Very scarce, "secret" publication with the British authorities' notes on numerous influential Iranians

[Persia]. Tribes and Personalities of Western Persia.

€ 8,500.00

First and likely only edition of an extremely scarce publication issued by British intelligence in Baghdad during the First World War. It lists, in alphabetical order, different tribes and influential individuals in Western Iran, from Qajar royalty to enemy spies. Each name is followed by a few lines of information about the person or tribe, often mentioning whether they are pro- or anti-British. The descriptions of the various tribes are quite extensive and usually contain information about their history and chiefs. Most tribes have been marked in blue pencil, possibly by a member of the British authorities in 1918.

Some individuals mentioned in the work are relatively well known, including German agents Wilhelm Wassmuss (1880-1931) and Oskar von Niedermayer (1885-1948). In the beginning of the war, they had been regarded as major threats, but not so much near the end, as their descriptions are surprisingly short. Also of interest are the entries on the numerous marginal figures that are not otherwise known, including former Foreign Minister Mu'avin ud Daulah, who "means well but is quite useless" (p. 66) and Ahad Mirza, "a merchant of Bijar, a clever man; for us" (p. 5). More detailed entries focus on tribal leaders, Qajar diplomats and powerful merchants.

In sum, this work offers a wealth of fascinating historical anecdotes and provides a remarkable record of the personalities who attempted to fill the power vacuum created by the departure of Russian forces after the 1917 Revolution.