| چکیده انگلیسی مقاله |
The administrative system of the state and province of the country influences the continuity of government. In the Islamic period, Iranian governments used a coherent administrative system to manage the affairs of the state and province. One of the officials in the administrative structure of the states and provinces was the ministry official. This research, using a historical method and descriptive-analytical approach and employing library and documentary studies, seeks to examine the position and function of the minister of state and province during the Qajar period until the end of the reign of Nāser Al-Din Shāh. The findings of this research show that ministers of the states and provinces were officials elected directly by the central government. They held the highest rank in the state and province after the governor. The minister of state and province cooperated with the governor in political, administrative, and financial decisions. If the ruler was young, the minister was responsible for managing all the affairs of the state and province.
Introduction
Controlling subordinate regions in any government is effective for its continuity. Meanwhile, the political and administrative structure of the state and province plays a vital role. The administrative system of states and provinces in any government is one of the significant topics for historical research.
There have been political-administrative positions after Islam in the states and provinces, such as governor and minister. The Qajar government employed a regular political and administrative system to govern territories under its sovereignty. Considering the weakness of the princes in managing the territories under their rule during the Qajar era, the central government administration sent some competent individuals to assist them in ruling their realms for the extensive duties of the Board, the Ministry of State and Provinces not only served as the Prince's consultant and mentor in the state and province but also managed all administrative and financial affairs of the state.
No independent and coherent research has been performed so far on the ministers of provinces during the Qajar period. However, there is valuable research that includes content related to this issue. These studies include Khosrobeigi (1383 š) in the article "Ministers of the Ruling Princes." In this article, the author briefly addresses the issue of the ministers of the Qajar princes during the reign of Fath Ali Shah but does not explain their duties and positions related to the ministry. Kianfar (1389 š) in the article "Governmental Organizational Structure of Tehran in the Traditional System"; Rahmati and Mozafari (1396 š) in the article "The Position and Function of the Waziri Family in the First Round of the History of Kurdistan in the Qajar Period." in these articles discuss the political and administrative structure of some states and provinces of the Qajar period, only the actions of certain ministers of those states review. None of these studies has comprehensively and independently addressed the subject of the ministers of the states and the province during the Qajar period. Therefore, this article aims to examine the role and function of the ministers of the states and provinces during the Qajar period until the end of the reign of Naser al-Din Shah.
Methodology
The research's historical nature requires a descriptive-analytical methodology. In this approach, the researcher first deals with the scientific description of an event or subject and then explains its causes, interpretations, and implications.
This research utilizes descriptive-analytical methods and employs library and documentary studies to investigate the position of the ministers of state and provinces from the Qajar period until the end of the Nasser al-Din period. The authors seek to answer the following questions in this article: What was the position of the minister in the state and province system of the Qajar era? And what factors influenced their selection? What were the duties and functions of the state ministers during this period of Qajar's rule?
In this article, while observing the principle of trustworthiness, the positions of state and provincial ministers from the Seljuk period to the Zandiyeh dynasty are examined and explained, then searched for data related to the status of the ministers of the state and province during the Qajar period, their performance, their functions, duties positions related to them from historical sources. To be more precise, the research and information sources in this study were studied and examined in detail in several sections and categories. These sources include historical books, Diary books, Iranian and foreign travelogues, documents, government letters, and national newspapers related to the years 1210 to 1313 A.H. Authors extracted data from documents, classified them, and began statistical analysis and scientific conclusions.
Result and Discussion
Ministers of state and province were elected directly by the central government. They were the highest in rank in the state and province system after the governor. The minister supervised all administrative and financial affairs in states and provinces. The election of the minister of state and province has existed since the Seljuk period, and it was in the administrative system of the Safavid period in its centralized administrative structure. The importance of the ministry of the state increased during the reign of Fath Ali Shah, and the appointment of princes as rulers in the states and provinces is somewhat similar to the Atabek system. However, during this period, some princes also had supervisors or Atabeks.
The minister was not only for the princes but also for some regions, such as the governors of Ardalan in Kurdistan or governors like BiglarBeigi elected a minister. However, the performance and duties of the ministers during this period are somewhat similar to those of the ministers from the Safavid period onward.
Ministers were elected, in most cases, from the Mostofi class. Their duties included the Implementation of administrative affairs according to the capital's instructions, supervising government lands, hearing complaints from petitioners in public trials, and making decisions. The minister was considered the link between the central government and the states and provinces in the country, and his ability significantly impacted the continuation of the ruling government's power in that region. The level of control of the ministers in the administration of a region and the satisfaction of the central government caused some ministers to stay in power for a long time in that area. In this situation, the minister kept his position even with the appointment of a new ruler. The minister was also in charge of regional affairs from the central government until the arrival of the new ruler in the state or province. At the same time, they could also take on other tasks such as Pishkar, and Customs supervisor.
The ministers of several states and provinces held a higher position than other provincial ministries. Several ministers from Fars and Khorasan attained the status of independent ministers, overseeing the administration of all state and province affairs under their supervision. The minister of the state of Azerbaijan could reach the position of Qāem maqām, which is similar to the role of a vice minister. Simultaneously, the ministers of the states and provinces were impeached and punished by the central government due to the ruling princes' lack of responsiveness in the event of any unfortunate incidents in the states and provinces. Owing to the sensitivities associated with this position and the power struggles within the states and provinces, many state and province ministers during the Qajar era fell victim to the conspiracies of other local officeholders, such as the governor and the sheriff of the state and province, were killed in these clashes during the Qajar period.
Conclusions
The findings of this research show that the position of the Ministry of State and Province did not belong to the Qajar period but was related to the Seljuk period. Since then, this position has existed in the states' and provinces' political-administrative system until the Qajar period. During the Safavid era, with the establishment of concentration in the country to supervise and administer the subordinate regions, the importance of the Ministry of State and Province's position increased.
The Minister of State and Province was sent as a link between the central government and state and provincial governments, serving as a representative to supervise the governors during the Qajar period. The position and duties of the Ministry of State and Province in the Qajar era should be considered a combination of the Ministry of State and Province in the Seljuk and Safavid periods. During this period, the minister acted as the guardian of the princes for the young or weak ruling princes, overseeing the affairs of the states and provinces and serving as the intermediary of the central government for the control of strong rulers in the States and Provinces. The minister's administrative skills, financial abilities, the extent of the minister's influence in the capital and having strong supporters there, and how he communicates with the ruler of the state and province affected the continuation of the minister's presence in the state and province.
|