British orientalist Edward Granville Browne and his imagination of Iran

Edward Granville Browne, who helped us understand the interpretations and observations of British Orientalism on Islam and Eastern societies through his works written in his time, has an exceptional position among his colleagues in the Orientalist tradition. Through his travel writings, he studied the literary, religious, historical, artistic and political aspects of ancient Iran and was very successful in understanding the spirit of the period. Browne, who followed the events developing in the modernization process of Iran through the close relations he established, criticized the imperialist policies of both Britain and other European states with his political views and writings. His work A Literary History of Persia, in which he worked on the history of Iranian literature for many years, was divided into chronological periods and published in four different volumes, while his articles on Bahaism and Babi religion were published in orientalist organizations such as the Royal Asiatic Society. A Year Amongst the Persians, in which he compiled his travel notes, is one of the most important works that allow us to examine his orientalist identity. Browne's curiosity about the Orient, which began with his admiration for the Ottomans, evolved into an expertise on Iran over time. Browne's journey in Oriental studies and the dozens of works he left behind make an important contribution to understanding the development of British Orientalism as an academic discipline. This thesis presents a vision of Iran from Edward Granville Browne's perspective, including his interpretations of religious issues such as Babi/Baha'ism and Sufism. It also examines his contributions to British Orientalism as a travel writer.