Crisis, collapse, militarism and civil war : the history and historiography of 18th century Iran

The eighteenth century was a crucial era in modern Iranian history, but up to now it has been little studied outside Iran. In Crisis, Collapse, Militarism and Civil War , Michael Axworthy has gathered leading experts on this period from around the world to provide a multifaceted account of this fascinating, dramatic, and turbulent era. The volume covers economics, intellectual history, military developments, politics, and the visual arts. In the 1720s, after the collapse of Safavid rule in 1722, it seemed that Iran might disappear altogether, partitioned between her neighbors. Within a few years the country surged back to make a bid for regional dominance under Nader Shah, but lapsed again into civil war after his untimely death in 1747. The civil wars lasted almost until the end of the century, albeit with an interlude of relative calm and good governance under Karim Khan Zand, who ruled from the mid-1750s until his death in 1779. In 1796, after more civil wars, Agha Mohammad Shah had himself crowned as the first monarch of the Qajar dynasty, which lasted until 1925. This formative period is vital for understanding modern and contemporary Iran, and it is a fascinating drama of events and personalities in its own right. It was a period of crisis and turmoil, but also a period of possibility and creativity in ways that have for the most part been forgotten. Until now, scholarship on the significance of the eighteenth century in Iran has been scant and often obscure. This volume will not only change that, but it will also reshape our understanding of the history of one of the most important and influential states in the Middle East. The eighteenth century was a crucial era in modern Iranian history, but up to now it has been little studied outside Iran. In Crisis, Collapse, Militarism and Civil War, Michael Axworthy has gathered leading experts on this period from around the world to provide a multifaceted account of this fascinating, dramatic, and turbulent era. The volume covers economics, intellectual history, military developments, politics, and the visual arts. 0In the 1720s, after the collapse of Safavid rule in 1722, it seemed that Iran might disappear altogether, partitioned between her neighbors. Within a few years the country surged back to make a bid for regional dominance under Nader Shah, but lapsed again into civil war after his untimely death in 1747. The civil wars lasted almost until the end of the century, albeit with an interlude of relative calm and good governance under Karim Khan Zand, who ruled from the mid-1750s until his death in01779. In 1796, after more civil wars, Agha Mohammad Shah had himself crowned as the first monarch of the Qajar dynasty, which lasted until 1925. This formative period is vital for understanding modern and contemporary Iran, and it is a fascinating drama of events and personalities in its own right. It was a period of crisis and turmoil, but also a period of possibility and creativity in ways that have for the most part been forgotten.0Until now, scholarship on the significance of the eighteenth century in Iran has been scant and often obscure. This volume will not only change that, but it will also reshape our understanding of the history of one of the most important and influential states in the Middle East Contents Preface • David Morgan List of Contributors Note on Transliteration 1. Michael Axworthy—Introduction 2. Gene R. Garthwaite—“What’s in a Name?”: Periodization and “18th- Century Iran” 3. Rudi Matthee—Historiographical Reflections on the Eighteenth Century in Iranian History: Decline and Insularity, Imperial Dreams, or Regional Specificity? 4. Michael Axworthy—The Awkwardness of Nader Shah: History, Military History, and Eighteenth-Century Iran 5. Ernest Tucker—Iran and the Ottomans after Nader Shah: The Dorrani-Ottoman Exchange of Letters in Their Eighteenth-Century Iranian Context 6. Sajjad Rizvi—Whatever Happened to the School of Isfahan?: Philosophy in 18th-Century Iran 7. Andrew Newman—Of Mullas, Manuscripts, and Migration: Aspects of Twelver Shi‘i Community Life in the 18th Century 8. Willem Floor—The Persian Economy in the Eighteenth Century: A Dismal Record 9. Willem Floor—Tribal Resurgence in the Eighteenth Century: A Useful Label? 10. Goodarz Rashtiani—Iranian- Russian Relations in the Eighteenth Century 11. Giorgio Rota—Persia 1700–1800: Some Views from Central Europe 12. Sussan Babaie—Nader Shah, the Delhi Loot, and the 18th-Century Exotics of Empire Index "The eighteenth century was a crucial era in modern Iranian history, but the scholarship on the epoch is extremely limited. Among the reasons for this is the fact that it was largely a terrible period, plagued by war, economic collapse, governmental breakdown, and general misery. It has been estimated that the population of the country fell from around 9 million in 1700 to perhaps 6 million in 1899. Indeed, in the 1720s it seemed likely that Iran would disappear altogether, partitioned between her neighbors. Within a few years, the country surged back to regional pre-eminence under the rule of military genius Nader Shah, but lapsed again into civil war after his untimely death in 1747. The subsequent civil wars lasted almost until the end of the century except for a couple of brief interludes of relative calm. After decades of violence and economic dislocation, the end of the century saw the crowning of Agha Mohammad Shah, the first of the Qajar dynasty that lasted until 1925."--Jacket flap What's In A Name? : Periodization And 18th Century Iran / Gene Garthwaite -- Historiographical Notes On The Eighteenth Century In Iranian History : Chaos And Decline, Imperial Dreams, Or Regional Specificity? / Rudi Matthee -- The Awkwardness Of Nader Shah / Michael Axworthy -- Reflections On Iran And The Ottomans After Nader Shah / Ernest Tucker -- Whatever Happened To The School Of Isfahan? Studying Hikmat In The 18th Century / Sajjad Rizvi -- Of Mullas, Migration And Manuscripts : Aspects Of Shi︢i Community Life In The In The 18th Century / Andrew Newman -- The Economy Of Afsharid Iran : A Dismal Story / Willem Floor -- Reflections On Tribal Resurgence / Willem Floor -- Quiet Encroachment : Iran-russia Relations In The 18th Century Based On Archival Documents / Goodarz Rashtiani -- Persia 1700-1750 : Some Views From Central And Southern Europe / Giorgio Rota -- Nader Shah, The Delhi Loot, And The Eighteenth-century Exotics Of Empire / Sussan Babaie