Willem Floor
In Russian Sources on Iran, 1719-1748, polyglot scholar Willem Floor brings together annotated translations of reports by officials in Russian service that so far have either been used rarely by scholars, or not at all. It includes a detailed account of the mapping of the Caspian Sea by a Russian team from 1719 to 1720; and the Russian occupations of Derbend in 1722, of Baku in 1723; and of Gilan in 1724. There is also a comprehensive report of the locations and characteristics of the various ethnic groups living in Azerbaijan in 1728. As well as two reports by Persian officials about the events that led to the downfall of the Safavid dynasty. Next follows a travelogue that describes the Russian withdrawal from occupied Iranian territory, as well as an itinerary of Prince Golitsin’s embassy to the court of Nader Shah in 1732. A Russian consul’s report on Reza Qoli Mirza’s assassination attempt of Nader Shah and its aftermath is followed by a detailed and very interesting account of Prince Golitsin’s second embassy to Iran in 1747. This coincided with Nader Shah’s murder, and describes the impact of this event on Gilan. Apart from political information, these original sources stand out for their wealth of information on natural and socio-economic history of the regions visited. This book is a must read for any student of Iranian History.
