The collaboration of Mir Abdollatif Shoshtary with the British government of India; case study: the first Iranian contact with the colonial accident

When the Safavid dynasty was on the verge of collapsing both socially and politically, many Iranian families fled to India. Many of them were employed in the East Indian Company. Others were employed to service the British government of India. Their services to the English, as a group of non-English and non-Indian and as Muslims has its great importance. Mir Abdollatif Shooshtari grandson Nematollah Jazayeri, a prominent cleric of the Safavid era, a member of the Sadat family of Shooshtar, who had studied more than 20 years in a religious school in Iran and Iraq, during the chaotic period in Iran, emerged to India. He had spent about 6 years in Bushehr, Basra and Baghdad, and managed his brother's commercial affairs. Then he moved to India and did the same activities for a short time. After his arrival to India, he established his relations with British and became one of consolers of the East Indian Company. His brothers and cousins were also employed by this company. Mir Abdollatif mentions some Iranians who had collaborated with the British against Tipu sultan. This collaboration of Iranian with British during the early years of British colonialism had its importance. Dr. Hayery believes that these Iranias were uninformed about British colonial goals. However this research showed their awareness, especially Mir Abdollatif's towards the British colonial efforts in India.