Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
From 1917 it was the centre of Kuchuk Khan's Jangali ('Forest') Movement, an Islam-
ic, Robin Hood-style rebellion. Among their grievances with collapsing Qajar Iran was
the shah's perceived sell-out to oil-hungry Britain. Courting the Bolsheviks who'd just
taken control of Russia, Kuchuk Khan joined forces with communist agitators and, on 4
June 1920, set up Gilan as the 'Soviet Socialist Republic of Iran'. However, radical-left-
ists and land-owning Muslim nationalists made very prickly bedfellows. Once Kuchuk
Khan had ejected the infidel communists from his 'government', his Russian backers
slipped away leaving Gilan prey to the efficient new regime of Reza Khan (later Shah
Reza Pahlavi) who'd taken over Persia in a February 1921 coup. Reza Khan first dealt
with temporarily independent Tabriz/Azarbayjan, then attacked Gilan. Most of Rasht's
pretty wooden houses were burnt, Kuchuk Khan was executed and his severed head was
brought to Tehran for public display.
These days any enemy of the Pahlavis has become a friend of the current Islamic Re-
public. Thus Kuchuk Khan has ridden back into favour on many a horseback statue across
Gilan.
