![‘PERSIA. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, NOTABLES, MERCHANTS, AND CLERGY, COMPILED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL H. PICOT, <em>Military Attaché at Teheran</em> .’ [‎36r] (76/126)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0002fe/Mss Eur F112_400_0076.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘PERSIA. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, NOTABLES, MERCHANTS, AND CLERGY, COMPILED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL H. PICOT, <em>Military Attaché at Teheran</em> .’ [‎36r] (76/126)")
‘PERSIA. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, NOTABLES, MERCHANTS, AND CLERGY, COMPILED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL H. PICOT, Military Attaché at Teheran .’ [36r] (76/126)
The record is made up of 1 volume (60 folios). It was created in Dec 1897-8 Jul 1898. 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.
CHAPTER IV.
TEHERAN— Clergy.
1. HAJJI MIRZA ABU’L FAZI^-
Son of the late Hajji Mirza Abu’l Kassim, Mujtahid, Nuri. Was a
student at the Mervi College of Teheran for some years, and
completed his studies under the late Mirza Hassan Shirazi (d. 1895)
at Najaf. He returned to Teheran a few years ago, took a house
in the Ud-Lajan quarter, and, soon in great request as a teacher,
has now a large number of pupils and followers. During the
month of Ramazan he holds great assemblies daily at his house.
Through the influence of Amin el Mulk, brother of Amin i Sultan
(former Sadr Azam), he was appointed chief priest of the mosque
of Sipah Salar Azam (Mushir ed Dowleh, Mirza Husain Khan), and
preaches there every Friday. He has great influence and is much
respected.
Age 46.
2. AKA SAYYID ABDULLAH, BEHBAHANI—
Son of the late Aka Sayyid Ismail, Behbahani; was educated at
Najaf. Preaches on Fridays in the mosque of Muhammad Khan
Sipah Salar, and also decides questions of religious law. He is not
very learned, and the other Mujtahids do not consider him their
equal, but he has very liberal opinions. During the tobacco regie
troubles he took a prominent part in favour of the regie, disobeyed
Mirza Hassan Shirazi’s interdict against the smoking of tobacco
and was publicly cursed by his colleagues. For his attempts to
help the rtigie, Her Majesty’s Government presented him with a
gold watch. He has four sons, and one of them has been disowned
by him for his scandalous conduct.
Age about 50.
3. AKA SAYYID ALI AKBAR, TAFRISHI—
Is not very learned, but has much influence with the lower classes,
who principally refer to him for decisions in matters concerning
religious law. He preaches in two mosques, and has many
followers and pupils. Having many wives, he keeps several
establishments, for instance has two houses in the Ud-Lajan
(piarter, two near the Imamzadeh Yahya, etc. He has several sons
and daughters.
Age about 65.
About this item
- Content
Printed collection of biographical notices, as well as comments on élite dynasties and tribes of Persia [Iran], written over a period of twelve months and completed in December 1897 by Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Philip Picot (Military Attaché, Teheran [Tehran]), then Acting Oriental Secretary in Her Majesty’s Legation. Amendments were added up until 23 January 1898. The author presented the manuscript to Charles H Hardinge (First Secretary, Foreign Office, London), 27 January 1898. The latter forwarded it to the Marquis of Salisbury (Prime Minister), 28 January 1898, who received it a month later (28 February 1898). The title page (f 1) is stamped as having belonged previously to the Government of India’s Library of the Foreign Office, Simla, where this copy was received with two other copies (two for Simla and one for Calcutta [Kolkata], three copies in total) and a letter from the Secretary of the Political and Secret Department, dated 8 July 1898 (location not disclosed). The contents are marked secret (originally ‘confidential,’ crossed out), and specified as, ‘For the use of Officers in Her Majesty’s Service only.’
The printed work comprises two ‘inclosures’ [enclosures]: firstly, Picot’s letter of presentation to Hardinge (f 2v), prefaced by Hardinge’s letter of presentation to the Marquis of Salisbury (f 2); secondly, the treatise proper (ff 3r-60v). The contents page (f 3v) lists four main sections, but without corresponding page references. Following a brief introduction (f 4), an alphabetic register [index] of names (ff 4v-11v), and a glossary of titles and terms (ff 12r-13v), the work is divided into eight chapters comprising numbered entries. The first four chapters deal with the royal family in Teheran (forty-five entries over ff 14r-19v), the notables of Teheran (ninety-seven entries over ff 20r-32v), the merchants of Teheran (twenty-eight entries over ff 33r-35v), and the clergy of Teheran (eleven entries over ff 36-37). The remaining four chapters focus on the provinces of Fars (thirty-eight entries over ff 37v-44v), Ispahan [Isfahan] (eleven entries over ff 45-47), Khorasan (fifty-nine entries over ff 47v-57v), and Tabriz (twenty-two entries over ff 58-60).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (60 folios)
- Arrangement
The entries are recorded in chronological order from the front to the rear of the volume. Contents page (folio 3v) and indices (folios 4v-13v) are included towards the beginning.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 60; 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.
Pagination: the volume also contains an original pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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‘PERSIA. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, NOTABLES, MERCHANTS, AND CLERGY, COMPILED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL H. PICOT, Military Attaché at Teheran .’ [36r] (76/126), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F112/400, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/mirador/81055/vdc_100149427188.0x00004d> [accessed 6 August 2026]
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F112/400
- Title
- ‘PERSIA. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, NOTABLES, MERCHANTS, AND CLERGY, COMPILED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL H. PICOT, Military Attaché at Teheran.’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:60v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence