Draft:History of Ray (Qajar)

Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine gate in 1880's - 1890's

During the Qajar era (1789–1925), Ray, Iran declined from a major medieval city to a minor town overshadowed by Tehran, which became the capital in 1786. Though politically marginalized, Ray retained religious significance due to the Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine, supported by Qajar rulers like Fath Ali Shah and Nasir al-Din Shah. Infrastructure improvements—such as roads and trams—linked Ray to Tehran, aiding pilgrimage and trade but primarily serving the capital. Ray’s governance relied on Tehran-appointed officials and local elites, reflecting the Qajar system of intermediary rule. The shrine sustained urban life through waqf-funded services and bazaars. Ray also echoed broader political shifts, participating in protests and reforms during the Tobacco Protest and Constitutional Revolution. Architecturally, Ray adopted Qajar styles with European influences, especially in religious buildings. Despite its diminished status, Ray remained symbolically and religiously vital, serving as a spiritual and logistical extension of Tehran’s growing dominance.

Ray’s Decline

In the early Qajar era, Ray was no longer the important city it had been in earlier Islamic centuries. Once a major center in medieval Iran, Ray had lost much of its influence by the 1700s and was mostly overshadowed by nearby Tehran, which Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar made the capital in 1786. Ray stayed a small town on the edge of the capital, mainly serving as a rural area connected to Tehran. Its old ruins—like parts of the ancient city walls and the shrine of Shah Abdol-Azim—still drew religious visitors, but the town didn’t play a big role in politics or the economy. The Qajar government focused its power and development on Tehran, leaving Ray in a minor position.

Religious Role

Even though Ray lost its political importance, it stayed religiously significant because of the shrine of Shah Abdol-Azim, a descendant of Imam Hasan. Qajar kings—especially Fath Ali Shah and Nasir al-Din Shah—supported the shrine by funding repairs and giving donations. This helped create a small pilgrimage economy in Ray, attracting visitors from different parts of Iran. The shrine became a center for religious events and a strong symbol of Shi’a identity, which the Qajar rulers used to strengthen their authority. Nasir al-Din Shah even included Ray in the Mi'rat al-Buldan, a geographical encyclopedia, showing that the town still held symbolic value.

Infrastructure and Urban Development under Nasir al-Din Shah

In the mid-1800s, Ray experienced some small-scale infrastructure improvements as part of Nasir al-Din Shah’s modernization plans. A road was built between Tehran and Ray, and horse-drawn trams—later replaced by steam-powered ones—made travel between the two places easier. This helped pilgrims and traders reach Ray more easily and gave a slight boost to the local economy. However, these changes were mainly designed to improve Tehran’s transportation system, not to rebuild or grow Ray as a city.

Intellectual and Cultural Echoes

Although Ray was not a major center for intellectual activity during the Qajar period, its closeness to Tehran meant it was sometimes mentioned by travelers, geographers, and historians. The Qajar rulers were interested in recording Iran’s geography and history, so Ray appeared in books like Nasikh al-Tawarikh and Mir’at al-Buldan. These texts often described Ray’s ancient past in a romantic way, while also noting that it had become less important in modern times. Such mentions show how the Qajar elite admired Iran’s pre-Islamic and Islamic heritage, even though they focused most of their attention elsewhere.

Railroads, Telegraphs, and Early Transport

Tehran–Rey Railwayو The narrow-gauge railway Tehran – Rey, which started its operation in 1888, is Iran's first railway line.

One of the biggest changes in late Qajar Iran was the arrival of railroads and telegraph lines. Ray was not a major center for these new systems, but because it was close to Tehran, it still benefited from better connections. A good example is the Tehran–Shahr-e Rey tramway, built in the late 1800s. This horse-drawn tram made it easier for people and goods to travel between the two towns, helping local trade and small industries in Ray. It was one of the first public transport systems in Iran and showed the Qajar government’s early efforts to modernize the country.

Ray’s Shift in Status During the Qajar Era

Ray, once a major city south of Tehran, lost its independent role after Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar made Tehran the capital. This change brought Ray into Tehran’s surrounding region, both in administration and economy. Instead of being a separate provincial center, Ray became a religious, market, and travel hub within Tehran’s sphere of influence. Its shrine remained important, but the town’s role reflected a wider Qajar trend—where central power in Tehran was supported by nearby older towns like Ray.

Administrative integration and local governance

Under the Qajars’ hybrid system—strong court-centered sovereignty paired with reliance on locally-rooted notables—Ray’s day-to-day governance was carried out by Tehran-appointed officials, clerical authorities, and landed elites who dealt with tax collection, looked after policing, and mediation. This arrangement mirrored the dynasty’s dependence on intermediary powerholders across the realm, especially around the capital, where proximity amplified oversight but still relied on entrenched local networks.

Pilgrimage and Urban Life in Ray

Ray’s daily life revolved around visits to the Shrine of Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine. This religious site supported nearby bazaars, inns for travelers (caravanserais), charitable endowments, and craft guilds. Like other shrine towns in Qajar Iran, Ray’s economy blended religious devotion, financial support from waqf (endowments), and trade. Money from waqf helped pay for religious services and city upkeep, while the steady flow of pilgrims connected Ray’s markets to Tehran and other regions. This shows how sacred places helped support everyday urban life near the capital.

Publics, Protest, and the Tehran–Ray Axis

By the late 1800s, the spread of newspapers, telegraph lines, and politically active religious networks around Tehran began to influence public life in Ray. Major events like the Tobacco Protest and the Persian Constitutional Revolution introduced new ways for people to organize—through guilds, religious leaders, students, and merchants. These movements started in the capital but quickly reached nearby towns like Ray, turning mosques and bazaars into places for protest and political action. This shows how political changes in Tehran reshaped the social and political life of surrounding urban areas during the later years of the Qajar dynasty.

War, Occupation, and Late-Qajar Turbulence

During the Constitutional Revolution and World War I, the Tehran area experienced political unrest, foreign invasions, and economic problems. These troubles quickly reached Ray, causing shortages of supplies, movement of troops, and changes in local administration. The Qajar government’s weakness—caused by foreign pressure and internal divisions—was felt most strongly near the capital. Towns close to Tehran, like Ray, were directly affected by these issues, especially in terms of safety and basic living conditions.

Urban and Architectural Changes in Ray During the Qajar Era

During the Qajar period, Ray—once a major city in ancient Persia—lost its central role and became more of a small town near the capital. As Tehran grew in importance under Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, Ray’s status declined. Still, because it was close to Tehran, Ray was influenced by the architectural and infrastructure changes of the time. The Qajar rulers introduced new city features like wide streets, public squares, and gardens. These also appeared in Ray, though on a smaller scale. Buildings in Ray during this period showed a mix of traditional Persian design and European styles, especially in religious and public architecture.

Religious Architecture in Ray During the Qajar Era

Ray is home to important religious sites, especially the Shrine of Shah Abdol-Azim Shrine. During the Qajar period, this shrine was expanded and beautifully renovated. The complex was decorated with detailed tilework, mirror mosaics, and muqarnas vaulting—features typical of Qajar religious buildings. These upgrades were often funded by Qajar nobles and showed the dynasty’s focus on promoting Shi’a identity. While the shrine kept its original Safavid layout, Qajar architects added their own touches, like colorful glazed tiles and decorations influenced by European styles.

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