Khorasan-e-jonubi (of the south)

Khorasan-e-jonubi (of the south) (Persan: RTL F خراسانجنوبی) one of the 30 provinces of Iran, is located in the east of the country. Birjand is the capital.

The other departments are Sarayan, Nahbandan, and Sarbisheh.

Khorasan-e-jonubi is one of the 3 provinces create after the division of the Khorasan in 2004.

History

The Khorasan lived the rise and the fall of many dynasties and governments on its territory during the history. Many Arab tribes , Turkish, Mongolian, Afghan Turkmènes and brought changes in the area each one in their time.

Former geographers of Iran (" Iran-Shahr") the country divided into 8 segments, among which most flourishing and largest was the territory of the Khorasan. Esfarayen, among other cities of the country, was one of the central points of residence for the Aryennes tribes after it entered to Iran.

The famous empire Parthian was based with Merv, Khorasan during many years. In the times of the parthes Arsacides, Esfarayen was one of the most important villages of Neyshapour.

During the dynasty Sassanide, the province was controlled by a Espahbod (Lieutenant Général) called " Padgoosban" and by 4 margraves, each one ordering one of the 4 parts of the province.

Khorasan was divided into 4 parts at the time of the Islamic conquest of Iran and each part was named according to the 4 large cities, Neyshabour, Merv, Herat, and Balkh. In the year 651, the army of the Moslem Arabs invades Khorasan. The territory remained in the hands of the clan Abbasside until in 820, followed by the reign of the Iranian clan Taheride until in 896 then of the dynasty Samanide until in 900.

Sultan Mohmud Qaznavi (Mahmûd de Ghaznî) conquered Khorasan in 994 and in the year 1037 Toghrul-Beg, the first of the Seldjoukides conquered Neyshabour.

Mahmud Qaznavi resisted against the invaders several times, and finally, the Turks Ghaznavides were beaten by Sultan Sanjar. But the history of the conquests was not finished, since in 1157, Khorasan was conquered by the Khwarazmides and because of attacks conducted simultaneously by the Mongolian , Khorasan was annexed to the territories of the Mongolian Ilkhanat.

At the 14th century, the Mouvement Sardebaran has declares independence with Sabzevar and, towards 1360, Khorasan fell between the hands from Amir Teimoor Goorkani (Tamerlan). The town of Herat became the capital of his/her son Shah Rukh (reign 1407 - 1447) then of his descendant Husayn Bayqara (reign 1469 - 1506), the patron of the great painter minaturist Behzad.

In 1507, Khorasan was occupied by tribes ouzbèkes. After the death of Nadir Shah Afshar in 1747, Khorasan was occupied by the Afghans.

During the period Qajar E, the the United Kingdom supported the Afghans in order to protect the Compagnie from the Eastern Indies. Herat was thus separated from Persia and Nasereddin Shah was unable to beat the British in order to take again Herat. Finally, the treaty of Paris was concluded in 1903, and Iran saw itself prohibiting to take advantage of its rights with respect to the British on Herat and the other territories of what today is the Afghanistan.

Finally, Khorasan was divided into two parts: the oriental party, who were the area densément populated and which fell under British protection, and the Western part, who remained under occupation of Iran.

Khorasan was the largest province of Iran until it is divided into three provinces the September 29th 2004. The provinces create with the approval of the Parliament of Iran (the May 18th 2004) and by the Conseil of the Guards (the May 29th 2004 were the Khorasan-e-razavi, the Khorasan-e-shomali (of North) and the Khorasan-e-jonubi (of the south).

Khorasan-e-jonubi today

The majority ethnicities in the area are the Persan ones, Turkish khorasani, the turkmenes, Kurdish and Arabic. There has been also a community afghance substantial due to the surge of refugees coming from Afghanistan for a few years.

Khorasan is known for its carpets, but especially for its Safran which is produced in majority in the cities of the south of the province.

Attractions

Khorasan of the south has many historic sites and natural attractions, but also of many religious monuments and places of pilgrimage.

The organization of the cultural heritage of Iran indexes 1179 sites of historical and cultural importance in the 3 provinces of Khorasan.

In the past, Birjand belonged to an area called " Ghahestan" and a big role after the arrival of Islam had.

On the one hand, the area was a place of refuge for movements like the Ismaéliens and was the goal of Arab refugees who wanted to escape tyranny from the caliphate Abbasside. In addition, of the vestiges Zoroastrien S exist in the area.

Here some popular examples of attraction in Khorasan of the south:

• Citadel of Nehbandan

• Citadel of Furg
• Residence Kolah Farangi in Birjand
• Ghal' eh Paeen-Shahr
• Mosque Chahr Derakht
• Gardens of Amir Abad
• Gardens of Behgard
• Gardens of Akbariyeh
• Cave of Chenshat,
• Mosque of Friday of Birjand
• Imamzadeh Mosa,
• De luxe hotel Alam
• Caves deragon in Sarayan
• Castle ghaleh ghala in Sarayan

and more than 260 other sites and historic buildings.

Universities

• # University of Birjand

free
• # Islamic university of Birjand
• # University of medical sciences of Birjand

See too

• Khorasan

• Khorasan-e-shomali (of North)
• Khorasan-e-razavi
• History of Iran