Mīrzā Kūchak Khān (Persian: میرزا كوچک خان) (common alternative spellings Kouchek, Koochek, Kuchak, Kuchek, Kouchak, Koochak) (1880 - December 2, 1921) was an early twentieth century revolutionary and is considered a national hero in modern Iranian history. Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. He was the founder of a revolutionary movement based in the forests of Gilan in northern Iran that became known as the Nehzat-e Jangal (Forest movement). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Jangal (Jungle movement, in Gilan, was a rebellion against the monarchist rule of the Qajar central government of Iran. This uprising started in 1914 and remained active against internal and foreign enemies until 1921 when the movement was defeated.
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Early life
Kuchak Khan was born Younes, son of Mirza "Bozorg" (meaning "big" i. e. , Senior in Persian), and was thus nicknamed Mirza "Kuchak" (meaning "small" i. e. , Junior in Persian) in the city of Rasht in northern Iran in 1880. Rasht ( رشت, Resht) is the capital of Gilan province in northwestern Iran and the largest city along the Caspian sea coast He studied theology (as the only available formal education at the time) to become a cleric at Jame Rasht in Rasht and later at Mahmudiyeh schools in Tehran. On the eve of the Iranian constitutional revolution as all the intelligentsia and ordinary people became more involved in politics, Mirza quit his studies to join the movement. The Iranian Constitutional Revolution (also known as the Persian Constitutional Revolution or Constitutional Revolution of Iran) took place between 1905 and 1911 Finally in an Imperial decree the Shah of Iran Muzaffar al-Din Shah agreed to a constitutional monarchy in August 1906. Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar, KG ( 25 March 1853 &ndash 7 January 1907) ( was the fifth Qajar dynasty Shah of A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting
However, the ruling feudalistic society was not ready to give up on its privileges and respect the newly elected Parliament (Majlis). Majlis (also spelled Majalis or Mejlis, Arabic مجلس is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting" used to describe various types of formal In June 1908 the parliament was shut down during a coup d'état ordered by the new monarch, Mohammad Ali Shah. Year 1908 ( MCMVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar (محمدعلی شاه قاجار ( 21 June 1872 - 5 April 1924) was the Shah of Persia from January The Russian Cossack Brigade under the command of Colonel Liakhov serving the Shah bombarded the parliament and arrested the pro-democracy people and their social leaders such as journalists and members of the Parliament. Polkovnik (Colonel Vladimir Platonovitch Liakhov (Владимир Платонович Ляхов (1869 - 1919 1) was the commander of Persian Uprisings all over the country followed in particular in Tabriz&Ardabil and Rasht. Tabriz ( تبریز, تبریز) is the largest city in northwestern Iran. Ardabil ( Persian and Azeri: اردبیل also known as Ardebil; Old Persian: Artavil During the Tabriz uprising Kuchak Khan tried to join Sattar Khan&Haj Baba Khan-e- Ardabili's forces, but was unable to actively participate due to an illness. Sattar Khan ( ستارخان, sætːɒːɾ xɒn (1868— November 9, 1914, Persian: ستار ---- Haj Baba Khan Ardabili (حاج بابا خان اردبیلی He was injured in the Constitutionalist war, and had to travel to Baku and Tbilisi for medical attention. Baku (Bakı sometimes known as Baqy, Baky, Baki or Bakü, is the capital the largest city and the largest port of Azerbaijan Tbilisi (ˌtbiˈliːsi in Georgian: თბილისი is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari
After going through a period of renewed and bloody dictatorship nicknamed the Short Dictatorship (or Lesser Autocracy) finally, in July 1909 the national revolutionary forces from Gilan and central Iran (Bakhtiari tribes) were united to attack and conquer the capital Tehran. Year 1909 ( MCMIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The Bakhtiari (or Bakhtiyari Bakhtyari) are a group of southwestern Iranians. Tehran (or Teheran) ( Persian: تهران Tehrān) is the capital and largest City of Iran, and the administrative center of Mirza Kuchak Khan was one of the lower rank commanders of the force that invaded the capital from North (under the command of Sepahdar Aazam Mohammad Vali Khan Tonekaboni).
Jangal movement
Unfortunately, given the shortcomings of the advanced social thinkers and activists of the time on one hand and the stronger establishment of the old autocracy on the other hand, again the same privileged class and their political representatives took control of the new regime. The freedom fighters were not satisfied and in fact were disarmed, in some cases using force. Meanwhile the direct and indirect manipulation of the country's internal politics by Tsarist Russians and the British added to the sufferings of the people and resulted in social unrest. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located
It was during such tumultuous period that Mirza Kuchak Khan, in collaboration with the Society of Islamic Union, started his uprising in the northern forests (Southern Caspian). For the Iranian Frigate Alborz see Iranian frigate Alborz. For Alborz High School (in Persianدبیرستان البرز see Alborz High Mirza Kuchak Khan's return to Rasht was not easy since he had been expelled from Gilan by the Russian consulate for five years. His cause seems to have been a mixture of that of the newly emerging national bourgeoisie and downtrodden peasants and therefore gained momentum soon after it started. The Jangal forces (locally referred to as 'Jangalis' i. e. , 'forest people' in Persian) defeated the local governmental and Russian troops which added to their reputation as potential saviors of the ideas of the constitutional revolution.
On June 12, 1918 Manjil was the site of a battle between the Jangali troops and the joint British and White Russian forces. Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Manjil is a historical town in Gilan Province in the southern basin of Caspian in Northern Iran. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The White movement (Beloie Dvijenie Белое движение whose military arm is known as the White Army (Belaia Armia Белая Армия or White Guard The latter force (led by General Dunsterville and Kernel Bicherakhov) although formally just trying to organize the return of Russian soldiers back home, in reality was planning to pass through Manjil as the only passage to the Caspian in order to reach Baku and fight against the newly formed Baku commune (led by Stepan Shahumian). Baku (Bakı sometimes known as Baqy, Baky, Baki or Bakü, is the capital the largest city and the largest port of Azerbaijan Baku (Bakı sometimes known as Baqy, Baky, Baki or Bakü, is the capital the largest city and the largest port of Azerbaijan Stepan Gevorgi Shahumyan ( Armenian: Ստեփան Գևորգի Շահումյան Russian: Степан Георгиевич Шаумян Stepan Georgevich Shaumyan General Dunsterville's private diaries and notes, including those kept during his command of the Dunsterforce Mission to North Persia and Baku, are transcribed from the original by General Dunsterville's great granddaughter, and are co-located on the Great War Primary Documents Archive [1]. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Mirza Koochek Khan's troops were defeated in this war because of the use of artillery, armored car and airplanes by the joint forces. Mirza's field commander was a German officer (Major Von Pashen) who had joined the Jangal movement after being released by them from the British prison in Rasht.
The Jangal movement was further boosted and gained gravity after the victory of the Bolsheviks in Russia. See also Russian Revolution (1905 The Russian Revolution of 1916 refers to a series of popular revolutions in Russia, and the events surrounding them The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction In May 1920 the Soviet Navy led by Fyodor F. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Raskolnikov and accompanied by Grigoriy Ordzhonikidze entered the Caspian port of Anzali. Grigoriy Konstantinovich Ordzhonikidze (გრიგოლ (სერგო ორჯონიკიძე - Grigol (Sergo Orjonikidze Russian: Григорий Константинович Bandar-e Anzali ( known as Bandar-e Pahlavi ( before the Iranian Revolution, is a harbour town on the Caspian Sea, in the Iranian province This mission was declared to be only in pursue of the Russian vessels and ammunition taken to Anzali by the White Russian counter-revolutionary general Denikin, who had been given asylum by British forces in Anzali. The White movement (Beloie Dvijenie Белое движение whose military arm is known as the White Army (Belaia Armia Белая Армия or White Guard Anton Ivanovich Denikin (Анто́н Ива́нович Дени́кин ( December 16, 1872 – August 8, 1947) was Lieutenant General
Socialist Republic of Gilan
Mirza Koochak Khan agreed to cooperate with the Soviet revolutionaries on some conditions including the announcement of the Socialist Republic of Gilan (also known as The Red Republic of the Jungle) under his leadership and lack of any direct intervention by the Soviets in the internal affairs of the republic. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 However, soon disagreements arose between Mirza and his group of advisors on one side and the Soviets and the Iranian Communist Party (evolved from the Baku based Edalad Party). Mirza's efforts to resolve the bloody disputes by sending a petition through a delegate of two of his men to Lenin [2] did not result in a resolution. By 1921 and particularly after the agreement achieved between the Soviet Union and Britain the Soviets decided not to further support the Socialist Republic of Gilan and as a result the government forces led by Reza Khan crushed the dispersed forces of the Jungle Republic. For the Afghan serial killer see Reza Khan (Taliban. There is however, a different point of view that believes Mirza Kuchack Khan and his inner circles were inherently incapable of accomplishing radical social changes such as abandoning feudalism in Gilan which would have served the republic tremendously paving the way for its final victory [3].
 Comrade Saadollah Darvish is appointed as the Chair of the Revolutionary Council (Commissar) of the forces missioned to Mazandaran Province, to promote the Red Iranian Revoloution in that province. The letter is signed by Mirza Koochak Khan (his usual signature Koochek-e Jangali i. e. , Koochek of the Jungle) and other members of the Revolutionary Council of The Republic of Iran, 1920. The tone and the terminology used in the letter shows the revolutionary fervor of the time and, contrary to the suggestion of conservatism on Mirza's side by some historians, his devotion to the ideas of socialism. |
 The wall newspaper Roosta (village) in Persian and Russian reads: "Red Iran, Rasht June 27, 1920, Long Live Mirza Koochek", in the honor of Mirza Koochek Khan and celebration of the newly announced Soviet Republic of Gilan. A wall newspaper or wall-newspaper is a printed Newspaper designed to be displayed and read in public places such as walls Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar |
Mirza's death
Mirza and his companion, a Russian-German revolutionary adventurer Gauook (Hooshang), left alone in Khalkhal mountains, died of frost bite. Khalkhal or Khalkhāl may refer to Xalxal Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan Xalxal Oghuz, Azerbaijan Khalkhal County His body was decapitated by a local landlord and his head was displayed in Rasht to establish the government’s new hegemony [4] over revolution and revolutionary ideas.
Historical analysis
Historians have tried to analyze the factors that contributed to the demise of the Jangal Movement. Some of the main studies including those by Gregor Yeghikian and Ebrahim Fakhrayi (minister of Culture in Mirza's Cabinet of the Red Republic) suggest a role for both extremist actions taken by the Communist (Edalat) Party that provoked opposing religious sentiment among the public, and Mirza Koochak Khan's religious and at times somewhat conservative views on collaboration with the Communist Party as possible factors.
It has been suggested also that the change of policy on the Soviet side regarding pursuing global revolution (as advocated by Trotsky) versus establishing and protecting the Soviet Union was the main reason for them to withdraw support from the Gilan republic. Leon Trotsky ( Russian:, Lev Davidovich Trotsky, also transliterated Leo, Lyev, Trotskii, Trotski, Trotskij The second option got more support and therefore Soviets signed a treaty with British in London (1921) which necessiated withdrawing from Northern Iran. Correspondence between Theodore Rothstein the Soviet ambassador in Tehran and Mirza Koochak Khan supports this view (Ebrahim Fakhrayi). Theodore Aronovich Rothstein (1871 - 1953 was a Russian Journalist, Writer and Communist. As part of his peace making efforts, Rothstein had also sent a message to the Soviet officers among Ehsanollah Khan's one thousand strong force that had made its way towards Qazvin, not to obey his orders and as a result that campaign was defeated however, this view has been challenged by other historians emphasizing Kuchak Khan's limited view of revolution given his socio-economic and ideological position [5]. Qazvin ( also spelled as Ghazvin) is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran with an estimated population of 331409 in 2005
See also
External links
- Socialist Republic of Gilan: The First Offensive Move of the October Revolution
- General Dunstervill's diary - Great War Primary Documents Archive
- http://www.irib.ir/Ouriran/mashahir/siasi/jangali/htm/en/jangali.htm
- http://www.iran-daily.com/1384/2330/html/panorama.htm
Further reading
- Ebrahim Fakhrayi, Sardar-e Jangal (The Commander of the Jungle), Tehran: Javidan,1983. The Iranian Constitutional Revolution (also known as the Persian Constitutional Revolution or Constitutional Revolution of Iran) took place between 1905 and 1911 The Jangal (Jungle movement, in Gilan, was a rebellion against the monarchist rule of the Qajar central government of Iran.
- Gregor Yaghikiyan, Shooravi and jonbesh-e jangal (The Soviet Union and the Jungle Movement), Editor: Borzouyeh Dehgan, Tehran: Novin, 1984.
- Khosro Shākeri, Milāde Zakhm: Jonbesh-e Jangal va Jomhuri-ye Shoravi-ye Socialist-e Iran (The Birth of the Lesion: The Jangali movement and the Consultative Socialist Republic of Iran), in Persian, first edition, 715 p. (Akhtarān Press, Tehran, 2007). ISBN 9789648897272
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