![Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎557v] (1127/1814)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_1141.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎557v] (1127/1814)")
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [557v] (1127/1814)
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.
130
PERSIA
Aclise-
menian
remains
handiwork of the Achsemenian sovereigns— of Darius, of Xerxes, and
of Artaxerxes. Already a prelude to this discussion has been offered
in the passages relating to the city and sepulchre of Gyrus
at Pasargadse ; and from the older ruins and the earlier
monarch we pass, by a natural sequence, to the later capital
of his more remarkable successor.
The subject may not inaptly be introduced by a few general remarks
on the history and character of the four groups of remains that lie
A e nt before us, all appertaining to the same period, and exempli-
travellers fying in greater or less degree the same design. The rums
of Istakhr, the rock-tombs above Xaksh-i-Rustam, the scattered frag
ments on the plain, and the pillar-strewn platform of Persepolis, are
now recognised beyond possibility of doubt as the w ork of the suc
cessors of Cyrus, the abodes in life and after death of the celebrated
Kings of Kings. And yet this knowledge is of no great antiquity in
the modern world. The earliest mention of the Persepolitan ruins, of
which I am aware by a European
writer
The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping.
, is that of Friar Odoricus, who
in about 1325 a.d. journeyed from Test (Yezd) to Huz (Khuzistan) and
on the way encountered
a certain city named Comerum, which formerly was a great city, and in the
olden time did great scathe to the Romans. The compass of its walls is a good
fifty miles ; and there be therein palaces yet standing entire, but without
inhabitants. 1
The worthy friar had evidently no idea of the real identity of
Comerum. Even less, if possible, 150 years later, had the travelled
Venetian, Josafa Barbaro, who, having recognised Samson in Rustam,
naturally saw in Persepolis, which he called Camara, a work of Hebrew
origin, and in the Bund-Amir a structure of Solomon. In the seven
teenth century, Mandelslo was better informed :—
The religious men of Schiras told me that the learned were clearly of opinion
that the ancient Persepolis lad stood thereabouts (i.e. at Chehel Minar),and that
these were the ruines of Cyrus Palace."
Well would it have been if the friars of Shiraz had had a widei
audience. Otherwise we should hardly have seen, as we have during
the last two centuries only, the ruins of Persepolis variously interpreted
as the work of Lamech and the tomb of Noah, as due to volcanic
eruption and to the worship of idols ; or have heard their date pro
miscuously bandied about over a space of 3000 years. 3
1 Cathay and the Way thither (Hakluyt Society).
( 2 (trans. by J. Davies), p. 4.
3 i n the present century, M. Baffly, author of Histoire de l Adranomie Anotenn ,
wrote: ‘I think I have demonstrated that the Persian Empire and the founda
tion of Persepolis mounted to 3209 B.O. 1 M. d’Hancarville was of the sau
opinion.
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
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [557v] (1127/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213847.0x000080> [accessed 18 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213847.0x000080
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213847.0x000080">Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎557v] (1127/1814)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213847.0x000080"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_1141.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- 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