“All Rulers are Brothers”: Russian Relations with the Iranian Monarchy in the Nineteenth Century

The article examines the history of the relationship between the Iranian and the Russian monarchies during the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Drawing on a broad range of hitherto unexplored sources in Russian, the article analyzes Russian attitudes towards the Qajars, for whom the Romanov tsars were at the same time the most important ally and the biggest threat. The article focuses on the symbols and ceremonies by which the monarchs represented their relations, and by which they expressed symbolic competition, recognition and domination. The article thus opens a new perspective on Russia's influence on the Qajars and also raises questions about the comparative history of both monarchies.