![Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎64r] (134/1814)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0145.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎64r] (134/1814)")
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [64r] (134/1814)
The record is made up of 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios). It was created in 1892-1924. It was written in English, Urdu and German. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
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CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME
XIX
CHAPTER XI
TEHERAN
PAGE
An old and a new city—Ancient testimony—Teheran under Shah Abbas—
Later vicissitudes—Made his capital by Agba Mohammed Shah—Its
then extent—Its appearance—Old British Mission—New Teheran—
The interior—The Tup Meidan—Other meidans—Nakkara-Khaneh—
British Legation—The Ark—The Palace—Takht-i-Marmor—The Mu
seum— Crown jewels—The alleged Peacock Throne—Testimony of
Bernier—What history says—Deposition of tfhe usurper—Oriental taste
—The Gulistan—Royal levee—The Shah—Shems-el-Imaret—Takieh—-
The remainder—Mosques—Bazaars—Street life—Population—European
element—Foreign legal ions—Advantages and disadvantages as capital
—Political merits—Racecourse—Negaristan—Bath-room—Kasr-i-Kajar
— Other palac-s—Doshan-Tepe — British Legation at Gulahek—Dema
vend—Southern environs—Ruins of Rhey—Ancient Rhages—Its ruins—
Tower of Yezid—Rock sculptures—Veramin ...... 300
CHAPTER XII
THE NORTHERN PROVINCES
Mazanderan and Gilan—Astrabad province—History of the city—Present
appearance—Shah Abbas’ causeway—Population of Astrabad—Local in
dustries—Peasant life—Maritime provinces—(1) Sea-coast—(2) Jungle
and arable—(3) Forest belt—Towns and cultivation—(4) Bare moun
tains—Population—Dress — Influence of the Caspian on climate —
Produce—History of silk trade—Table of produce and value—History
of decline—Present area of production—Mode of cultivation—Other
resources — Revenue — History — Russian invasion — Later history —
Palaces of Abbas the Great, Ashraf—Ferahabad—Cities of Mazan
deran—Sari—Barfurush—Meshed-i-Ser—Amol—Railway to the sea—
New road to Teheran—Towns of Gilan—Resht—Possible improve
ments—Russian designs upon Gilan and Mazanderan—Perils of the
climate—Perils of the country , „ , . . . . .354
CHAPTER XIII
THE SHAH—ROYAL FAMILY—MINISTERS
The personal element in Persian government—The Kajar Dynasty—Nasr-
ed-Din Shah. His appearance—Health and habits—Intellectual attain
ments—Tastes and caprices—Sense of humour—Fancy for animals—
The Shah as ruler—Atmosphere of flattery—Cruelty or humanity—
His European journeys—Comparison with previous reigns—Comparison
between 1848 and 1801—Audience with the Shah—Harem of the Shah
—The Kajars as progenitors—Family of the Shah—His sons. Suc
cession to the throne—Muzaffer-ed-Din, the ValbAhd—His character—
The Zil-es* Sultan—Fallacious predictions—Interview with the Prince—
About this item
- Content
These two volumes are George Curzon's own personal annotated copies of both volumes of his book Persia and the Persian Question , which was published in 1892. Alongside the volumes are various loose papers relating to Persia [Iran], consisting of the following: received correspondence; newspaper cuttings; publishers' press releases; cuttings from various booksellers' catalogues; various journal and magazine articles; two items of printed official British correspondence; several prints of photographs and sketches; and a few handwritten notes by Curzon.
In most cases these papers, which range in date from 1892 to 1924, relate to the chapters in the book where they were originally inserted, suggesting that they were kept by Curzon with the intention of using them to inform a revised edition of the book.
Of particular note among the small amount of correspondence are two letters received by Curzon in 1914 and 1915 from retired schoolmaster and Islamic scholar Sayyid Mazhar Hasan Musawi of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India (ff 5-9 and ff 44-53). These letters, which are written in Urdu and are accompanied by English translations, discuss in detail several inaccuracies found in the Urdu version of Persia and the Persian Question .
The various prints of photographs and sketches, which were originally inserted into volume two, are of different locations in the Gulf region. Several of these appear to have been produced in preparation for the publication of the second volume of John Gordon Lorimer's Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Oman and Central Arabia (i.e. the 'Geographical and Statistical' section) in 1908, as they are identical to the versions found in that volume.
Also of note among the loose papers are an illustrated article from Country Life dated 5 June 1920, entitled 'The People of Persia' (ff 36-37), and a printed family tree of the Shah of Persia [Aḥmad Shah Qājār], produced in preparation of his visit to Britain in 1919 (f 233).
Volume one of Persia and the Persian Question contains a map of Persia, Afghanistan and Beluchistan [Balochistan], which is folded inside the front cover (f 1).
The German language material consists of a publisher's press release for two books authored by German archaeologist Ernst Emil Herzfeld (ff 29-30).
- Extent and format
- 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: this shelfmark consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence commences at the first folio of volume one (1-463), and terminates at the last folio of volume two (ff 464-898); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Each volume contains a large number of loose leaves, which have been foliated in the order that they were inserted into the volume; for conservation reasons, these loose folios have been removed from the volume and stored separately. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers of the two volumes.
Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English, Urdu and German in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [64r] (134/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213842.0x00008d> [accessed 4 June 2026]
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/33
- Title
- Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Questionby George Curzon, with Inserted Papers
- Pages
- 54r:135v, 147r:149v, 158r:180v, 183r:221v, 224r:224v, 227r:246v, 248r:257v, 259r:260v, 268r:362v, 364r:364v, 367r:388v, 390r:400v, 402r:416v, 419r:432v, 434r:444v, 448r:462v, 464r:471v, 475r:481v, 483r:513v, 516r:525v, 527r:544v, 546r:563v, 566r:598v, 600r:622v, 624r:656v, 658r:665v, 667r:675v, 678r:684v, 687r:688v, 691r:691v, 693r:693v, 695r:708v, 711r:721v, 724r:726v, 728r:729v, 731r:736v, 742r:742v, 746r:757v, 759r:761v, 763r:763v, 765r:765v, 772r:777v, 780r:789v, 793r:794v, 797r:809v, 811r:821v, 825r:840v, 843r:898v
- Author
- Curzon, George Nathaniel, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
- Usage terms
- Public Domain