The Effect of Nationalist Discourse on the Representation of Ancient Iran in the New Historiography of the Qajar Period (A Case Study of Khosravan's Book by Jalal al-Din Mirza Qajar)

The first effects of the nationalist discourse and the attempt to formulate a suitable history of it began from the middle of the Qajar dynasty (early Nasserid period) in Iran. For the intellectuals and modernists of this era, the ideology of nationalism was one of the most important signs of the power of the European states. Jalal al-DinMirza, Qajar prince is one of the first writers and historians who rewrite Iran's history based on new archaic approaches. His most significant work, The Khosrowan’s Book, illustrated the ideological and political motivations of the author in his retrospective restoration, relying on the Zoroastrian texts of India. In addition, the most important transcendental implications in The Khosrowan’s Book are the instigation of archaic and Iranian thought through the early enlightment to Jalal al-Din Mirza. Mirzamalkam Khan and Akhondzadeh's thoughts were two main motivators for the work. Khosrowan's letter to imitation of the Shahnameh is an attempt to revive the life and traditions of the mythological kings of Iran and seeks to establish the Shahnameh in the tacit and popular knowledge of the Iranian people from the past to institutionalize the nationalist concepts in the minds of the Iranian people; the most important ideological ideas From ancient Persia in Khosrowan's letter are: