c. 550 BCE★★★★★
Cyrus the Great founds the Achaemenid Empire
Cyrus II defeats the Median king Astyages, laying the foundation of the Persian Achaemenid Empire, the largest empire of its time.
PoliticsDynasty· Iran
Timeline
6 events6th century BCE
- 522 BCE★★★★★
Darius I becomes king of Persia
Darius I takes the throne, organising the empire into satrapies and building Persepolis and the Royal Road.
PoliticsDynasty· Iran
16th century
- 1598★★★★★
Shah Abbas I moves the capital to Isfahan
Shah Abbas I moves the Safavid capital to Isfahan and builds the Naqsh-e Jahan Square and other celebrated monuments.
PoliticsArt· Iran
20th century
- 1905 – 1911★★★★★
Persian Constitutional Revolution
A revolutionary movement forces the Qajar shah to accept a constitution and establish Iran's first parliament, the Majlis.
RevolutionPolitics· Iran - August 19, 1953★★★★★
1953 Iranian coup d'état
Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, who had nationalised the oil industry, is overthrown in a US- and UK-backed coup that strengthens the Shah.
Politics· Iran - 1978 – February 11, 1979★★★★★
Iranian Revolution
Mass protests topple Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi; Ayatollah Khomeini returns and Iran becomes an Islamic Republic.
RevolutionReligionPolitics· Iran