IOR/L/PS/9/70/111

Copy of dispatch No. 18 from HM Chargé d’Affaires to Persia [Iran], Henry Willock, in camp at Ardebil [Ardabil], to HM Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, George Canning, of 18 August 1826. The letter concerns the opening stages of the war between Russia and Persia, which has broken out due to the disputed frontier. The letter reports the departure of the Russian envoy to Persia, Prince Minchikoff [Prince Aleksandr Sergeevich Menshikov], from Persia following the unfavourable conclusion of negotiations, and details the Persian successes following the opening of hostilities, including:

• The Persian occupation of Talish [Talysh] following an uprising by the local population
• Military developments in Carabagh [Karabakh], Sheerivan [Shirvan] and Daghestan [Dagestan]
• The driving away of Russian troops from disputed territory at the lake of Gokcha [Lake Sevan]
• The Governor-General of Georgia, General Yermoloff [General Aleksey Petrovich Yermolov], having remained with his troops at Tiflis [Tbilisi]
• The nomination of an officer by the Shah of Persia [Fath-‘Ali Shāh Qājār] to travel to Constantinople [Istanbul] to encourage the Ottoman Empire to declare war on Russia.

The letter also originally enclosed copies of correspondence between Prince Minchikoff and Willock concerning a gift of a crystal couch for the Shah (now catalogued as IOR/L/PS/9/70/112-113).

This document was originally enclosed in Willock’s letter to the Secret Committee of the East India Company of 20 August 1826 (IOR/L/PS/9/70/109).