A History of Persia

A

HISTORY OF PERSIA

FROM

THE BEGINNING OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY TO

THE YEAR 1858,

WITH A

REVIEW OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS THAT LED TO

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF

THE KAJAR DYNASTY.

BY

ROBERT GRANT WATSON,

FORMERLY ATTACHED TO HER MAJESTY'S LEGATION AT THE COURT OF PERSIA.

Ἔστι μὲν ἡμῖν ἡ ἀρχὴ ἡ πατρῴα πρὸς μὲν μεσημβρίαν, μέχρις οὗ διὰ καῦμα οὐ δύνανται οἰκεῖν ἄνθρωποι, πρὸς δὲ ἄρκτον, μέχρις οὗ διὰ χειμῶνα·

Xenophon's Anabasis, I. 7.

LONDON:

SMITH, ELDER AND CO., 65, CORNHILL.

1866.

CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION.
page

Population of Persia—Cultivated Portion of the Country very small—Supply of Water—Artificial Irrigation—The Elburz Mountains—Attachment of Persians to their Native Country—Persia inhabited by Men of various Races—The Wandering Tribes—The Turkish and the Persian Languages—Two Classes of People in Persia—The Persians a robust Race—The Persian Character—Estimate formed of it by Europeans—Persian Government—Checks on the Royal Authority—Court of the Shah—Education in Persia—National Religion of the Persians—The Persian Army—Labourers and Villagers—Mendicants—Trade and Produce—Climate—Prospects of the Country

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1

CHAPTER II.

The Sefaveean Dynasty—Fall of Ispahan—Expulsion of Affghans from Persia—Nadir Shah—Origin of the Affghan Kingdom—Adel Shah—Ibraheem—Shahrukh Meerza—Rival Candidates for the Persian Throne—The Chief of the Kajars—Herat and Seistan added to the Affghan Kingdom—Kereem Khan—Azad Khan—Zends and Kajars—Zeki Khan—Aga Mahomed Khan—His Escape from Sheeraz—Ali Murad—Jafer, Chief of the Zend—His Son Lutf'ali Khan

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37

CHAPTER III.

Origin of the Kajar Tribe—Its three Branches—Its settlements—Astrabad Branch of Kajars—Upper and Lower Kajars—Astrabad—Unsettled Condition of that Province—Ak-kaleh—Rhages—Rhei—Tehran—Its early Condition—Aga Mahomed Khan—His Brothers—Cruel Treatment to which Aga Mahomed was subjected—Kindness shown to him by Kereem Khan—Lutf'ali Khan—

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page

Cruelty of Aga Mahomed—Haji Ibraheem—His Defection from the Chief of the Zend—Decisive Battle—Siege of Kerman—Death of Lutf'ali Khan

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57

CHAPTER IV.

Relations between the Shahs of Persia and the Czars of Georgia—Interference of Russia in Affairs of the Caucasus—Campaign of Peter the Great in Daghestan—Taking of Bakoo and Derbend—Southern Coast of the Caspian Sea—Early Condition of Georgia—Mingrelia—Intolerance of the Georgians—Tiflis—Expedition of Aga Mahomed into Georgia—Fortress of Erivan—Annexation of Khorassan to Persia—Death of Shahrukh Meerza—Mission to Persia from the French Republic—Murder of Aga Mahomed—His Character

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77

CHAPTER V.

Sadek Khan endeavours to make himself King—Is defeated at Kasveen by the Shah—Kasveen—Province of Fars—Sheeraz—Sadek Khan delivers the Crown Jewels to the Shah, and is pardoned—The Body of Aga Mahomed Khan conveyed to Nejjef in Arabia—His Assassins are put to Death—Fetteh Ali crowned at Tehran—Rebellion of Mahomed Khan—Ispahan—Rebellion of Sadek, Jafer Kuli and Mahomed Kuli Khans—Goorgeen of Georgia—Fresh Rebellion of Mahomed Khan—Rebellion of the Shah's Brother—Defection of Mahomed Veli Khan and Suleiman Khan—Clemency of the Shah Revolt of Ishak Meerza—Herat—Rebellion of Nadir Meerza—Mission from India—Khorassan—Last Rebellion of Sadek Khan—His Fate Mission of Captain Malcolm—Fall of Haji Ibraheem—Kashan—Fresh Rebellion of the Shah's Brother—Siege of Meshed—Fall of Nadir Meerza

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107

CHAPTER VI.

Abdication of Czar of Georgia in favour of Emperor of Russia, 1800—Prince Alexander defeated by General Lazeroff—Capture of Genja—Battle of Etchmiadzeen—Seeseeanoff routs Persians, and lays Siege to Erivan—Nocturnal Attacks—Siege of Erivan raised—Events on Eastern and Southern Frontiers of Persia—Bokhara, Nermansheer, and Seistan—Chief of Karabagh submits to Russia—Campaign in that Province—Russian Descent on Gilan—Capture of Genja by Persians—Assassination of Seeseeanoff—Mission of M. Jaubert—Fall of Ibraheem Khaleel Khan—Turko-Persian Frontier—Establishment of Russian Authority from the Caucasus to Moghan—War between Persians and Affghans—Embassies from Napoleon and from the Talpoors of Sindh—Embassy from England—Treaty—Mission from India—Disaster to Persian Arms in Russian War—Capture of Lankoran—Peace of Gulistan, 1813

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141

CHAPTER VII.
page

The Sons of Fetteh Ali Shah—Tabreez—Rebellion of the Chiefs of Khorassan—Isaak Khan, Karai—Hassan Ali Meerza—Herat—Tribes of Hezareh and Feeroozkoh—Treaty between England and Persia—Yezd—Guebres—Their Temples and Customs—The Chief of the Assassins—Combination of Chiefs of Herat, Khorassan and Central Asia against Persia—Fetteh Khan, Barukzye—His Defeat by Hassan Ali Meerza—Dost Mahomed Khan—War between Persia and Turkey—Campaigns of Baghdad and of Turkish Armenia—Battle of Toprak-Killeh—Massacre of Christians at Salmas—Nestorians of Persia—American and French Missionaries—Peace between Turkey and Persia—Invasion of Khorassan by the Khan of Khiva

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170

CHAPTER VIII.

Vague Terms of Treaty of Gulistan—District of Gokcheh claimed by Russia—It is occupied by that Power—Excitement throughout Persia—War breaks out—Persians at first successful—They advance to the neighbourhood of Tiflis, and are defeated at the Zezam, and again near Genja—Avariciousness of the Shah—Division in his Council—Negotiations for Peace—The Russians checked on the Araxes—Erivan besieged—Siege raised—Abbassabad taken by General Paskiewitch—Defeat of General Karkoffski by Persian Commanders at Asterick—Final Siege and Capture of Erivan—Invasion of Azerbaeejan by Prince Aristoff—Tabreez falls into his Hands—Renewed Negotiations—Treaty of Turkomanchai

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205

CHAPTER IX.

Provisions of the Treaty of Turkomanchai—Alteration of the Treaty between England and Persia—General Confusion in Persia—Supineness of the Shah's Government—M. Grebaiodoff—Murder of the Members of his Mission—Terror of the Shah Embassy to Petersburg of Prince Kosroo—Severe Earthquakes in Persia—Campaign of the Crown Prince in Khorassan—Fall of Ameerabad and of Kabushan—Assault on Serrekhs—Origin of the Affghan War—Death of Abbass Meerza—The Kaim-makam—Last Days of Fetteh Ali Shah—His Character—Burial-place of the Persian Kings

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239

CHAPTER X.

Three Aspirants to sovereign Power—Mahomed Meerza marches from Tabreez to Tehran—Submission of the Zil-es-Sultan—Mahomed Shah crowned at Tehran—Defeat of Hassan Ali Meerza by Sir Henry Bethune—Capture of the Firman-Firma—Ardabeel—General Revolt in Khorassan—Fall of the Kaim-makam—Haji

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page

Meerza Aghassi—Ambitious Designs of the Persian Government—Expedition against Herat—Seistan—Prince Kamran and Yar Mahomed Khan—Reasons of Dost Mahomed Khan for distrusting the Government of India—Cruelty of Mahomed Shah—His Failure before Herat—Rival Influences in his Camp—The Siege of Herat raised

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279

CHAPTER XI.

Demands of her Britannic Majesty's Government from the King of Persia—Evasive Answers of Haji Meerza Aghassi—Suspension of Diplomatic Relations between England and Persia—Advance of Russia in the East—British Expedition to the Persian Gulf—Hussein Khan—Firmness of Lord Palmerston—The Shah yields—Rising of the Chief of the Assassins—His Success and subsequent Failure—Bunpoor—The Belooches put their Families to Death—Affairs of Kurdistan—Unsettled State of Turko-Persian Frontier—Commission appointed for its Delimitation—Persians' Sufferings at the Hands of Turkomans—Massacre at Kerbela—Banishment of the Asef-ed-Dowleh—War in Khorassan—The Bāb—Death of Mahomed Shah

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320

CHAPTER XII.

Flight of Haji Meerza Aghassi—Rival Parties at Tehran—The Queen-mother President of the Council—Serious Risings in the Provinces—The Salar—The Ameer-i-Nizam Measures of Reform adopted by him—Combination against him—Mutiny of the Garrison of Tehran—Seizure of Kotoor by the Turks—Ascendancy of the Belooches in Seistan—Persian Claims to that Province—Protracted Siege of Meshed—Bahman Meerza—Prince Sultan Murad presses the Siege of Meshed—Foreign interference offered for the Pacification of KhorassanāRavages of the Turkomans—Surrender of Meshed—Death of the Salar

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357

CHAPTER XIII.

Rising of the Followers of the Bāb—Mode of carrying out Capital Punishments in Persia—Seizure of Zinjan—The Bāb put to Death—Tenets of his Followers—Hopeless Contest at Zinjan—Reckless Bravery of the Bābis—Courage of the Women—Terrible Cruelties—Exhibition of Fanaticism at Tabreez—Results of Administration of the Ameer-i-Nizam—Occupation of Ashorada by Russia—The Caspian Provinces—Fall of the Ameer-i-Nizam—Interference on his Behalf—Meerza Agha Khan—Sedr-Azem—Influences brought to bear on the Shah against the Ameer-i-Nizam—Conduct of the Wife of the ex-Minister—The Ameer's Death—Remembrance of his Administration

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385

page
CHAPTER XIV.

Conspiracy against Life of the Shah—His Escape—Persecution of Conspirators—Ministers of State act as Executioners—Firmness of Followers of the Bāb—Jealousy of European Interference at Persian Court—Alliance of the Shah sought by Russia in 1853—Tempting Offer made to Persian Government—Alternative placed before the Shah—His Alliance declined by the Western Powers—Neutrality distasteful to Persian Government—Angry Discussions between Sedr-Azem and the British Minister—Meerza Hashem—Arrest of his Wife—Conduct of the Sedr-Azem—Diplomatic Relations suspended between England and Persia—Mr. Murray quits Tehran—Persian Expedition against Herat—War against Persia declared at Calcutta

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407

CHAPTER XV.

Policy of the Sedr-Azem—Embassy of Ferrukh Khan to Europe—Fall of Herat—Rules to be observed in carrying on English War against Persia—Singular Instance of Persian Levity—War against Infidels proclaimed at Tehran—The Sirkisikchi-Bashi—Occupation of Karrack by British Troops—Capture of Reshire—Surrender of Bushire—Sir J. Outram—Expedition to Burazjan—Action at Khushab—Bombardment of Mohamra—Defeat of Persians—Expedition to Ahwaz—Restoration of Peace—Terms of Treaty of Paris—Sultan Ahmed Khan—Murder of Prince Mahomed Yoosuf—Fall of the Sedr-Azem—Conclusion

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428

This work was published before January 1, 1927, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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