'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎302v] (609/706)

592
TABRIZ
and Ardabil since 1909, and in 1912 there were at least 12,000 Russian
troops in the province of Azarbaijan.
In July 19H, when the ex-Shah landed at Gumesh Tappeh, the standard
of revolt was raised in Azarbaijan by his lieutenant Shuja-ud-Dauleh.
Mujallal-us-Sultaneh also tried to raise the Shahsavans in favour of Muham
mad ’Ali. Shuja managed to collect a fairly large force at Sarab, and
threatened Tabriz, surprising the Government camp on September 17th,
1911, and thus winning a minor victory ; but the royalists made no further
headway in Azarbaijan. _ ‘ .
In December 1911 the people of Tabriz, goaded into doing something by
the presence of Russian troops in Tabriz, and by the cruel ultimatums recent
ly presented by Russia, suddenly attacked some Russian troops in Tabriz,
and inflicted heavy losses on them. The Russians took very strong retalia
tory measures, by hanging numerous ‘ ‘ Fidais ’ ’ and nationalists, includ
ing the Siqhat-ul-Islam, whose execution being carried out on the holiest
day of the Muharram, caused widespread disgust among Muhammadans
They also bombarded the famous citadel or “ ark ”, damaging it consider
ably and destroyed the houses of those suspected of being anti-Russian.
The Russians then took over the administration of Tabriz, including the
police, treasury and justice. Shuja-ud-Dauleh, who had been threateni’ g
Tabriz in the interests of the ex-Shah, was installed by Russia, contrary
to the wishes of the Persian Cabinet, as Governor General of Azarbaijan,
and he ruled the province with drastic severity atjhe dictation of the
Russian Consul-General at Tabriz (M. Miller). In August 1912 Sipahdar,
the Persian nominee for the post of Governor General of Azarbaijan, took
over from Shuja at Tabriz, the Russians having withdrawn their opposition
to him In September some prominent people of Tabriz drew up a petition,
asking for the return of the ex-Shah, and forwarded it to the Government as
well as to the Legations. This was not spontaneous ; bul was instigated by
In 1913 it was reported that the agitation against the Government had
waned and that the 9 agitators had returned to theii homes.
Description .—In 1880 General Schindler reported the town as containing
eight Imamzadehs, 318 mosques, 100 public baths, 166 caravans*rail* 3,92 l
shops, 23 guard-houses, 5 Armenian chur hes and 25,614 private house?,
but a good many of these figures represented fabrics, while the majority of the
so-called mosques, are ekiehs, or public prayer places, so that the totals
give an exaggerated impression of the present city. The town, as has been
shewn in the historical retrospect, is much subject to earthquakes, and i
is small wonder that the city contains few or no public buildings of any
distinction and that the bulk of the houses are usually of one storey only,
built round courts, on to which all the windows look. The city, therefore,
that part occupied by bazaars and shops excepted, offers the appearance of a
labyrinth of unpaved lanes, full of holes usually intersected by gutter,
with mud walls on each side, varied only by narrow doors, and the arciied
brick gateways of larger mansions. ,
“ The appearance of the mud walls of Tabriz arising out of and su -
rounded by ruins, the prison-like houses which seldom exceed one storey,
without a decent-looking window to enliven them ; the inelegantly BUapea
domes, without a single Turkish minaret to relieve them; all exln i