Role of Hossein Qoli Khan Mafi in the Development of the Persian Gulf

Hossein-Qoli Khan Nezam al-Saltaneh Mafi was one of the well-known political and cultural figures of the Qajar period. He was born during the reign of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar and spent his young adolescence and adolescence during the reign of Muhammad Shah and his old age during the periods of Nasir al-Din Shah and Muzaffar al-Din Shah. He held important positions, from minister to prime minister, during his life time. He advocated progress and was among the strict opponents of despotism and penetration of colonial powers into the country. Accordingly, as the ruler of the southern regions of Iran, he stood against some British agents such as Sir Percy Sykes and the Company of Lynch Brothers and opposed the British Empire’s claim as to Iran’s lack of sovereignty over the three islands of Lesser and Greater Tunbs and Abu Musa. At the same time, through imposing some commercial and customs regulations in the Persian Gulf, he did not allow them to achieve their political-social purposes and, thus, his relationship with the British deteriorated. The main purpose of this study was to explore the character and activities of Hossein Qoli Khan Nezam al-Saltaneh as a ruler and as the head of tax and customs affairs in the governing structure of the Qajar Court and the political, social, and cultural development of the Persian Gulf. This study was qualitative in nature and was conducted following a descriptive- interpretive method. The required data, whichwereinitially collected from library sources, particularly the memoirs and documents of Hossein Qoli Khan Nezam al-Saltaneh, were later organized, evaluated, and interpretedaccurately. The findings of the study indicate that, as a political ruler and activist, Nezam al-Saltaneh played a significantly influential role in the history of the changes in the Persian Gulf and the fight against the British colonial policies in the southern states of Iran. Moreover, he exercised great influence over the consolidation of the fundamental principles and elements of Iranian identity and the stabilization of the central government and national solidarity. On the other hand, his political and economic activities resulted in the development and progress of the region and the burgeoning of business there. Through explaining and interpreting such factors, this paper is intended to portray a real picture of the social-political of life in Iran during an important historical period.