Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, widely known in the West as
Mohammad Reza Shah, was the last
Shah (King) of the Imperial State of Iran from 1941 until his overthrow in the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Owing to his recognition and status as Iran's final monarch, he is usually known simply as
the Shah. Mohammad Reza Shah took the title
Shahanshah on 26 October 1967 and held several other titles, including that of
Aryamehr and
Bozorg Arteshtaran ("Commander-in-Chief"). He was the second and last monarch of the House of Pahlavi to rule within Iran. His dream of what he referred to as a "Great Civilization" in Iran led to a rapid industrial and military modernization, as well as economic and social reforms.