![Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎65r] (136/1814)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0147.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎65r] (136/1814)")
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [65r] (136/1814)
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.
CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME
XXI
CHAPTER XVI
THE NORTH-WEST AND WESTERN PROVINCES
PAGE
Peculiar political interest of Azerbaijan—Mountain system Climate
Population—Revenue and expenditure—Tabriz Earthquakes Early
history—Commercial importance—Capture by the Russians Recent
figures—The Blue Mosque and Citadel—European quarter—Government
— Loyalty to the Crown—Russian views—Trade of Azerbaijan Russian
protection—Latest statistics —Export trade—Present and future—
Azerbaijan troops —Drill and armament — Garrisons of Azerbaijan
Telegraphs—Ardebil—Daria-i-Shahi, or Lake of Urumiah—Navigation
—Marble pits—Maragha—Urumiah—Origin of the Nestorians—Eccle
siastical organisation—The Mar Shimun—His authority—Creed and
ritual—Missionar} 7 enterprise—(1) American Presbyterians—(2) French
Catholics—(3) Swiss Protestants - (4) Anglican Mission—Results of
Missions—Numbers and appearance of Persian Nestorians—Disabilities
and hardships—Taxation—Armenians—Kurdistan—Origin and history
of the Kurds—Religion and language—Occupation and Character-
Rebellion of Sheikh Obeidullah—Number of Persian Kurds—(1) Fron
tier tribes—(2) Kurdistan proper—(3) Kurds of Kermanshah—Pro-
due’s—Kermansbahan — Yekil-ed-Dowleh — Tak-LBostan—Sculptures
of the Sassanian kings—Panels of the chase—Behistun—Sculptures of
Darius—Nature of the engravings—Ganjnameh tablets—Hamadan—
Ancient Ecbatana—Turco-Persian frontier 514
CHAPTER XVII
THE ARMY
History of the Persian army—The brothers Sherley—Decline under the later
Sefavi kings—The army of Nadir Shah—Fath Ali Shah—Army of
Abbas Mirza : (1) French officers—(2) British officers—Strength of the
Persian army—Effects of the European system—(3) Period of decline
—(4) English officers—Army of Mohammed Shah—Failure and wittn
drawal of the English contingent—(5) French officers—(6) Italians*
Hungarians, Austrians, and French—(7) Renewed demands for English
officers—(8) Austrian officers—(9) Russian officers—Surviving foreign
element—Modern army—Numerical strength—(1) The Army List—-
(2) Nominal strength—(3) Effective strength—(4) Number embodied
—Irregular cavalry—Semi-regular cavalry : (1) Isfahan regiment—=
(2) Cossack regiments—Regular infantry—Pay and rations—Uniforms
—Army reform—Territorial distribution—Art i 11 cry ---Gun s—A r m 9 and
ammunition—The Arsenal—The Persian soldier and his arms—Camel
artillery—Austrian corps—Cost of the army—Persian officers—Royal
College—Naib’s College—Military hospital—The rank and file—Parade
of the Teheran garrison—Regiments on the march—Military adminis^
tration—Qualities of the Persian recruit—Chance of reform—Future of
the Persian army 571
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 [65r] (136/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213842.0x00008f> [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