Journal of Documentary and Archival Studies

Abstract Such events as the constitutional revolution and the World War I in the early 20^th century imposed socio-political crises on the socio-political atmosphere of Qajar government. The most obvious consequence of the issues was more insecurity on the roads of Iran. The situation made it problematic for Iranian and foreigners who traveled through the roads and transported their goods. Moreover, the insecurity of Qaenat and Sistan, where colonial countries especially Britain had special attention to since the 19^th century, made it more significant. Britain tried to dominate the eastern Iran due to its significant goals and interests in India. This way, it would have defended its precious colony against Russia, though faced new challenges as the consequence of the insecurity and banditry on the roads of the two regions. Qaenat and Sistan were especially important to the foreign forces’ decisions in this period as the cities were located on the most significant commercial roads of the southeast Iran. Focusing on the library resources and taking a descriptive-analytical method, this study tried to explore the insecurities and banditries on the exchanging roads between the regions and Britain’s reactions to them. The results showed that banditry had been always a threat to the Iranian and foreign caravans, causing major damages to the local people and foreigners. On the contrary, British army defended their nationals against attackers and bandits to secure the regions, though they had encouraged sometimes bandits to achieve their own goals. The study concludes that Britain had conflicting behaviors regarding the security in Qaenat and Sistan regions. That is, sometimes they suppressed bandits and in occasions supported them to achieve their desirable goals.

Abstract Asadullah Khatoun endowed 400 manuscripts to Astan Quds Razavi in 1067 AH. This collection has been the biggest library endowed before the delivery of a collection of more than 700 manuscripts that Nader Shah Afshar in 1145 AH, that he had brought to Iran from the Indian War. This research was done about this library and its endower. That is, to see what information the list of manuscripts of Asadullah Khatoun entails. Another aim of the study was to see what information we can get from the manuscripts about the endower and the origin of his endowed library.  The name of the endower and his lineage, according to the manuscripts, is in these words “the waqef is Asadullah ibn Sheikh Mohammad Mu’min (known as bn Khatoun al-Mashhadi Ameli). Another thing that this study answers is that whether there is a kin relationship to Sheikh Mohammad Khatoun (1059 AH), the leader of the government of Abdullah Qutb Shah in South India and to see if it is possible that these endowed manuscripts belonged to his personal library. The results showed that the 400 copies that have been endowed to Astan Quds Razavi belong to Alami Fahami Sheikh Mohammad bin Khatoun, and the collection has been endowed the library of Astan Quds Razavi by his son. The person has been a leader and vicegerent of Heider Abad kingship for about 20 years of the 46-year period of Shia government of Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah. Mohammad Khatoun was a pupil of Sheikh Bahaei and Mir Mohammad Mo’men Estrabadi and has established a famous religious school in the south of India.

Abstract This study aimed to explore the multilevel archive cataloging. Taking into account the archiving standards and principles, it also tried to present some methods and strategies for document cataloging at the level of series and sub-series. In this kind of cataloging, description may be done at various levels, including fonds, series, files, or items levels. For the purpose, such archival standards as General Informational Standard Archival Description (ISAD(G)), Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS), Manual of Archival Description (MAD), and Rules for Archival Description (RAD) were identified. At the next stage, the multilevel cataloging rules common among the standards were identified. Relying on the experiences the researchers at the National Archive of Iran Organization, the common rules were corresponded with the current status of Iran and its organizational rules. Then, some strategies for operationalizing the rules in describing various documents were introduced. Accordingly, some worksheets including the instructions were designed and presented to the Deputy for National Library and Archives of IR Iran. The organization was accepted the worksheets to be used for organizing and describing documents of the organization. This study showed that applying multilevel description methods makes the identification of the archival documents easier, especially in those centers with huge entry of documents. It also showed that the method can accelerate the speed of identifying and retrieving of documents. Moreover, multilevel method will help describing the files formed in the past in different organizations of Iran and even the existing documents of the National Library and Archive of Iran. So, the method can be used in other archive centers.

Abstract Ghavam Mohammad Shirazi was an administrator of religious and judicial affairs in the Safavid era. After several years writing, examining, and verifying the deeds, and in response to the needs of society and the demand of his relatives, he wrote a book called Resaleh Dastour (Shorout), meaning rule book (conditions). This work talks briefly about a special type of sejel (recorded manuscript) called “Oreza Neveshtan”, common among the judges and nayebs (procurators) of Shiraz. The concise work mentions nothing about the way of writing it. This study aimed to explore the writing of this special type of sejel on sharia decrees (deeds). This was done using a descriptive analytical method and relying on documents published in the form of books and articles and archival sources. In the meanwhile, Shirazi narrating style was validated. The results indicated that by “Oreza Neveshtan” they mean graphically using the words “Oreza… Alayya” (it was offered… to me) in the recorded manuscripts of the highest-rank Safavid officials in Isfahan and not the judges of Shiraz. This way of recording indicates the difference of authority of Sheikh al-Islam and Nayib al-Sadr from other Islamic jurists in Isfahan in the Safavid era.

Abstract Hatam Beig Ordoubadi was a famous and important personality in the Safavid era. He had several administrative positions and two high positions in the court. Initially he became Mostowfi al-Mamalek and then, Etemad al-Dowleh in Shah Abbas’s court. He held the position from 1000 AH to the end of his life. The term “The endowment of Etemad al-Dowleh” in the documents of Astan Quds Razavi refers us to the existence of an endowment that has not been mentioned in other historical documents. Applying the title Etemad al-Dowleh for an endowment among documents strengthens the hypothesis that we should know the endower one of the high ministers of the Safavid court. Considering the issue and posing some questions in this regard, this study focused on the related documents. Among the questions are the identification of the endower and the year in which the endowment has been done, the properties of the endowment and its uses permission. To do this, a descriptive-analytical method was used for examining 907 historical documents and sources from Safavid to Pahlavi eras. The results showed that the endower (waqef) is Hatam Ordoubadi and his endowment properties are the farm lands of Hatamabad, Shah Fil and Ghasem Abad, endowed for the maintenance and repairs of the dome and lighting of the holy shrine as well as the wages of the employees of the dome. There is no, however, any trace of the endowment deed. Moreover, examining the trajectory of the documents shows that through the history the name of the waqef and the farm of Hatamabad have been forgotten and the names of other waqefs have been recorded for the property document of this endowment. The documents entail some detailed information about the administration, the boundaries and the recording o of properties by Astan Quds Razavi regarding the incomes, expenses of incomes, the repairs, and handling complaints of tenants and residents in the farms. In addition to the mentioned details, the study showed that the properties of Hatem Beig’s endowments have undergone many changes, but they are held by Astan Quds Razavi and are administered according to rules of the endowments.

Abstract Seals are among the significant elements that confirm and consolidate the documents of every period. Seals possess the socio-political, anthropological, and religious messages of every era. Therefore, exploring and understanding the features of the seals in those periods demonstrate the structure of correspondences. The judicial and administrative correspondences and related issues of Afsharid era that is a short period in the history of Iran have so far not been explored. This study tried to explore the features of the seals in the court, religious, and economic documents of this period. The aim was to see how much the seals have been used in the documents of this period. Moreover, the study tried to see what changes had been made in the text of seals according to the status of owners of seals. Exploring The position of the seals in Afsharid documents was another purpose of this study that focused on the documents of the Document Center of Astan Quds Razavi. A sample of the documents was selected. They were chronologically classified considering the type and content. The results showed that religious issues and the names of the owner are of high status in the text of seals. The position of the seals differs according to the kind of the documents. The study also showed that seals had been used more frequently in the documents of the Shahrokh period than in the documents of the Nader Shah period.

Abstract Britain drastically changed its political and military strategies on the Persian Gulf at the beginning of the 19th century. The country seized some new areas to enhance its influence in the Persian Gulf. Basaeidou in Qeshm Island was among the regions that the country occupied for more than a century. In 1933, an Iranian ship entered Basaeidou and lowered the flag of Britain. Later this incident prompted Britain to leave the region. Taking a descriptive-analytical approach and using documentary method, this study aimed to see the position of Basaeidou regarding the relations between Iran and Britain and what issues make Britain to leave there. The results showed that Britain took advantage of the conflicts between Iran and Soviet Union in the North of Iran during the Qajar era to occupy Basaeidou. Lowering the flag of England in Basaeidou by the Iranian Navy in the first Pahlavi period imposed a crisis in their relations. The issue created other challenges for Britain in the region. Moreover, the sheikhs advocating England doubted on the power of the country to guarantee their security. They also doubted the country’s responsibility to the people under its protection. England’s delegates in the Persian Gulf attempted to solve the problems in all possible ways. The controversy between British Embassy in Tehran and the Crown rule in India made it impossible for London unable to take a united and integrated policy about the issues. It, therefore, became one of the issues that made Britain withdraw from Basaeidou.

Abstract The archive of Astan Quds Razavi Central Library hold as picture that illustrates the incident of bombardment of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza in 1330 AH. This picture is a significant document from various historical and artistic aspects. It has been drawn and published to inform a specific event in a special way. Mirza Taher Mosanne Razavi, an artist and craftsman who held the positions of deputy supervisor of lighting and clock making of the Holy Shrine, portrayed the event in an impressive and detailed way when Russians invaded the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza. Although the historical resources narrate the event with different details, delving into the sources of the event and comparing them with Mirza Taher’s picture, will shed light on the his look at the event and as well as the tricks and elements he used to make it more impressive. This picture is one of the earliest examples that have been produced for artistic informing and propagating against the invading forces that was produced and published in the form of a lithographic monograph. Therefore, this work is a significant document about a historical even, a narrative mixed with artistic impression that is close to the event in terms of the time of the event. Moreover, the picture is significant as it narrates and informs, shows the artist’s view and emphasis on using impressive elements and his use of lithography to raise awareness about a specific event. As the artist was an artist from Mashhad, who served the pilgrims of the Holy Shrine.

Abstract Servants (bandeh in Persian) belonged to the lower social classes of the Qajar era. The people were obtained to be properties and slaves through various ways. They were employed for various works as household, court, military, and service jobs. Unlike the West, they were behaved humanely in Iran following Sharia orders. Both owner and the servant had mutual rights that both parties should respect. Owners had to give the servants the right to be transferred to another person. This study tried to see how the ownership of slaves has changed over the Qajar era. The results showed that the servants became servants of other owners or sacred places through selling, peace treaty, lease, marriage, gift, and endowment in the form such sharia documents and contracts as purchase agreement, compromise agreement, lease, marriage contract, deed of gift, and endowment deed. Taking a descriptive-analytical method and a social history approach and relying on library resources, especially archival documents this study tried to answer appropriately the posed question of the research

Abstract Female waqefs (endowers) has always had a high status among the various groups of Iranian society. Their motivation for endowing includes a vast range of issues. Their endowments have played a significant role in satisfying the needs of society and have been the source of many scientific, cultural, welfare, and health services over the history of Iran. Exploring the content of the endowment documents belong to the women and other endowment deeds is of paramount significance in terms of depicting their presence and participation  in the social affairs of the Qajar era (1210-1344 AH). This study sought to explore the contents of the endowment documents to understand the intentions of female endowers of Amon, Iran, for endowing their properties in the Qajar era. Taking a descriptive-analytical and statistical method, this study focused on the contents of endowment documents and used some historical sources and authentic studies. The results indicated that female endowers of Amol had endowed their properties with religious and social intentions. They have devoted their endowments for mourning, charity, and public benefit affairs, student affairs, and schools of religious sciences. Regarding their social status, the women belonged to the local nobles, merchants, and marketers, religious scholars, and landlords. Accordingly, their endowments have been land, residential houses, shops, and gardens. Their social status in the era has been dependent on the social status of their fathers or husbands (mainly Mollah, Akhond, Mirza, Beig, Sardar, Agha, and Agha Bozorg).