Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 18 New Army
"Your Majesty, please rest assured that Britain will help Persia mediate and restore peace here."

Wallace's words left Mohammed somewhat skeptical, but he also knew he needed to change his strong pro-French leanings. Given the current situation, countering Russia, cultivating relations with Britain, and maintaining good relations with other European countries were paramount.

"Then thank you, sir."

With the increasing influx of British and Russian goods, Persia had reached a point where change was imperative. In addition to introducing new technologies, Muhammad began engaging with other European countries. Although these were unequal trade treaties, they represented a step in diplomacy.

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At this time in Tabriz, 113 merchants jointly petitioned the governor, hoping to begin construction of the railway as soon as possible. They explained ten major benefits that the railway would bring, including reduced transportation costs, improved local population mobility, and increased employment and income.

At the same time, they began investing heavily in new factories, including basic industries such as textiles, silk, and food, striving to revitalize the local industrial system and resist foreign goods.

Naser al-Din never gave up on the railway plan and, together with Amir, persuaded Ayatollah. Ayatollah agreed to a pilot program, but stipulated that it must be dismantled if opposition became too strong.

It was fortunate to have such an understanding religious leader. Although the railway construction plan was approved, everything needed to be imported from Britain, and foreigners needed to be hired to conduct surveys and determine the route. It was expected to be completed and open to traffic in two years.

The construction of railways was not the end for Nasser al-Din; he also planned to merge the officer schools into one large institution to provide a large number of officer personnel for the new army.

The situation in France also prompted Nasserdin to push this step. For unknown reasons, the French government only approved 10 people to enter military school, refusing approval for the rest. Even if they couldn't get in by any means, they couldn't study anything else or go home. So they decided to try their luck in Prussia, where they were quickly granted permission. Thus, the remaining 40 people went to Berlin to study military science, and Nasserdin learned the reason for France's refusal.

"Damn Ottomans, one day I will march into Istanbul and wash away this shame."

This was the first time the governor had ever been angry. Who would have thought that Ottoman would send people to lobby the French government to refuse to accept Persian students? No one knows how he convinced the French, but they actually refused.

"Your Highness need not worry. Most of the students have already gone to Prussia to study. They should be able to complete their studies."

Amir had a hard time saying anything about this country. The French army was still the world's strongest, and while the Prussian army had its glorious past, it had been soundly defeated by the French in that war decades ago, and its current situation was unknown.

“Forget it, as long as they can return after their studies. However, the schools here should be merged into one large one to improve efficiency. Having separate schools for artillery and infantry is too inefficient; merging them is better.” Naserdin’s complaints made Amir understand, and judging from the governor’s intentions, a foreign officer needed to be hired to train the army. And this officer needed to be familiar with the Ottoman Empire.

The current military organization, from smallest to largest, consists of squads, platoons, battalions, and regiments, with a regiment comprising 3750 personnel. Two regiments are currently in training, and Nasser al-Din plans to train ten, with five regiments forming a corps. These will be equipped with a large quantity of artillery and muskets, and new training methods will be employed.

This unit of the army was strictly disciplined, prohibiting opium use, and obeyed orders from above 100%. In a previous large-scale raid, over 200 soldiers were caught using opium, and dozens were executed on the spot.

To cultivate military talent, Nasser al-Din summoned his former instructors and reopened a new batch of military academies. Ambitious individuals were selected as students, and instruction focused on military systems, tactics, and combat methods, with on-the-spot practical demonstrations of these techniques. The course lasted 10 months, and graduates were examined by their superiors, with the best candidates selected for service.

These schools only provided immediate relief. Naser al-Din also had a plan to create a central military academy, but right now, the problem boils down to one thing: a lack of funds.

Fortunately, the British government approved the loans and hiring of staff. Barings Bank directly transferred the funds to Tabriz Bank. The reason Rothschild Bank wasn't involved was that the current Chancellor of the Exchequer had previously been short of funds, and Barings Bank had helped him repay his debts; this was a way of repaying a favor. Furthermore, since being pressured by Rothschild Bank, Barings Bank urgently needed to generate profits elsewhere, and Persia became a good option. Besides, Rothschild probably wouldn't be interested in this region.

Of the initial £50, £22 remained after deducting the cost of machinery and other supplies. This money was entirely invested in military construction, and the first batch of foreign recruits arrived in Tabriz. These recruits were employed in four fields: mining, agriculture, transportation, and education. Each recruit received an annual salary of £220 and, encouraged by the governor, began to contribute their expertise.

Foreigners in charge of agriculture brought new crops such as potatoes from Europe and trained agricultural personnel. These things greatly intrigued the Persians, and the shock was so great that they were initially unable to process them.

The religious leaders were used to it; the impact of the past few years had been too great. If they continued to cling to their stubborn attitude and reject all new things, then destruction would be their destiny.

Under specific historical conditions, religion provided a sacred cloak for people to resist the suffering of reality, thus constituting an external form of social revolution. The manifestation and development of reason through the distorted form of divinity is also not uncommon throughout history. During the long Middle Ages, the Crescent Moon Church, as the official doctrine, tended towards conservatism and rigidity, evolving into an ideology for maintaining the feudal order. However, the Crescent Moon Church was not an isolated ideology, and the Shia ulama were not a static social group.

With the influx of new ideas, a trend began to spread in Tabriz that attempted to combine advanced Western concepts with Persian indigenous culture and religion. They emphasized the fundamental principles of the Quran and Hadith, as well as early historical practices, and revered the social order of the Muhammad and the Medina Caliphate. While seemingly a return to the past, this was in reality a rejection of traditional religious theories and the traditional social order they upheld.

The Ulimahs of Tabriz emphasized that local reforms did not equate to completely abandoning national traditions and simply Westernizing. They claimed that Iran had historically suffered repeated invasions by foreign powers, and that Russia and the Ottoman Empire were currently Iran's most dangerous enemies. They asserted that these powers were invading Iran by force, attempting to strip the Iranian nation of its dignity and religion, and ultimately enslave it. The only way for Iran to resist Western powers was to first defeat Western civilization before being conquered by them. Learning from the advanced experiences of Western civilization to enrich Iranian civilization was a prerequisite for resisting and defeating Western powers.

(End of this chapter)