Soraya Bakhtiari Iranian Empress Historical Notes
Critics of the Italian Mini Series Soraya
Film Review for History BuffsFolks
I am going to make a few historical notes on this miniseries.
A bit of timeline:
Shams Pahlavi passed away on 1996
Soraya Bakhtiari passed away on 2001
Soraya Italian Movie / Mini Series was made on 2003
Ashraf Pahlavi passed away on 2016
Have these dates in mind while I expand on the story.
On Empress FawziaAs I stated before on Fawzia Fuad, Shah’s first Empress:
{Fawzia Fuad was one of the most beautiful women in the world. Officially she divorced Shah because the Persian climate would not fit with her nature but the reality was that Fawzia was a strong willed, independent, powerful and wealthy Royalty who would not put up with Shah’s extreme womanizing promiscuous behavior as an international playboy. Fawzia divorced Shah and left Iran in anger and disappointment. Of course, the Pahlavi Courthouse covered up the real reason and came up with the silliest reason of the Iranian climate not being fit to Fawzia’s nature and making her ill! The reality was that Shah’s womanizing as a male slut made her sick to the point of divorce.
As a powerful and wealthy royalty, Fawzia could not care less about being the Iranian Queen because she was already an Egyptian Princess. Fawzia did not marry for love because it was an arranged marriage but Fawzia married for happiness and when she did not find that happiness, she divorced Shah. The interesting point is that unlike the false tales, Shah did not divorce Fawzia but it was Fawzia who divorced Shah because she could not take it anymore!}
On Princess ShahnazPrincess Shahnaz Pahlavi was the daughter of Shah and Fawzia. Technically she had to become the earl to the Shah and the empress of Iran; however, due to Shiite Islamic Iranian monarchial constitution which was indeed garbage, women could not become monarchs. Have in mind that in Iran before Islam (Persian Empire), we had female monarchs who ruled the empire but Shiite Islam dictates that women are 2nd class citizens; therefore, cannot be monarchs.
On Empress SorayaAs I also stated before on Soraya Bakhtiari the 2nd Iranian Empress of Shah:
{Soraya the same as Fawzia Fuad was a powerful, independent, strong willed and wealthy woman. The difference was that the Fawzia’s marriage to the Shah was an arranged marriage and not a marriage of love; however, Soraya loved Shah and indeed Shah worshipped her. Soraya was the only woman that Shah was ever “in love” with. Shah had 3 wives, many girlfriends, various lovers, tons of mistresses and God knows how many one-night stands. Shah loved a few women such as Farah Diba but Soraya was Shah’s only true love. Despite all the love and admiration, it came down to the point that even Soraya could not take Shah’s promiscuousness and playboy behavior. Soraya was basically fed up with Shah’s infidelities. In addition, Soraya could not bear children and Shah needed an earl. Shah offered Soraya, if he could marry a second wife to bear children? Soraya in return offered Shah to abdicate the crown on behalf of his half-brother Shahpour Gholamreza so they could live together! When Shah refused, Soraya left Iran in anger and divorced Shah. Unlike the common belief and the Darbar’s official story, Shah did not divorce Soraya because she could not bear children but the reality was that Soraya divorced Shah mainly because of his infidelities and ultimately wanting to marry a second wife! Soraya was a powerful Bakhtiari aristocrat and a wealthy woman. She could care less to be the Queen of Iran. She married for love and when this love faded away, she dumped Shah. The amazing and interesting point is that Shah cared for Soraya until his death. Soraya also deeply cared for Shah until his death. She even wanted to visit him on his death bed, in private without Farah present. President Sadat of Egypt arranged the trip but by then it was too late and the Shah passed away. Soraya was the only woman that Shah truly loved.
Soraya was always a sex symbol. She dressed up like a fashion model and she was always the center of the party and star of the show. After divorce, she had actually become a model and an actress.}
Separation of Facts and FictionLet's dig deep on facts and fiction:
Samira Pahlavi did not ExistIn the Mini Series, there is a fictional character named Samira Pahlavi the cousin of Shah. The director did not want to antagonize Princess Ashraf Pahlavi, sister of Shah who was still alive in 2003. Ashraf died on 2016. Why you ask? Because Samira was actually Ashraf. Princess Ashraf unlike Princess Shams who was on Soraya’s side, was against Soraya. As the series stated, Shah said that Reza Shah the Great told him that there is only one other man in the Pahlavi Dynasty and that is Samira (Ashraf). Reza Shah was stating that while patting Ashraf on the back. If it wasn’t because of Shiite Islam, Ashraf would have been Reza Shah’s earl and Empress of Iran.
In reality, Reza shah said that. Reza Shah knew that Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was weak and knew that finally he would have abandon Iran (and he did on 1979). On the contrary Ashraf was a strong fighter and a lioness. So Reza Shah did state that statement. People who know history are perfectly aware that in the movie, Samira was Ashraf. Knowing that the producer and director did not want to piss Ashraf off, they replaced the names of Ashraf with Samira.
Soraya and Ashraf RelationThere was no love lust between Soraya and Ashraf. They did not like each other; furthermore, Ashraf sabotaged Soraya. Some people just don’t like each other. Ashraf was powerful in Darbar and could not tolerate a powerful rival. That is why Ashraf could not tolerate Soraya and she could tolerate Farah because Ashraf dominated the Darbar and Farah understood her place and indeed Ashraf’s dominance.
Soraya and Shams RelationOn the contrary Shams and Ashraf had a good relation. Shams was the closest to Soraya amongst the princesses. Unlike Ashraf, Princess Shams was away from Darbar, isolationist and in her own private Idaho the Pearl Palace (Kakh-e Morvarid) Mehr Shahr. Shams always was on Soraya’s side until the end. Shams was also above Pahlavi Courthouse gossip, backstabs and rivalries.
On Queen MotherReza Shah was an Anti-Religion, Anti-Islam bright person. On the contrary he married a religious superstitious woman. Queen Mother was a fanatic and that is why Shah had become a superstitious religious fanatic. Despite his progressive outlook, Shah was extremely religious. Unfortunately Shah did not take after his father but he took after her mother. At the end, Shah married a religious superstitious woman (Farah Diba) and she produced another weak religious superstitious earl for him (Reza Pahlavi II). Like mother like son in 2 generations.
If you recall, I always stated that:
Religious Superstitious Mothers produce Religious Superstitious Weak Sons. And that is the reason and the flaw on monarchy (inheritance of the crown). That is also the reason for the declining quality of balls in Pahlavi Dynasty (like all other dynasties):
Reza Khan owned Balls of Iron
Mohammad Reza Shah owned Balls of Copper
Reza Pahlavi II owns Cotton BallsShah’s SiqehShah wanting to get a Siqeh (temporary marriage) to produce a male earl is up for debate. There were talks of second wife but how much of it was in production and reality is up for debate. As a historian, I cannot vouch for this issue.
Soraya was Shah’s true loveI can vouch on this issue. Amongst all his wives, girlfriends, lovers, dates and one-night stands which were many, Soraya was the only woman who he truly loved.
Fawzia, Farah and Soraya ComparisonFawzia dumped Shah for his infidelity. Fawzia’s marriage was an arranged marriage. Fawzia was rich and royalty. She would never take Shah’s promiscuous behavior.
Farah was a marriage of convenience. Farah was there to produce a male earl and indeed what an earl she produced! She produced a perfect loser! Farah stuck with Shah until the end and took all his promiscuous behavior, infidelities and abuse because Farah was not royalty, was not rich, was not aristocracy and indeed she was a nobody who got hooked up with Shah and got pimped by Ardeshir Zahedi. She was a student abroad and Zahedi hooked her with the Shah.
Soraya on the contrary dumped Shah for infidelity, not producing an earl and only speak of the possible Siqeh (if happened)! Soraya was a Bakhtiary Aristocrat and rich. Soraya was gorgeous, a well-read woman, a model, an actress, played piano, a musician and extremely independent soul. Despite the incompatibility, Soraya cared for Shah and Shah loved her deeply. Shah did not only love Soraya like he loved many, but Shah was in love with her. Soraya was love of his life. If he was not the Shah, he would have abandoned everything to live with her.
End NoteOverall, despite some sentimental flaws and historical inaccuracies, this mini series was entertaining and interesting. Acting was good and with all the flaws in props and costumes due to not being made in Iran (because of the IRI), still the series had a factual base even with limited means of production. Good job.
