Aliqoli Mirza Qajar (; 7 December 1822 – 14 December 1880) was an Iranian prince of Qajar dynasty and scholar who served as the first Minister of Science in Qajar Iran. He was the forty-seventh son of Fath-Ali Shah (), King of Iran. Aliqoli Mirza was fascinated by the European Enlightenment and tried to spread its ideals in Iran. During the heyday of the Dar ul-Funun college, he was the headmaster of the school and played a key role in its survival.
In 1860, Shah Naser al-Din Shah established the Ministry of Science and appointed Aliqoli Mirza as its first Minister of Science. He served for 22 years and held various other positions, such as Minister of Mines and supervisor of education and crafts. He was responsible for building Persia's first telegraph line, he ran the government printing house, and he held the governorates of Malayer and Tuyserkan. He also supervised several newspapers, such as the Ruznameh-ye Mellati and Ruznameh-ye elmiya-ye dawlat aliya-ye Iran, the first Persian scholarly journal.
While Aliqoli Mirza wrote a variety of books on topics ranging from history to astronomy, his most important scientific work was a Persian-language interpretation of Newton's theories. Other notable works that he produced or participated in the composition of include: Nameh-ye Daneshvaran, a collection of biographies of Iranian and Muslim scholars; Al-Mutanabin, the history of religions; History of events and accidents in Afghanistan, the first Persian source that recorded the Anglo-Persian War; Exir al-Tavarikh; Fitna of Báb; and his own diwan . Aliqoli Mirza died in 1880 and was buried in Ray. Although his conservative proclivities slowed his initiatives, his work nevertheless proved influential during the Iranian Enlightenment.
Early life
Aliqoli Mirza was born on 7 December 1822, the forty-seventh son of Fath-Ali Shah with his Armenian kanīz from Tbilisi, Gol-Pirhan Khanum. He received the traditional princely education and possibly learned the basics of modern sciences while serving as an attendant in his father's court. Aliqoli Mirza was closest to his younger brother, Jalal al-Din Mirza, who also became a scholar. His part-time tutor, Mirza Asghar Khan Afshar, had been the ambassador of Iran to France, and taught his knowledge of the Western world to the young prince, introducing him to writers of the Age of Enlightenment such as Rousseau and Voltaire. He was also taught archery, horse riding, and, of his own free will, French. In his early puberty, Aliqoli Mirza's conservative nature began to form, as he was put under the teachings of Mirza Nazar Ali Hakim bashi Qazvini, an influential Sufi who was also his brother-in-law.
The young prince also had an interest in Iranian poetry, especially Omar Khayyam. Khayyam had an influential role in Aliqoli Mirza's life, as, according to him, he never went to sleep without reading at least one of Khayyam's poems. Aliqoli Mirza witnessed the rise of Bábism and befriended many Bábists in his youth. One of them was Abdol-Rahim Heravi, who helped him gather a library.
Aliqoli Mirza wrote his first book of historiography, Exir al-Tavarikh, in 1837. He later criticised the work as "excessively influenced by Abd al-Razzak Bey's Ma'ater-e soltaniya".
Career
Dispute with Amir Kabir
Aliqoli Mirza entered the politics of Qajar Iran in the early 1840s when his nephew, Mohammad Shah, appointed him regent and later minister to Malek Jahan Khanom. He administered her affairs, including the governorate of Khalkhal in Azerbaijan, whose income was set aside for the expenses of her household. When Mohammad Shah died and the council of the notables – presided by Malek Jahan Khanom – was formed in 1848, Aliqoli Mirza was an adviser and also a candidate for premier, along with Mirza Nazar Ali Khan. However, when the new Shah, Naser al-Din, arrived with Mirza Taqi Khan Amir Kabir as the prime minister, the council was abolished. Mirza Nazar Ali was sent into exile and Malek Jahan's official role was severely reduced, but Aliqoli Mirza retained his position as regent. However, his presence on the council made Amir Kabir mistrust him, which persisted until the prime minister's death.