Shah
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'''Shah''' is a [[Persian language|Persian]] term for a [[monarch]] (leader) that has been adopted in many other languages.
==Word history==
<b>"Shah"</B> was the title of [[Iran]]ian monarchs, including the [[Achaemenid dynasty]] which unified [[Persian Empire|Persia]] and created a vast intercontinental empire until it was overrun by [[Alexander the Great]]. The full title of the Achaemenid rulers was ''xšāyaθiya xšāyaθiyānām'', "[[King of Kings]]", corresponding to [[Middle Persian]] ''šāhān šāh'', literally "kings' king", and [[Modern Persian]] ''shāhanshāh'' (شاهنشاه). In [[Greek language|Greek]] this phrase was translated as "βασιλεύς τῶν βασιλέων (basileus tōn basiléōn)", "[[king of kings]]", in rank rather equivalent to emperor. The Indian counterpart of shahanshah was ''rajadhiraja'' or ''[[Chatrapati|kshetra-pati]]'' (more toward ''[[Padishah]]''). Both were often shortened to their root, shah viz. basileus.
From the related word ''kshathra'' "realm, province" also descends ''kshathrapavan'', literally "guardian of the realm", which in western languages became [[satrap]] 'governor' via the Greek and Latin ''[[satrapes]]''.
In English its use as title for the king of Persia is recorded since 1564, as ''shaw'' (or ''shaugh''), and for long it remained common to render it in European languages by kingly rather than imperial titles. Via its Arabic form (also shah) it was the root of the western words for [[chess]] and check (as in "check mate").
In western languages, the term shah is often used as an imprecise rendering of '''shāhanshāh''' (meaning ''[[king of kings]]''). Usually shortened to '''shāh''' it is the term for an [[Iran]]ian [[monarch]] and was used by most of the former rulers of the Iranian empires, many nationalities of Iranian origin, or under cultural influence.
The term shah or shahanshah has roughly corresponded to [[Iran|Persia]] since the [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid]] [[Persian Empire]] (which had succeeded and absorbed the [[Mede]] state), or the properly [[Iranian Empire]], after its conquest by Alexander the Great who translated it into Greek as [[Basileus|basileus ton basileon]], also often shortened to ''basileus''.
It is also known that the title of shahanshah was given to [[Tigranes the Great]], king of Armenia, when he made his empire defeating the Parthians.
The title is roughly equivalent in rank to the western ''[[emperor]]'' and is hence often translated as such in [[English language|English]] or its equivalent in other languages.
The monarch of Persia (internally always called Iran) was technically the emperor of the Persian Empire (later the ''Empire of Iran'', as Iran was officially known until [[1935]]).
However until the Napoleonic era, when Persia was an enviable ally of the Western powers eager to make the Ottoman Sultan release his hold on various (mainly Christian) European parts of the Turkish Empire, and western (Christian) [[emperor]]s had obtained the Ottoman acknowledgement that their western imperial styles were to be rendered in Turkish as ''[[padishah]]'', the western practice was to consider 'king of kings' a particular but royal title.
The last [[shah of Iran]], [[Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi]] officially adopted the title شاهنشاه ''shâhanshâh'' (literally ''king of kings'') and in western languages the rendering as ''emperor'', during his coronation. He also styled his wife شاهبانو ''[[shahbanu|shahbânu]]'' (''empress'').
In orthodox [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Giorgi III]], grandson of King Bagrat III (who expelled the Turks from the eastern provinces, threw off his allegiance to Byzantium and unified all Georgia, establishing its rule over the Abkhazis, Kartvelians, Ranians, Kakhetians and Armenians), was the first to assume the subsidiary titles of ''shahanshah'' (like the Persian king of kings) and ''master of all the East and West''. His reign, and that of his successor, his daughter Thamar the Great, are seen as the 'golden age' of Georgia; the titles of the following Georgian rulers varied significantly from reign to reign, especially while under Muslim and Russian domination, but the last enjoying the traditional titles, was "The Most High King (Mepe-Umaglesi) [[Irakli I]], [[by the will of our Lord]], ''[[Mepe-Mepeta]] ('King of Kings')'' of the Abkhazis, Kartvelians, Ranians, Kakhetians and the Armenians, ''Shirvanshah'' and ''Shahanshah and Master of all the East and West''", with the style of His Majesty (or His Splendour). However, after imperial Russia (also orthodox) had established a [[protectorate]] over the 'Transcaucasian' kingdom of Georgia, the emperor recognised the following Russified styles and titles as of 24 September, 1783, old style for its Hereditary Sovereign and Prince (now in fact a Russian vassal): ''The Most Serene [[Tsar]] (i.e. King)'' (reign name), ''by the will of our Lord, King (Tsar) of Kartli, King of Kakheti, Hereditary Prince of Samtzkhé-Saatabago, Ruling Prince of Kazakh, Borchalo, Shamshadilo, Kak, Shaki, and Shirvan, Prince and Lord of Ganja and Erivan'', with the style of His Majesty, but without the now too imperial subsidiary titles.
===Shah bahadur===
In the Mughal tradition, the addition of ''bahadur'' raises any title one rank, so this means something untranslatable such as 'King first class'. Yet this title was adopted as part of the full style of the former [[Nawab]] (vassal 'governor') of [[Awadh]] (the richest remaining province in the Mughal empire, and geographically close to its Delhi capital; often Oudh in English) and Mughal 'regent plenipotentiary (de facto Viceroy) when he followed the British advice to declare himself independent from the completely weakened Mughal court- only to become the political toy of the eager coloniser. However, the crucial element in his majestic full style -''Hazrat Khalid'', (personal reign name and titles) ''Shah Bahadur, Padshah-i-Oudh''- is the imperial title padishah, which could not conceivably be allowed to be assumed by a vassal.
==Related and subsidiary princely titles==
===Ruler styles===
*The title '''[[padishah]]''' '[[great king]]' (see both articles) was also adopted from the [[Iranian peoples|Iranians]] ([[Persian people|Persians]]) by the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]]s (the 'Great Sultan' was the Sunni counterpart of the Shiah Shahanshah) for their emperor, and by various other Islamic monarchs claiming imperial rank, such as the Indian mughal (among them only the Ottomans would also claim the [[caliphate]], full sovereign authority over universal (or at least Sunni) Islam, like the prophet).
*The Turkish title '''hünkar''' is a contraction of the Middle Persian ''khudavendigar'', originally an epithet of semi-divine status. It must have been highly respected not to be swept away by Islam before the Ottomans could adopt it as a subsidiary title in the full style of their Great Sultan (following directly after padishah).
*Another subsidiary style of the Ottoman sultan khan was ''Shah-i-Alam Panah'' 'King, refuge of the world'.
*Some Monarchs were known by a contraction of the kingdom's name with Shah, such as [[Khwarezmshah]], ruler of the short-lived mighty Muslim realm of [[Khwarezmia]], or the more modest Azeiri [[Shirvanshah]] of Shirvan (later a modest khanate).
===Shahzade===
''Shahzade'' ([[Persian language|Persian]] '''شاهزاده''' ''Šāhzādé''). In the realm of a shah (or a more lofty derived ruler style), a prince of the blood was logically called '''shahzada''' as the term is derived from shah using the Persian patronymic suffix ''-zāde'' or ''-zāda'', "son, descendant"; see "[[Prince]]" article for other uses of the suffix.
However the precise full styles can differ 'creatively' in the court traditions of each shah's 'kingdom'.
*Thus in [[Oudh]], only sons of the sovereign ''Shah bahadur'' (see above) were by birth-right styled ''Shahzada'' (personal title), ''Mirza'' (personal name)'' Bahadur'', though this style could also ''nominatim'' be extended to individual grandsons and even further relatives; other male descendants of the sovereign, in the male line were merely styled ''Mirza'' (personal name) or (personal name) ''Mirza''.
Furthermore the title was also used for princes of the blood of a ruler who used an alternative royal style, ''e.g.'', the [[Malik]] (Arabic for king, so equivalent) of Afghanistan.
In the Ottoman dynasty of imperial Turkey, it was part of two styles:
*male descendants of a sovereign in the male line: ''Daulatlu Najabatlu Shahzada Sultan'' (given name) ''Hazretleri Effendi''; except the crown prince (style Daulatlu Najabatlu Vali Ahad-i-Sultanat (given name) Effendi Hazlatlari), who was however addressed as ''Shahzada Hazratlari'' (or Shahzade Hazretleri) 'imperial highness.'
*sons of imperial princesses: ''Sultanzada'' (given name) ''Bey-Effendi''.
This could even apply to non-Muslim dynasties, ''e.g.'', the younger sons of the ruling ''Sikh'' Maharaja of Punjab (in Lahore; a Maharajadhiraja): ''Shahzada'' (personal name) ''Singh Bahadur'', while the heir apparent was styled Tika Sahib Bahadur
*The corruption '''Shahajada''' 'Shah's son', taken from the Mughal title Shahzada, is the usual princely title borne by the grandsons and male descendants of a Nepalese sovereign (a Hindu [[Maharajadhiraja]]; but cfr. Shaha above), in the male line.
:For the heir to a 'Persian-style' shah's royal throne, more specific titles were used, containing the key element [[Vali Ahad]], usually in addition to shahzada where his junior siblings enjoyed this style.
===Shahbanu===
''[[Shahbanu]]'' ([[Persian language|Persian]] '''شهبانو''', ''Šāhbānū''): Persian term using the word Shah and the Persian suffix ''-banu'' ("lady"): Empress, in modern times official title of [[Empress Farah Pahlavi]].
===Shahdokht===
''Shahdokht'' ([[Persian language|Persian]] '''شاهدخت''' ''Šāhdoxt'') is also another term derived from Shah using the Persian patronymic suffix ''-dokht'' "daughter, female descendant", to address the Princess of the imperial households (see: [[Princess]]).
===Other princely compound===
*the title of '''Shah-i-Buland Iqbal''' and a seat on a gold throne by the side of the Emperor 's throne were awarded on 3 February 1655 to Shahzada [[Dara Shikuh]], eldest son of the Padshah [[Khurram Shah Jehan I]] (d. 22 October 1666 ), at various times [[Subahdar]] (governor) of [[Allahabad]], [[Punjab region|Punjab]], [[Gujarat]], [[Multan]] and [[Kabul]]; yet he did not succeed as he was put to death on the night of 30-31 August 1659 in Delhi
==Other uses==
As with many titles, the word shah is also often used in names. This usage almost always has political and aristocratic meaning attached.
''Shah'' is a common last name in India, like <sup>1</sup>[[Singh]] and <sup>2</sup>[[Patel]]. It is mostly seen in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.{{Fact|date=July 2007}} "Shah" is also the last name taken by the royal families in Nepal after King Pritivi Narayan Shah united the kingdom in 1768. "Shah" is also common name of people living in southern Nepal, the Terai region, such as Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Janakpur, and Siraha districts. There are many Shahs living in Nepalese villages such as Arnaha, Laukaha, and Pachrukhi.
==See also==
*[[Aryamehr]] Pahlavi additional imperial title
*[[Iranian monarchy]]
*[[Mirza]], also a princely style, but generally awarded to further relatives of the ruler then Shahzada
*[[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]] Last ''Shah'' of Iran
*[[Shaw]]
==External links==
*[http://4dw.net/royalark/ RoyalArk - select present countries]
*[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Iran.htm WorldStatesmen - here Iran; seee ach present country]
*[http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=shah&searchmode=none Etymology OnLine]
[[Category:Heads of state]]
[[Category:Royal titles]]
[[Category:Noble titles]]
[[Category:Persian loanwords]]
[[Category:Titles of national or ethnic leadership]]
[[Category:Titles in Pakistan]]
[[ar:شاه]]
[[bg:Шах (титла)]]
[[cy:Shah]]
[[da:Shah]]
[[de:Schah]]
[[et:Šahh]]
[[es:Sah]]
[[eo:Ŝaho]]
[[fa:شاه]]
[[fr:Chah]]
[[ko:샤]]
[[hr:Šah (vladar)]]
[[it:Scià]]
[[he:שאה]]
[[ka:შაჰი]]
[[la:Sachus]]
[[lv:Šahs (monarhs)]]
[[nl:Sjah]]
[[ja:シャー]]
[[no:Sjah]]
[[pl:Szach (władca)]]
[[pt:Xá]]
[[ru:Шах (титул)]]
[[sl:Šah (vladar)]]
[[fi:Shaahi]]
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