Outbreak of the Anglo-Persian War (1856)

The Anglo-Persian War began with a British declaration of war against Qajar Iran in November 1856, following the Persian conquest of Herat. This event covers the diplomatic breakdown and the formal declaration, noting the British military preparations that preceded the announcement.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The conflict arose from the Herat Question, where Qajar forces besieged and captured Herat in late 1856. Herat had previously declared independence under British protection, violating existing treaties. The siege served as the catalyst for the breakdown of Anglo-Persian relations, leading to diplomatic warnings and eventual military escalation.

Diplomatic Context. Tensions escalated through the Great Game. Lord Palmerston issued warnings to the Shah in May 1856. Despite diplomatic efforts by Farrokh Khan Ghaffari, the British prepared for military action by July. The declaration of war was issued from Calcutta on 1 November 1856, coinciding with Persian celebrations of Herat's capture.

Declaration and Arrival. The British declaration of war was issued on 1 November 1856. Its arrival in Iran coincided with a public levee in Tehran on 25 November, commemorating the capture of Herat. The Shah was present in the Golestan Palace on 2 November, shortly after the declaration's issuance.

People involved

Sources

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.