Letters and Enclosures etc., Received from Gombroon

Content

Two volumes containing a collection of letters and enclosures dispatched from Gombroon [Bandar-e ʻAbbas, also written as Gomroon] Factory An East India Company trading post. to ‘the Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. for affairs of the United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies’. Almost every letter includes the date it was received overland, and the name of the ship it was received from. At some point these letters were assigned numbers from 2287 to 2385, in red (turned to purplish) ink. Any missing numbers in between indicate that the letter is missing. The letters cover a variety of issues and topics including:

• Reports on the activities of local Arab, Armenian, Ballooches [Baluch] and Persian [Iranian] merchants in the region
• Records of rogoms [ raqams Royal grants confirming specific trading privileges from the Shah of Persia. or ruqums Royal grants confirming specific trading privileges from the Shah of Persia. , also written as rogomms: royal grants confirming specific trading privileges], and talligaws [ta‘liqa/ta‘lika: official order] granted or to be granted to the East India Company’s (EIC) establishments in Persia [Iran]
• The status of the wool trade at Carmenia [Kerman, also written as Carmania]
• Names of commodities traded with including: broadcloth, sugar candy, spices, copper, iron, cotton, coffee, wine, silk, pearl, wool, and rice
• Records of the EIC’s servants in Persia covering their names, job titles, salaries, death, misbehaviours, complaints, and investigations
• Accounts of Dutch, French, Portuguese and Russian [written as muscovite] activities in the region
• Accounts of the Ophgoon [Afghan]-Persian war, covering details of the Ophgoons’ siege of Spahaun [Esfahan, also written as Spahaune] and Shyrash [Shiraz, also written as Shyrass], and their execution of members of the Safavid royal family, and state officials
• Records of famine, cannibalism and plague in Persia
• Accounts from Spahaun and Carmenia factories, checked at Gombroon
• Gifts presented to Persian, Afghan and Ottoman officials
• Afghan-British relations
• The Afghan-Ottoman wars
• The Persian-Russian wars
• The siege of Ormuz [Jazīreh-ye Hormoz, Iran] castle by the Muscatis
• Customs imposed on English ships by Shaik Rachid at Bassidore [Shaikh Rashid al-Qasimi of Basidu, also written as Rachide, and Rushett]
• The dispute between the Factory An East India Company trading post. officials and the Shawbunder [Shahbandar] of Gombroon over customs
• The Shawbunder of Gombroon being assisted by the Arabs in his attempts to protect the port from the augwauns’ [Afghans’?] attacks
• A complaint about Cossum [Qasim], the wool merchant at Carmenia
• Communications with the Immaum of Muscat [Imam of Muscat, also written as Imaum of Muscatt].

The volumes include detailed accounts of the state of affairs and inland military operations in a number of provinces in Persia including Tabreez [Tabriz], Hamadoon [Hamadan], Casbin [Qazvin], Tyroon [Tehran], and Yazd. Among the local governors and generals involved in the operations are Amanoolah Caun [Amanullah Khan, the Vizier of Esfahan, also written as Aumaunoolah and Amaunoolah], Mahomett Syed Sultan [Muhammad Sayyid Sultan, Governor of Gombroon], Mahmud Moman Caun [Mahmud Mu'min Khan, the Great Chancellor of the Kingdom of Persia], Alhamadaulet [E‘temad al-Dawla, Grand Vizier of Persia, also written as Athamadowlet], Shaw Sultan Hussain of Spahaun [Shah Sultan Husain Safavid], Shaw Mahmud [Shah Mahmud Hotak or Gilzi, Afghan Ruler of Gilzi dynasty], and Shaw Ashroff Sultan [Shah Ashraf Hotak or Gilzi, Afghan military commander, also written as Ashroph].

The volumes contain records of letters from the Resident at Bussorah [Basra, also written as Bussorrah] covering the following: relations with Ottoman officials; letters received from the British Consull [Consul] at Allepo [Aleppo, also written as Alleppo]; the state of affairs in the region; the EIC’s sales and lists of goods; and communications with local merchants at Bagdatt [Baghdad] and Bussorah and lists of their names.

The volumes also include detailed reports of the state of the Company’s trade in Persia covering the following: shipping; goods from and for Europe; the Factory’s accounts; customs and revenues; the trade of Persia in general; the EIC’s cash and exchanges; the private trade liberty and grievances of the EIC’s covenant servants.

The volumes include records of the arrival and departure of ships, including the Syria , the Greenwich , the Phillipps [ Phillips ], the Prince Frederick , the Britannia [also written as Brittania ], the Marigold , the Margarett , the Deane , the Duke of York , and the Alleppo [ Aleppo ]. Ships sailed mainly to and from Gombroon, Bombay [Mumbai], Surat [also written as Surratt], Bengall [Bengal], Bussorah, Boucheir [Bushehr], Cochin, Mocha, and Muscat.

The volumes include some duplications, and some faded letters/enclosures.

Extent and format

2 volumes (270 folios)

Arrangement

The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the volumes.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: this file consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at f 1 of volume one (ff 1-131) and terminates at f 266 of volume two (ff 132-266); 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. An additional foliation sequence is also intermittently present in parallel between ff 225-266; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers, nor does it include the leading and ending flyleaves. The file contains four foliation anomalies: f 20a, f 20b, f 176a and f 176b.

Written in

English and Marathi in Latin and Modi script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

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.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/G/29/15

History of this record

Date(s)

18 Feb 1703-25 Oct 1727 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Trade (practice)ShipsWool tradeCustoms duty

Places

BussorahCarmeniaPersiaGombroonSpahaun

People & organisations

ResidentResidentChief Factory AgentGovernment of the Ottoman EmpireHotak Dynasty (Family)Safavid Dynasty (Family)

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Letters and Enclosures etc., Received from Gombroon, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/G/29/15, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000001251.0x00036c> [accessed 30 June 2026]

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