پژوهش های تاریخی (Dec 2021)
Analytical Study of the Effects of Tribal Elements on the Functioning of Roads through Mamasani District along Bushehr-Shiraz Road Network during the Qajar Period
Abstract
Abstract Bushehr had a high status and was of high importance among the southern entry routes and ports in Iran on the coast of the Persian Gulf during the Qajar period (1210-1344 AH/1788-1925 AD). This port city was considered the center of economic exchanges, political and cultural relations, and even military affairs. Connection of this important center with the inner cities and the capital, as well as the ongoing issues related to this connection through Bushehr-Shiraz road network, added to the need for paying more attention to this subject matter. The passage of this transportation route through the areas controlled by Mamasani tribes and their strong impacts on the security and prosperity of activities along this road or insecurity, sluggishness, and the many problems created in this regard indicated the active and reactive effects of this road network triggered by the tribal structure of inhabitants surrounding it. Considering the importance of this issue, this study aimed to investigate the effects of tribal elements on the functions of the roads through Mamasani District along Bushehr-Shiraz road network during the Qajar period. In fact, we sought to answer this question: "What effects did the Lor tribes of Mamasani District have on the functioning of the roads in this region along the important Bushehr-Shiraz road network during the Qajar period?" This research dealt with this issue through library, documentary, and field study methods. Introduction The security of Bushehr-Shiraz communication routes and the dominance of Mamasani tribes over an important part of these routes were among the socio-political factors creating tension in the region. The importance of the means of communication in fulfilling the interests of Britain, local rulers, and the central government created new socio-political and economic relations in the areas where these roads passed, as well as their surrounding areas. These new relations caused the mentioned areas to undergo new serious socio-political changes. The course of these historical developments affected an important part of the history of southern Iran. Therefore, the central subject of this research was to investigate and explain the effects of tribal elements on the functions of the roads through Mamasani District along Bushehr-Shiraz road network during the Qajar period. Moreover, the present study sought to answer this question: "What effects did the Lor tribes of Mamasani District have on the functioning of the roads in this region along the important Bushehr-Shiraz road network during the Qajar period?" Despite the importance and status of Mamasani tribes in the developments of the southern regions of Iran, little research has been conducted in this regard. Particularly, the subject of this article has not received much attention. This subject of study or other issues related to Mamasani tribes have been addressed mainly due to the historical connections of the mentioned tribes with Qashqai tribe, which has received more research attention. Some examples are the papers written by Mansour Nasiri Tayebi entitled "Pars State and Foreign Powers from Constitutionalism to the Reign of Reza Shah" and "The Role of the Qashqais in the History and Culture of Iran". Although the research paper by Ali Rasouli and Ali Shahvand entitled "Local Competitions in Pars State and Relocation of Bushehr-Shiraz Route from Shahi to Gereh Road (1909-1910 AD/1327-1329 AH) has not addressed the role of Mamasani tribes in Bushehr-Shiraz road network, it is a study about this communication route, thus dealing with the routes of this road network. Anyhow, the subject of this research was a new approach to some communication routes through this important road network. Undoubtedly, due to the lack of resources and research background regarding Mamasani tribes, the study of this subject was associated with many difficulties. Therefore, attempts were made to fill in part of the information and historical data gaps through access to private unclassified documents of some local families, as well as interviews with local informants, who were oral narrators of the news about long-lived people and their predecessors though they had not witnessed the events and happenings themselves. It should be considered that an important part of the history of tribes, which is either about the events that have not been regarded in the official and national historiography or a different narrative from the official and governmental narrative, should be recognized based on this category of oral narrations that have been passed down from generation to generation. Materials and Methods In this research, library, documentary, and field study methods were applied to determine the effects of Mamasani tribes on the functioning of roads through Mamasani region in the important Bushehr-Shiraz road network during the Qajar period. To this goal, the researcher used the private unclassified documents obtained from local informants and through interviews with them. Discussion, Results, and Conclusion During the Qajar period, especially after the Nasserite era, the British government’s attention to the strategic location of Bushehr City turned this port into a sea gate of trading and conducting Iranian foreign and cultural policies. The main transit route network for commercial goods was the royal road of Bushehr-Shiraz road network. An important part of this route overlapped with the roads that were dominated by Mamasani tribes during the mentioned period. The local government unions that were mainly affected by provision of interests and gaining revenues through unwritten contracts provided securities of the roads. The action and reaction of all the regions located along this trading route created a kind of political, social, and economic common market. They were strongly influenced by each other so that any insecurity in one region created a severe crisis on other regions. As aforementioned, the issue of insecurity on Bushehr-Shiraz trading route and domination and rioting of Mamasani tribes urged the British agents, who had come up with a comprehensive policy on the background of Mamasani tribes’ customs and their bio-social, cultural, moral, and ethnic backgrounds while performing political duties in the interests of their own government, to carefully take into account the economic, social, and cultural aspects of Mamasani region. The result of this recognition was the British government’s perception of the fact that Mamasani tribes were not following its own interests. Therefore, the British government’s strategy to get out of the crisis and provide security of the communication routes in Bushehr-Shiraz road network caused more British intervention in hope of fulfilling its political and economic interests. Mamasani District was put into crisis by Moin al-Tojjar Bushehri encroaching on its lands. This was associated with Qashqai leaders waging wars against Mamasani tribes with the central government’s support, particularly through the intervention of Britain. Eventually, all these factors caused Solat al-Dawla Qashqa'i to compete with other local rulers along the royal road, especially the routes passing through Mamasani District. The Ghavamal-Mulk dynasty, with their own political and economic motives instead of collaborating with Mamasani tribes in caravans' passing through this region to make secure the royal road and the common routes of the tribes on Qashqai and Mamasani tribes, this region proposed the winter road of Qashqai regions to the British government rather than Mamasani roads. In addition to having no economic justification, this action could not politically serve Qashqai Ilkhan’s interests. However, the Ilkhan took necessary steps in the direction of British interests to create a crisis and eliminate Mamasani tribes’ power and dominance over Bushehr-Shiraz road network.
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