Azita Laghai

This is a brief writing about a man who has been treated as an historical outcast through the criticism of historians. During the constitutional revolution, Soltan Abdolmajid Mirza Einoddowleh, as a manifestation of despotism became the target of attacks by the constitutionalists. His removal from premiership and his exile from Tehran paved the path for the revolutionaries to achieve their goals. His role and place in the current of affairs has turned him to a figure detested by the constitutional oriented authors. As such, concentration on some aspects of his character, led to disregard of his other attributes. Here, we withdraw from examining his track record before and after his premiership and make a short survey of the most neglected aspects of the short period of his office (Oct.1903-Aug. 1906).

Einoddowleh acquiesced to dress the garb of primer ship in a situation when nobody dared to accept the office. At the removal of Aminossoltan, all expected the every thing in the country leave the orbit and riots flood all over Iran. However it was not the case. Despite all oppositions and conspiracies, he entered the ministry and embarked on the reform of affairs. He formed a committee to stabilize the prices of basic commodities. Establishment of committee of hygiene was one of his achievements, whose task was to keep Tehran clean, and provide clean water for the inhabitants of the city, the establishment of public laundry, garbage collection, seeing to the public bathes and etc.

His financial reform had many dimensions. To increase the income and decrease the expenses, he would not hesitate to put the Shah in dire straits, and prevented him from unnecessary generosity. For example, he cancelled the Eshratabad firman issued by the Shah for a Jewish dancer for her dance, and if a person dared to take from the Shah an order or a robe of honor, he would be reprimanded. He prepared a list of court expenses and decreased them. He managed to regularize the payment of salaries and pensions, and left no opportunity for the misdeeds of state accountants. He levied new taxes on the ground. He recalled the governors of provinces for Nowrooz (the Persian New Year) and received their assurance that they would not oppose his reforms. If a governor did not accept his conditions, he would be dismissed. He had formed a sort of committee to supervise the function of the governors which included  an inspector from the Shah, one from the ministry of justice, another one from the merchants, and two others from the fund and the cabinet, so that the governors would have little chance to oppress and maltreat the people of district. His reforms cut some illegal financial interests. As such he made a lot of enemies; pamphlets were distributed against him and he was threatened with losing his life.

Further to his arrogance, insolence and stubbornness, he possessed certain attributes that even his opponents cannot deny it. His self reliance and independence from the Russians and the British is one of his main features. During his holding of the office he did not grant any concession to the foreigners and endeavored for the independence of the country. He put the Cossack brigade which until then was controlled by the Russians, under the direct supervision of the ministry of war. He opposed to the erection of the British telegraph equipment between Nosratabad of Sistan and Malek Siah Mountain. The Russian and the British endeavors to entice him remained fruitless. His arrogance against the foreigners and his policy of strengthening the central government did not appeal the British, so that they decided to weaken the pillars of his power.

On the current of constitutional movement with its socio political and economic and cultural grounds, the domestic and the foreign opponents of Einoddowleh in line with each other tried to weaken him and get the Shah’s order to remove him from his office. Therefore his efforts for reform yielded no results.