Studying the development of France from the perspective of Qajar travelogues during the 19th century

Salmasizadeh, Mohammad; Khandan, Zahra Sadat

doi:10.30466/jhf.2025.55768.1018

Studying the development of France from the perspective of Qajar travelogues during the 19th century

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Associate Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

² MSc in General History of the World, Department of History, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

10.30466/jhf.2025.55768.1018

Abstract

Progress has been one of the important aspects in the history of Iran and the world. To achieve this goal in the contemporary history of Iran, especially the Qajar era, it is better to examine the development status of Iran in comparison with that of developed European countries. The present article titled "Reviewing the progress and development of France from the perspective of Qajar travelogues during the 19th century AD "aims to analyze the Iranian Qajar works and provide the answer to the question: What was the perception of Qajar Iranians about the development in France in the 19th century? The present research is written in a descriptive-analytical method drawing on library resources. This research examines the progress of France in the 19th century, which coincides with the 13th century of the lunar calendar, through the lens of the travelogues of the Qajar era. This century was a period of significant political, social, and cultural changes in France, including the Industrial Revolution and political changes between the monarchy and the republic. Iranian travelers and historians from the Qajar series presented their views on these developments. This research aims to show how Qajar observers perceive French modernization in various social affairs. This study shows a mixture of praise and criticism and provides insights into the dynamics of cultural exchange and the ideals of Iranian elites for reform. As a result, it can be said that Qajar Iranians paid attention only to French military progress before the constitutional revolution and social and cultural issues at the threshold of that revolution. Iranian elites' familiarity with France's development progressed from the beginning of the Qajar era as the constitutional era approached.

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