Morteza Yazdan-Panah - Isabella's Great Grandfather

General Yazdan-Panah was the highest ranking general in Iran. He had many important post such as Inspector General of Shahanshahi, a very high rank during Pahlavi Dynasty, and President of Sepah Bank. He orchestrated the coronation of the Mahamad Reza Shah Pahlavi. The General’s wife, Leyla, was a Russian born aristrocrat whose father was the governor of Russian Azarbaijan.

A brief but good account of General Yazdanpanah can be found in page 166 of “Iran and the Rise of Reza Shah” by Cyrus Ghani. It reads as follows:

"Lt. General Morteza Yazdanpanah. C.1884-c.1970, was born in Tehran. His father was a colonel in the regular army. In 1907 he attended the Cossack Cadet School where he learned some Russian and by 1921 had risen to Brigadier General. He was loyal to Reza Khan throughout the latter’s career and served in various military posts. He was briefly out of favour and un posted, but regained favour and in 1928 was promoted to Major General and Chief Inspector of the Army. In 1929 he became Chief Commander of the Gendarmeri. He remained equally loyal to Mohammad Reza Shah and was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1942, Minister of War and later head of the Imperial Inspectorate; appointed to the Senate in 1967 and was nominally in charge of the coronation ceremonies which unlike other public celebrations of the late Pahlavi period, were handled with tact and good taste."