Set Khan Astvatsatourian (original) (raw)

Set Khan Astvatsatourian (c. 1780–1842) was an Iranian–Armenian businessman, ambassador to Great Britain, military advisor to Fath-Ali Shah, and a member of the Davidkhanian family. He played a leading role in the modernization of the Persian military, working with close friend Abbas Mirza, the Crown Prince of Iran, to reform the military during The Great Game. Set Khan is immortalized in stone holding his Ottoman-jeweled dagger within the "Asia Group" statuary at the Prince Albert Memorial in London's Hyde Park.