James Justinian Morier (15 August 1782 – 19 March 1849)[a] was a British diplomat and author noted for his novels about the Qajar dynasty in Iran, most famously for the Hajji Baba series. These were filmed in 1954.
Morier was born in OttomanSmyrna, the second son of Isaac Morier, a Swiss-born merchant, British by naturalisation, and a member of the London-based Levant Company, and Elizabeth Clara Van Lennep. After private education in England, he worked in his father's Smyrna business between 1799 and 1806.
Diplomatic career
Career in Iran
Through the influence of his uncle, Admiral William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock, he entered the diplomatic service. He first visited Iran in 1808 as secretary to Harford Jones-Brydges, a special British envoy to the Shah, publishing an account of his experiences in 1812 under the title A Journey through Iran, Armenia and Asia Minor to Constantinople in the years 1808 and 1809. In 1809 he accompanied the Iranian envoy, Mirza Abul Hasan, to Britain, and in 1810 returned to Iran as Secretary of Embassy on the staff of Sir Gore Ouseley, first Ambassador to Iran. He remained there as Chargé d'Affaires in 1814–1816. After his return to England he published A Second Journey through Iran to Constantinople between the years 1810 and 1816.
Commissioner to Mexico
Morier married Harriet Fulke Greville in London in 1820. Between 1824 and 1826 he was special commissioner to Mexico, where he negotiated a British-Mexican Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation ratified in 1827.[1][2]
Writing career
With his knowledge of Eastern life and manners, Morier wrote several entertaining novels. The most popular were The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan (1824) and its sequel, The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan in England (1828). The former novel is a sort of Gil Blas set in Persia. The Persian minister to England is said to have protested in behalf of his government against its satire and manner of speaking. There followed Zohrab the Hostage (1832), Ayesha the Maid of Kars (1834), and The Mirza (1841), all full of brilliant description, character-painting, and delicate satire, and several others of lesser quality.
The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan (1824) 1937 edition, Random House, illustrated by the well-travelled Cyrus Leroy Baldridge. Baldridge had a hand in everything, from designing the cover and drawing dozens of illustrations to choosing the typeface and paper. A Persian translation of the book was produced by Douglas Craven Phillott.
The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan 1947 edition, The Heritage Press, imprint of The George Macy Companies, illustrated by Honore Guilbeau, preface by Sir Walter Scott
Death
Morier died suddenly in Brighton on 19 March 1849, from "cerebral congestion".[a] His wife died in London in 1858.
Operation Hajji Baba, a humanitarian airlift operation conducted in 1952 by the US Air Force, took its name from the Hajji Baba novels.
Morier is credited with introducing into English the word "bosh", meaning absurd or foolish talk. It derives from the Turkish word boş meaning "empty".
^ abcd"Morier, James Justinian". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/19259. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.) 23 September 2004. Stanley Lane-Poole, revised by Elizabeth Baigent. Retrieved 5 January 2019. The encyclopedia biography gives the dates and places of birth and death and the cause of death stated here. There are sources for other dates. Encyclopædia Britannica gives a lifespan of c. 1780 to 19 March 1849 (as of 2002, reported by the Library of Congress, or LCCN), which is revised from 1780 to 23 March 1849 (as of 1911, below). LCCN: n80-013276 notes reported birth years of 1780, possibly 1780 or 1782, and 1784.
References
^Pappas, James G. (1966). A Discussion of the British-Mexican Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation of December 26th, 1826(PDF) (MA). Loyola University Chicago.
^"History of diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United Kingdom" (PDF) (in Spanish).
^"Moriera Boiss. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Morier, James". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan, excerpt at Project Gutenberg
Ayesha, Maid of Kars at Internet Archive
James Justinian Morier at Library of Congress, with 39 library catalogue records
April 28, 2023
james, justinian, morier, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, october, 2020, learn, when, remove, this, template, . This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations October 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message James Justinian Morier 15 August 1782 19 March 1849 a was a British diplomat and author noted for his novels about the Qajar dynasty in Iran most famously for the Hajji Baba series These were filmed in 1954 James Justinian MorierMorier portrait by an unknown artistBornJames Justinian Morier 1782 08 15 15 August 1782Smyrna Ottoman Empire a Died19 March 1849 1849 03 19 aged 66 Brighton England a OccupationNovelist diplomatNotable worksThe Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan Contents 1 Early life 2 Diplomatic career 2 1 Career in Iran 2 2 Commissioner to Mexico 3 Writing career 4 Death 5 Legacy 6 Notes 6 1 References 7 External linksEarly life EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources James Justinian Morier news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Morier was born in Ottoman Smyrna the second son of Isaac Morier a Swiss born merchant British by naturalisation and a member of the London based Levant Company and Elizabeth Clara Van Lennep After private education in England he worked in his father s Smyrna business between 1799 and 1806 Diplomatic career EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources James Justinian Morier news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Career in Iran Edit Through the influence of his uncle Admiral William Waldegrave 1st Baron Radstock he entered the diplomatic service He first visited Iran in 1808 as secretary to Harford Jones Brydges a special British envoy to the Shah publishing an account of his experiences in 1812 under the title A Journey through Iran Armenia and Asia Minor to Constantinople in the years 1808 and 1809 In 1809 he accompanied the Iranian envoy Mirza Abul Hasan to Britain and in 1810 returned to Iran as Secretary of Embassy on the staff of Sir Gore Ouseley first Ambassador to Iran He remained there as Charge d Affaires in 1814 1816 After his return to England he published A Second Journey through Iran to Constantinople between the years 1810 and 1816 Commissioner to Mexico Edit Morier married Harriet Fulke Greville in London in 1820 Between 1824 and 1826 he was special commissioner to Mexico where he negotiated a British Mexican Treaty of Amity Commerce and Navigation ratified in 1827 1 2 Writing career EditWith his knowledge of Eastern life and manners Morier wrote several entertaining novels The most popular were The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan 1824 and its sequel The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan in England 1828 The former novel is a sort of Gil Blas set in Persia The Persian minister to England is said to have protested in behalf of his government against its satire and manner of speaking There followed Zohrab the Hostage 1832 Ayesha the Maid of Kars 1834 and The Mirza 1841 all full of brilliant description character painting and delicate satire and several others of lesser quality The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan 1824 1937 edition Random House illustrated by the well travelled Cyrus Leroy Baldridge Baldridge had a hand in everything from designing the cover and drawing dozens of illustrations to choosing the typeface and paper A Persian translation of the book was produced by Douglas Craven Phillott The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan 1947 edition The Heritage Press imprint of The George Macy Companies illustrated by Honore Guilbeau preface by Sir Walter ScottDeath EditMorier died suddenly in Brighton on 19 March 1849 from cerebral congestion a His wife died in London in 1858 Legacy EditThe Adventures of Hajji Baba is an American movie based on the Hajji Baba novels which was produced in 1954 Operation Hajji Baba a humanitarian airlift operation conducted in 1952 by the US Air Force took its name from the Hajji Baba novels Morier is credited with introducing into English the word bosh meaning absurd or foolish talk It derives from the Turkish word bos meaning empty In 1842 botanist Boiss published Moriera a genus of flowering plants from Central Asia belonging to the family Brassicaceae in his honour 3 Notes Edit a b c d Morier James Justinian Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 19259 Subscription or UK public library membership required 23 September 2004 Stanley Lane Poole revised by Elizabeth Baigent Retrieved 5 January 2019 The encyclopedia biography gives the dates and places of birth and death and the cause of death stated here There are sources for other dates Encyclopaedia Britannica gives a lifespan of c 1780 to 19 March 1849 as of 2002 reported by the Library of Congress or LCCN which is revised from 1780 to 23 March 1849 as of 1911 below LCCN n80 013276 notes reported birth years of 1780 possibly 1780 or 1782 and 1784 References Edit Pappas James G 1966 A Discussion of the British Mexican Treaty of Amity Commerce and Navigation of December 26th 1826 PDF MA Loyola University Chicago History of diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United Kingdom PDF in Spanish Moriera Boiss Plants of the World Online Kew Science Plants of the World Online Retrieved 24 May 2021 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Morier James Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th ed Cambridge University Press Cousin John William 1910 Morier James Justinian A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature London J M Dent amp Sons via Wikisource Johnston Henry McKenzie Ottoman and Iranian Persian Odysseys I B Tauris amp Co Ltd 1998 Boyne Walter J The Pilgrim Airlift Air Force Magazine March 2007 Hajji Baba of Ispahan New International Encyclopedia 1905 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to James Justinian Morier Works by James Justinian Morier at Project Gutenberg Works by or about James Justinian Morier at Internet Archive Works by James Justinian Morier at Open Library The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan set forth in Eighty Chapters full text The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan excerpt at Project Gutenberg Ayesha Maid of Kars at Internet Archive James Justinian Morier at Library of Congress with 39 library catalogue records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James Justinian Morier amp oldid 1139850461, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
