Portrait: AI-generated imagined likeness

Ruhollah Khomeini

Religious leader · Politician · revolutionary · theologian · Philosopher

Years: 1902–1989
Birthplace: Iran
Birth polity: Qajar Iran
Era: Contemporary
Field: Politics
Occupations: Religious leader · Politician · revolutionary · theologian · Philosopher

An Iranian Shia religious leader who led the Iranian Revolution. After the overthrow of the monarchy, he became the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic. He is a central figure in understanding the relationship between contemporary Middle Eastern politics and religious authority.

View in catalog

Historical context

Places

Khomeyn
Birth
Qom
Work
Najaf
Exile

Works & achievements

Islamic Government
1970
Book

Events

Iranian Revolution
1978–1979
Revolution · Leader

Origins

Origins map

Birth countryAssociated countries

Birth country: Iran
Associated countries: Iraq · France

Map: Natural Earth (PD)

Biography

Early life

Born in Khomein in central Iran, he studied Islamic jurisprudence in Qom. He strongly criticized the modernization policy of the Pahlavi dynasty due to the authority of the religious world and social dissatisfaction.

Achievements

He continued to criticize the monarchy from exile, and when he returned to Iran during the 1979 revolution, he became a symbol of the new regime. Advocating the rule of jurists, they created a system in which religious leaders supervised state power.

Character & anecdotes

Khomeini addressed his supporters through cassette tapes and messages from exile. It is distinctive in that modern media helped spread religious charisma.

Historical Impact

If you study Khomeini, you will realize that the revolutions of the latter half of the 20th century could be based not only on socialism and nationalism, but also on religion. The Iranian revolution had a major impact on the political order of the Middle East, relations with the United States, and the Islamist movement. He is an inescapable figure in modern world history.