Women's Worlds in Qajar Iran

Women's Worlds in Qajar Iran

Khanum Hajib (Nayyir ‘Uzma)

b. 1898 or 1899
d. 1982 or 1983

Khanum Hajib known as Nayyir ‘Uzma, daughter of Fasl Bahar Khanum (Iran al-Dawlah) and Mustafa Quli Khan Qajar Davallu (Hajib al-Dawlah) was born in 1898 or 1899. She was a descendant of Farhad Mirza and Fath ‘Ali Shah. Khanum Hajib married Muhammad Ibrahim Amir Taymur (Sardar Nusrat), the head of the Taymuri tribe and one of the rulers of Khurasan; their children are Nahid Iran, Muhammad Riza, Jahan Banu, Paridukht, Taymurdukht, Afsaneh, and Zhalah. She died in 1982 or 1983.

As a child, Khanum Hajib learned Persian, Arabic, History, Geography, Math, French, and English under home tutors. She received two certificates and medals of honor and began translating from French to Persian at the age of fifteen. She wrote poems, was interested in music and played the piano; she was also interested in embroidery, knitting, and cooking. Khanum Hajib fell in love with Nasir a-Din Mirza, son of Surur al-Saltanah and Muzaffar al-Din Shah and Ahmad Shah's uncle, whom she had known since childhood. They got engaged, but their wedding was postponed at the request of Ahmad Shah and eventually was called off. After that, she rejected whoever asked for her hand, but after a while, with pressure from her family, she married Muhammad Ibrahim Amir Taymur (Sardar Nusrat). Khanum Hajib wrote a memoir titled Qismat [destiny] and a cooking book. Some of her poems and translations exist in the Hajib Nayyirah ‘Uzma Qajar-Davallu on our website. She translated a total of forty-two books from French writers such as Arthur Berned, Pierre Loti, Edmond Pilon, Emile Richebourg, Charles Esquier, Pierre Decourcelle, and Marie de Wailly. While some of her translations still exist, some were lost during the events of 1980-1981. Close

Short biography of Khanum Hajib (Nayyir ‘Uzma) provided by Teymour Dokht (Dokhi) Amir Teymour. Close

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