Britain’s Persian Connection, 1798-1828: Prelude to the Great Game in Asia

In 1801 and again in 1809 the British made a treaty with the Qajar regime of Persia. The two treaties and the attempts to define and to protect Great Britain’s interests in the Middle East were known at the time as the Persian Connection. Edward Ingram’s study shows how the British expected the Persian Connection to help them win the Napoleonic Wars and to enable them to enjoy the fruits of empire in India. Professor Ingram examines British policies and activities in the Middle East and Central Asia during the early 19th century and traces the course of Anglo-Russian diplomatic relations during this period. The Persian Connection, he argues, was a measure of the status and reputation of Great Britain as a Great Power; the history of its first 20 years illustrates the limits to British power, as well as shedding light on the creation of the Indian Empire.