Muzaffar al-Din Shah (r.1896-1907) was the 5th Qajar ruler of Iran. Like his father, Nasir al-Din Shah, he visited Europe on two occasions, capturing his visits in photographs and film. The first month-long trip of Muzaffar al-Din Shah was to Russia, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and France in 1900. His visit to Brussels is expressed in one of our letters below. He also made a further visit to Europe in 1902, which is also mentioned in another letter included in this group. The king, like his father, kept very good travel diaries of his European tours. Some of the letters included in this lot provide his personal notes to his finance minister, Mirza Husayn Ashtiyani Vazir Daftar. Vazir Daftar was the eldest son of Hidayatullah Vazir Daftar. He was appointed as deputy to the Finance Ministry in mid AH 1296/ 1879 AD, where his father had been its Minister since AH 1290⁄1872 AD. After his father’s death in AH 1310/ 1892 AD, he was appointed Vazir Daftar (minister). Unlike his father, he was a weak person and obeyed Amin al-Sultan Mirza ‘Ali Asghar Khan, the vizier, in everything (M. Bamdad, Dictionary of National Biography of Iran, Vol. 3, Tehran, 1966, pp. 372-3).

For more information on the content of these royal letters please refer to christies.com

The content of the letters include:
1. A letter from Muzaffar al-Din Shah to Vazir Daftar from his European trip, honouring him for his services, dated 28th Safar 1320 / 6 June 1902, written in Karlsbad(?).
2. An order from Muzaffar al-Din Shah to Mirza ‘Ali Asghar Khan, bestowing the distinction of the bejewelled staff of the first order on Vazir Daftar in recognition of his services. This was a distinction awarded to ministers (see ‘Abd al-Husayn Khan Lisan al-Saltana Sipihr, Mir’at al-Waqayi‘-i Muzaffari, ed. ‘Abd al-Husayn Nava’i, Vol. 1, Boston 2019, p. 278). Dated Dhu’l-Hijja 1317 / April-May 1900
3. A letter from Muzaffar al-Din Shah to Vazir Daftar from Baku on his return from his travels in Europe, telling him of his plans to arrive back in Tehran via Astara and Gilan and expressing his satisfaction with the company of Mirza ‘Ali Asghar Khan, Atabak-i A‘zam. The Shah mentions that he is sending a photo with the letter. Dated Jumada II 1320 / September-October 1902
4. From Muzaffar al-Din Shah to Amin al-Sultan Atabak-i A‘zam, concerning Vazir Daftar Ramadan 1320 (December 1902).
5. A letter to Vazir Daftar from Muzaffar al-Din Shah, informing him of his arrival in Brussels and of his favourable reception there. Dated 28 Rabi‘ II 1318 / 25 August 1900
6. A petition to a ruler, presumably Nasir al-Din Shah, from an unnamed noble who has been appointed head of the army, requesting that his duties in the Finance Department (daftar-i istifa’) be taken over by Mirza Riza, son of Mu’in al-Mulk. The petition is approved in the upper right corner, presumably in the hand of Nasir al-Din Shah.