RUMMAGE OF VAZIR HOMAYOUN’S CASE IN GHAJAR ERA

A Baha’i Minister’s Report Card

Seyyed Mohammad Madani

Bahaismiran:

During Ghajarieh kingdom, from the beginning to the establishment until the occurance of English coup 1229, we encounter just a Baha minister in Iranian government who has fallen in this sect’s path after dropping out the ministration for merely political reason: Mirza Mahdi Khan Kashi-VAzir Homayoun (1282-1336).

Vazir Homayoun is Farrokh Khan Amin-al-duleh’s son. Farrokh Khan was one of king Naser-alddin’s courtiers and one of the old masons of Iran. It is said that he was responsible for deposition and imprisoning of Amir the Great in serving to Mirza Agha Khan Nouri (Amir’s rival and deputy). During the fighting between Iran and England on Harat in king Naser-alddin’s era, Farrokh Khan had a mission to go to Europe to end up the conflict with the rival through negotiations. He traveled to Paris and entered Masoni loge “Grandorian” (and achieved the status of “Greatest Mastership”) accompanied by this attendances then in March, 1857, he signed a treaty with the English which confirmed the separation of Harat form Iran.

Mehdi Bamdad, called the treaty the most shameful and the most tyrannous one after Torkaman chai which a bforign country has ever signed with Iranian government and has ever imposed to it forcefully. Farrokh Khan was accused with bribery and betrayal in signing the treaty. Farokh Khan was accused as one of the related men with England and one of quite attended ones by English embassy in Iran who tried hard in preserving the English interests enthusiastically. One on his actions for achieving is purpose was his role that he played in gaining a privilege to run a telegraph line in Iran for London (December 1862). A telegraph line which strengthened the dominance for London on choetic colony of India (after independence battle 1857-1859)  by entering Iran in a network for worldwide broadcasting of Britain (form Europe to India) and it was also similar to a penetrating way in the society and policy of Islamic Iran Vazir Homayoun was such a man’s son. He himself was one of old courtiers and deputies of King NAser’alddin. He tries hard to approach the king and to develop his political rank by tomfoolery and buffoonery for them. He was suspected to espy for the King among statesmen. He was alcoholic and a man of gamble. These horrid actions are recoded in his case. His friend Nazem-al-saltanehcalls him as Amin-al-sotan’s attendance-chancellor who signed dawn. He himself has given evidence while participating the ceremony of one of statement of the court that: “the chancellor was busy playing “Nard” with Vazir impolitely speaking with the chancellor.”

Ghahraman Mirza Salour has explained in his diary about Vazir Homayoun’s dissipation and fornication and his friends.

Additionally, when Vazir Homayoun was minister of post was accused with swindling 20000 Tomans out of French post office in Iran and 3000 Tomans out of the employees of post office. Another characteristic of Vazir Homayoun was his tomfoolery buffoonery in Gajarieh court.

According to Mehdi Bamdad: “in king Naser-alddin’s kingdom he had tomfoolery and buffoonery and this was one of his strategies in approaching the king. “E’atemad-al-Saltaneh, who was one of the king Naser-alddin’s courtiersand other have repeatedly pointed to Vazir Homayounn’s buffoonery to the king, the king’s women and the chancellor. We have previously mentioned about Farrokh Khan’s arrival in Grandorian loge. The membership in Masonry and semi-masonry was herediatory which was transferred to different people in his family. From Frrokh Khan’s brothers, nephews, nieces and cousins (Mirza Zaman Khan) Mirza Reza Khan, Mohammad Ali Khan, Dabir Homayoun, Ghalam Hussein Khan Saheb Ekhtiar and Hussein Gholi Khan Amin KHalvat and also Mohandes-almamalek and his relatives: (Sharif-al duleh Bani Adam and Ali Gholi Khan Nabil al duleh) to Farrokh Khan’s offspring (Moaven-alduleh Ghaffari and his son Amin Khalvat and Vazir Homayoun and Abulghasem Khan Naser Khaghan and Vazir Homayoun’s son: Mohammad Hassan Khan) all of them were members of masony coteries.

It is interesting to note that in the condition where colonial countries of west were greedy with the east interests and occupied a great part of eastern Islamic countries forcefully and with trickery and in the condition where Amin-al-soltan (who signed Tobacco treaty) were receiving Rejy company, Vazir Homayoun were applausing the kindness and humanity of Western people. He writes in his note in Lunar Month, 1307 (when returning from Europe accompanied with king Naser-alddin and Amin-al-soltan): “tonight, I served dinner with Mr. Amin-al-soltan. After dinner, we were speaking about abroad and were admiring there. We chatted for a long time and it will become clear that his taste has become better. He has become more aware of its development of sciences and technics and their kindness and humanity.”

Vazir Homayoun was politically seditious and opportunist. He was active in group and fighting of political powers which were usual on that time to keep his governmental power and gaining supreme posts and adapted himself in “each kind of political situation”. For example, in order to achieve his political aims, he participated in signing constitution of parliamentary by king Mozaffaraddin and he meeting of constitutionalists for the king during parliamentary or he intrigued the king to cancel the parliament. As an award for these affairs, King Mohammad Ali appointed him as a governor of Yazd and Arak during autarchy minor. In those lands his autarchy and bad behavior were opposed by people.

Source: Ayyam special edition-No.29