Mirza Kuchek, the leader of the movement.

Mirza and some friends during the Rebellion. A few Russians and his German friend can also be seen in the picture.

The Constitutionalist movement of Gilan also called The Jangali Movement of Iran (Forest Movement) was a rebellious movement against the central monarchist rule of the Qajari government of Iran. It is considered as the extension of Constitutional Revolution of Iran and lasted from 1909 to 1921. Image File history File links Photo provided by Zereshk. ... Image File history File links Photo provided by Zereshk. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Mirza_group. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Mirza_group. ... The Qajar dynasty was the ruling family of Persia from 1796 to 1925. ... The Persian Constitutional Revolution was a revolution in Iran against the despotic rule of the last Qajar Shah. ...

History of the movement

In 1915 Mirza Kouchak Khan Jangali met in Tehran with other prominent figures of the Constitutional Revolution and helped organized a plan of reform for Iran, which called for the total independence of the nation, land and social reforms for the poor, and Islamic unity. Obstacles to this program included foreign imperialists, the landed elites, and tribal leaders. From the constitutionalist perspective, the Tehran government had by this time lost its independence and had fallen completely under the influence of the British and Russians. Kouchak Khan and the Jangalis then formally disavowed the central government and proclaimed their intention to free Iran from both the foreign influences and the domination of landed elites and tribal rulers. Jump to: navigation, search 1915 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Mirza Yunes Kuchek Khan Jangali (also Mirza Kouchak Khan Jangali) was the leader of Irans Jangali (Foresters Movement), a rebellion against the Qajar monarchist government of Iran. ... Tehran is a metropolis of 14 million situated at the foot of the towering Alborz range. ... Jump to: navigation, search Islam ▶(?) (Arabic: الإسلام al-islām) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ...

During the next few years, the Jangalis fought against the Russian, British, and German-Turkish forces that had threatened to advance into Gilan and Mazandaran. They also waged campaigns against the tribes and robber bandits that threatened the security of the region. At this point, the Jangali movement was still fiercely committed to Iran, rather than pursuing Gilani nationalism which had not yet become an issue. Mazandaran (مازندران in Persian) is a province in northern Iran, bordering the Caspian Sea in the north. ...

However, after the Russian Revolution of 1917, foreign domination over the central government of Tehran was no longer as strong, and while the British continued to maintain a high level of influence over the Imperial Court, the government was now able to act more independently than before. Kouchak Khan and the Jangalis, as well as other constitutionalists and nationalists, saw this as an opportunity to join the central government and begin implementing their long-awaited democratic and social reforms. The Anglo-Persian Treaty of 1919, however, put an end to such an opportunity. The treaty was widely viewed by Iranians as having made the nation into nothing more than a British protectorate. Its chief negotiator, Prime Minister Vosough od-Dowleh, was seen as a servant of the British. Kouchak Khan thereafter made this announcement in response to the terms of the treaty: Jump to: navigation, search The phrase Russian Revolution can refer to the following events in the history of Russia. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1917 was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1919 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... For the rule of Oliver Cromwell, see The Protectorate. ...

"My purpose and that of my friends is the independence of the state and the reforming and strengthening of the central government."

Kouchak Khan made a public declaration that he was against the idea of separating Gilan from Iran, and that Gilan would return to the jurisdiction of the central government as soon as it rejected the treaty and reformed itself. This, however, did not happen, and antagonism towards Britain and the ruling elites of the Qajar Court who were subservient to their interests grew to unprecedented heights. In June of 1919, the Bolsheviks officially ended the Czarist era practice of extracting special privileges and concessions from Tehran. Tsar, (Bulgarian цар�, Russian царь; often spelled Czar or Tzar in English), was the title used for the autocratic rulers of the First and Second Bulgarian Empires since 913, in Serbia in the middle of the 14th century, and in Russia from 1547 to 1917. ...

In 1920 a British expeditionary force that had occupied Baku in an effort to prevent that city from falling into Bolshevik hands was forced to retreat across the Caspian Sea to Bandar-e Anzali. The Bolsheviks pursued them there and over the next few weeks the two forces waged a series of military encounters against each other throughout Gilan. This conflict ultimately led to the Jangali (at the urging of Ehsanollah Khan, Kouchak Khan's second-in-command) entering into an alliance with the Soviets against the British, and culiminated in the establishment of the Soviet Republic of Gilan, which last from June 1920 until September 1921. Jump to: navigation, search 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events WIKIPEDIA EATS VAGINA January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... Jump to: navigation, search Satellite view of Baku The Baku harbour on the south of Absheron peninsula The Maiden Tower in old town Baku Bakı (Azeri: Bakı, Russian: Баку), also known as Baku, is the capital of Azerbaijan. ... Jump to: navigation, search Leaders of the Bolshevik Party and the Communist International, a painting by Malcolm McAllister on the Pathfinder Mural in New York City and on the cover of the book Lenin’s Final Fight published by Pathfinder. ... Jump to: navigation, search Caspian Sea viewed from orbit Caspian redirects here. ... Bandar-e Anzali (in Persian: بندر انزلی), known as Bandar-e Pahlavi (بندر پهلوی) before the Iranian Revolution, is a harbour town on the Caspian Sea, in the Iranian province of Gilan, close to Rasht. ... The Persian Socialist Soviet Republic (widely known as the Soviet Republic of Gilan ) was a short-lived Soviet republic in the province of Gilan that lasted from June of 1920 until September of 1921. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events WIKIPEDIA EATS VAGINA January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Flag

The flag of the Jangali movement was a red banner with the name Kaveh (a heroic figure in the Shahnama) written upon it. This was a reference to the Derafsh-e-Kaviani (Kaviani Banner) [1] and symbolized the movement's struggle against the monarchist central government in working to establish a democratic Iranian republic. Jump to: navigation, search Statue of Kaveh in Isfahan Kaveh the Blacksmith (کاوه آهنگر in Persian) is a mythical figure of ancient Persia who leads a popular uprising of Persians (Iranians) against a ruthless Arab ruler, Zahak (Dhaka). ... Jump to: navigation, search Shahnameh Shahnameh Scenes from the Shahnameh carved into reliefs at Tus, where Ferdowsi is buried. ... Jump to: navigation, search In a broad definition a republic is a state whose political organization rests on the principle that the citizens or electorate constitute the ultimate root of legitimacy and sovereignty. ...

Further analysis

Initially, when commencing the movement, Mirza and his allies formed a union called Ettehad-e-Islam (The Islamic Union). Although in the beginning, they were in conformity over the aims of the movement, eventually the movement began witnessing considerable friction as some members had diverging tendencies toward Ahmad Shah Qajar while others such as Mirza specifically called for an Iranian "Republic." (See Tarikh-i Enghelab-i Jangal by Muhammad Ali Gilak, Rasht, 1992) Photographic portrait of Ahmad Shah Qajar (l) and his brother Mohammad Hassan Mirza (r) Ahmad Shah Qajar (احمد شاه قاجار in Persian) ‎(January 21, 1898 - 21 February 1930) was Shah of Persia from July 16, 1909 to October 31, 1925. ...

Not only did Mirza specifically use the term "Republic of Iran," as can be seen in his letters (printed in Sardar-i Jangal by Ibrahim Fakhra'i, 1963, p282), but he had also declared his interest in a "Republic" before the advent of the Communist Party of Iran. (Nehzat-i Jangal by Shapur Ravasani, ISBN 964-5799-64-3 , p59) In fact Mirza was removed from his posts in the Communist Party only 17 days after the party's formation (Masa'il-i Inghilab-i Iran by Irandust, 1927, Vol 5, p132). Mirza did not seem to agree with Marxist ideology, being a devout man of faith, even though many of his allies until the end were members of the Communist Party. The Communist Party of Iran was an Iranian communist party. ...

Concerning other points of interest is Mirza's insistence on separating church from state. This is clearly stated in Article 5 of the Jangali Movement's Constitution, where it states: "Infikak-i Rohaniyat az Omur-i Siyasi va Ma'ashi" ("The separation of the clergy from the affairs of politics and economics"). Mirza was himself a cleric by training.

One of the reasons for the success of Mirza's movement were his many educated reformist allies, such as Hossein Kasma'i, who was the Editor in Chief of the movement's newspaper Jangal, or Ashrafeddin Hosseini, Editor in Chief of the paper Naseem e Shomal, who died during the movement's struggle.

With the movement picking up momentum, the British, Russians, Ottomans, and Germans sent envoys to absorb the movement into their political spheres, but soon all their envoys were retracted in favor of ties with the central government in Tehran.

Mirza did however employ some German officers who were former prisoners of the Russian army. These officers established training camps for Mirza in Gurab Zarmakh, the movement's headquarters. A military school was also established in Lahijan, and by 1917, the Gendarmerie and Cossack forces of Rasht had joined the movement. Lahijan is a city in Irans Gilan province, on the shores of Caspian Sea. ... A gendarmerie (French) is a military body charged with general police duties. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV of Turkey. ...

The British did not take Mirza's successes lightly, and sent Captain Noel to assassinate Mirza (Fakhrai, p13). The British captain was arrested before he could take any such action. Colonel Stokes and General L.C. Dunsterville (whose troops were lightly referred to as the Dunsterforce) were further agitated by Mirza's refusal to let British troops pass through Gilan on their way up north, while Mirza had approved and guaranteed Russian troops returning north safe passage. British forces attacked Rasht as a result, and even bombed Mirza's residence using airplanes. An ultimatum was issued to Mirza by the British to surrender.

The Russians joined the British and sent in 20,000 troops to capture Mirza. Many prominent members of the movement such as Heidar Khan Amughli (secretary-general of the Communist Party of Iran, from Baku), Haj Ahmad Kasmai, and Dr. Heshmat either surrendered, were killed in battle, or were executed even after surrrendering. Jump to: navigation, search Satellite view of Baku The Baku harbour on the south of Absheron peninsula The Maiden Tower in old town Baku Bakı (Azeri: Bakı, Russian: Баку), also known as Baku, is the capital of Azerbaijan. ... Dr Heshmat was a physician and one of Mirza Kuchek Khans closest friends and allies during the Constitutionalist movement of Gilan in Iran. ...

In the end, it must be emphasized that Mirza was not after the secession of Gilan from Iran, but rather to establish an independent Republic for all of Iran, as was clearly stressed repeatedly in his communiques.

In the wake of his final defeat and the demise of the movement, Mirza is known to have bitterly remarked in a letter shortly before his death:

"How sad that Iranians are supportive of the dead (mordeh-parast) and still do not realize the value of this movement. Of course they will come to realize after we are gone: who we were, what we wanted to achieve, and what we did."

Historical references

• George Lenczowski (1968). Russia and the West in Iran, Greenwood Press. ISBN 0837101441
• Nasrollah Fatemi (1952). Diplomatic History of Persia, Russell F. Moore. LCCN 52011977, ASIN B0007DXLE2

The Library of Congress Control Number or LCCN is a serially based system of numbering books in the Library of Congress in the United States. ... Asin is a a Filipino rock band. ...

See also

• Gilan
• History of Iran
• Soviet Republic of Gilan