Europeans' evaluations on the provincial organization of the Qajar Dynasty and its relations with the center (1800-1850)

The Qajar Empire, founded by Agha Muhammad Khan Qajar in 1795, was the last Turkic state to rule over the geography of Iran. This is because the dynasty was of Turkic descent, and the language spoken at court was Turkish. However, the Qajar government initially sought to establish a strong central authority in place of the fragmented structure that emerged in the country after the Safavids, taking into account the different ethnic groups living in Iran with an inclusive approach to governance. In this way, it attempted to repair the damage caused by the Zand dynasty in the country. Aga Muhammad, drawing on his experiences from his years of captivity in the Zand palace, deemed it appropriate to carry out state affairs with Zand officials for a time rather than immediately overthrowing the existing order. However, his life was not long enough to remain on the throne for an extended period, and he passed away in 1797. The new ruler, Fath Ali Shah, reorganized the state apparatus and bureaucracy into a more structured system. During his reign, the close relations developed with European states and the imperialist powers' ambitions in India increased the number of visitors to Iran. In particular, the British Empire's efforts to protect its gains in India opened up Iranian territory to travel by British envoys, diplomats, spies, and merchants. Accordingly, the main sources of this study are the travel notes of British intellectuals who were actually present in Iran. These travelers are James Baillie Fraser, John Macdonald Kinneir, James Morier, George Keppel, and William Ouseley, each of whom lived in Iran for a long time on special assignments such as ambassador, diplomat, or spy, and provided very detailed information about their places of assignment. The only person not representing the British in this study is Yakup Eduard Polak. The provincial structure of the Qajar government and its relations with the center were among the important issues that travelers drew attention to. With the help of research works, it has been seen that the Qajar government divided Iran into nine provinces. Travelers also introduced these provinces and their main cities along with their administrators. Accordingly, 10 provinces and 24 cities are highlighted in our main sources. In addition, some villages and towns along their routes are also mentioned. Feth Ali Shah selected provincial and city administrators from among the men belonging to the dynasty, namely the Mirzas. In this way, he employed many of his sons, enabling them to learn the affairs of state. In accordance with this method, which is a very old practice in the Turkish state system, he also sent his young children to remote parts of the country under the supervision of the atabey. As a result, the Shah reduced the population of the Qajar palace and secured the loyalty of his sons. He also created miniature versions of the central palace throughout Iran. According to travelers' impressions, the local governance approach yielded results proportional to the individual competence of the administrators. Sometimes settlements with strong economies, well-built infrastructure, and happy residents were encountered, while at other times, populations burdened by heavy taxes were faced. Dilapidated buildings, broken roads, bribery, and theft were the visible face of poor governance.