Historical Studies Quarterly, No 31, winter 2011

The latest issue f Historical Studies Quarterly has been published. This issue volume includes 6 articles and a series of caricatures by Iraj Zare. In the following lines you can read the abstract of each article:

25 Volumes of Islamic Revolution Documents
Hedayatollah Behboodi

It took eleven years to reach the 25th volume of "Islamic Revolution Narrated by SAVAK Documents". In this decade I had to work with thousands of documents presented to me by Historical Documents Center. I had to narrate the events of 1978-9 by the documents covering the events of Iran in those days from the viewpoint of Pahlavi officials. At that time no body would think that bulletins, reports and telegrams about the country events would one day be organized beside each other to narrate the history of 2-year Islamic Revolution.
Each volume had an introduction that would tell a summarized report about the documents of that volume. These short reports beside each other narrate those events in a documented format. Each of these introductions is a step that takes the reader to the events of Iran in 1970s. This panoramic view is in front of you.

Ayatollah Boroujerdi in Tehran
Yahya Arya Bakhshayesh and Moslem Tahoori

The status of Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi in Shia jurisprudence is clear to everyone. His life, ideas, and works have been analyzed and praised in different papers. In this paper the writer is not about to review his life or ideas either; since this matter needs a great knowledge. This short article is about to review a scarcely noted event in his life based on newly found documents. In winter 1928, when he was returning from hajj ceremonies, he was arrested at Qasr-e Shirin border, sent to Tehran and kept captive for three months by Reza Khan's order. He was accused of carrying the message from some Iranian clergy in Najaf and wanted to organize a rise against the government. However, the people's and clergy's support forced the government to free him and announcing the matter as a misunderstanding.
 
Who Remembers the Persians...?
(Book Review – ‘The Great Famine and Genocide in Persia, 1917-1919’ by Dr Mohammad Gholi Majd, University Press of America, 2003.)
Pat Walsh

This book begins with one of the most startling statements I have ever read:
“The great famine of 1917-1919 was unquestionably the greatest calamity in the history of Persia, far surpassing anything that had happened before. It is shown in this study that as much as 40% of the population of Persia was wiped out because of starvation and the associated diseases that accompany malnutrition. Unquestionably, Persia was the greatest victim of World War I. No other country had suffered casualties of this magnitude in both absolute and relative terms. Yet the great famine in Persia, one of the greatest famines of modern times, and definitely one of the largest genocides of the 20th century, has remained unknown and unexplored... Unquestionably, the most remarkable fact about the Persian Holocaust is that it has remained concealed all these years, a fact about which volumes can be written.”

Hussein Mirmomtaz Diaries, Jan. 21st-Mar. 9th 1937, Shiraz

Hussein Mir Momtaz was Mashhad representative in 6th National Assembly of Iran (Majlis). Being a parliament representative, he abandons Khorasan and resides in Teheran. 6th Majlis finishes on August 13th, 1936 and he is not elected for 7th Majlis. Mir Momtaz dos not return to Mashhad. He remains in Teheran to see what would happen to him. He hopes to enter 8th Majlis. He uses his friends who are all among Teymourtash attendants. But he is not acceptable by the new emerging ruling class which is passing the time of Reza Shah's ascending to dictatorship. Abdullah Yassai, Teymourtash's jobber and the strong man of 7th Majlis tell him: "You are of no use for this Majlis; whenever Mushir-ud-doleh came to power, become a parliament member; you and he are from the same type." Mir Momtaz writes to himself: "Such a strange situation it is. Someone who is serene, earnest and sincere should sit aside." Mir Momtaz is not successful in 6th Majlis which could bring him positions and wealth. But he is not hopeless. He endeavors and finally by the help of his friend, Princess Sheikh-ur-Ra'is Afsar, becomes the governor of Chahar-Mahal & Bakhtiari.
Mir Momtaz, like many other elite of his time, had the good habit of writing diaries without any defect in a notebook. But, since publishing memoirs was not usual yet, these writings were not to be presented to 'anyone' but just to be recorded for him; therefore, these diaries are free of usual considerations. Mir Momtaz resided in Tehran till 1931 and had contacts with group of newly born Pahlavi elite -most of them Majlis representatives. In 1931 went to Bakhtiari as the new governor, from 1934-36 was the governor of Laristan, then resided in Shiraz and married with the daughter of Banan-ul-Molk Shirazi; however, very soon it ended in divorce. Then, from early 1936 to 1941 became the governor of Firoozabad in Fars. During these twelve years, whenever he had the mood, wrote the events down in his diaries. These writings, even incomplete and not in order, present a live and revealing view about Reza Shah's era which is important from different viewpoints.

Jiloloq Holocaust in Persia and the British Role or
The British attempt to constitute Armenian Republic in Persia
Asghar Heydari, MA in Iranology

Arming the Christians in Urmia and Salmas during WWI was one of British tactics against Ottomans, the Germans ally. A group pf Armenians and Assyrians had been living there for centuries. During the few months before WWI, some of Urmians and Jilous of Van and Mousel rose against Ottomans after the Russians' instigation. When they were suppressed about 20 Jilou families passed the Persian border and reached Urmia and Salmas. Persian people and government placed then in villages. Jilous were chriostian nomads who were living in mountainous areas around Van and Mousel. A corps including 6000 volunteers from Jilous and a lesser number of Armenians was made by the British support and a group of Russian and French officers. The leader of this coprs, Mar Shimon Benyamin Petros asked for the cities of Salmas, Urmia and Mahabad to found the independent country of Jilous.
The Jilous political leader, Mar Shimon, was killed in a plot by another rioter, Simko. Two days later the angry Jilous took the revenge of their leader in Urmia and killed many people who had no role in the genocide by Simko. In three days about 15000 innocent Urmian people were killed. Jilous did the same in Salmas too.

Caricatures
Caricaturist: Iraj Zare'
Iraj Zare' was in Tehran in 1943. After graduation and finishing military service he began his cooperation with Tofiq magazine. He used nicknames as Faraz and Zare'. He also worked constantly with other journals of that time such as Roshanfekr.
The subjects for most his works were social matters. Amir Abbas Hoveyda, Iranian Prime Minister, was one of his famous subjects.
The present pamphlet under the title of Shahnameh by him was published in early days after the revolution and now since it is not easily accessible it is once more presented to interested people in Revolutionary caricatures.