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The record is made up of 1 file (388 folios). It was created in 17 Jan 1899-4 Apr 1904. It was written in English. 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.
o
Confidential,
■■M
List of Officials and prominent men in Seistan and Kain.
1 . Ali Akba.b, Khan, Hashmat-ttl-Mulk, Amir Tuman, G overnor or
Seistan. —The title of Hashmat-ul-Mulk was conferred on him on the death of
his father, Amir Mir Alum Khan, a powerful Governor, who had the same title.
The Amir is of Arab descent and his family are said to have held the Governor
ship of Kain for seven generations and Seistan for two. He possesses large
property in Kain, of which place his younger brother, Mir Ismail Khan,
Shaukat-ul-Mulk, is Governor. The Hashmat also had the Governorship of
Tabbas, but he lost it about three years ago. He is not popular with the people,
very well disposed towards the British, but fears the Russians.
2 . Sartip Mir Mausam Khan. —The younger, but legitimate, son of
the Hashmat-ul-Mulk. A young man of 24 j years of age. Through his mother
he is descended from
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Sharif Khan, late Governor of Seistan. He was
only eig it years old when he w r as appointed Deputy Governor of Seistan. The
province was then practically governed by his maternal uncle
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Said Khan,
Kami, and his mother, a lady of great ability and shrewdness. He is very
popular Avith the people. His father mistrusts him, as he was once found
intriguing against him. In 1901 Mir Mausam Khan paid a visit to India for
the medical treat ment of his eyes.
3. Sartip Muhammad Raza Khan. —The elder son of the Amir Hashmat-
ul-Mulk by a teinporan wile. He is at present officiating for his father as
Deputy Governor of Seistan. He recently married the daughter of
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
Purdil Khan, the Sarbandi Chief* by which he very much strengthened his
cause against his brother, Mir Mausam Khan, with whom he is at great enmity.
He has only very recently been promoted to the title of Sartip by the Governor-
General of Khorasan. He is not popular with the people, nor is he a man of
much importance. He is cruel, unjust and much given to drink.
4 . Mirza Koshid Khan. —Mustaufi (accountant) of the Amir Hashmat-
ul-Mulk. A native of Meshed. A man of much ability and very wealthy.
5. 'li Asghar Beg. —Nazir of the Hashmat-ul-Mulk. A native of Kain.
He is said to have amassed considerable wealth in Seistan. A man. of very
great influence and practically the right hand man of the Governor. His
sister is a sigha, or temporary wife, of the Amir Hashmat-ul-Mulk. He has
always shewn an inclination to favour British interests in Seistan. He is much .
addicted to drink and opium.
6. Mir Haidar Ali Khan—A cousin of Sartip Mir Mausam Khan,
He is the son of late Sarjar Said Khan, Kurd,
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
of “ Sarhad”. The people
of the Sarhad are said to be anxious to recognize him as their chief, as they did
his father ; but he prefers living with his cousin, Mir Mausam Khan.
MULLAS.
7 . Mulla Muhammad Mehdi.— The Mujtahid or Chief Priest. Educated
at Meshed and a great scholar. He owns five large villages in Seistan. Suc
ceeded his father, who was over 90 years of age w T hen he died, last year ( 1901 ).
Though he outwardly displays much friendship towards the Kussian Consul,
he has hitherto ahvays shewn himself favourable to British interests in Seistan.
He is clever, intelligent and has an abundance of common sense.
8. Saiyid Ali of Burj-i-Khona.— The head Saiyid of Seistan. Owns
much property both here and in Meshed, and is very influential. Inclined to
•f avour Russian interests, though he has never shewn himself in any way opposed
•to British interests. Is always known as “ Agha” Saiyid Ali.
9 . Haji Mulla Ali Akbar, Imam Juma.—A Mulla of much influence.
He lives at Bunjar, the largest trading village in Seistan. He visits at the
Russian Consulate, but has never yet entered the British Consulate.
About this item
- Content
The file contains papers relating to Seistan [Sistan] and Persia [Iran].
The file includes printed copies of despatches from the Agent to the Governor-General of India and HM Consul-General for Khorasan and Seistan (Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Martindale Temple), to the Secretary to the Government of India Foreign Department, with enclosed despatches from Captain Percy Molesworth Sykes to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (the Marquis of Salisbury). Skyes’s despatches regard matters including: Seistan; trade routes into South-East Persia; the boundary between Persia and Afghanistan, in relation to the River Helmund [Helmand] changing its course (in despatch No. 5, which includes four sketch maps, folios 12, 13, 14 and 15); Sykes’s journey to Birjand (in despatch No. 7, which includes a sketch map on folio 20); the ruling family of Kain, which also governed Seistan, Tabbas and Tun; Sykes’s journey from Seistan to Kerman [Kirman] (in despatch No. 11, which includes a sketch map); and the direct Kerman-Quetta caravan trade that Sykes was trying to establish.
The file also includes copies of the following papers:
- A despatch from Temple to the Secretary to the Government of India Foreign Department, enclosing a letter from Temple to Sir Henry Mortimer Durand (HM Minister, Tehran), with copies of enclosures, regarding the establishment of a Seistan and Kain consulate
- A letter from Charles Edward Pitman, Director General of Telegraphs, to the Secretary to the Government of India Public Works Department, enclosing a copy of a ‘Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for a Telegraph Line from Quetta to the Persian Frontier’ by H A Armstrong, Assistant Superintendent, Indian Telegraph Department, which includes six photographs of views along the route [Mss Eur F111/352, f 52; Mss Eur F111/352, f 53; Mss Eur F111/352, f 54; Mss Eur F111/352, f 55; Mss Eur F111/352, f 56; and Mss Eur F111/352, f 57], and a map showing the proposed route of the telegraph line [Mss Eur F111/352, f 59]
- Letters from Hugh Shakespear Barnes, Agent to the Governor-General in Baluchistan, to the Secretary to the Government of India Foreign Department, enclosing copies of the diary of the Political Assistant, Chagai, for the weeks ending 16 February, 28 February, and 8 March 1900
- Diary No. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12 of Major-General George Frederick Chenevix-Trench, HM Consul for Seistan (Diary No. 6 includes a sketch map, folio 86)
- A copy of a ‘Report on Reconnaissances Made while Attached to the Seistan Arbitration Commission’ by W A Johns, Deputy Consulting Engineer for Railways, Bombay
- A copy of the report ‘Notes on Persian Seistan’, compiled by Captain Edward Abadie Plunkett, and issued by the Government of India Intelligence Branch, Quarter-Master General’s Department
- Two copies of map signed by Plunkett titled ‘Persian Seistan-Cultivated Area’ [Mss Eur F111/352, f 270]
- A booklet entitled ‘Notes on the Leading Notables, Officials, Merchants, and Clergy of Khorasan, Seistan, Kain, and Kerman.’
- Printed copies of letters from the Government of India Foreign Department to the Secretary of State for India (Lord George Francis Hamilton), relating to the maintenance of British interests in Persia, dated 4 September 1899 and 7 November 1901 (the former with an enclosure of a minute by the Viceroy on Seistan).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (388 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the front to the rear of the file.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 390; 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. The file contains one foliation anomaly, f 301A
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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'Seistan' [286r] (571/782), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/352, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100069721605.0x0000ae> [accessed 27 June 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/352
- Title
- 'Seistan'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:51v, 58r:58v, 60r:112r, 113r:125v, 147r:218r, 218r, 219r:269v, 271r:301v, 301Ar, 301Av, 302r:388v, 389v:390r, 389r, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence