Bakhtiaris: Past and Present

The tribal groups of Iran, particularly after the advent of Islam until the Pahlavi era, have played a dominant, emotional role in the Iranian history. All ruling dynasties in Iran until the Pahlavi era belonged to the tribal nobility. The tribal chieftains after the Safavid era used to control most of the regions of Iran, particularly during the Qajar era. Due to their power, the tribes were normally considered a rival for the central government. Their power stemmed from the nature of their production, their output, sociopolitical system and tribal hierarchy. The Bakhtiaris constituted one of the major Iranian tribes. It is a branch of Lur ethnic community, who lives in southwestern Iran. Almost since the Safavid dynasty onward they have played an important role in the sociopolitical developments in Iran. The outstanding geographical, political and economic conditions of the Bakhtiaris drew the attention of all central governments and aliens as well.
The present article is an attempt to study the general features of the Bakhtiari tribe, which will include their geographical, ethical, sociopolitical and economic conditions in the course of history.