The Story of a Road: Construction and maintenance of Mashhad-Ashgabat Road (1886-1925)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD student, Department of history, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, I. R. Iran

2 Associate professor, Department of History, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, I. R. Iran

3 Assistant professor, Department of History,Islamic Azadi University- Bojnord Branch, Bojnord, I. R. Iran

Abstract

Abstract:
Purpose: Purpose: Discusses the importance of the construction and maintenance of the Mashhad-Ashghabad road in the latest years of Qajars (bet. 1887 – 1924).
.
Method and Research Design: this article has been written relying on the archival sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Malik National Museum of Iran. The method of the research is based on the historical description and analyzing.
Method and Research Design: Archival records held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Malek National Museum of Iran congather data.
Findings and Conclusions. The efforts of Abolqasem Malak-a-Tojjar, the consentionnaire, empowered by the support of a group of Iranian and Russian merchants, some statesmen, and the Russian embassy in Tehran facilitated the construction of the road. However, greviance by a group of landowners on sides of the road, as well as the opposition of some Mashhad merchants led to the slowdown of project. In addition, the lack of road construction equipment, financial shortcomings, and the redirectiond of the road, contributed to the further slowdon. In the short term, the delay caused dinanaccial losses for some. In the long term however, when operational, merchants of Khorasan benefited largly from the road.

Keywords

References

  1. English Translation of References

    Documents

    Markaz-e Asnād va Tārix-e Diplomāsi-ye Vezārat-e Omur-e Xāreje (Ostādox) (Department of Diplomatic Documents and History of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs):

              (1318 AH / 1900 AD). Box 1, folder 17, document number (118);

              (1318 AH / 1900 AD). Box 10, folder 2, document number (87);

              (1318 AH / 1900 AD). Box 23, folder 29, document number (0012), (0017), (0020), (0023), (0024), (0025), (0026), (0027);

              (1319 AH / 1901 AD). Box 23, folder 7, document number (1), (6), (14), (20);

              (1320 AH / 1902 AD). Box 21, folder 5, document number (1-2), (5), (7), (8), (11-15), (16-17), (18-20), (21), (22), (23), (24);

              (1320 AH / 1902 AD). Box 50, folder 6, document number (31);

              (1321 AH / 1903 AD). Box 22, folder 5, document number (10);

    (1321 AH / 1903 AD). Box 23, folder 8, document number (5-11) (6) (14);

    (1323AH / 1905 AD). Box 18, folder 5, document number (1-6) (9) (21) (24-25) (29) (47) (50);

    (1323AH / 1905 AD). Box 18, folder 27, document number (45-46);

    (1323AH / 1905 AD). Box 21, folder 3, document number (107);

    (1324AH / 1906 AD). Box 24, folder 2, document number (42), (44), (46), (47), (53), (59), (61), (66), (69-72), (71);

    (1325AH / 1907 AD). Box 20, folder 2, document number (1-5), (13), (22-24);

    (1325AH / 1907 AD). Box 25, folder 2, document number (13), (20);

    (1329AH / 1911 AD). Box 50, folder 15, document number (1), (3);

    (1330AH / 1912 AD). Box 50, folder 8, document number (4), (5), (6);

    (1331AH / 1913 AD). Box 50, folder 15, document number (13);

    (1332AH / 1914 AD). Box 50, folder 6, document number (14), (20), (30-32), (41). [Persian]

    Sāzmān-e Asnād va Ketābxāne-ye Melli-ye Irān (Sākmā) (National Library and Archives Organization of Iran):

              Retrieval number: (295-7749/071); (295-7749/079); (295-7749/121). [Persian]

    Mo’assese-ye Ketābxāne va Muze-ye Melli-ye Malek (MOKMAM) (Malik National Museum of Iran):

              Retrieval number: (53), (1392-31-00474/13); (1392-31-00474/14); (1392-31-00511/16). [Persian]

    Books

    Ala’ Al-Molk, Mahmoud. (1362/1983). “Gozāreš-hā-ye tārixi-siāsi-ye Alā’ol-Molk” (Ala al-Molk’s historical-political reports). Edited by Ebrahim Safayi. Tehran: Goruh-e Entešārāti-ye Ābād. [Persian]

    Burrell, R. M., & Robert L. Jarman. (1997). Iran political diaries 1881-1965 (volume 2). Archive Editions Limited. London.

    Burrell, R. M., & Robert L. Jarman. (1997). Iran political diaries 1881-1965 (volume 3). Archive Editions Limited. London.

    Burrell, R. M., & Robert L. Jarman. (1997). Iran political diaries 1881-1965 (volume 5). Archive Editions Limited. London.

    Curzon, George Nathaniel. (1373/1994). “Irān va qazie-ye Irān” (Persia and the Persian question) (vol. 1 & 2). Translated by Gholam Ali Vahid Mazandarani. Tehran: Entešārāt-e ‘Elmi Farhangi. [Persian]

    D’Allemagne, Henry Rene. (1335/1956). “Safarnāme-ye az Xorāsān tā Baxtiāri” (Du Khorassan au pays des Backhtiaris: Trois mois de voyage en Perse) [From Khorassan to the land of the Backhtiaris: Three months of travel in Persia] (vol. 3). Translated by Mohammad Ali Farahvashi. Tehran: Ketābforuši-ye Ebn-e Sinā va Mo’assese-ye Matbu’āti-ye Amir Kabir. [Persian]

    Dickson, William Edmund Ritchie. (1392/2013). “Šarq-e Irān, guše-ee az jang-e jahāni-ye avval” (East Persia, a backwater of the great war). Translated by Mahmoud Rafiei. Tehran: Našr-e Hirmand. [Persian]

    Entner, Marvin L. (1369/1990). “Ravābet-e bāzargāni-ye Rus va Irān 1828-1914” (Russo-Persian commercial relations, 1828-1914) (1st ed.). Translated by Ahmad Tavakkoli. Tehran: Bonyād-e Mowqufāt-e Doktor Mahmud Afšār (Foundation of Doctor Mahmoud Afshar Yazdi’s Endowments). [Persian]

    Eyn Al-Saltaneh, Ghahreman Mirza. (1376/1997). “Ruznāme-ye xāterāt-e Eyn os-Saltane” (Journal of Eyn Al-Saltaneh’s memoires) (vol. 2). Edited by Mas’oud Salour and Iraj Afshar. Tehran: Entešārāt-e Asātir. [Persian]

    Eyn Al-Saltaneh, Ghahreman Mirza. (1378/1999). “Ruznāme-ye xāterāt-e Eyn os-Saltane” (Journal of Eyn Al-Saltaneh’s memoires) (vol. 7). Edited by Mas’oud Salour and Iraj Afshar. Tehran: Entešārāt-e Asātir. [Persian]

    Eyn Al-Saltaneh, Ghahreman Mirza. (1379/2000). “Ruznāme-ye xāterāt-e Eyn os-Saltane” (Journal of Eyn Al-Saltaneh’s memoires) (vol. 8). Edited by Mas’oud Salour and Iraj Afshar. Tehran: Entešārāt-e Asātir. [Persian]

     “Joqrāfiā va nofus-e Xorāsān dar asr-e Nāseri” (Geography and population of Khorasan in Naseri era). (1390/2011). Edited by Reza Naqdi. Mashhad: Bonyād-e Pažuheš-hā-ye Eslāmi (Islamic Research Foundation of Astane Quds Razavi). [Persian]

    Kashef Al-Saltaneh, Mohammad. (1301/1922). “Mamāt o hayāt” (Death and life). Tehran: Matba’e-ye Majles [Movable type]. Registry number: 11564. [Persian]

    “Kārkonān-e Vezārat-e Jang-e Engelestān mostaqar dar Hendustān” (India. Army. General Staff Branch). (1380/2001). “Farhang-e joqrāfiāyi-ye Irān (Xorāsān)” (Gazetteer of Persia). Translated by Kazem Khademian. Mashhad: Bonyād-e Pažuheš-hā-ye Eslāmi (Islamic Research Foundation of Astane Quds Razavi).[Persian]

    “Ketāb-e nārenji: Gozāreš-hā-ye siāsi-ye vezārat-e ‘omur-e xārejeh-ye Rusie-ye Tezāri darbāre-ye enqelāb-e mašrute-ye Irān” (Orange book: Political reports of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tsardom of Russia on the Iranian constitutional revolution) (vol. 1). (1367/1988). Edited by Ahmad Bashiri. Tehran: Našr-e No. [Persian]

    ‎Litten, Wilhelm. (1367/1988). “Irān az nofuz-e mosālemat-āmiz tā taht-ol-hemāyegi” (Persien von der "pénétration pacifique" zum "Protektorat": Urkunden und Tatsachen zur Geschichte der europäischen "pénétration pacifique" in Persien 1860-1919) [Persia from “peaceful penetration” to the “protectorate”: Documents and facts on the history of the European “peaceful penetration” in Persia, 1860-1919]. Translated by Maryam Mir Ahmadi. Tehran: Entešārāt-e Mo’een. [Persian]

    Mirnia, Seyyed Ali. (1369/1990). “Il-hā va tāyefe-hā-ye ašāyeri-ye Xorāsān” (Khorasan nomadic tribes and clans). Tehran: Našr-e Dāneš. [Persian]

    Moberly, Frederick James. (1369/1990). “Amaliāt dar Irān” (Operation in Persia). Translated by Kaveh Bayat. Tehran: Našr-e Ārmān. [Persian]

    Mousavi Esfahani, Mirza Hassan. (1392/2013). “Ruznāme-ye safar-e Mašhad, Makkeh va Atabāt 1315-1316 qamari” (Travel diaries of Mashhad, Mecca and Atabat, 1898-1899). Edited by Rasoul Jafarian & Hamid Reza Nafisi. Tehran: Entešārāt-e Še’r. [Persian]

    Nategh, Homa. (1373/1994). “Bāzargānān dar dād o setad bā bank-e šāhi va reži-e tanbāku: Bar pāye-ye āršiv-e Amin oz-Zarb” (Les commercants, la banque imperiale et la regie des tabacs: D'apres l'archive d'Amin-oz-Zarb) [The merchants, the imperial bank and the tobacco management: According to the archive of Amin-oz-Zarb]. Tehran: Tus. [Persian]

    Routes in Persia “Khorasan and Sistan”. (1928). General Staff India (volume 1). Calcutta: Government of Indian Press.

    Sani’ Al-Dowleh, Morteza Gholi Khan. (1363/1984). “Rāh-e nejāt” (The way of salvation). Edited by Homa Rezvani. Tehran: Našr-e Tārix-e Irān. [Persian]

    Sayyah Mahallati, Mohammad Ali. (1359/1980). “Xāterāt-e Hāj Sayyāh: Dowre-ye xowf o vahšat” (The travel diaries of haj sayyah 1859-1877). Edited by Hamid Sayyah & Seifollah Golkar. Tehran: Amir Kabir. [Persian]

    Shahedi, Mozaffar. (1381/2002). “Tārix-e bānk-e esteqrāzi-ye Rus dar Irān” (History of Russian mortgage bank in Iran: A short glance at Iranian -Russian banks cooperation). Tehran: Markaz-e Čāp va Entešārāt-e Vezārat-e Omur-e Xāreje (Publishing House of the Foreign Ministry of Iran). [Persian]

    Sykes, Sir Percy Molesworth. (1363/1984). “Safarnāmeh-ye ženerāl ser Persi Sāyks: Dah hezār māyl dar Irān” (Ten thousand miles in Persia. Translated by Hossein Sa’adat Nouri. Tehran: Ebn-e Sinā. [Persian]

    Terenzio, Pio-Carlo. (1359/1980). “Reqābat-e Rus va Engelis dar Irān va Afqānestān” (La rivalite Anglo-Russe en Perse et en Afghanistan) [The Russian and British competition in Iran and Afghanistan]. Translated by Abbas Azarin. Tehran: Bongāh-e Tarjomeh va Našr-e Ketāb (The [Royal] Institute for Translation and Publication). [Persian]

    Wright, Denis. (1368/1989). “Irāniān dar miān-e Engelisi-hā” (The Persians amongst the English: Episodes in Anglo -Persian history‏). Translated by KarimEmami. Tehran: Našr-e No. [Persian]

    “Xorāsān dar asnād-e Amin-oz-Zarb” (Khorasan in Amin al-Zarb’s documents). (1390/2011). Supervised by Iraj Afshar. Edited by Narges Pedram & Mojdeh Mahdavi. Tehran: Entešārāt-e Sorayyā. [Persian]

    Yate, Charles Edward. (1365/1986). “Xorāsān va Sistān: Safarnāme-ye colonel Yate be Irān va Afqānestān” (Khurasan and Sistan). Translated by Ghodratollah Roshani & Mehrdad Rahbari. Tehran: Yazdān. [Persian]

    Articles

    Abu Al-Bashari, Peyman & Yahyaei, Ali. (1393/2014). “Naqš-e Rusieh dar towse’e-ye rāh-e tejāri-ye Mašhad-Ešqābād bā tekyeh bar asnād-e konsul-gari-ye Britāniā 1890-1910” (Russia’s role in developing Mashhad-Ashgabat trade route based on British consular documents 1890-1910). Fasl-nāme-ye Tārix-e Ravābet-e Xāreji (History of Foreign Relations Journal), 15 (60), pp. 107-125. [Persian]

    Press

    1. “Ruznāme-ye Axtar” (Akhtar Newspaper), year 15, issue 26. (1306 AH/1889). [Persian]
    2.  “Ruznāme-ye Axtar” (Akhtar Newspaper), year 16, issue 19. (1307 AH/1890). [Persian]
    3. “Ruznāme-ye Adab” (Adab Newspaper), year 3, issue 10. (1320 AH/1902). [Persian]
    4. “Ruznāme-ye Irān” (Iran Newspaper), issue 608. (1303 AH/1886). [Persian]
    5. “Ruznāme-ye Irān” (Iran Newspaper), issue 699. (1307 AH/1890). [Persian]
    6. “Ruznāme-ye Habl-ol-Matin” (Habl Al-Matin Newspaper), year 1, issue 36. (1325 AH/1907). Tehran. [Persian]
    7. “Ruznāme-ye Habl-ol-Matin” (Habl Al-Matin Newspaper), year 1, issue 126. (1325 AH/1907). Tehran. [Persian]
    8. “Ruznāme-ye Ra’d” (Raad Newspaper), year 10, issue 140. (1337 AH/1919). [Persian]
    9. “Ruznāme-ye Ra’d” (Raad Newspaper), year 10, issue 163. (1338 AH/1920). [Persian]
    10. “Ruznāme-ye Ra’d” (Raad Newspaper), year 10, issue 225. (1338 AH/1920). [Persian]
    11.  “Ruznāme-ye Tus” (Tous Newspaper), year 1, issue 38. (1328 AH/1910). [Persian]
    12. “Ruznāme-ye Tus” (Tous Newspaper), year 1, issue 52. (1328 AH/1910). [Persian]
    13. “Ruznāme-ye Tus” (Tous Newspaper), year 1, issue 53. (1328 AH/1910). [Persian]
    14. “Ruznāme-ye Fekr-e Āzād” (Fekre Azad Newspaper), year 1, issue 80. (1341 AH/1923). [Persian]

    Dissertations

    Vazin Afzal, Mahdi. (1394/2015). “Tahlili tārixi az sivsat-gozāri-hā, čāleš-hā va kārkard-hā-ye towse’e-ye rāh-svzi-ye šuseh dar nime-ye dovom-e Qājār bā tekyeh bar asnād 1264-1344 qamari” (A historical analysis of the policies, challenges and the function of developing the construction of high roads in second half of Qajar period with emphasis on the documents 1264-1344 AH / 1848-1924 AD) [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Isfahan, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, History of Islamic Iran. [Persian]

    Websites

    Sāmāne-ye Pāyān-nāme-hā-ye Dānešgāh-e Esfahān (Sepandā) (Thesis System of Isfahan University). Accessed at http://thesisdl.ui.ac.ir/Forms/Public/Default asp. [Persian]

     

     

     

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 28 January 2018
  • Revise Date: 21 February 2018
  • Accept Date: 02 September 2018

Share

How to cite

Statistics