Ann Lambton

For the British actress, seeAnne Lambton.

Ann Lambton
Born	Ann Katharine Swynford Lambton (1912-02-08)8 February 1912 Newmarket, Suffolk
Died	19 July 2008(2008-07-19)(aged 96) Wooler,Northumberland
Nationality	British
Alma mater	SOAS University of London
Occupation	Historian

Ann Katharine Swynford Lambton,OBE,FBA(8 February 1912 – 19 July 2008), usually known asA.K.S. Lambtonor "Nancy" Lambton,was a British historian and expert on medieval and early modernPersian history,Persian language,Islamicpolitical theory, and Persian social organisation. She was an acknowledged authority onland tenureandreforminIran(includingSaljuq,Mongol,SafavidandQajaradministration and institutions, and local and tribal histories).

Life

Lambton was born in 1912 inNewmarket, Suffolk.She was the elder daughter of the Hon.George Lambton,younger son of the2nd Earl of Durham) and his wife Cicely Margaret Horner (1882–1972). Through the influence ofEdward Denison Ross,a family friend, she studied Persian atSOASunder Ross andHamilton Gibb,and others (Arthur Tritton,Vladimir Minorsky,andHassan Taqizadeh).

From 1939 to 1945, Lambton was Pressattachéof the BritishLegationtoTehran,and then Professor of Persian at SOAS from 1953 to 1979, succeedingArthur Arberryas holder of that chair. In 1942, she was awarded the OBE and, later, honoraryDLittdegrees from theUniversity of Durhamand theUniversity of Cambridge.She was also an honorary fellow ofNew Hall, Cambridge,SOAS and the University of London. She wrote several books on subjects ranging from Persian grammar and vocabulary toQajarland reform. Ann Lambton played a role in the overthrow ofMohammed Mossadegh.After the decision to nationalize Iran's oil interests in 1951, she advised the British government to undermine the authority of Mossadegh's regime. She proposed that Oxford University professorR. C. Zaehnershould go to Iran and begin covert operations. In 1953, with the help of the CIA, the regime of Mossadegh was overthrown and the Shah,Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi,was restored to the throne.

As Professor Emeritus of theDiocese of Newcastleand Chairman of the Iran Diocesan Association, Lambton served on the Middle East Committee and advised Archbishops on inter-faith matters. She delivered Lent lectures biannually to clergy and laity for many years. She was later awarded theCross of St Augustinein 2004 by theArchbishop of Canterburyin acknowledgement of her work and commitment to Christianity and the Church of England. She was an honorary Life Member of theMiddle East Studies Association of North America.At theUniversity of Durham,the Centre of Iranian Studies has instituted an annual Prof. A. K. S. Lambton honorary lectureship. Prof. Lambton delivered the inaugural lecture in this series in 2001.

Lambton died at her home inWooler,Northumberland, on 19 July 2008 at the age of 96 after a long illness.

Obituaries

• Arbuthnott, H.;Professor Ann Lambton: Persian scholar,Obituary,The Times,23 July 2008.
• McLachlan, K. S.;Professor AKS Lambton,Obituary,Telegraph,8 August 2008.
• Morgan, David;Ann Lambton,The Guardian,15 August 2008,
• Waghmar, Burzine K.;Professor Ann Lambton: Persianist unrivalled in the breadth of her scholarship whose association with Soas was long and illustrious,Obituary,The Independent,1 August 2008.

External links

• Funeral of SOAS Persian Scholar Professor Ann Lambton,SOAS, 22 July 2008.
• Fariba Amini,When "great" scholars play a deadly role,Payvand, 11 February 2008.
• Farangis Mohebbi,Dr Yarshater:Lambton predicted theIranian Revolution,in Persian, Radio Zamaneh, 13 August 2008,Audio.
• Eskandar Sadeghi-Boroujerdi, "Scholarship in the Service of Empire: The Legacy of Ann K.S. Lambton in 20th Century Iran",Ajam Media Collective, 6 March 2017.