Napoleon and Persia : Franco-Persian Relations under the First Empire

by Amini, Iradj

• ISBN13: 9780934211581
• ISBN10: 0934211582
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-01-01
• Publisher: Mage Publishers

Summary

Franco-Persian relations have long been neglected by Napoleonic scholars; however, they show how Napoleon's political and strategic thinking extended far beyond the frontiers of Europe. Begun in 1802 under the Consulate, those relations culminated in the signature of the Treaty of Finkenstein, on 4 May 1807, and the dispatch of the Gardane Mission to Tehran. For Napoleon, who was then fighting the Tsar's forces in Poland, the Persian alliance served a dual purpose. While it created a temporary diversion against Russia, it also threatened British interests in India. This Franco-Persian alliance, which brought Persia into the realm of international rivalries, might have survived had Napoleon kept his part of the bargain. However, having made his peace with the Tsar at Tilsit, in July 1807, and anxious to extricate himself from the Spanish quagmire, he sacrificed Persia's interests to his own in Europe. To the British, who were waiting on the sidelines, Napoleon's about face was a windfall. Having long wished to dislodge the French from Persia, they were pleased at last to take their place in 1809. This volume discusses in detail those years of delicate diplomacy, complicated by the problem of distance, the intrigues of Britain and the intransigence of Russia. The dangerous existing conditions, the unique personalities of the protagonists, and the formidable subtlety of the Persian make this a riveting tale of international politics. Written in a style which brings together historical facts and entertaining anecdotes, "Napoleon and Persia will appeal not only to scholars, but to a wide readership interested in the history of Europe, military studies, and international relations.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Map: Persia and environs circa 1800
Illustrations
Foreword
Preface
The Lure of the Orient	p. 1
The Egyptian Campaign	p. 10
The Beginnings of Franco-Persian Relations	p. 15
Bonaparte in Egypt	p. 30
The Syrian Campaign	p. 37
Malcolm's Embassy	p. 40
Attempts at Franco-Persian Rapprochement	p. 47
Two Unofficial Ambassadors	p. 55
The Romieu Mission	p. 65
The Jaubert Mission	p. 76
The Finkenstein Treaty	p. 90
The Gardane Mission	p. 104
Sebastiani's Emissary	p. 107
First Impressions	p. 117
The Rivalry Between France and Britain	p. 127
Malcolm's Second Mission	p. 129
Gardane's Last Chance	p. 134
A Persian Ambassador in Paris	p. 140
The Tsar's Intransigence	p. 147
The Decline of French Influence	p. 155
The Futility of French Mediation	p. 162
Gardane's Departure	p. 170
The Occupations of the British Ambassador	p. 180
The Last Attempts to Achieve the Unachievable	p. 191
Napoleon as seen by the Persians	p. 198
Text of the Finkenstein Treaty	p. 205
Notes	p. 209
Bibliography	p. 221
Index	p. 224
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