Gowhar Qajar (

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

: گوهر قاجار; died circa 1901), also known as Hajieh Gowhar (حاجیه گوهر),Dehkhoda, Ali Akbar: Dehkhoda Dictionary (Digital version, https://dehkhoda.ut.ac.ir) based on the 15-volume physical edition published in 1998. Dehkhoda Dictionary Institute and the International Center for Persian Language Studies, University of Tehran, 2020. was a writer, poet, and calligrapher of the

Qajar era The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic peoples, Turkic origin,Cyrus G ...

who was also familiar with astronomy. She was known by the title Shams al-Shu'ara (شمس‌الشعراء; lit. Sun of the Poets). She is recognized as one of the first female astronomers in Iran and the author of the book ''Gowhariyeh''.

Biography

Gowhar lived in

Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...

during the reigns of

Mohammad Shah Mirza Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad Shah (born Roshan Akhtar; 7 August 1702 – 26 April 1748) was the thirteenth Mughal emperor from 1719 to 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. After being chosen by the Sayyid ...

and

Naser al-Din Shah Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (; ; 17 July 1831 – 1 May 1896) was the fourth Shah of Qajar Iran from 5 September 1848 to 1 May 1896 when he was assassinated. During his rule there was internal pressure from the people of Iran, as well as external ...

and was knowledgeable in various sciences, including astronomy.''Athar Afarinan.'' Vol. 1 and 6. Cultural Heritage and Honors Organization. Her mother was Tayghun Khanum, a daughter of

Fath-Ali Shah Qajar Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (; 5 August 1772 – 24 October 1834) was the second Shah of Qajar Iran. He reigned from 17 June 1797 until his death on 24 October 1834. His reign saw the irrevocable ceding of Iran's northern territories in the Caucasus, com ...

, and her father was Musa Khan Qavanlu. Gowhar was bold and skilled in poetry, especially in composing odes, which was a remarkable feat in that male-dominated era.Farhi, Houman (2003). ''Encyclopedia of Iranian Women.'' First Edition. Center for Women's Participation Affairs, Presidential Office. p. 793. ISBN 9789645515407.Rouhangiz Karachi (2006). ''Constitutional Era and Women Poets.'' Rudaki. She honed her poetic talents in the school of Qa’ani, adopting the Iraqi style in her odes, the Saadi style in her ghazals, and sometimes following the style of

Hafez (), known by his pen name Hafez ( or 'the keeper'; 1325–1390) or Hafiz, “Ḥāfeẓ” designates someoone who has learned the Qurʾān by heart" also known by his nickname Lisan al-Ghaib ('the tongue of the unseen'), was a Persian lyri ...

. The themes of her poems, which were compiled in a book titled ''Divan-e Gowhar'' or ''Gowhariyeh'',''

Khayrat-é Hésan ''Khayrat-é Hésan'' (Persian language, Persian: خیرات حسان; lit. Fairest Women) is a comprehensive biographical encyclopedia of prominent women in the Islamic world, written in Persian and compiled in three volumes by Mohammad Hasan Kh ...

.'' Etemad al-Saltaneh. 1928 (1307 AH). mostly revolved around the praise of Shia Imams, Naser al-Din Shah, and his mother,

Malek Jahan Khanom Malek Jahan Khanom (; 26 February 1805 – 2 April 1873) was the wife of Mohammad Shah Qajar and the mother of Naser al-Din Shah. She was the '' de facto'' regent of Iran for one month, from 5 September until 5 October in 1848, between the de ...

. Gowhariyeh contained 6,000 verses in various forms, including odes, ghazals, quatrains, qit'ahs, and mathnawis. This book was published in

in 1941 (1320 AH) by order of Ahmad Khan Fateh and was penned by Esmaeil bin Ahmad Khansari.''Journal of Academic Library and Information Studies,'' Issue 19, February 1992. Author: Mafi, Abbas. In the preface of her poetry collection, which was published in Isfahan in 1902 (1320 AH) with the support of Ahmad Fateh al-Molk, it is mentioned that Malek Jahan Khanom, the mother of Naser al-Din Shah, requested her to compose a poem in praise of

Fatimah Fatima bint Muhammad (; 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fatima al-Zahra' (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija bint Khuwaylid, Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, the fourth of the Rashidun caliphs and ...

and to recite it at a gathering held for that occasion."Shams al-Shu'ara, Gawhar. ''Gohariyah.''"
Harvard. Her success, described in the text as eloquence and fluency, led to her fame, and Naser al-Din Shah bestowed upon her the title "Shams al-Shu'ara" (Sun of the Poets). The text states that she no longer composed poetry after Malek Jahan Khanom. It also mentions that she was alive until 1901 (1319 AH) when her collection of poems was handed over to the publisher. Since in this preface, the author, Gowhar Qajar, is mentioned using the past tense, her death likely occurred a year before the book's publication and almost simultaneously with the submission of the work to Fateh al-Molk in 1901.

Resources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Qajar, Gowhar Qajar princesses Qajar dynasty 19th-century births 20th-century deaths Iranian women poets 19th-century Iranian women writers Iranian women writers Iranian calligraphers Writers from Isfahan