Ninety-nine years ago today, on April 25, 1926 (March 14, 1926), Reza Khan proclaimed himself King of Persia. On April 25, 1926, Reza-Khan, a former cavalry of the Persian army, proclaimed himself King of Persia today in Tehran's five palaces. Reza had been Prime Minister in 1923, and in 1925 he egged on Parliament to remove the ruler Hesha-Ahmed from office. Although it was widely believed that he would establish a republic, opposition from the clergy changed his mind. In December, Parliament proclaimed him King, and he changed his name to "Pahlavi" for the new dynasty.