Despite growing interest in the Baha'is of Iran, research on the history of this often-persecuted minority community has been limited by the accessibility of primary sources. 'The Baha'is of Iran, Transcaspia and the Caucasus' will help to fill this gap by assembling for the first time original material from Russian archives in Moscow and St. Petersburg. These sources provide crucial information concerning the rise of the early Baha'i community - and their precursors, the Babis - as well as their relations with local, national and foreign authorities.
This comprehensive two-volume set showcases in Volume 1 letters from the Rozen collection from diplomats, army officers and scholars, describing developments concerning the Baha'is in Iran and Russia. Furthermore, in Volume 2 it draws together the reports and correspondence of Russian diplomats and officials, detailing the dramatic events of the persecutions of the Babis and Baha'is and the reactions of the Iranian and Russian states to these communities. Together these two volumes thus provide not only insights into the history of the Babis and Baha'is in Iran, Transcaspia and the Caucasus, but also the perspective of one of the players of the Great Game of diplomacy and power in the region.
The authors present the complete texts in their original languages, providing both annotated translations and analytical introductions which supply background information on the Babi and Baha'i religions as well the personalities and events represented in the volumes and the significance of Babi and Baha'i studies within Russian Orientalism. Combining original sources with discerning analysis, this set is an invaluable resource for scholars, researchers and all readers interested in Babi and Baha'i history, the history of religion and minorities, Russo-Persian relations or Qajar Iran.
