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

60 Stephanie Croninthe authorities placed particular trust in them when facing internal rebellionor religious tumult. These nezam forces were sufficient to enable Abbas Mirzato suppress several revolts in the early 1830s in central Iran and among Kurdishand Turkoman khans in the northeast.Meanwhile Abbas Mirza continued his search for foreign officers, makingrenewed appeals to Britain. The British reaction was again determined entirelyby its own strategic needs. The government in London, and especially inCalcutta, now harboured growing concern over a possible Russian threat toIndia and its own loss of influence at Tehran and accordingly in 1833 senta second British military mission, recruited in India. This mission consistedof eight officers, fourteen sergeants and an assistant apothecary under thecommand of Colonel Passmore of the East India Company Bengal NativeInfantry, and counted among its number several officers who were later toplay important roles in Anglo-Iranian diplomacy, Justin Sheil, later Britishminister in Tehran 1844–1851, Francis Farrant, chargé d’affaires in 1848,and Henry Rawlinson, British minister 1859–1860.However, before the mission could begin its work, the domestic Iranianpolitical context was suddenly changed by the deaths of both AbbasMirza and the monarch, Fath-Ali Shah. The mission thus found itself facedwith the immediate task of ensuring the smooth succession of a new shah,Mohammad Shah (1834–1848), and averting any potential crisis by suppressingrival claimants. British officers then began raising and drilling troops.Despite their role in installing the new shah, the British officers immediatelybegan to encounter difficulties. The political context was becoming lessand less favourable, Russian influence at Tehran was growing and the newshah was determined to renew his claim to Herat against inevitable Britishopposition. The British officers received little support from either the newshah or the Iranian government. They were also deeply resented by the Iraniannezam officers and constant friction arose from the struggle, sometimes subterranean,sometimes overt, over the extent and scope of British functionsand responsibilities. The Iranian authorities insisted on regarding the Britishofficers purely as instructors and refused them the control they desired overpay, rations and promotions, while the nezam officers hated their interferenceand frequently disregarded their recommendations altogether. 32 The Britishfound their work obstructed at every level as a result of the combination ofpolitical opposition to British strategy, wounded national pride and professionaljealousy which their presence engendered. The British mission sufferedfurther from intrigues both by the military officers of other nationalities inthe shah’s service and by the diplomatic representatives of rival Powers. 33This second British experiment finally broke down completely after thepolitical and diplomatic rupture occasioned by Mohammad Shah’s attackon Herat in 1837. In 1838 Britain, breaking off relations with Iran, orderedall its officers in the shah’s service to quit the country.Despite his experience with the British mission, Mohammad Shah continuedto seek foreign assistance with his desultory efforts at military reform. Since