Gilan (Persian: گیلان, locally known as Guilan) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran, known during ancient times as part of Hyrcania, with a population of approximately 2 million and an area of 14,700 sq. km. It lies just west of the province of Mazandaran, along the Caspian Sea. The center of the province is the city of Rasht. Other towns in the province include Astara, Astaneh-e Ashrafiyyeh, Rudsar, Langrud, Souma'eh Sara, Talesh, Fuman, Masouleh, and Lahijan. province of Iran File links The following pages link to this file: Guilan Categories: GFDL images ... Persian (known variously as: فارسی Fārsi or پارسی Pārsi, local name in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Tajik, a Central Asian dialect, or Dari, another local name in Tajikistan and Afghanistan) is a language spoken in Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... Iran consists of 30 provinces: Provinces are governed from a local center, mostly the largest local city. ... Gorgan (گرگان); Hyrcania ; Hyrcana (Old Persian Varkâna, land of wolves; modern Persian Gorgan): part of the ancient Persian empire, on the southern shores of the Caspian Sea (present day Golestan, Mazandaran, Gilan and parts of Turkmenistan). ... Mazandaran (مازندران in Persian) is a province in northern Iran, bordering the Caspian Sea in the north. ... Caspian Sea viewed from orbit The Caspian Sea is a landlocked endorheic sea between Asia and Europe (European Russia). ... Map of Iran and surrounding countries, showing location of Rasht Rasht (sometimes spelled Resht) is the capital of Gilan province in northwestern Iran (Persia). ... Astara is also the name of a rayon in Azerbaijan, see Astara, Azerbaijan Astara is a city in the Iranian province of Gilan. ... Masouleh is a village in the Gilan Provence of Iran. ... Lahijan is a city in Irans Gilan province, on the shores of Caspian Seaand south of Langroud or Langrood. ...

The main harbor port of the province is Bandar-e Anzali (previously Bandar-e Pahlavi). 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. ...

History

Golden Cup. Excavated at Marlik, Gilan. First half of first millennium BC. National Museum of Iran. Note Griffin on top band.

Necklace with Swastika from Kaluraz, Guilan, first Millennium BCE. National Museum of Iran.

Rood-Khan Castle, Seljuk era.

Image File history File linksMetadata Marlik_cup_iran. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Marlik_cup_iran. ... Entrance of the National Museum of Iran, the vault is built in the style of Persias Sassanid vaults The National Museum of Iran (in Persian: موزه ایران باستان Muze-ye Irân-e Bâstân) is an archeological and historical museum located in Tehran. ... The Griffin (Greek gryphos, Persian شیردال‌ shirdal lion-eagle) (also spelled gryphon and, less commonly, gryphen, griffon, griffen, or gryphin) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. ... Image File history File links Photo provided by Zereshk. ... Image File history File links Photo provided by Zereshk. ... A right-facing Swastika in decorative Hindu form For the town in Ontario, see Swastika, Ontario. ... Entrance of the National Museum of Iran, the vault is built in the style of Persias Sassanid vaults The National Museum of Iran (in Persian: موزه ایران باستان Muze-ye Irân-e Bâstân) is an archeological and historical museum located in Tehran. ... Rood-khan Castle, Iran. ... Rood-khan Castle, Iran. ... Rud-Khan Castle, Seljuk era, Iran. ... The Seljuk Turks (also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq; in modern Turkish Selçuklular; in Persian سلجوقيان SaljÅ«qiyān; in Arabic سلجوق SaljÅ«q, or السلاجقة al-Salājiqa) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to...

Ancient history

Archaeological excavations reveal the antiquity of the province to date back to prior to the last Ice Age. Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ...

In the 6th century BCE, the inhabitants of Guilan (such as the Gil Gilanshah and Daylam) allied with Cyrus the Great and overthrew the Medes. The province then passed from the control of one dynasty to the next. It is worth noting that people of Gilan were organized in tribes. Caspi (who gave their name to the Caspian sea), and Amardi (who lived in the Sepid Rud valley) were the main two tribes during the Achaemenid dynasty era. By the time of Sassanids, the people of the Gilan's mountains were called Deylamites and the people of the Caspian coast were called Gel, Gelai, Gil or Gilak. Cyrus the Great Cyrus II of Persia, also known as Cyrus the Great or Cyrus the Elder, (ca. ... The Medes(ancient Kurdistan) were an Iranian people, who lived in the north, western, and northwestern portions of present-day Iran, and roughly the areas of present day Tehran, Hamedan, Azarbaijan, north of Esfahan, Zanjan, and Kurdistan. ... Elamite Empire, 2700BC-660BC The Elamites were an Iranian people located in Susa, in what is now Khuzestan province. ... For Caspian Sea, go to: Caspian Sea CASPIAN Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (CASPIAN) is a national grass-roots consumer group dedicated to fighting supermarket loyalty or frequent shopper cards. ... The Persepolis Ruins The Achaemenid dynasty (Old Persian:Hakamanishiya, Persian: هخامنشیان) - was a dynasty in the ancient Persian Empire. ... The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Empire (in Persian: Sasanian) is the name used for the third Persian Empire (226 - 651). ... For Caspian Sea, go to: Caspian Sea CASPIAN Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering (CASPIAN) is a national grass-roots consumer group dedicated to fighting supermarket loyalty or frequent shopper cards. ...

It is worth noting that due to the difficulty of terrain and resistance of the natives, Gilan was loosely allied with the Parthian and Sassanid empires. Sassanid empire installed a royal prince, this prince was called Gilanshah (literally, King of Gils). There is scant evidence about the relationship between local Gil and Deylami chieftains and the Sassanid empire. There is some evidence to believe that members of Ispahbadh clan ruled at least parts of Gilan during the Sassanid era. They seem to have kept their possesions even after the collapse of Sassanids due to the Arab invasions in the mid seventh century CE. Reproduction of a Parthian warrior as depicted on Trajans Column The Parthian Empire was the dominating force on the Iranian plateau beginning in the late 3rd century BCE, and intermittently controlled Mesopotamia between ca 190 BCE and 224 CE. Origins Bust of Parthian soldier, Esgh-abad Museum, Turkmenia. ... Sassanid Empire at its greatest extent The Sassanid dynasty (also Sassanian) was the name given to the kings of Persia during the era of the second Persian Empire, from 224 until 651, when the last Sassanid shah, Yazdegerd III, lost a 14-year struggle to drive out the Umayyad Caliphate... Sassanid Empire at its greatest extent The Sassanid dynasty (also Sassanian) was the name given to the kings of Persia during the era of the second Persian Empire, from 224 until 651, when the last Sassanid shah, Yazdegerd III, lost a 14-year struggle to drive out the Umayyad Caliphate... Seven Clans or more accurately Seven Parthian clans (Persian, Haft Khandan) were seven different Parthian clans who constituted the Dahae Confederation. ... Sassanid Empire at its greatest extent The Sassanid dynasty (also Sassanian) was the name given to the kings of Persia during the era of the second Persian Empire, from 224 until 651, when the last Sassanid shah, Yazdegerd III, lost a 14-year struggle to drive out the Umayyad Caliphate... Sassanid Empire at its greatest extent The Sassanid dynasty (also Sassanian) was the name given to the kings of Persia during the era of the second Persian Empire, from 224 until 651, when the last Sassanid shah, Yazdegerd III, lost a 14-year struggle to drive out the Umayyad Caliphate... Combatants Sassanid Persia Rashidun Caliphate The Islamic conquest of Persia (637-651 CE) led to the end of the Sassanid Empire and the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia (modern day Iran). ...

While we know very little about the local customs of Gils and Deylamites, we know that some of their tribes originally revered the river Sepid Rud based on the evidence presented by the Greek geographer Strabo. They were not Zoroastrian prior to Sassanid overlordship, as evidenced by their custom of burying their dead and making human sacrifice. Zoroastrianism gained ground during the Sassanid era. By the time of the Islamic invasion, Gils and Deylamites were Zoroastrian. Zoroastrianism was adapted from an earlier, polytheistic faith by Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) in Persia very roughly around 1000 BC (although, in the absence of written records, some scholars estimates are as late as 600 BC). ... Sassanid Empire at its greatest extent The Sassanid dynasty (also Sassanian) was the name given to the kings of Persia during the era of the second Persian Empire, from 224 until 651, when the last Sassanid shah, Yazdegerd III, lost a 14-year struggle to drive out the Umayyad Caliphate... Zoroastrianism, in Persian: آيين زرتشت , Ain-e Zærtosht (in Kurdish: Zerdeştî ) was once the state religion of Sassanid Persia, and played an important role during the preceding Median, Achaemenid and Parthian eras, while it is considered, by some, to be the oldest monotheistic religion. ... Sassanid Empire at its greatest extent The Sassanid dynasty (also Sassanian) was the name given to the kings of Persia during the era of the second Persian Empire, from 224 until 651, when the last Sassanid shah, Yazdegerd III, lost a 14-year struggle to drive out the Umayyad Caliphate... Zoroastrianism was adapted from an earlier, polytheistic faith by Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) in Persia very roughly around 1000 BC (although, in the absence of written records, some scholars estimates are as late as 600 BC). ...

Deylamite mercenaries served in Persian armies and where generally considered the best infantry in the middle east up to the time of Mongol invasion. The typical Deylamite troopers either were skirmishers (armed with two-pronged javelins and a light sword or battle-axe) or served as heavy infantry (armed with a long pole weapon, heavy sword, battle-axe, or mace). These soldiers probably used Sagaris-type battle axes. All Deylamite infantrymen carried a round, very large, and strikingly painted shield. Deylamite commander Vahriz (or Vahraz) was instrumental in the conquest of Yemen during the reign of Khosrau I (Anushirvan). Deylamite infantry men were legendry javeliners and had a fearsome reputation in using their battle-axes. Honorary guard of Mongolia. ... Look up Javelin on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Javelin can refer to several things: For the spear-like object,used as a thrown weapon in ancient times see Javelin Ancient For the modern athletic discipline see Javelin throw. ... Keira Knightley as Guinevere with a battle axe in the 2004 film King Arthur. ... A pole weapon or polearm is a close combat weapon with the main fighting part of the weapon placed on the end of a long shaft, typically of wood. ... Keira Knightley as Guinevere with a battle axe in the 2004 film King Arthur. ... Assorted maces For its symbolical derivative, see ceremonial mace. ... Sagaris was the Greek name for a weapon used by Scythian tribes (Hdt. ... Vahriz was head of the small expedition army sent by Khosrau I to Yemen to help them against the invading Ethiopians of Axum. ... Khosrau I, the Blessed (Anushirvan), (531 - 579) was the favourite son and successor of Kavadh I, and the most famous of the Sassanid kings. ... Keira Knightley as Guinevere with a battle axe in the 2004 film King Arthur. ...

They were highly effective, and could easily engage Byzantine heavy infantrymen, or even Turkic cavalry.

Medieval history

Muslim Arabs never managed to conquer Gilan. Gilaks and Deylamites successfully repulsed any Arab attempt to occupy their land or to convert them to Islam. A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) is an adherent of Islam. ... For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( ) is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the Quran. ...

In 9th and 10th centuries CE, Deylamites and later Gilaks gradually converted to a heretical sect of Shi'a Islam. It is worth noting that several Deylamite commanders and soldiers of fortune who were active in the military theatres of Iran and Mesopotamia were openly Zoroastrian (for example, Asfar Shiruyeh a warlord in central Iran, and Makan son of Kaki the warlord of Rayy) or were suspected of harboring pro-Zoroastrian (for example Mardavij) sentiments. Muslim chronicles of Varangian (Rus, pre-russian norsemen) invasion of the litoral Caspian region in the 9th century record Deylamites as non-muslim. These chronicles also show that the Deylamite were the only warriors in the Caspian region who could fight the fearsome Varangian vikings as equals. In a way, Deylamite infantrymen had a role very similar to the Swiss Reisläufer of the Late Middle Ages in Europe. Deylamite mercenaries served as far as Egypt, Islamic Spain, and Khazar kingdom. Shia Islam, also Shi`ite Islam or Shi`ism (Arabic: ‎ translit: Persian: ‎) is the second largest denomination of the religion of Islam. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Zoroastrianism was adapted from an earlier, polytheistic faith by Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) in Persia very roughly around 1000 BC (although, in the absence of written records, some scholars estimates are as late as 600 BC). ... Ray, also spelled Rayy or Rages (ری in Persian) is the most historic city in the province of Tehran, Iran. ... Mardavij or MAJ (also spelled as Mardaviz, Mardavich, Mardavige, and Mardavaz), was the founder of Ziyarids who successfully defeated the Abbasids army firstly in Hamadan (in the mid west of Iran), and finally in Kashan and Isfahan (the central cities of the country). ... The Varangians (Russian: Variags, Варяги) were Scandinavians who travelled eastwards, mainly from Jutland and Sweden. ... Kievan Rus′ (Ки́евская Ру́сь, Kievskaya Rus in Russian; Київська Русь, Kyivs’ka Rus’ in Ukrainian) was the early, mostly East Slavic¹ state dominated by the city of Kiev (ru: Ки́ев, Kiev; uk: Ки́їв, Kyiv), from about 880 to the middle of the 12th century. ... The Varangians (Russian: Variags, Варяги) were Scandinavians who travelled eastwards, mainly from Jutland and Sweden. ... The name Viking is a loan from the native Scandinavian term for the Norse seafaring warriors who raided the coasts of Scandinavia, Europe and the British Isles from the late 8th century to the 11th century, the period of European history referred to as the Viking Age. ... Swiss mercenaries crossing the Alps (Luzerner Schilling) During the late Middle Ages, mercenary forces grew in importance in Europe, as veterans from the Hundred Years War preferred to continue living a soldiers life rather than abandoning the military. ... Dante by Michelino The Late Middle Ages is a term used by historians to describe European history in the period of the 14th and 15th centuries (1300–1500 CE). ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to some dispute as to Europes actual borders. ... Al-Andalus is the Arabic name given the Iberian Peninsula by its Muslim conquerors; it refers to both the Caliphate proper and the general period of Muslim rule (711–1492). ... The site of the Khazar fortress at Sarkel. ...

Buyids established the most successful of the Deylamite dynasties of Iran. The Buwayhids or Buyyids or Āl-i Buyeh, were a Shiite tribal confederation from Daylam, a region on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. ...

Turkish invasions of 10th and 11th centuries CE, which saw the rise of Ghaznavid and Seljuk dynasties, put an end to Deylamite states in Iran. From 11th century CE to the rise of Safavids, Gilan was ruled by local rulers who paid tribute to the dominant power south of the Alborz range, but ruled independently. The Ghaznavid Empire was a state in the region of todays Afghanistan that existed from 977 to 1186. ... The Seljuk Turks (also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq; in modern Turkish Selçuklular; in Persian سلجوقيان Saljūqiyān; in Arabic سلجوق Saljūq, or السلاجقة al-Salājiqa) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to... The Safavid Empire at its 1512 borders. ... Alborz Mountains underneath clouds seen from Tehran Alborz (in Persian البرز), also written as Alburz or Elburz, is a mountain range in northern Iran, stretching from the borders of Armenia in the north-west to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, where also Tehran and Irans highest peak, Damavand...

Before introduction of silk production to this region (date unknown, but definitely a pilar of the economy by the 15th century CE), Gilan was a poor province. There were no permenant trade routes linking Gilan to Persia. There was a small trade in smoked fish and wood products. It seems that the city of Qazvin was initially a fortress-town against marauding bands of Deylamites, another sign that the economy of the province did not produce enough. It all changed with the introduction of silk worm sometime in the late middle ages. Silk weaver Silk is a natural protein fiber that can be woven into textiles. ... Qazvin may refer to: Qazvin (city) Qazvin province Note: Qazvin province was created in 1996; older references to Qazvin are invariably to the city. ... Binomial name Bombyx mori Linnaeus, 1758 For the band named Silkworm, see Silkworm (band). ...

Modern history

Safavid emperor, Shah Abbas I ended the rule of Kia Ahmad Khan, the last semi-independent ruler of Gilan, and annexed the province directly to his empire. From this point in history onward, rulers of Gilan were appointed by the Persian Shah. The Safavids were a long-lasting Turkic-speaking Iranian dynasty that ruled from 1501 to 1736 and first established Shiite Islam as Persias official religion. ... Shah Abbas I (شاه عباس اول) (January 27, 1571?-January 19, 1629?) was the most eminent ruler of the Safavid Dynasty. ... Shah is an Iranian term (Persian and Kurdish) for king, and has also been adopted in many other languages. ...

Safavid empire became weak towards the end of the 17th century CE. By the early 18th century, the once mighty Safavid empire was in the grips of civil war. Peter I of Russia (Peter the Great) sent an expeditionary force that occupied Gilan for a year (1722-1723). The Safavids were a long-lasting Turkic-speaking Iranian dynasty that ruled from 1501 to 1736 and first established Shiite Islam as Persias official religion. ... The Safavids were a long-lasting Turkic-speaking Iranian dynasty that ruled from 1501 to 1736 and first established Shiite Islam as Persias official religion. ... Portrait of Peter by Paul Delaroche Peter I (Russian: Пётр I Алексеевич or Pyotr I Alexeyevich) (Peter Alexeyevich Romanov) (9 June 1672–8 February 1725 [30 May 1672– 28 January 1725 O.S.] )Russia from 7 May (27 April O.S.) 1682 until his death. ...

Qajars established a central government in Persia (Iran) in late 18th century CE. They lost s series of wars to Russia (Russo-Persian Wars 1804-1813 and 1826-28), resulting in enormous gain of influence by the Russian empire in the Caspian region. Gilanian cities of Rasht and Anzali were all but occupied by the Russain forces. Anzali served as the main trading port of Iran and Europe. The Qajar dynasty was the ruling family of Persia from 1796 to 1925. ... The Russo-Persian Wars were wars fought between the Russian Empire and Persia in 18-20th centuries. ... Map of Iran and surrounding countries, showing location of Rasht Rasht (sometimes spelled Resht) is the capital of Gilan province in northwestern Iran (Persia). ... 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. ... 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. ...

Gilan was a major producer of silk beginning in 15th century CE. As a result, it was one of the wealthiest provinces in Iran. Safavid annexation in 16th century was at least partially motivated by this revenue stream. Silk trade, though not the production, was a monopoly of the Crown and the single most important source of trade revenue for the imperial treasury. As early as 16th century and until mid 19th century CE, Gilan was the major exporter of silk in Asia. The Shah farmed out this trade to Greek and Armenian merchants, and would recieve a portion of the proceeds. Silk weaver Silk is a natural protein fiber that can be woven into textiles. ... The Safavids were a long-lasting Turkic-speaking Iranian dynasty that ruled from 1501 to 1736 and first established Shiite Islam as Persias official religion. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... Shah is an Iranian term (Persian and Kurdish) for king, and has also been adopted in many other languages. ...

In mid 19th century, a wide spread fatal epidemy in silk worms paralized Gilan's economy, causing widespread economic distress. Gilan's budding industrialists and merchants were increasingly dissatisfied with the weak and ineffective rule of Qajars. Reoreintation of Gilan's agriculture and industry from silk to production of rice and introduction of tea plantations where a partial answer to decline of silk in the province. Binomial name Bombyx mori Linnaeus, 1758 For the band named Silkworm, see Silkworm (band). ... The Qajar dynasty was the ruling family of Persia from 1796 to 1925. ... Silk weaver Silk is a natural protein fiber that can be woven into textiles. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice refers to two species (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) of grass, native to tropical and subtropical southeastern Asia and to Africa, which together provide more than one fifth of the calories consumed by humans. ... Tea leaves in a gaiwan. ...

After World War I, Guilan came to be ruled independently of the central government of Tehran and concern arose that the province might permanently separate at some point. Prior to the war, Guilanis had played an important role in the Constitutional Revolution of Iran under the leadership of Mirza Kouchak Khan Jangali. His movement, known as the Jangalis (Foresters Movement), had sent an armed brigade to Tehran which helped depose the Qajar ruler Mohammad Ali Shah. However, the revolution did not progress the way the constitutionalists had strived for, and Iran came to face much internal unrest and foreign intrusions, particularly from the British and Russian Empires. Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead:5 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:8 million Military dead:4 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:7 million The First World... Map of Iran and surrounding lands, showing location of Tehran The towering Alborz mountains rising above modern Elahiyeh district and its green neighborhoods. ... The Persian Constitutional Revolution was a revolution in Iran against the despotic rule of the last Qajar Shah. ... 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. ... Map of Iran and surrounding lands, showing location of Tehran The towering Alborz mountains rising above modern Elahiyeh district and its green neighborhoods. ... The Qajar dynasty was the ruling family of Persia from 1781 to 1925. ... Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar (Persian: محمدعلی شاه قاجار)‎ (1872 - 1925) was the shah of Iran from January 8, 1907 to July 16, 1909. ... Imperial Russia is the term used to cover the period of Russian history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great, through the expansion of the Russian Empire from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean, to the deposal of Nicholas II of Russia, the last tsar, at the start...

Guilan's contribution to the movement of Mirza Kouchak Khan Jangali, known as the Constitutionalist movement of Guilan (also Jangalis) is glorified in Iranian history and effectively secured Guilan and Mazandaran against foreign invasions. However, in 1920 British forces invaded Bandar-e Anzali, while being pursued by the Bolsheviks. In the midst of this conflict between Britain and Russia, the Jangalis entered into an alliance with the Bolsheviks against the British. This culminated in the establishment of the Soviet Republic of Gilan, which lasted from June 1920 until September 1921. In February 1921 the Soviets withdrew their support for the Jangali government of Guilan, and signed the Soviet-Iranian Friendship Treaty with the central government of Tehran. The Jangalis continued to struggle against the central government for the rest of that year until their final defeat in September when control of Guilan returned to Tehran. 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. ... Mirza Kuchek, the leader of the movement right before starting the Jungle movement. ... Mazandaran (مازندران in Persian) is a province in northern Iran, bordering the Caspian Sea in the north. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... 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. ... 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. ... 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. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Rise of the communist power in Russia (USSR) for the better part of the 20th century, along with severe decline in the trade between Iran and Europe through Russia, impoverished Gilan. In effect, from being the most affluent province in Iran in 17th and 19th centuries, Gilan has the highest level of unemployment in Iran right now. Communism - Wikipedia /**/ @import /w/skins-1. ...

Geography and climate

Guilan has a humid temperate climate with plenty of annual rainfall. The Alborz range provides further diversity to the land in addition to the Caspian coasts. Alborz Mountains underneath clouds seen from Tehran Alborz (in Persian البرز), also written as Alburz or Elburz, is a mountain range in northern Iran, stretching from the borders of Armenia in the north-west to the southern end of the Caspian Sea, where also Tehran and Irans highest peak, Damavand...

Large parts of the province are mountainous, green and forested. The coastal plain along the Caspian Sea is similar to that of Mazandaran, mainly used for rice paddies. Mazandaran (مازندران in Persian) is a province in northern Iran, bordering the Caspian Sea in the north. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa Rice refers to two species (Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima) of grass, native to tropical and subtropical southeastern Asia and to Africa, which together provide more than one fifth of the calories consumed by humans. ...

In May 1990 large parts of the province were destroyed by a huge earthquake, in which about 45,000 people died. Abbas Kiarostami made his famous films "Nothing but Life" and "Through the Olive Trees" based upon this event. This article is about the year. ... Global earthquake epicenters, 1963–1998 An earthquake is a sudden and sometimes catastrophic movement of a part of the Earths crust. ... Abbas Kiarostami (عباس کیارستمی in Persian) (born June 22, 1940 in Tehran) is one of the most influential and controversial post-revolutionary Iranian filmmakers and one of the most highly celebrated directors in the international film community of the last decade. ...

People and culture

Mirza Kuchek Khan, an Iranian hero from Gilan.

The majority of the population speaks Gilaki as their first language while many children, particularly in the cities, tend to use Standard Persian amongst themselves. Image File history File links Photo provided by Zereshk. ... Image File history File links Photo provided by Zereshk. ... Mirza Kuchek before the rebellion. ... Gilaki or Guilaki (گیلکی) is one of the North-western Iranian languages spoken in Irans Gilan province. ... Persian (known variously as: فارسی Fārsi or پارسی Pārsi, local name in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Tajik, a Central Asian dialect, or Dari, another local name in Tajikistan and Afghanistan) is a language spoken in Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ...

Masooleh Village.

Gilan's position in between the Tehran-Baku trade route has established the cities of Bandar-e Anzali and Rasht as ranking amongst the most important commercial centers in Iran. As a result, the merchant and middle-classes comprise a significant percentage of the population. Image File history File links Masoole. ... Image File history File links Masoole. ... Masouleh is a village in the Gilan Provence of Iran. ... Map of Iran and surrounding lands, showing location of Tehran The towering Alborz mountains rising above modern Elahiyeh district and its green neighborhoods. ... Satellite view of Baku The Baku harbour on the south of Absheron peninsula The Maiden Tower in old town Baku Baku (Azerbaijani: Bakı), sometimes known as Baky or Baki, is the capital of Azerbaijan. ...

The province has an annual average of 2 million tourists, mostly domestic. Although Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization lists 211 sites of historical and cultural significance in the province, the main tourist attraction in Guilan is the small town of Masouleh in the hills south-east of Rasht. The town is built not dissimilar to the pueblo settlements, with the roof of one house being the courtyard of the next house above. Masouleh is a village in the Gilan Provence of Iran. ... Map of Iran and surrounding countries, showing location of Rasht Rasht (sometimes spelled Resht) is the capital of Gilan province in northwestern Iran (Persia). ... Pueblos are traditional Native American communities of the Southwest United States of America. ...

Gilan has a strong culinary tradition, from which several dishes have come to be adopted across Iran. This richness derives in part from the climate, which allows for a wide variety of fruit, vegetables and nuts grown in the province. Seafood is a particularly strong component of Gilani (and Mazandarani) cuisine. Sturgeon, often smoked or served as kabab, and caviar are delicacies along the whole Caspian littoral. Traditional Persian stews such as ghalieh mahi (fish stew) and ghalieh maygu (shrimp stew) are also featured and prepared in a uniquely Gilani fashion. Spaghetti with seafood (Spaghetti allo scoglio). ... Species See text Sturgeon (Acipenser) is a genus of fish, of which some twenty different species are known, from European, Asiatic and North American rivers. ... Left to right: Chenjeh Kabab, Kabab Koobideh, Jujeh Kabab Kebab (kebap in Turkish, kabab in Iran, India and Pakistan, Kabab or كباب in Arabic, also spelled kebob, kabob) means grilled (or broiled) meat in Persian and Turkish. ... A can of black Iranian caviar Russian salmon caviar on butterbrot Caviar is the processed, salted roe of various species of fish, most notably sturgeon. ...

More specific to Gilan are a distinctive walnut-paste and pomegranate-juice sauce, used as a marinade for 'sour' kabab (Kabab Torsh) and as the basis of fesenjun, a rich stew of duck, chicken or lamb. Mirza ghasemi is an aubergine and egg dish with a smoky taste that is often served as a side dish or appetizer. Other such dishes include pickled garlic, olives with walnut paste, and smoked fish. The caviar and smoked fish from the region are, in particular, widely prized and sought after specialities in both domestic and foreign gourmet markets. See also Cuisine of Iran. Traditional kabab of Gilan province in Iran. ... A gourmet is a person with a discriminating palate and who is knowledgeable in fine food and drink. ... The cuisine of Iran is diverse, with each province featuring dishes, as well as culinary traditions and styles, distinct to their regions. ...

Colleges and universities

• 1. Gilan University of Mofid
  2. University of Gilan
  3. Islamic Azad University of Astara
  4. Islamic Azad University of Bandar Anzali
  5. Islamic Azad University of Rasht
  6. Islamic Azad University of Lahijan
  7. Gilan University of Medical Sciences

See also

• Constitutionalist movement of Gilan
• Soviet Republic of Gilan

Mirza Kuchek, the leader of the movement. ... 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. ...

External links

• Picture Gallery of Guilan
• Guilan University of Medical Sciences Health Information Center
• Gilan Cultural Heritage Organization (An excellent source of info in Persian)
• Masouleh Village Official website
• Guilan Province Office of Tourism
• Guilan Province Department of Education (in Persian)
• Guilan.net A lot Of Pictures About Rasht

Provinces of Iran
Ardabil | Bushehr | Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari | East Azarbaijan | Isfahan | Fars | Guilan | Golestan | Hamadan | Hormozgan | Ilam | Kerman | Kermanshah | Khuzestan | Kohkiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad | Kurdistan | Lorestan | Markazi | Mazandaran | North Khorasan | Qazvin | Qom | Razavi Khorasan | Semnan | Sistan and Baluchistan | South Khorasan | Tehran | West Azarbaijan | Yazd | Zanjan