![Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎644r] (1304/1814)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_1320.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎644r] (1304/1814)")
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [644r] (1304/1814)
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.
f
THE SOUTH-WESTERN PROVINCES
277
brick tower with a Naskh inscription, bearing the date 1123 A.D.,
is a speaking memorial. A battalion of 400 shabby Lurs, called
out annually in the spring, is stationed here as a local garrison.
The filth and misery of the present town have been well depicted
by Mrs. Bishop. 1
In the Pusht-i-Kuh, or country of the Eeilis proper, we come
to a region of superior interest, because of greater obscurity. This
Pusht-i- district consists of the mountain ranges, with their inter-
Kuh vening valleys, that extend in arduous and almost im
penetrable succession from the right bank of the Kerkhah to the
Turkish frontier. It is a remote and inaccessible country; and it
is not surprising, therefore, to find that the tribes are entirely
nomadic in character, and that their chieftain occupies a position
almost independent of the central Government, a position, indeed,
that still leaves some flavour of distinction to the title which he
continues to bear, of Vali of Pusht-i-Kuh. Of the Eeili Lurs whom
he rules, I have only received lists so misspelt and inaccurate, that I
am unwilling to publish them ; the more so as I am unable in
any but the most fragmentary degree to reconcile them with the
now obsolete lists of Rawlinson and Layard. The history, however,
and the pedigree that I shall give of the ruling family have been
derived from the Persian Governor of the adjoining province, and
are correct.
In the old days Pish-Kuh and Pusht-i-Kuh, and a considerable
surrounding territory in addition, were united under the rule of
the aforementioned Atabegs of Luristan. The only de
tailed account of their dynasty, known as the Khurshidi
dynasty, 2 is contained in the Sheref Nameh. They ruled from
1155 a.d. till the beginning of the seventeenth century ; and their
dominion was counted by Marco Polo as one of the eight kingdoms
of Persia. At this early period the Lurs had already vindicated
for themselves the unenviable reputation as thieves and bandits
which their successors have diligently maintained. Mangu Khan
the Mongol, when commissioning his brother Hulaku Khan to the
government of Iran, gave him particular instructions to make
things uncomfortable for the Kurds and Lurs, in revenge for their
plundering on the high roads. Timur marched against them,
1 Journeys in Persia, vol. ii. p. 122.
2 My Persian authority says: ‘ They considered themselves the descendants of
Akil, son of Abi Talib. But God knows best.’
History
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 [644r] (1304/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213848.0x000069> [accessed 25 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213848.0x000069
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_100157213848.0x000069">Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎644r] (1304/1814)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213848.0x000069"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_1320.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