Imperial edict (firman) of Nasir al-Din Shah

Title
Imperial edict (firman) of Nasir al-Din Shah
Year/Period
AH 1299/ 1882 CE
Region
Iran, Qajar period
Material
Ink, gold and colours
Technique
Handwritten, illuminated
Dimension
Object size: H:55 x W:43.5 x D:3cm
Accession No.
2009-03738
NLB Type
Document

This 'firman' or royal letter is written in 'nasta'liq' style, a script favoured for formal documents in the Persian Qajar court. The top of the document bears the seal stamp of the Qajar ruler, Nasir al-Din Shah, as well as the royal insignia of a lion and sun. This 'firman' was written to accompany the gift of a portrait of Nasir al-Din Shah to the British diplomat and scholar Sir Henry Rawlinson (1810-1895 CE) described herein as a 'friend of Iran'.