His family were part of the intellectual and literary aristocracy that had long served Iran's ruling dynasties.

When Mirza Bozorg finished his study at Najaf in Ottoman Iraq, he went back to Iran and joined the court of Agha Mohammad Khan's successor Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (r. 1797–1834).

The Russo-Iranian War of 1804–1813 left Mirza Bozorg devastated by the heavy losses and convinced him that a modern Iranian force was required.

Accusations of professing Christianity was even made towards Mirza Bozorg, who was the main driving force behind the reforms.

[2] According to the Iranian-American historian Maziar Behrooz: "Among the Tabriz leadership Qa'em Maqam I was by far the ablest, not only in Azarbaijan but also in all of Iran.