Letters and Enclosures on Persia to the Secret Department, 1809-1810
- Holding institution:
- British Library. India Office Records and Private Papers
- Data provider:
- Qatar National Library
- Title:
- Letters and Enclosures on Persia to the Secret Department, 1809-1810
- Date:
- 1809/1810
- Description:
- Abstract: This volume comprises a single packet addressed to the Secret Department, containing transcripts and supplementary duplicate copies of secret letters, excerpts of intelligence reports, itineraries, travel accounts, translated diplomatic letters, treaties, royal edicts or firmaun [farmān], and transcripts in original languages (especially French). The papers are divided into approximately thirty sections (without formal division), relating to diplomatic, political, military, and commercial transactions principally with Qajar Persia [Iran], as well as Bagdad [Baghdad], the Sublime Porte or Constantinople [Istanbul], Russia, the [British] Supreme Government of India, the East India Company [EIC] in Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, and England. Contents range in date from 17 February 1809 to 12 March 1810, and were received from the ship, HMS Rattlesnake, 12 March 1810. Appended at the opening of the volume is an abstract of contents (folios 5-14) arranged according to theme, not chronologically, with a brief note on the preceding flyleaf (folio 4) arranging broad subject headings in alphabetic order. This volume is of particular interest for material relating to British competition with the French and Russians in Qajar Persia, during the period of the Napoleonic Wars. Papers focus primarily on the repercussions of the diplomatic controversy over the mission of Sir Harford Jones Baronet, representing the British Crown, to the Persian Court. Subjects include Jones’s journey from Bushire [Bushehr] to Tehraun [Tehran]; arrival and ceremonial presentation of the British royal letter to the King [Shāh] of Persia; expulsion of the French legation from the Persian Court; interception of a French packet of correspondence; advice to the Persians to prolong war with Russia; British arms and artificers promised to Persia; conclusion of a treaty of alliance with Persia; EIC objections; disavowal of Jones’s mission by the Governor-General, Calcutta; orders for the mission’s annulment and withdrawal; letter of the Governor-General to the King of Persia on the subject of the disavowal of Jones’s mission; EIC orders its own mission under General Malcolm to the Persian Court; Persian anxieties over Malcolm’s mission; Jones’s intention to remain at the Persian Court; report on Jones’s offer of a ‘bribe’ to be detained; the King of Persia declines permission for Jones’s withdraw; Jones accused of misconduct, his defence; dispatch of the Persian envoy to England; the Russians favour Jones.Physical description: The foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the first folio with 1 and terminates at the last folio with 362; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto side of each folio. The volume contains several earlier foliation sequences.
- Language:
- English
- Type:
- Archival file
- Type (Narrower):
- Other Texts
- Type (Broader):
- Text
- Subject:
- Diplomacy
Napoleonic Wars (1800-1815)
International relations
HM Ambassador to Iran
Shah of Persia, Qajar dynasty - Geographic region:
- Persia
- Rights:
- المُلكية العامة
- Identifier:
- 81055/vdc_100000001251.0x000399_ar
81055/vdc_100000001251.0x000399_en
IOR/G/29/36
IOR/G/29/36