![‘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> .’ [‎58v] (121/126)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0002fe/Mss Eur F112_400_0121.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> .’ [‎58v] (121/126)")
‘PERSIA. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, NOTABLES, MERCHANTS, AND CLERGY, COMPILED BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL H. PICOT, Military Attaché at Teheran .’ [58v] (121/126)
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.
114
TABRIZ.
6. 1TEHADIEH COMPANY—
Sarrafs of Tabriz. There were originally seven partners in this
firm, but now there are only two (the brothers Kuzehkunani), who
are merchants. They have a representati ve in Teheran.
Are probably worth about 100,000
tomans
10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
.
7. HAJJI SHAIKH JAFAR—
Is a son of Hajji Muhammad Ibrahim of Kazvin.
Was for a long time one of the leading merchants of Tabriz;
took an active part in government affairs, and was a great help in
protecting Persian merchants and seeing that justice was done to
them.
During the scarcity of grain in 1871, when the price of wheat
rose to 40
tomans
10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value.
the kharvar (about 660 lbs.), he imported wheat
from Russia and Turkey, and succeeded in bringing prices to their
normal value, but lost much money by the transaction. After this
he farmed the Tabriz Custom House, and again was a heavy loser.
The principal Tabriz bazars were built by him, and he has done
much good in the city.
He has, through his liberality, spent most of his great fortune,
and now lives on the revenues of some property he still possesses.
He is still a man of great influence, and consulted when any
difficult question turns up.
Age 65.
8. HAJJI KASSIM ARDABILl—
Is the son of Hajji Muhammad, and an influential merchant of
Tabriz.
Has amassed a large fortune in trading in Manchester goods.
Is known as a most dishonest man, but has influence owing to his
wealth.
Age 70.
9. HAJJI MEHDI KUZEHKUNANI—
A wealthy merchant of Tabriz. Began by doing a small business
with Ardabil, and afterwards imported tea on a large scale from
Constantinople. Now imports all his tea from India.
Age 65.
10. HAJJI MUHAMMAD BAKIR OF MILAN (a village of
Persia), generally known as REZAYOFE—
A wealthy merchant of Tabriz. His principal business is with
Russia, and he also does an extensive banking business.
Age 53.
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 .’ [58v] (121/126), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F112/400, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100149427188.0x00007a> [accessed 25 July 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