The Role and Significance of Charvadars in the Qajar Era Based on the Accounts of European Travelers

In the historical studiesof Qajar era، the subordinate classes of the society have usually been paid scant attention، and historiographers have not considered different aspects of their lives، their roles and their significance. One of the most prominent members of these classes were Charvadars. They earned their livelihood through hiring out their quadrupeds to passengers. The present research، through reviewing the travel literature of Qajar era، seeks to answer this question: What was the most considerable role of Charvadars as one of the members of subordinate social classes of Qajar era? The research was conducted through adopting descriptive-analytic and library methods. The findings of the study revealed that Charvadars، despite their low social position during Qajar era، had a key role in the most common mode of traveling، namely journeying with Caravan. In other words، they were one of the central pillars of transportation in Qajar era. Charvadars not only carried passengers and goods but also guided passengers during the travels and supported them through problems and dangers of the routes. Although they belonged to a subordinate class of the society، Charvadars، given their key position in choosing the routes، verifying the time of waking up، and moving or stoppingcould demonstrate a kind of superiority over the members of the super classes.