Description

Following on from his award-winning book on the history of ancient Persia, Kaveh Farrokh goes on to examine Iran's wartime history from the Safavid dynasty of the 16th and 17th century through to the 1979 Revolution and beyond.

He shows how the early military successes were followed by centuries of defeat as the external influences of nations like Russia and Britain began to shape the internal history of Iran, before unraveling the complex, violent 20th century military history of the country, which encompasses two world wars, regional movements, foreign intervention, anti-government revolts, conflicts on the Soviet border, a revolution and an eight-year war with Iraq.

Illustrated with contemporary illustrations and photographs this book provides an unparalleled investigation into the bloody martial history of Iran.

Table of Contents

Preface

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1 QAJAR REUNIFICATION
The Eunuch King and reunification of Iran
Aqa Muhammad Shah
Defeat of the Zand
Conquest of the Caucasus

Chapter 2 IRAN: STATE AND SOCIETY IN THE EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY
Fath Ali Shah Qavanllu-Qajar
Early Qajar state
Social classes and land tenure
Ulama–state relations
Early nineteenth-century society
The Qajar military

Chapter 3 DIPLOMACY AND WAR: THE FIRST RUSSO- IRANIAN WAR, 1804–1813
Prelude to war, 1801–1803
Abbas Mirza Qavanllu-Qajar
Fall of Ganjeh, 1804
First siege of Iravan, summer 1804
The Battle of Qarabagh and the siege of Ganjeh and Badkubeh, 1805
Diplomacy and intrigue
Battles of 1806
The Peaceful 1807
The Gardane mission, 1807–1809
Second siege of Iravan and the Battle of Nakhjavan, October–December 1808
The Jones Brydges mission, 1809–1810

Chapter 4 INTERWAR YEARS AND THE SECOND RUSSO-IRANIAN WAR
The interwar years
Prelude to war
Russian policy toward the southeastern Caucasus
Council of Sultanieh
The Battlefield
Causes of the Second Russo-Iranian War
The aftermath

CONCLUSION: SEVEN POINTS

Chronology
Appendix Biographies
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Product details

Published Dec 20 2011
Format Ebook (PDF)
Edition 1st
Extent 488
ISBN 9781780962405
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 30 b/w; 70 col
Series General Military
Short code GNM
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Kaveh Farrokh

Dr Kaveh Farrokh was born in Athens, Greece, in 19…

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