Persian Gulf by Willem Floor
Muscat, the capital city of present day Oman, has had a long, and colorful history as a typical Indian Ocean port at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. International trade brought about a rich mix of various ethnic and religious groups including, besides Arabs, Africans, Baluchis, Mekranis, Sindis, Gujaratis, Persians and many others. At the turn of the twentieth century fourteen languages could be heard spoken in the city. As a result the people of Muscat tended to be more outward-looking, and tolerant of various cultures, than those of the hinterland. Nonetheless, the city remained a secondary port for most of its history. By 1750, due to anarchy in Iran and problems in Basra, Muscat became the most important Persian Gulf port, and very wealthy. This position was further enhanced by a strong Omani fleet built by the early Al Bu Sa id rulers. By 1820, however, the Persian Gulf ports reasserted themselves and the Pax Britannica put an end to the use of Omani sea power, and Muscat started to decline. Sultan Sa id I focused his energies on the development of Zanzibar on the African coast, but by 1868 revenues from Zanzibar and Bandar Abbas had all been lost. Furthermore, conflict between Muscat and the interior and the arrival of steam ships, which supplanted the smaller, local vessels, further sapped the city's strength, and its prosperity. By 1900, Muscat had become a sleepy steamer port with a considerably reduced population. In Muscat: City, Society, & Trade, Willem Floor marshals a wealth of historical documents and challenges some of the heretofore accepted wisdom about the city. Those interested in the socio-economic and medical history of the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf will find here a rich banquet of information.
Willem Floor is an independent scholar specialising in the history of Iran in the Safavid and modern ages. His recent publications include A Fiscal History of Iran in the Safavid and Qajar Periods, 1500-1925, Safavid Government Institutions and Titles and Emoluments in Safavid Iran. He is a co-author of The Monetary History of Iran (I.B.Tauris). Edmund Herzig is Masoumeh and Fereydoon Soudavar Professor of Persian Studies at the University of Oxford. He works on the history of Iran in the Safavid and contemporary periods and his research interests also include the history of the Caucasus and Central Asia. His recent publications include Early Islamic Iran (I.B.Tauris, co-edited with Sarah Stewart) and a special issue of Central Asian Survey, 'Tajikistan: The Sources of Statehood' (co-edited with John Heathershaw).
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781933823768 |
| ISBN 10 | 1933823763 |
| Title | Persian Gulf |
| Author | Willem Floor |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Mage Publishers |
| Year published | 2014-11-11 |
| Number of pages | 212 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |