A Man of Many Seas: More on Coja Baba and his Textiles

May 28, 2015

Coja Baba Sultanum (Khwāja Babajan son of Sultanoum) was a merchant of many seas and seasons. His specter is everywhere and virtually in all the archives I have visited in connection with my research. It appears, he was working as a representative for the last Safavid ruler Shah Husain and was commissioned by him to purchase from Amsterdam a crate of Dutch textiles (tapestries or rugs/tapis) to ship them via Archangel in Russia to the Safavid capital in 1707. Attached is the original notarial document for those who are interested in the whole context. For now, I am curious to know if anyone on this list can recommend works on the importation of European textiles into Safavid Iran. My impression was that the movement of textiles almost always was from East to West before the Industrial Revolution. Why would the ruler of a state that prided itself on having the world’s most refined textiles and rugs (next to India and China perhaps) want to import rugs from Amsterdam? Any thoughts or comments would be welcome.
What follows is my provisional transcription and translation of the document in question from the Amsterdam Municipal archives:

“Aujourd’huy le vingt deuxieme jour du mois d’octobre l’an mille sept cents sept pardevant moy monsieur G. Jums [?] notaire Publiq a amsterdam admis par la cour de Hollande en presence des temoins bas nommes furent presens Messieurs Jacob Jan di David, Stephan [??] di gargalan, Saratti Stephan, et Simon de Tassali tous marchands persiens et armeniens de present en cette ville, lesquels a la Requete de monsieur Babagian de Sultanum marchand Persien en cette Ville ont dit et declaré (par interpretation de sieurs pierre Avet et martin gregori entendant les langues arménienne es hollandoise) estre vray.

Qu’ils Connoissent très bien le Sieur Requerant et qu’il scavent et leurs est bien connu que le Requerant en Commission pour le Roy de Perse a chargé dans le moi de Juin dernier pour le dit Roy de Perse a chargé dans le vaisseau La Demoiselle Cornelia commandé par [??} Aime Takles destiné d’icy pour Archangel (lequel en la poursuite de son voyage pour le dit Lieu a esté pris par l’environ Warhuysen [?] par l’escadre françoise commandée par le Chevalier Forbin et amené a Brest) une Caisse de Tapits fabrique de ce paÿs, marquée & nombrée comme en marge consignée a agobgian de Davit a Archangel avec ordre de l’envoÿer au dit Roy de perse Suivant Le connoissement attaché a la grosse des presentes er par eux deposants veu et examiné

Donnant les dits déposants pour raison de leur scavoir qui’ls ont longtemps eu familliere Conversation avec La Requérant, et qu’ils ont trouvé que le Requérant a envoyé les dites marchandises en telle Commission. Et de plus ainsy qu’il est dit dans le texte [??] Offrant de la confesser par Serment Solemnel.

Fait a Amsterdam au presence de Gerard Mol & fred Groen Temoins soubsginés [??]

Today on the twenty-second day of the month of October in the year seventeen hundred and seven here appeared before me, Mister G. Jum notary public in Amsterdam, and admitted by the court of Holland, in the presence of the below-named witnesses, Misters Jacob Jan di David, [??] de Gargalan, Saratti Stephan, and Simon de Thasali, all Persian merchants and Armenians of this present city, who at the request of Mister Babagian de Sultanum, Persian Merchant of this city, said and declared the following to be true through the interpretation of the Mister Pierre Avet and Martin Gregory, who understand the Dutch and Armenian languages.

That they [the deponents] know well the Applicant and know well that the Applicant, in the capacity of an commission agent for the Persian king, loaded, in the month of June past, in the vessel “La Demoiselle Cornelia” commanded by Mister Aime Takles and destined from here to Archangel on account of the said king, a case of carpets/tapestries [tapis] made in this country, marked and numbered in a consignment for Agobjan de Davit in Archangel with orders to send them to the king of Persia, according to the instructions on the bill of lading attached to the present documentation (file) and seen and examined by them [the deponents]. This ship was seized during its voyage, in the area of Warhuysen, by the French navy led by the Chevalier Fourbin and taken to Brest.

Given by the deponents who have known for a long time, through familiar conversations with the Applicant and who found that the Applicant has sent the said merchandise in such a commission, and moreover as it is said in this text offering to be sworn to it by solemn oath.
Done in Amsterdam in the presence of Gerard Mol and Fred Groen, witnesses undersigned.