The Cambridge History of Iran

Volume 5 is a survey of every aspect of the civilisations which flourished in the Iranian region between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries. The Cambridge History of Iran is an eight-volume survey of Iranian history and culture, and its contribution to the civilisation of the world. All aspects of the religious, philosophical, political, economic, scientific and artistic elements in Iranian civilisation are studied, with some emphasis on the geographical and ecological factors which have contributed to that civilisation's special character. The aim is to provide a collection of readable essays rather than a catalogue of information. The volumes offer scope for the publication of new ideas as well as providing summaries of established facts. They should act as a stimulus to specialists, but are primarily concerned to answer the sort of questions about the past and present of Iran that are asked by the non-specialist. Volume 5 is a survey of every aspect of the civilisations which flourished in the Iranian region between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries: the rise and decline of the Saljuqs, the Mongol invasion and the establishment of a Mongol regime which dominated the Middle East for more than a century. It is the first attempt in modern times to study in detail a period of the greatest significance in Iranian history.

This final volume of The Cambridge History of Iran covers the period from 1722 to 1979. Part I sets out the political framework. Beginning in the reign of Nadir Shah, it traces the establishment of the Qajar dynasty and the rise and fall of the Pahlavi autocracy. Part II discusses relations with the Ottoman Empire, Russia, European countries, Britain and British India. Part III covers economic and social developments, including systems of land tenure and revenue administration, the tribes, the traditional Iranian city, European economic penetration and the impact of the oil industry. In Part IV religious and cultural life is examined. There are chapters on religious change and Iranian arts and crafts - including architecture, ceramics, painting, metalwork and textiles, from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries - and popular entertainment, literature, and the press in modern Iran. The contributors to this volume represent the most informed and up-to-date international scholarship on the region. Together they have provided a unique survey of the modern period in Iranian history, leading up to the formation of the Islamic Republic.