Hasaneh’s Settings Booklet

Mirza Hossein Qazvini (1206–1260 AH / 1827 to 1881 AD), known as Moshir al-Dowleh and Sepahsalar, was an Iranian politician, consul, minister of war, and prime minister. His stay in Istanbul (1856-1868) coincided with the Tanzimat period (1839-1876), particularly the drafting of the first Ottoman Armenian constitution in 1863, from which he likely gained insights into their efforts for law and freedom. In 1249 AH (1870 AD), Naser al-Din Shah traveled to the holy cities and witnessed the distressed condition of the Iranian people. Crossing into Ottoman territory, he observed and compared Medhat Pasha’s reforms. Mirza Hossein accompanied the Shah as ambassador and discussed Ottoman reforms and the necessity of reforms with him. At the end of this journey, the Shah brought Mirza Hossein Khan back to Tehran and appointed him to the Ministry of Justice, Endowments, and Duties. Volume eleven of the collection “Documents of Constitutional Studies in Iran” contains texts and research on constitutionalist ideas compiled over the years but previously unpublished due to censorship by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran. These texts are now made available online and free of charge for researchers and enthusiasts of contemporary Iranian history and constitutional studies who need them for their work.