Arbogan
08-20-2015, 09:27 PM
George N Curazon was a british statesman travelled throughout asia. As a member of royal geographic society and as a politician. He has written a number of ethnological works and geo strategic and political analysises. In particular his accounts of Persia, are important in reconstructing the ethnological and political landscape of the time.
His accounts on lurs are arguably some of the most extensive that I've read from western geographers, diplomats, visitors, adventurers and ethnographers. In practicular his writing concerning the habitat, living conditions and tribal leadership of the feyli lurs of pushti-i-kuh(modern day ilam) who are one of the most understudied groups to date.
For those who have an interest in ethnography, practicularly our Iranian members, will find this intriguing. His work writing is very detailed, colourful. It is heavier on the political developments and history, but also touches on the ethnological and societal aspects in the later passages.
It is a rather long excerpt, so I will post it in 3 installments.
There are many pictures in the book that I'd have liked to add. But unfortunately I could not procure them.
George N Curazon: Persia and the Persian question, volume 2, pages 408 to 417
We come to a region of superior interest, because of greater obscurity. This district consists of the mountain ranges, with their intervening valleys, that extend in arduous and almost im penetrable succession from the right bank of the Kerkhah to the Turkish frontier. It is a remote and inaccessible country; and it is not surprising, therefore, to find that the tribes are entirely nomadic in character, and that their chieftain occupies a position almost independent of the central Government, a position, indeed, that still leaves some flavour of distinction to the title which he continues to bear, of Vali of Pusht-i-Kuh. Of the Feili Lurs whom he rules, I have only received lists so misspelt and inaccurate, that I am unwilling to publish them ; the more so as I am unable in any but the most fragmentary degree to reconcile them with the now obsolete lists of Rawlinson and Layard. The history, however, and the pedigree that I shall give of the ruling family have been derived from the Persian Governor of the adjoining province, and are correct.
In the old days Pish-Kuh and Pusht-i-Kuh ? and a considerable surrounding territory in addition, were united under the rule of the aforementioned Atabegs of Luristan. The only detailed account of their dynasty, known as the Khurshidi dynasty, 2 is contained in the Sheref Nameh. They ruled from 1155 A.D. till the beginning of the seventeenth century ; and their dominion was counted by Marco Polo as one of the eight kingdoms of Persia. At this early period ,the Lurs had already vindicated for themselves the unenviable reputation as thieves and bandits which their successors have diligently maintained. Mangu Khan the Mongol, when commissioning his brother Hulaku Khan to the government of Iran, gave him particular instructions to make things uncomfortable for the Kurds and Lurs, in revenge for their plundering on the high roads. Timur marched against them,because they could not keep their fingers from the caravans of the Mecca-bound pilgrims, and took both Khorremabad and Burujerd in 1386 A.D). The last of the dynasty was the famous Shah Verdi Khan, Mir of Wirkond, who, by his position and power, excited the jealousy of Shah Abbas the Great, by whom he was seized and put, to death. The title of Atabeg was suppressed; but the vacant office,was conferred, with the new title of Vali of Luristan,’ upon one Husein Khan, who had risen to some distinction in the service of the defunct ruler. My Persian informant declares that the family of the promoted Husein was Arab in origin, being descended from a chief of the Rubaia tribe, on the west side of the Tigris, who had quarrelled with his countrymen, migrated to Luristan, and there intermarried with the Feilis. However this may be, the dynasty thus promoted has retained the office ever since, and its present incumbent is, as the accompanying pedigree will show, a lineal descendant of the protégé of Shah Abbas.
His accounts on lurs are arguably some of the most extensive that I've read from western geographers, diplomats, visitors, adventurers and ethnographers. In practicular his writing concerning the habitat, living conditions and tribal leadership of the feyli lurs of pushti-i-kuh(modern day ilam) who are one of the most understudied groups to date.
For those who have an interest in ethnography, practicularly our Iranian members, will find this intriguing. His work writing is very detailed, colourful. It is heavier on the political developments and history, but also touches on the ethnological and societal aspects in the later passages.
It is a rather long excerpt, so I will post it in 3 installments.
There are many pictures in the book that I'd have liked to add. But unfortunately I could not procure them.
George N Curazon: Persia and the Persian question, volume 2, pages 408 to 417
We come to a region of superior interest, because of greater obscurity. This district consists of the mountain ranges, with their intervening valleys, that extend in arduous and almost im penetrable succession from the right bank of the Kerkhah to the Turkish frontier. It is a remote and inaccessible country; and it is not surprising, therefore, to find that the tribes are entirely nomadic in character, and that their chieftain occupies a position almost independent of the central Government, a position, indeed, that still leaves some flavour of distinction to the title which he continues to bear, of Vali of Pusht-i-Kuh. Of the Feili Lurs whom he rules, I have only received lists so misspelt and inaccurate, that I am unwilling to publish them ; the more so as I am unable in any but the most fragmentary degree to reconcile them with the now obsolete lists of Rawlinson and Layard. The history, however, and the pedigree that I shall give of the ruling family have been derived from the Persian Governor of the adjoining province, and are correct.
In the old days Pish-Kuh and Pusht-i-Kuh ? and a considerable surrounding territory in addition, were united under the rule of the aforementioned Atabegs of Luristan. The only detailed account of their dynasty, known as the Khurshidi dynasty, 2 is contained in the Sheref Nameh. They ruled from 1155 A.D. till the beginning of the seventeenth century ; and their dominion was counted by Marco Polo as one of the eight kingdoms of Persia. At this early period ,the Lurs had already vindicated for themselves the unenviable reputation as thieves and bandits which their successors have diligently maintained. Mangu Khan the Mongol, when commissioning his brother Hulaku Khan to the government of Iran, gave him particular instructions to make things uncomfortable for the Kurds and Lurs, in revenge for their plundering on the high roads. Timur marched against them,because they could not keep their fingers from the caravans of the Mecca-bound pilgrims, and took both Khorremabad and Burujerd in 1386 A.D). The last of the dynasty was the famous Shah Verdi Khan, Mir of Wirkond, who, by his position and power, excited the jealousy of Shah Abbas the Great, by whom he was seized and put, to death. The title of Atabeg was suppressed; but the vacant office,was conferred, with the new title of Vali of Luristan,’ upon one Husein Khan, who had risen to some distinction in the service of the defunct ruler. My Persian informant declares that the family of the promoted Husein was Arab in origin, being descended from a chief of the Rubaia tribe, on the west side of the Tigris, who had quarrelled with his countrymen, migrated to Luristan, and there intermarried with the Feilis. However this may be, the dynasty thus promoted has retained the office ever since, and its present incumbent is, as the accompanying pedigree will show, a lineal descendant of the protégé of Shah Abbas.