NEW BOOK BY GEORGE BOURNOUTIAN: “FROM TABRIZ TO ST. PETERSBURG: IRAN’S MISSION OF APOLOGY TO RUSSIA IN 1829
By MassisPost
Updated: March 2, 2014
COSTA MESA, CA — Mazda Academic Press announces the publication of Dr.
George Bournoutian’s new book: From Tabriz to St. Petersburg: Iran’s
Mission of Apology to Russia in 1829.
This original volume, based solely on Persian and Russian primary
sources, describes the year-long journey of the Iranian delegation
to Russia to apologize for the murder of the Russian ambassador
and the massacre of the entire staff of the Russian embassy (save
one) by an angry mob in Tehran in February of 1829. The incident,
which was sparked when an Armenian man and two Armenian women who
sought refuge or who were brought to the Russian Embassy in Tehran,
endangered the recent peace between Russia and Iran following the
Second Russo-Iranian War of 1826-1828.
The Iranian representatives left Tabriz in two groups: the first
in March and the second in May 1829. The first group went through
Nakhichevan, Yerevan, Sardarabad, Etchmiadzin, Gyumri, Spitak,
and Stepanavan to Tiflis. The second group went through Karabagh
and Ganja to Tiflis From there the two groups united and went on to
Moscow and from there to St. Petersburg, where they stayed for more
than two months.
The mission, headed by Khosrow Mirza, the 16-year-old seventh son
of Crown Prince ‘Abbas Mirza, carried letters of apology and gifts
to the Tsar. It returned on February 27, 1830, after successfully
accomplishing its task. The young Prince had not only charmed the
Tsar, the royal family and the nobility, but had also managed to
reduce Iran’s war indemnity payment to Russia. His skillful diplomacy
saved Iran from Russian retaliation, strengthened Russo-Iranian ties,
and lessened the British influence in Iran.
The present study, utilizing Persian and Russian contemporary accounts,
is a detailed and daily account of the long journey and experiences
of the Iranian delegation in Armenia and Georgia, its stay in the
various Russian cities such as Vladikavkaz, Stavropol, Voronezh,
Moscow, and especially its long stay in St. Petersburg. The Iranians
met a number of Armenian officials in the service of Russia and
visited the Lazarian Institute. It should serve as a primary source
on Russo-Iranian relations in the first third of the 19th century.
The 360-page book contains 8 special maps, photos, facsimiles of the
original manuscripts and can be obtained from Mazda Academic Press.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress