.

Of course, both mother and daughter were not at all fatal beauties who broke the hearts of numerous fans. If only because they lived in a Muslim country and hardly had the opportunity to communicate with strangers, let alone choose a husband.

As for the woman on the right, she was also called Taj and she was the sister of Ismat al-Dol by her father - he, like many eastern rulers, had more than one wife. Taj al-Saltaneh, also known as Zahra Khanum, went down in history as an artist, writer and the first Iranian feminist who was not afraid to take off her hijab, put on European clothes and divorce her husband.

Myth #15: Nikola Tesla worked as a swimming instructor.

And this is what a real giant hornet looks like. The true size of the "tiger bee" is also impressive, but, fortunately, it is not as huge as its model, which we are incredibly happy about.

Myth #12: The whale that died from eating garbage

A photo that many took for image of the dead a whale with a lot of garbage in its stomach is actually an installation created by Greenpeace in the Philippines in order to draw people's attention to the problem of ocean pollution. But, unfortunately, this happens in reality, and not only whales and not only in the Pacific region suffer, so we have something to think about.

Myth № 11: "Ancient astronaut" on the wall of the New Cathedral in Salamanca (Spain)

Where did the astronaut on the wall of the cathedral, built in the 16th century, come from? It's simple: during the restoration in 1992, the artist Geronimo Garcia (Jeronimo Garcia) decided to depict something unusual and carved a figurine in a spacesuit, and besides it, a faun who holds an ice cream cone in his paw.

Myth #10: The description of a photo of a wolf pack

“A wolf pack: the first 3 are the old or sick, they give the pace to the entire pack. If it was the other way round, they would be left behind, losing contact with the pack. In case of an ambush they would be sacrificed. Then come 5 strong ones, the front line. pic.twitter.com/bh1PtM7nV1

— LoneWanderer ♔🇭🇷 (@MMLoneWanderer) June 16, 2018

This picture also "went to the people" with a description taken from someone's head and not corresponding to reality. Allegedly, the first three wolves in the pack are the oldest and weakest, the five following them are the strongest, in the middle is the rest of the pack, another five strong animals close the group, and behind everyone is the leader who controls the situation.

However, the author of the photo, Chadden Hunter, explains that the flock hunts bison in this way, and in front is not the top three of the weakest animals, but the alpha female.

Myth #9: The she-wolf protects the male's throat in a fight.

Probably, you have seen this photo more than once with a touching caption that the she-wolf is “hiding”, pretending to be frightened, and at this time she is protecting the male’s throat, knowing that she will not be touched in a fight. Alas, this is also nothing more than a beautiful fairy tale.

Enough popular photo"no photoshop" turned out to be the result of merging two different shots. The sky was borrowed from Dutch photographer Marieke Mandemaker and superimposed on a photo of the Crimean Bridge in Moscow.

Myth #7: The "Gates of Heaven" captured by the Hubble Telescope

“Unusual photo that amazed scientists” turned out to be the work of graphic designer Adam Ferriss (Adam Ferriss), which, however, was based on a real picture of the Omega Nebula (aka the Cygnus Nebula).

This is what the original photo looks like. By the way, this nebula can be observed in an amateur telescope - in shape it resembles a ghostly swan floating across the sky.

Myth No. 6: In China, fake ... cabbage

It seems that we are already accustomed to the idea that in our time absolutely everything can be faked. And in fact, cabbage made from some kind of liquid substance is very much like a real one. Is it being sold to unsuspecting buyers? Not at all.

Such "fake" cabbage, as well as other "products", is just a dummy at catering points in China, Korea, Japan and some other countries.

Myth #5: There was no hotel room for Arnold Schwarzenegger and he had to sleep outside next to his own statue.

No sooner had “Iron Arnie” joked on his Instagram, sharing this photo with the significant caption “How times have changed,” when it was immediately posted on another resource, where they made up a whole story that the actor and the former governor of California were not allowed into the hotel and he had to sleep right on the ground.

Of course, Schwarzenegger did not spend the night on the street. And the photo was taken not near the hotel, but near the city's convention center, opposite the entrance to which there is a statue depicting a young Arnold in his best shape.

Taj Mahal is one of the most grandiose buildings located on the territory of India. Every year the number of visitors to the majestic mausoleum exceeds 5 million people. Tourists are attracted not only by the beauty of the building, but also by the beautiful story. The mausoleum was erected by order of the padishah of the Empire, who wished to tell the whole world about his longing for dead wife Mumtaz Mahal. What is known about the Taj Mahal, declared the pearl of Muslim art, as well as about the love due to which it was created?

Shah Jahan: Biography of the Padishah

"Lord of the World" - this is the meaning of the name that one of the most famous Mughal kings received from his father, who loved him more than other children. Shah Jahan, famous creator Taj Mahal, was born in 1592, led the Mughal Empire at the age of 36, seizing the throne after the death of his father Jahangir and getting rid of his rival brothers. The new padishah quickly declared himself as a resolute and ruthless ruler. Thanks to several military campaigns, he managed to increase the territory of his empire. At the beginning of his reign, he was one of the most powerful men of the 17th century.

Shah Jahan was interested not only in military campaigns. For his time, the padishah was well educated, took care of the development of science and architecture, took care of artists, appreciated beauty in all its manifestations.

Fateful meeting

The legend says that the ruler of the Mughal Empire met his future wife Mumtaz Mahal by chance, it happened while walking through the bazaar. From the crowd of people, his gaze snatched a young maiden holding wooden beads in her hands, whose beauty captivated him. The padishah, who was still the heir to the throne at that time, fell in love so much that he decided to take the girl as his wife.

Mumtaz Mahal, an Armenian by nationality, came from the family of the vizier Abdul Hassan Asaf Khan, who was part of the circle of close associates of Padishah Jahangir. The girl, who at birth was named Arjumand Banu Begam, was the niece of Jahangir's beloved wife Nur-Jahan. Consequently, she could boast not only an attractive appearance, but also a noble origin, so there were no obstacles to the wedding. On the contrary, such a marriage strengthened the position of the heir as a contender for the throne, but he still married for love.

marriage

Jahangir gladly allowed his beloved son to marry the girl he liked Mumtaz Mahal, the nationality of the bride was also not perceived as an obstacle, given the noble origin of her father. The betrothal ceremony took place in 1607, when the bride, born in 1593, was no more than 14 years old. For unknown reasons, the wedding was postponed for 5 years.

It was during the wedding that she received her beautiful name Mumtaz Mahal. The biography of the famous wife of the ruler of the Mughal Empire says that his father-in-law Jahangir, who still ruled at that time, invented it. The name is translated into Russian as “pearl of the palace”, which serves as proof of the extraordinary beauty of the girl.

The spouse of the "pearl", as befits the heir to the throne, had a huge harem. However, not a single concubine managed to win his heart, forcing him to forget about the charming Arjumand. During his lifetime, Mumtaz Mahal became a favorite muse famous poets of that time, who praised not only her beauty, but also kind heart. An Armenian woman became her husband reliable support accompanied him even on military campaigns.

Misfortune

Unfortunately, it was Arjumand's devotion that cost her her life. She did not consider pregnancy an obstacle to being close to her beloved husband during all his travels. In total, she gave birth to 14 children, which was typical up to that time. The last childbirth turned out to be difficult, the empress, exhausted by a long campaign, was unable to recover from them.

Mumtaz Mahal passed away in 1631, just short of her fortieth birthday. The tragic event took place in a military camp located near Burkhanpur. The emperor was with his beloved wife, with whom he lived together for 19 years, in her last minutes. Before leaving this world, the Empress took two promises from her husband. She forced him to swear that he would not remarry, and also to build for her a grandiose mausoleum, the beauty of which the world could enjoy.

Mourning

Shah Jahan could not come to terms with the loss of his beloved wife until the end of his life. For 8 whole days he refused to leave his own chambers, rejected food and forbade talking to him. Legend has it that grief even pushed him to attempt suicide, which, however, ended in failure. By order of the ruler of the Mughal Empire, mourning in the state continued for two years. During these years, the population did not celebrate holidays, music and dances were banned.

The famous padishah found some consolation for himself in the fulfillment of Arjumand's dying will. He really refused to marry again, he finally lost interest in his huge harem. By his order, the construction of the mausoleum began, which today is one of the most magnificent buildings in the world.

Location of the Taj Mahal

What city is the Taj Mahal in? The city of Agra, located approximately 250 km from Delhi, was chosen for the construction of the mausoleum. The padishah decided that the tribute to the memory of his beloved wife would be located on the coast of the Jumna River. He was attracted by the beauty of this place. This choice gave the builders certain inconveniences associated with the instability of the soil located next to the water.

A unique technology that has not been used anywhere before helped to solve the problem. An example of its application in modern construction is the use of piles in the construction of skyscrapers in the UAE.

Construction

Six months after the death of Mumtaz Mahal, the inconsolable husband ordered the construction of the mausoleum to begin. The construction of the Taj Mahal took a total of 12 years, construction work began in 1632. Historians are unanimous that no building in the world has required such costs as this one. The fulfillment of the will of the deceased wife, according to the palace chronicles, cost the padishah approximately 32 million rupees, today it is several billion euros.

Shah Jahan made sure that the builders did not save on materials. The cladding of the building was made using the purest marble, which was supplied from the province of Rajasthan. It is interesting that, according to the decree of the ruler of the Mughal Empire, the use of this marble for other purposes was banned.

The cost of building the Taj Mahal was so significant that a famine broke out in the state. The grain that was supposed to be sent to the provinces ended up at the construction site, used to feed the workers. Work ended only in 1643.

Secrets of the Taj Mahal

The majestic Taj Mahal gave immortality to the king and his beautiful beloved Mumtaz Mahal. The story of the ruler's love for his wife is told to all visitors to the mausoleum. Interest in the building cannot be surprising, because it has amazing beauty.

The builders were able to make the Taj Mahal unique thanks to optical illusions, which were used in the design of the mausoleum. You can enter the territory of the complex only after passing the arch of the entrance gate, only then the building opens before the eyes of the guests. To a person who approaches the arch, it may seem that the mausoleum is decreasing, moving away. created when moving away from the arch. Thus, it may seem to every visitor that he is taking the grandiose Taj Mahal with him.

A cunning technique was also used to create the striking minarets of the building, which seem to be located strictly vertically. In reality, these elements are slightly deviated from the building. This decision helps to save the Taj Mahal from destruction as a result of an earthquake. By the way, the height of the minarets is 42 meters, and the height of the mausoleum as a whole is 74 meters.

For the decoration of the walls, as already mentioned, snow-white shining under the influence of sunlight was used. Malachite, pearls, corals, carnelian served as decorative elements; the elegance of the carving makes an indelible impression.

Burial place of Mumtaz Mahal

Many people who are interested in history and architecture know in which city the Taj Mahal is located. However, not everyone knows exactly where the burial place of the Empress is located. Her tomb is not at all under the main dome of the building erected in her honor. In fact, the burial place of the ruler of the Empire of the Great Mongols is a secret marble hall, for which a plot was allocated under the mausoleum.

The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal was located in a secret room for a reason. This decision was made so that visitors do not disturb the peace of the “pearl of the palace”.

End of story

Having lost his beloved wife, Shah Jahan practically lost interest in power, no longer undertook large-scale military campaigns, and had little interest in state affairs. The empire weakened, mired in the abyss of the economic crisis, riots began to break out everywhere. It is not surprising that his son and heir Aurangzeb found loyal supporters who supported him in an attempt to take power from his father and crack down on his pretender brothers. The old emperor was imprisoned in a fortress, in which he was forced to spend last years life. Shah Jahan left this world in 1666, being a lonely and sick old man. The son ordered to bury his father next to his beloved wife.

The last wish of the emperor remained unfulfilled. He dreamed of building another mausoleum opposite the Taj Mahal, exactly repeating its shape, but finished with black marble. He planned to turn this building into his own tomb, connecting it with the burial place of his wife was supposed to be a black and white openwork bridge. However, the plans were not destined to come true, the son Aurangzeb, who came to power, ordered the construction work to be stopped. Fortunately, the emperor still managed to fulfill the will of his beloved woman and build the Taj Mahal.

And many, probably, believed in the very specific tastes of the Iranian ruler Nasser ad-Din Shah Qajar, because these princesses are attributed to his harem.

But did oriental beauties really look like that?

Of course not The ruler of Iran - Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar since early childhood He was very fond of photography, and when he came to power, a photo studio appeared in his palace. And the court photographer was Anton Sevryugin, by the way, our compatriot. All this happened in the 1870s, and although Sevryugin had an honorary title for his contribution to the art of Iran, he did not have the right to photograph the harem, but could only photograph the shah himself, courtiers and guests of the head of state.
Only the Shah himself had the right to photograph the wives from the harem, there is evidence that he often did this, personally developed the pictures in the laboratory and kept them secret from everyone so that no one could see them. I wonder what he photographed there

So where did the pictures of "Princesses of Iran" come from?

And why are these women so different from the concept of beauty of the time, which we could read about and even see in films?

In fact, these are not Iranian princesses, not the wives of the Shah and ... not women at all! These photographs show the actors of the first state theater, created by Shah Nasreddin, who was a great admirer European culture. This troupe played satirical plays only for courtiers and nobility. The organizer of this theater was Mirza Ali Akbar Khan Naggashbashi, who is considered one of the founders of modern Iranian theater. The plays of that time were played only by men, since until 1917 Iranian women were forbidden to perform on stage. That's the whole secret of the "Iranian princesses": yes, this is the Shah's harem, but in a theatrical production.

The Iranian Shah, who ruled the country for 47 years, was the most educated person in Iran, who knew several languages, loved geography, drawing, poetry, and the author of books about his travels. At the age of seventeen, he inherited the throne, but he could only take power with the help of weapons. He was an extraordinary person who managed to carry out small, from the point of view of our time, but significant for his time, reforms in the country.

As a literate person, he understood that only an educated and developed Iran would be able to exist on an equal footing with other countries in this world. He was a fan of European culture, but he realized that the religious fanaticism that raged in the country would not allow him to turn his dreams into reality.

Nevertheless, much was accomplished during his lifetime. The telegraph appeared in Iran, schools began to open, the army was reformed, french school, a prototype of the future university, where they studied medicine, chemistry, geography.

Nasser Qajar Theater

Nasser Qajar knew perfectly well French, was familiar with French culture, in particular with the theater, but he was primarily the Shah of Iran, a Muslim. Therefore, his dream of a full-fledged theater could not come true. But he, together with Mirza Ali Akbar Khan Naggashbashi, creates a state theater, the troupe of which consisted of men. In the photos of the actors, you can see the famous "Iranian princess Anis al Dolyah." Yes, this is a princess, but not a real one, but performed by a male actor.

The Iranian theater did not play productions from the life of the people. His satirical repertoire consisted entirely of plays describing the court and social life. All roles were played by men. This is not an isolated case. Think of Japanese kabuki theater where only men play. True, the Japanese actors played in masks, and it was hardly possible to see their fused eyebrows and mustaches. By the way, thick, fused eyebrows among the inhabitants of Arab and Central Asian countries have always been considered a sign of beauty, both for women and men.

Founder of Iranian theater

Mirza Ali Akbar Khan Naggashbashi, a well-known person in Iran, who is considered the founder of the Iranian theater, was the head of the first state theater. All roles were played by men, only after 1917 were women allowed to be actresses and participate in performances.

Old photos

Nasser al-Din was fond of photography from his youth. He had his own laboratory, where he personally printed pictures. He photographed himself, he had a French photographer who took pictures of him. In the late sixties of the XIX century, the Sevryugins brothers open their studio in Tehran, one of them - Anton - becomes a court photographer.

He removed everything, Sevryugin helped him in this. He kept photos of his wives, close associates, theater artists, his trips, solemn meetings, military operations in the palace safe. After the Iranian revolution, all his archives were declassified, and the pictures fell into the hands of journalists. Who is depicted in these photographs is now difficult to say. Do not rely on the Internet. Signatures for the same photos on different sites differ dramatically. Their reliability is highly questionable.

On one German site, an interesting commentary came across to an article about Nasser al-Din, which was sent by a resident of Iran. He writes that the khan did not like women, therefore, in order to look like men and thus please the shah, they painted on mustaches. It is difficult to say how true this is, but it partially explains the clearly male faces in women's clothes and the fact that an outsider (photographer) takes pictures of the khan in a circle of masculine women.

Who is Iranian Princess Anis

Anis al Dolyah is, most likely, the name of the heroine of a play that was played out with some acting characters according to different situations(accidents from life). Something like modern series. Each actor played one role for many years.

Shah Nasser Qajar had an official wife, Munir Al-Khan, who bore him children, including his heir, Mozafereddin Shah. She was from a noble and influential family with considerable power. There is no doubt that the Shah had a harem. But who lived in his harem, it is impossible to say for sure now.

Photos of the Shah's concubines

A photo Iranian princess al Dolyah and the Shah's concubines, posted on the Internet, these are most likely pictures of theater artists or excerpts from plays. Coming to any theater, we see in its foyer the composition of the troupe in photographs, where you can often see actors made up, that is, excerpts from their roles.

Let's not forget that the shah was a supporter of everything European, but remained a Muslim dictator who did not tolerate any dissent. Deviating from the norms of the Koran (in this case, photographing women with open faces) would alienate thousands of his devoted subjects from him. This would not fail to take advantage of his enemies, of whom he had plenty. He was assassinated more than once.

Shah visited many European countries, including Russia. He was fascinated by Russian ballet. He could not stage something like this in his country, so he creates a play about it, dressing the Iranian princess Anis (photo below) and other alleged women in ballet tutus. By the way, the shah wrote books about his travels, which were published in Europe and Russia. Perhaps he also wrote plays for his theatre.

What does the name Anis mean?

Why does an Iranian princess have such strange name Anise? This is no coincidence, it was during the reign of Shah Nasser ad-Din that two religious rebels who dared to recognize the Koran as obsolete were shot. This is the founder of a new religion, called Babism, Baba Sayyid Ali Muhammad Shirazi, as well as his ardent follower and assistant Mirza Muhammad Ali Zunuzi (Anis). There is a legend that during the execution carried out by a detachment of 750 Christians, Baba in a strange way ended up in his cell, but Anis was not touched by the bullets.

It is the name Anis that the satirical Iranian princess bears. Each time it caused laughter and bullying. By dressing your opponent in women's clothing, which in itself is a shame for a Muslim, the Shah took revenge on those who went against the Koran. We do not know the names of other "inhabitants" of the Shah's harem, maybe they can also tell a lot. Of course, these are only assumptions, what really happened, we will never know.