'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎315v] (635/706)

618
TEHRAN
rank of Capital of Persia is usually dated from 1788, A. D.; Agha Muham
mad, however, did not do much for the city. Oliver who was there the year
of his death, reported the city as being little more than two miles in circuit
with a population of only 15,000, of whom 3,000 belonged to the court
and army. Under the rule of Path ’Ali Shah, who had larger ideas, it increased
in size and population until when visited by Ouseley and Morier it contained
12,000 houses and 40,000 to 60,000 inhabitants; it remained of about this
size for the first 70 years of the last century until it experienced an entire
renovation at the hands of the late Nasir-ud-Din Shah.
Tehran being the capital of Persia, is connected with most of the historical
events of the country, but these need not be chronicled here ; only local
events will be mentioned.
In 1906 a majlis or National Assembly was convoked by Muzaffar-ud-DIn.
His son Muhammad ’Ali tried to abolish it, and actually destroyed the
building in which it assembled by bombardment. He quelled two rebellions ;
but on July 13th, 1909, the nationalists entered Tehran, and the Shah took
refuge in the Russian legation. The Shah was then deposed and constitu
tional government, with Sultan Ahmad Mirza the ez-Shah’s son as Shah under
a Regent, Was recommenced. It lasted till December 1911, when owing
to the uncompromising attitude of the majlis to the Russian ultimatums,
it was dissolved by the Regent on the advice of ehe cabinet. Since then it
has not been possible, owing to disturbances, to arrange for fresh elections.
On July 18th 1910, the principal Mujtahid was murdered in Tehran, and
on August 1st several counter murders took place. On August 7th orders
were issued to disarm every one ; but 300 ‘ Fidals ’ refused to surrender
their arms. On being surrounded and bombarded by about 1,000 troops,
they surrendered. Their two leaders, Baghir Khan and Sattar Khan,
were among those captured.
In July 1911 the ex-Shah Muhammad ’Ali entered Persia. The Majlis
immediately voted 100,000 tumdns for his capture dead or alive. Tehran
was apparently one of the few places, where his return w T as not desired by
the inhabitants, but, as a precaution, martial law was proclaimed on July
22nd. A few days later 500 Bakhtiari and 500 “ reformed ” cavalry with
some ‘ volunteers ’ started off to oppose him. For details of his adherents’
progress in Azarbaijan, Mazandaran, and Kirmanshah see articles under
those provinces.
In October 1911 occurred the Shua’a-us-Saltaneh incident, which afforded
Russia an excuse for demanding the dismissal of Mr. Shuster, treasurer general.
The Russian ultimat ms brought about the resignation of the whole cabi
net except two, and also the closure of the majlis.
On December 1st 1911, owing to feeling against Russia, several parti
sans of that country were murdered in Tehran.
Climate .—Many objections have been raised to Tehran as a capital main
ly on sanitary grounds. It is urged that there is no river, and that water
has to be brought from the Elburz in hmdts ; that situated in the hollow
of the plain the infiltration of surromiding moisture causes malarial fever,
and that the drainage is bad. Lord Curzon replies to these objections as
follows :—“Most Persian rivers are little better than streamlets for the great
er part of the year, consequently the absence of a river is no great fault