The Qajar dynasty survived a critical test when the supreme au-
thority passed from Aqa Mohammad to his chosen heir, Fath 'Ali.
The new shah obtained the endorsement of one of the most influen-
tial Shii mojtaheds (especially venerated religious scholars). The moj-
tahed named Fath 'Ali his deputy and "permitted" the new shah to
take the throne.
10
There were a number of challenges to the central
government from one of Fath lAli's brothers, (whose power was
based on the western Iranian plateau), a scion of the Zand family in
the vicinity of Esfahan, the Shaqaqi and Domboli Kurds and Afshar
Turcomans in Azerbaijan, a grandson of Nader Shah, as well as Afghan
tribesmen in Khorasan. All of these opponents had been defeated by
- As early as 1800, it was clear that the anti-Qajar forces in
Khorasan were on the wane. Only in the northwestern marches did
Fath 'Ali continue to encounter serious difficulties.
Fath 'Ali shared his predecessor's opinion on the status of Georgia.
In 1800, when Kovalenskii wrote the shah demanding that he drop
all claims to Georgia, return the people captured during the 1795 at-
tack, and pay reparations for the damage done at that time, the en-
raged shah had his chief vizier, Haji Ebrahim, explain the basis for his
claim to the eastern Caucasus. The tone of the letter, althought force-
ful in setting forth the shah's argument, was not insulting as was
the Kovalenskii message. In fact, Haji Ebrahim referred flatteringly
to Paul and expressed the desire for cordial relations with Russia.
However, with regard to the Russian claim to Georgia, Haji Ebrahim
minced no words. Georgia had always been part of Iran, he wrote.
Erekle's treaty with Catherine was illegal and treasonous:
Since the time when the globe divided into four parts, Georgia, Kakheti [a Geor-
gian province] and Teflis [Tbilisi] were included in the Iranian state and in the
time of previous Iranian shahs the inhabitants always adhered by service and obe-
dience to their [the shahs'] decrees but were never part of the Russian realm,
except on that occasion when King Erekle, .... contemporary of .... Aqa Mo-
hammad Khan, had the notion to cast off the rule of his customary sovereign
[and] embark upon a path of hostility against Iran.... What trust do the agree-
ments of King Erekle deserve? What value can his signature have? For example,
if one of the peoples located on Russia's borders gave itself over utterly capri-
ciously to Iranian sovereignty [and] initiated a treaty and other agreements with
it [the Iranian government] would such a deal have force? In no way could it
place itself under Iranian suzerainty.... Now, thank God, the authority of the
Iranian throne is fully affirmed, for all khans, rulers, and commanders bow their
necks before it l
The letter closed with an announcement of the shah's intention to
send 60,000 soldiers to the eastern Caucasus. According to Haji Ebra-94 Origins of the First Russo-lranian War......^11