Aniss-od-dowleh and the Boycott of Tobacco

 

Nilufar Kasra

 

In one of his excursions to Imameh village of Lavassan district, Nasser-ad-din Shah met a young girl called Fatemeh. Despite her young age, she gave appropriate replies to the Shah’s questions. Her talent and brightness attracted the Shah’s attention and he took her to his harem and entrusted her to his favorite, Jeyran. Many years later, after Jeyran’s death, all her properties were deposited to Fatemeh. In their travel to Sultanieh, in 1860, Shah married her. Her brightness added to her influence in the harem and due to her good nature, she was entitled Aniss-od-dowleh. According to Etemad-os-saltaneh, she was kind and tactful in extinguishing the shah’s anger, and always favored the poor. She was honored with the order of the Sun. This order was offered to queens in foreign countries. She had managed a magnificent birthday party, hence the order. Moreover she was responsible to accept all foreign female guests. She was even consulted by the Shah regarding some important affairs of the country, gave the petitions of people to the Shah. In Eids (festive days), and parties, Aniss-od-dowleh wearing diadem and most beautiful jewelries would accept the wives of the nobilities and the princes.

 

In the course of the movement known as Tobacco movement, she stood shoulder to shoulder with the common people and against the Shah’s orders; she protested to the monopoly of Tobacco. The women played an important role in this affair. With their white veils and black chadors, they would go to the shops in which tobacco was sold and would destroy all things there. Despite all their interest in the use of tobacco, people boycotted the product. In the royal harem, Aniss-od-dowleh collected all the Kalians away and upon the Shah’s inquiries, she replied that the use of Tobacco has been prohibited by the one who has made their marriage lawful. Some days later, the Shah cancelled the Tobacco grant.