The History of Persia

Informed by a lifetime of foreign service, this 1815 work remains one of the most influential histories of Persia.

Informed by a lifetime of foreign service, for over a century this 1815 work was the definitive chronicle of Persia. Volume 1 'commences in the fabulous ages', leads readers through the country's ancient dynasties and military engagements, and concludes in 1722 with the reign of Mahmood.The product of a lifetime spent in India and the Middle East, for over a century this two-volume work by Sir John Malcolm (1769–1833), first published in 1815, remained the most trusted chronicle of Persia. Translated into French, German and Persian, the detailed and diverse contents earned its diplomat author an honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Oxford. Although learned, Malcolm's narrative is informed by personal experiences acquired while serving as an envoy and secretary to the governor general, a position which clearly shaped his views on the country's political character. Volume 1 'commences in the fabulous ages', and covers the period from the ancient dynasties of Paishdadian and Kaianian, until the reign of Mahmood in the early eighteenth century.