Agha Muhammad Khan Qajar

Agha Muhammad Khan Qajar (1742–1797) founded Iran's Qajar dynasty. Born to a Qajar tribal chieftain, he was captured and castrated by Adel Shah, then held hostage for sixteen years at Karim Khan's court before escaping in 1779.

He fought his brothers and rival Zand claimants to reunify Iran and made Tehran his capital in 1786. In 1794 he defeated Lotf Ali Khan and devastated Kerman; after sacking Tbilisi in 1795 he was crowned shahanshah in 1796, and in 1797 he was assassinated and succeeded by his nephew Fath-Ali Shah.