Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 31 Gulestan's Edict
"Grand Vizier is right. The current situation does not allow for too many twists and turns, but if things remain unchanged, that won't work either."

Muhammad set the tone: change is necessary and no one can stop it, but how to change it is a matter of considerable discretion.

“The Shah is right. Countries are undergoing changes, and even the Ottoman Empire issued a decree a few years ago calling for reforms. Iran cannot fall behind.”

The Ottoman Empire implemented reforms early due to its geographical location, especially under the late Mahmoud II. He received great praise from European countries, but Iran, apart from a reform initiated by the former crown prince, had little else, and even that was limited in scope.

"The current situation does not allow us to continue to sink. If we allow the Ottomans to grow stronger, not only will Tehran be occupied by them, but Qom and Mashhad will also be desecrated."

These words were spoken to the Ayatollah. Qom is the center of Shia clerics, home to numerous seminaries and temples. Mashhad, on the other hand, is the holy city of Shia Islam, where the eighth Imam is buried.

Ayatollah knew the Shah was determined to implement reforms, so he didn't say anything. Although there were some conflicts due to religious differences, if the Ottoman heretics really wanted to attack Persia, they would all go to see Allah together. Therefore, reforms were necessary, but the specifics of how to implement them still needed to be discussed.

The Shah's decree has been read in Tehran and is beginning to circulate to local governments. In it, Mohammed bluntly points out that Iran is currently facing internal and external troubles, and repeated defeats and territorial losses have caused the country's prestige to plummet. Now is the time for change.

Just as Abbas the Great cooperated with Britain in reforms, Iran should also actively learn from advanced European countries led by Britain. Moreover, this is not a matter for one person alone; it requires the participation of all subjects. From this day forward, everyone can directly submit suggestions to the Shah, and the Shah will accept them regardless of their nature.

"Whether you are Jewish, Armenian, or a follower of Zoroastrianism, you are all Iranians, speaking the same language, and united in protecting your homeland. Your ancestors left behind many glorious achievements on this land; are you simply going to let it fade into obscurity?"

This was the first time the Shah had opened up to other ethnic groups. Although it was not as extensive as the Ottoman reforms, it was still hoped that these people could join this wave of reform.

In addition to this, the decree also explicitly emphasizes encouraging the public to invest in building factories. Agriculture, industry, and commerce are complementary and indispensable; only when these three industries prosper can Iran become strong and prosperous, and protect everyone from harm.

However, regarding the fundamental approach to reform, the Shah insisted on a steady path. "All provisions should aim at enriching and strengthening the nation, not at eradicating its own culture. Although urgent, a sound solution is needed to address all issues."

The edict immediately caused a minor earthquake. The Shah's actions caught them completely off guard; the idea that anyone could directly petition the Shah was tantamount to blatantly criticizing their officialdom. The nobles, however, weren't particularly affected, but the direct call to learn from Europe stung them. Were they really so backward? Thousands of years of civilization weren't just a figure of speech; from the Achaemenids to the present day, countless people had shone brightly on this land. Now, to say they should learn from Europe—did that mean everything they had learned before was wrong?
The signals of Iranian reform also made the foreign ambassadors in Tehran feel that a change in government was imminent, especially Wallace. The Shah wanting to learn from Britain was excellent; they had many areas for cooperation. He needed to write to Downing Street immediately to urge them to take this seriously. This edict was comparable to the Ottoman edicts of Gwendolyn, though it contained less information than the Ottomans.

The Ottoman edict encompassed everything from finance to society, and directly granted equal status to all other believers. While the Gulestan edict also mentioned believers, it only offered a limited elevation of their status. The majority remained Shia Persians.

Amir's memorial was also widely distributed to nobles and officials in Tehran for discussion. There was considerable opposition, but also a number of voices of support. Enlightened individuals began submitting their own reform proposals to the Shah. Within days of the edict's release, 96 suggestions had been received, from officials, merchants, and nobles—and this was only within Tehran; proposals for some nearby cities were still being transported.

The clergy residing in Qom also witnessed these things, and the Grand Ayatollah informed them of the growing power of the Ottoman Empire. He warned them that if they could not advise the Shah, they would be abandoned. Although they could incite a general protest and force the Shah to retract the decree, this would lead to the downfall of the state. They would be sinners, condemned by the Imam.

Due to various factors, the clergy also submitted a memorial to the Shah. It contained twenty-nine articles, covering four aspects: encouraging agriculture, developing industry, improving relations with Europe, and reforming the army and government. It was based on Abbas the Great's reforms, with some additions to create the current version.

Similar to Amir's memorial, this one also encourages people to invest in industry and commerce, but in moderation. Agriculture is the foundation of the nation; without agriculture, the prosperity of industry and commerce would only expose its weaknesses to the enemy.

Regarding education, they offered their own suggestion: that Ulima build schools nationwide. This would not only save the government money but also improve the national literacy rate. It seems they are not going to abandon education in this region.

Muhammad selected the overlapping sections in the two memorials and made changes accordingly, while the Grand Vizier also began personnel reshuffles. Because talent needed to be selected from across the country, those who wanted to change the nation directly petitioned the Shah, offering their opinions on the current situation.

To handle these petitions, Muhammad decided to have Saeed lead a group to process and categorize them. From then on, they wouldn't need to be submitted to the Grand Vizier; the Shah could simply review them directly.

Muhammad specifically named an administrative office to compile the reform proposals submitted from various regions. Regarding the reform guidelines, one was to overhaul the old laws and amend existing ones. The second was to extensively collect information from Western countries on finance, military affairs, commerce, and technology for reference.

Such a change is significant for Iran today, as it marks the first time an institution has been tasked with driving reform. It also demonstrates the Shah's determination to reform.

(End of this chapter)