Saed News: After Jeyran, Naser al-Din Shah fell in love with Fatemeh Khanum, the young daughter of the royal gardener, because of her eyes, which resembled Jeyran’s. Below, you can see a photo of Fatemeh Khanum along with an interesting story about her and Naser al-Din Shah.
According to the Historical Service of Saed News, the following is an excerpt from the memoirs of Moones al-Dowleh about Fatemeh Khanum, daughter of the royal gardener, and Naser al-Din Shah Qajar:
One day, someone told Naser al-Din Shah that the head gardener of the Aghdassieh Garden had two daughters, and that one of them, named Fatemeh Khanum, had eyes resembling Jeyran’s. The girls were summoned to the court. One of them, Fatemeh Khanum, did indeed have eyes somewhat like Jeyran's. The Shah married her in temporary marriage (sigheh), and she became known in the harem as Khanum Baghban Bashi (daughter of the royal gardener). Later, she became famously known as Khanum Bashi, and she was still alive up until sixty years ago.
Because she resembled Jeyran, she was very beloved by the Shah. The women of the harem, seeing her closeness to the Shah, suggested that since she had taken Jeyran’s place in his heart, she should also take on her title and be called Forough al-Saltaneh.
Khanum Bashi relayed this suggestion to the Shah, but he was enraged and responded, “There was only one Forough al-Saltaneh, and she is dead. No one else will ever bear that title.”
Her jealous co-wives, seeing that Khanum Bashi was still young and naive, tricked her. They advised her to make a termeh (traditional handwoven fabric) bodice and embroider the title Forough al-Saltaneh on it with silver and gold thread. She followed their advice and wore the embroidered bodice on a cold winter night.
On such nights, the Shah would not go to the Divan (official hall) and instead held court in the Hall of Mirrors or the Diamond Room. Ministers were summoned there, blindfolded with silk scarves by eunuchs, and brought in like blind men to sit before the Shah. Once they arrived, the blindfolds were removed, they received orders, and were led back out, still blindfolded.
That night, everything proceeded as usual. The women waited in a nearby room, and once the official business was done, the eunuchs lifted the curtains and a parade of beauties entered the Diamond Room. Apart from the Shah’s wives, there were daughters, granddaughters, and visiting noblewomen, including princesses and the wives of ministers and officials. Female musicians also performed. The Shah sat in the center.
Those who had petitions approached him, spoke, received responses, and left. On some nights, Anis al-Dowleh played the piano — in those days, there were only two or three pianos in all of Tehran. She had learned piano from Hajji Tooti Khanum, also known as Madame Abbas Golsaz.
As the Shah was enjoying the music and the presence of the ladies, his eyes suddenly fell upon the bodice of Khanum Bashi with the embroidered title “Forough al-Saltaneh.” He stood up in fury and shouted, “Who gave you permission to make this bodice? Who allowed you to embroider that title? Take it off and return wearing something else!”
One of the most enduring memories of Jeyran in the Shah's life was an old woman from Shemiran named Naneh Jeyran — the Shah's affectionate nickname for her — who had once been Jeyran’s personal maid. After Jeyran's death, she returned to her home in Tajrish, but was occasionally summoned to the harem. Whenever the Shah saw her, he would become visibly saddened, though he’d hide it, and would ask her about her children.
One cold winter night, when Naneh Jeyran was brought in, the Shah, as always, received her warmly. He asked, “Naneh Jeyran, why do you visit us so rarely?” She replied, “My lord, I’ve grown old and the cold is too much for me.” The Shah took off his termeh cloak and placed it over her shoulders. Then he reached into his pockets and poured all his gold and silver into her lap, saying with deep sorrow:
“Ah, Jeyran... what a loss.”
One winter, while hunting near Varamin, the Shah’s hunting party surrounded a large number of deer and gazelles. Just as he was about to shoot, he was moved by the eyes of the deer, which reminded him of Jeyran. He stepped back and ordered all the animals released in her memory.
Such was the depth of Naser al-Din Shah’s love for Jeyran. It is said that even in his final moments, after being shot, he dragged himself to Jeyran’s grave, and passed away there — murmuring the line:
“Mojdeh-ye vasl-e to koo, kaz sar-e jaan barkhizam...”
“Where is the promise of union with you, that I might rise from my very soul...”
