"name of Bab"

A number of accounts begin to name the head of the "schism" first mentioned in 1845 as "Bab" treating it like name. The next change comes with acknowledging this religion has a book in 1850. These mentions of the Bab begin in May 1848 with mention of the Bab's torture and continue through April 1849 adding the beginnings of a sense of different teachings ("well advanced socialist ideas") and culminating in a sense of Babis seeking the freedom of the Bab. This appears to straddle the issues brought up at the June 1848 Conference of Badasht though without mention of Tahirih (who so far appears first in 1852 during the Attempt on the life of the Shah.) The coverage begins in French and later occurs in English and French.

Journal de Constantinople

June 1848

In June 1848 a letter from May 1 is summarized and printed in the Journal de Constantinople considerably before the June 1848 Conference of Badasht.

It says:

D'après notre correspondance de Perse, datée de Teheran, 1^er mai, que nous publions plus bas, …

De plus, il paraîtrait que les faits auxquels ces nouvelles se rapportent, auraient eu pour résultat d'encourager les partisans de Bab dans leur résistance á l'autorité religieuse du pays. Bab est un fou qui s'est annoncé en Perse, il y a quelque temps, comme le Mehdj (Messie), et par ses prédications dans l'Azerbaïdjan et le Ghilan, il avait réussi á grouper autour de lui environ 30,000 prosélytes. Le prince royal nommé en dernier lieu gouverneur de Tébriz, ayant pu, par la persuasion, obtenir (p. 2) que Bab confessàt son imposture, celui-ci a été jeté dans un cachot, apres avoir été soumis prèalablement à la torture, conformément aux lois du pays.

Il serait possible que ces mouvemens eussent des rapports avec les projets révolutionnaires de Sàlar…

Bien que les nouvelles que nous venons de donner sur la situation de la Perse, soieat puisées à des sources dignes de foi, nous pensons qu'avant d'y ajouter une complète créance, il serait convenable d'en attendre la confirmation par les lettres que le prochain courrier nous apportera de ce pays.…

with thanks to J. and Liam Winters at BLO, translates to :

According to our correspondence from Persia, dated May 1st from Teheran, which we publish below, …(news of "the Salar"'s rebellion, a figure of the period, see mention in the Dawnbreakers)

In addition, it would appear that the facts to which this news relates has had the effect of encouraging the supporters of the Bab in their resistance to religious authorities of the country. The Bab is a madman who has announced himself in Persia, some time ago, to be the Mahdi (Messiah), and by his preaching in Azerbaijan and Gilan, he has succeeded in gathering around him about 30,000 converts. The royal prince named last governor of Tabríz, having been able, by persuasion, to get (p. 2) the Bab to confess his imposture. The latter has been thrown into a dungeon, after having previously been subjected to torture, in accordance with the laws of the country.

It is possible that these movements had relationships with revolutionary projects of Salar ...

Although the news that we have just given concerning the situation of Persia has been drawn from reliable sources, we believe that, before giving it complete credence, it would be proper to wait for confirmation from letters which the next post will bring us from that country.

March 1849

Note the Battle of Fort Tabarsi went from October 1848 to May 1849.

24th

On March 24, 1849 the Journal reviews news of Persia and mentions "Babis":

On nous écrit de Tauris, le 1^er mars:

Le dernier courrier venu de Teheran nous annouce que Djafer-Kouli-Khan, le chec le plus considerable de la révolte du Khoraçan… (per "the Salar"?)

"On parle depuis quelque temps d'une secte religieuse qui a pris les armes dans le Mazenderan pour défendre ses dogmes et son chef qui est actuellement en prison ici. Les Babis, c'est ainsi qu'on les nomine du nom de leurs chefs, professent des idées socialistes fort avancées; ils sont aussi forcenés qu'on le peut imaginer, et ils se sont déjà portés a des excês contre des délégués du pouvoir. Mainenant que le gouvernement semble complètement délivré des embarras du Khoraçan, il saura probablement les réduire."

with thanks to J. and Liam Winters, translates as:

This was written to us from Tabríz on the 1st of March:

The last letter came from Teheran announce that we Djafer-Kuli Khan, the most considerable failure of the revolt of Khorasan ... (per "the Salar"?)

"We have been talking for some time of a religious sect who took up arms in Mazenderan to defend its dogmas and its leader who is currently in jail there. Babis, so named after their leader, profess some very advanced socialist ideas. They are also furious as one can imagine, and they are already worn to excesses against delegated power. Now that the government seems completely delivered of embarrassment by Khorasan, it probably will reduce them."

29th

On March 29, 1849 the Journal reviews news of Persia and mentions the Bab and his followers:

Aux détails sur la Perse, que nous avons publiés dans notre dernier numéro [above], nous ajouterons les suivans qui nous sont transmis par notre correspondent de Téhéran ... "Bab, dont je vois ai announcé la révolte et l'emprisonnement à Erdébil, il y a plusieurs mois, s'étant réfugié dans le Mazendéran, s'y est entouré d'un parti de 600 furieux environ qui occupaíent un petit fort d'où ils repoussaient les troupes envoyées contr'eux à plusieurs reprises. Un corps de 3,000 hommes a pu, enfin, exterminer ces factieux, et faire sauter leur repaire..…

with thanks to J. and Liam Winters, translates as:

To the details on Persia which we published in our last issue [above], we add the following, which was transmitted to us by our correspondent in Tehran ... "I have seen it announced that the Bab, after his rebellion and imprisonment in Erdébil some months ago, has taken refuge in Mazandaran where he is surrounded by a party of about 600 angry men occupying a small fort, from which they have repelled the troops repeatedly sent against them. A body of 3,000 men could finally exterminate these rebels, and evict them from their hideout..…"

English

First account not identified yet. Quite possibly the Journal de Constantinople ….

12 April 1849, Morning Post, London, p. 7:

From our Correspondent: Constantinople, March 25

We have had arrivals with the last few days, with interesting intelligence from Persia.… (after mentioning the defeat of "The Salar", then besieged at Meshed…) Another rebel, who made himself very formidable of late in Mazanderan, has just been taken and put to death. This was a fanatic of the name of Bab, who, at the head of a band of enthusiasts, who are called "Babies," had committed all sorts of atrocities in the south of Persia; and having been driven thence by the troops of the Shah, he betook himself to the north, which he treated much after the same fashion, ravaging and raving(text is alittle unclear) his way all through Mazanderan. By the last accounts, however, it appears that an end had been put to him and his exploits by the hand of the public executioner. There is a striking analogy between the career of General Bab in Mazanderan and that of the General Ben of Transylvania; and it is not unlikely that, like Bab, Ben will come to a bad end.

23 April London Daily News, p. 5 is related but also suggests there is earlier coverage "some months ago" of perhaps the struggle at the Shrine of Skaykh Tabarsi?

The following news from Persia appears in the Journal de Constantinople:

To the details relating to Persia, which we published in our last number, we have to add the following, transmitted to us by our correspondent at Teheran.… (again "The Salar" etc,…) Bab, whose revolt and imprisonment at Erdebil I announced to you several months ago, having taken refuge in the Mazenderan, was there with about 600 violent men, who occupied a small fort, from which he had repeatedly repelled the troops sent against him. A corps of 3,000 men, however, has at last exterminated this factious band, and blown up their retreat. … (almost a verbatim quote of the March 29th Journal article.)

There might also be a reference to this in Morning Chronicle, 4 May 1849, p. 6, which was then echoed in the 7 May, Glasgow Herald, Lanarkshire, Scotland, p. 2.

These references do not appear to be in The Bábí and Bahá'í religions 1844-1944: some contemporary western accounts.

French

The French journal Revue de l'Orient in the April 1849 edition, page 264. Note that the periodical is not posted in fully searchable text. See Revue de l'Orient : bulletin de la Société orientale where some are posted as "image only".

La Perse a ses Proudhon, ses Blanqui, etc., etc. Les Babis, c'est ainsi qu'on les nomme, professent des idées socialistes fort avancées; aussi forcenés qu'on peut s'imaginer, ils se sont déja portés à des excès contre des délégués du pouvoir dans le Mazenckhran. Leur cher est en prison a Tauris, et ils disent qu'ils ont pris les armes pour le défendre lui et les dogmes qu'il leur a imposés, et qu'ils ont acceptés sans murmures.

which becomes (Momen's translation)

Persia has its Proudhon, Blanquis, etc., etc.. The Babis, for it is thus they are called, profess the most advanced socialist ideas, so fanatical as one can imagine, they have already taken matters to excess against delegates of authority in Mázindarán. Their chief is in prison in Tauris, and they say they have taken up arms in order to defend him, him and dogmas which he has imposed upon them, and which they accept without a murmur.

Note "Tauris" is used as a French for "Tabreez" or "Tabriz" in English. Noting sources that mention "Tauris" in English may point to dependence on French sources. Momen believes these articles in Revue de l'Orient to be from Dr. Ernest Cloquet.

See also

Historical mentions of the Bábí/Bahá'í Faiths