War and Peace in Qajar Persia: Implications Past and ... - Oguzlar.az

Merchants without frontier 211It can also be noted that the main northern road from Tabriz to Tehran, wasbuilt and maintained by Russian companies. During the civil war the main roadto Tabriz was under the military control of Russian and royalist forces, who hadenforced a blockade of the city. Foreign merchant communities of Tabriz includedItalian, Greek, and Russian traders, who had an active role in Iran’s commerciallinks with Russia and the Ottoman Empire. See Willem Floor, “Commerce, vi.From the Safavid through the Qajar Period,” p. 73.58 In 1907 two articles appeared in the paper Mosavat, admonishing those Iranianmerchants who imported foreign products instead of producing the same productsdomestically and even criticized them for having failed to begin exportinggoods – perhaps assuming that the merchants either individually or collectivelycould have afforded to do so or could have produced the same quality goods ata better price so as to compete with the foreign imported products. See “Qabel-eMotale’eh-ye Tojjar” [For Merchants’ Attention], a two-part article in Mosavat1/2 (19 Ramadan 1325 ah/27 October 1907): 5–6; and 1/4 (5 Shawwal 1325 ah/11November 1907): 3–5; the second part also included a reply from a merchant.59 Hajj Sheikh Ali-Asghar Leylabadi, a pro-constitutionalist preacher. Reportedlyhe was arrested by the Russian soldiers on 9 Jumadi I 1327 ah⁄29 May 1909 andwas never seen afterwards. See Amirkhizi, Qiyam-e Azerbaijan va Sattar Khan,p. 428.60 Memoirs, p. 205.61 “Poletik” [sic], referring to “politique” (Fr.), which in common Persian usage implied“trick,” in the sense “politicking.”62 Memoirs, p. 205. Sattar Khan (b. Janali, Azerbaijan, 1868 – d. Tehran, 9 November1914) and Baqer Khan (b. Tabriz, 1870s – d. near Qasr-e Shirin, November 1916),respectively referred to by the constitutionalists as Sardar-e Melli (NationalCommander) and Salar-e Melli (National Leader), were the two noted leaders ofthe partisans in Azerbaijan who were instrumental in winning the constitutionalistcampaign during the period of Lesser Autocracy. For Sattar Khan see, forexample, Hossein Farzad, Enqelab va Tahavvol-e Azerbaijan dar Dowreh-yeMashroutiyat ya Tarikh-e Sattar Khan Sardar-e Melli [Revolution and Change inAzerbaijan during the Constitutional Period or the History of Sattar Khan theNational Commander] (Tabriz: Danesh, 1324/1943). For a dramatized narrativeof the life and times of Sattar Khan, see Abbas Panahi-Makoui, Hemaseh-ye SattarKhan [The Epic of Sattar Khan], trans. from the Russian by KeykhosrowKeshavarzi (Tehran: Amir-Kabir, 1359/1978). For Baqer Khan, see AbbasAmanat, “Baqer Khan Salar-e Melli,” Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. III (Londonand New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1989), pp. 726–8.63 Referring to his own wife, Alaviyeh, who was the daughter of Hajj Mirza AliTabatabai.64 “Faytoun” (Rus.), an open carriage pulled by horse.65 Julfa, a northern border town in Azerbaijan between Iran and the southern RussianCaucasus.66 Possibly related to Hajj Abdol-Hamid Khameneh, a Tabriz merchant and fatherof Sheikh Mohammad Tabrizi (also known as Khiabani, 1880–1920) a wellknown cleric and political leader of the constitutionalist campaign in Tabriz.67 Possibly “Qahveh-khaneh Khoy” (Khoy Coffee-House), which may have also providedlodging.68 “Badkoubeh,” same as Baku.69 “Vagzal” (Rus.), railway station.70 Here again the reference is to his wife, Alaviyeh Tabatabai.71 Memoirs, pp. 205–6.72 “Prakoud” (Rus.), referring to steam-boat, ferry.