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Reza Shah Pahlevi

(Encyclopedia)Reza Shah Pahlevi rēˈzä shä päˈləvē [key], 1878–1944, shah of Iran (1925–41). He began his career as an army officer and gained a reputation for valor and leadership. He headed a coup in 1...

Aga Khan

(Encyclopedia)Aga Khan äˈgä khän [key], the title of the religious leader and imam of the Ismaili Nizari sect of Islam, originally bestowed by the Persian shah Fath Ali on Hasan Ali Shah, 1800–1881, the 46th ...

Kerman

(Encyclopedia)Kerman kĕrmänˈ [key], city (1991 pop. 311,643), capital of Kerman prov., E central Iran. It is noted for making and exporting carpets. Cotton textiles and goats-wool shawls are also manufactured. K...

Ali, Irfaan

(Encyclopedia)Ali, Irfaan (Mohammed Irfaan Ali), 1980–, Guyanese political leader. He worked for the Caribbean Development Bank before he was first elected to Guyana's national assembly in 2006. A member of the P...

Ali, Sabahattin

(Encyclopedia)Ali, Sabahattin, 1907–48, Turkish fiction writer. During his lifetime he was best known for his popular and realistic short stories, many of which were concerned with the plight of Turkey's poor. Hi...

Karim Khan

(Encyclopedia)Karim Khan kärēmˈ khän [key], d. 1779, ruler of Persia (1750–79), founder of the Zand dynasty. He emerged victorious from a contest for power and ruled under the title Vakil [representative]. Hi...

Nasir ad-Din

(Encyclopedia)Nasir ad-Din näˈsər äd-dēn [key], 1831?–1896, shah of Persia (1848–96). He and his able vizier, Mirza Taqi Khan, were responsible for shaking Persia from a long period of inertia. He traveled...

Ali

(Encyclopedia)Ali älēˈ [key] (Ali ibn Abu Talib), 598?–661, 4th caliph (656–61). The debate over his right to the caliphate caused a major split in Islam into Sunni and Shiite branches, and he is regarded by...

Muhammad of Ghor

(Encyclopedia)Muhammad of Ghor, d. 1206, Afghan conqueror of N India. A brother of the sultan of Ghor, he was made governor of Ghazni in 1173 and from there launched a series of invasions of India. By 1186 he had c...

Pahlevi, Iranian shahs

(Encyclopedia)Pahlevi: see Reza Shah Pahlevi; Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlevi. ...