Social- Political Impacts of Russia Presence in Guilan in the Qajar Era

During Qajar era, Guilan became a gate to Europe because of its facile connections with Iran’s internal centers specially the capital and the Russian ports. This superior communication position, besides the economical condition of the region, attracted the Russians’ attention. Therefore, conquering this region became one of the most important purposes of Russian governors. The presence and influence of Russia in Guilan was accelerated after the wars between Iran and Russia. This caused many social-political consequences and led to the familiarity of the people of this region with the world’s new developments. This paved the way for some social-political movements. Under the influence of Iran’s relations with Russia and also Europe, Guilan was among the first regions witnessing numerous changes, such as the presence of Caucasus Armenian in Guilan, migration of Russian and Guilanese labors, Russian nationals’ interventions in the region, creation of the spirit of xenophobia, Guilan’s constitutional revolution and Rasht mutation.