Research Journal of Islamic History
Year:2019 | Volume:8 | Issue:32 |Papers Count:6

By the establishment of the Buyid government in the western half of Iran in the fourth century AH, social and urban institutions were supported. These institutions were mainly established based on waqf in the form of scientific centers (Dar al-Ilms – academies-and libraries) and hospitals to provide remedial and educational services. The present paper attempts to investigate the role of the waqf in the establishment and constancy of these institutions by exploring the historical factors affecting the rise and fall of the Buyids. The results depict that the dependence of the Buyid institutions on waqf provided Buyids with a fixed financial source and caused prosperity. However, after the Buyid domination, due to the Shiite tendencies in the formation of academies and libraries, their waqfi properties were also damaged in the course of historical upheavals and their activities declined. But the waqfi properties related to hospitals survived even until the late Ilkhanid era. The existence of semi-independent and local governments such as the Atabeks of Fars contributed to the survival of the Buyid medical waqfi instutitions in some cities.

The fourth century AH is the beginning of Sadat families’ formation in Iran. Hosayni Hamzavi's family was one of those families whose first central core was formed in Qom. This Shiite family played important roles in various fields in Seljuq era. These roles were based on a certain political and social context and were consequences of Sadats’ noble status in cities of Iran, specifically Qom. The aim of this paper, which is designed by descriptive-analytical method, is to review those fields and present an account of that family’ s situations and successes. The findings of the study indicate that Hamzavi family, which had gained a noble social and political position before Seljuq era, promoted its status during this period. Prominent figures of this family, by obtaining official positions like Sadats’ niqabat and rulership of cities, acted as intermediaries between the sovereigns, Sadat and the Shiites. In the cultural arena, several jurists and traditionists emerged from Hosayni Hamzavi family and propagated Shiite teachings and beliefs. They established schools and libraries, trained disciples, supported Shiite writers and by taking a tolerating and condoning approach, gained also respect of non-Shiites.

Religious minorities of Iran have mainly participated in constituting Iranian historical communal lifeworld and cultural enrichment. Their endeavors to retain their identity and existence among an other-religion majority have occasionally been reflected in occupational and professional domains. In the present article, the main and prominent occupations and walks of life of Qajarid Iranian Zoroastrians, as followers of an ancient and genuine religion, have been investigated mainly based on the non-Iranian authors’ accounts and travel logs which typically comprise more details of life of popular classes. Besides, some documents about the Zoroastrians of the mentioned period have been used. In consequence, Zoroastrians’ main occupations have been categorized in the labors such as gardening, masonry, and silk weaving, which Zoroastrians do based on familial or local traditions, or careers like currency exchanging and winemaking, which have not been admirable in Muslims’ common sense. Furthermore, occupations which have somehow been forbidden for Zoroastrians, such as martial jobs, have also been described.

Although the history of Catholic Christianity propagation in Islamic era of Iran returns to the Ilkhanid period, it was at first in the Safavid era when organized form of Catholic missions began with the actions of a sect of Christian mystics attributed to St. Augustine. Starting of these efforts had not been an outcome of peaceful endeavours, but rather the upshot of Portugueses' military rushes to the Persian Gulf and their occupation of Hormuz Island. The purpose of this research is to answer that what the consequences of the Augustinians' actions during the Safavid era have been. It has been tried to examine the subject based on original and genuine sources and descriptive and analytical method. The findings of the study show that Augustinians, in the face of Iranians' strong solidarity in their religious beliefs, practically failed to promote Christianity and were forced to leave Iran forever.

By the emergence of Karkiya dynasty in eastern Gilan and their emphasis on Zaydi Shiite religion, the intellectual activities of followers of other religions and sects became so restricted. Rulers of this dynasty did not take an appeasing and tolerating approach toward opponents who were parts of the religious culture of Gilan, so that followers of other religions and sects were fired from Gilan or left the land during 200-year rule of Karkiyas. Kiyais’ insistence on Zaydi Shia in the BiyahPish region and, on the other hand, the bigotry of Sunni rulers of BiyahPas caused bloody wars at the middle ages of Gilan until the Safavid period. The result of these battles was the burnout of the social and economic system of Gilan and the easy seizure of this land by Shah Abbas Safavi in 1000 AH. The findings of this research show that the root of most of the territorial conflicts of the local dynasties of Gilan and Talesh was the religious disputes. This study is based on a historical approach and a descriptive-analytic study method.

The historical city of Tawwaj, in the northern hinterland of the Persian Gulf, has long been one of Iran's most recognized cities. The boom of this city was during the period of Buyids, but then it quickly deteriorated. There is now nothing left of this town except a name in ancient texts and even the ruins of the city are unknown. This article examines the birth and continuity of this city and its deteriorating factors. This study, based on a historical analysis and library resources, shows that two economic components, namely the intermediary trading position of Tawwaj between the Persian Gulf ports and the central regions of Iran, and the production of Toozi linen textiles, were the main contributors to the flourishing of this city in the Buyids era. Studies on the city's downfall also reveal the involvement of human factors alongside natural ones. In this regard, the conflicts on succession of Azod al-Dawlah in Fars, the repeated attacks of Shabankara rulers and Qaramata to the coasts and the hinterlands, and the redirection of maritime trade from the Persian Gulf to Red Sea, as a transnational factor, have emerged in the decline of Tawwaj. Based on these, the evolutions of Tawwaj may be considered as a good example for the impact of changes of trade routes on the human habitat arrangements.