Education
When in 1899, due to the intrigues of the Shah's entourage his father was exiled to Baghdad in Ottoman Mesopotamia, he sent his three elder sons to Beirut, to the College of Saint Joseph, A school administered by Jesuit fathers. At that time, Firouz was twelve years old, Abbas ten, and Mohammad Vali nine years old.
Abdol Hossein Mirza Farmanfarma had progressive ideas and believed that to lead Persia into the modern world, his children ought to study in European schools and universities as opposed to receiving a classical education. In 1903 Firouz left Beirut for the Lycee Janson de Sailly in Paris. A year later the two young princes still in Lebanon, set out for Europe, accompanied by a French tutor, monsieur Andre Montadon. At a stop in Constantinople, Mohammad Hossein, the fourth son of Farman Farma, and a young cousin, Hossein Gholi, joined them for the journey.
Abbas Mirza, was a sensitive young man who appreciated nature and the human environment. He liked literature, the arts, photography, Italian operas, and history, though ultimately, he was destined for a military and political career. He was also fluent in English, French, and Arabic.
The young princes toured a number of European countries before finally settling down. Abbas Mirza was sent to Harrow School, before training as an officer at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, England. He also studied at the Universite de Liege. Finally, he spent a year with the French Alpine troops (Chasseurs ALpins), before returning to Persia. On his return he wrote a book in Persian entitled One Year In The French Army (Published 1910) which was dedicated to the young king Ahmad Shah Qajar and his war minister, Azzam.
In 1911, Abbas Mirza married Zahra Soltan (Ezzat os-Saltaneh), daughter of Nezam os-Saltaneh. She was a young lady very much interested in the arts and a fluent French speaker. In the same year, Abbas Mirza became a member of the Persian delegation that was sent to London for the coronation of King Geordge the Fifth. While in London, he found a book on the diplomatic relations between Persia and Napoleon which he then translated. The book was published in Tehran with the title The relationship of Napoleon and Iran.
Read more about this topic: Prince Abbas Mirza Farman Farmaian
Famous quotes containing the word education:
“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and Determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On”, has solved and will always solve the problems of the human race.”
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)
“If the education and studies of children were suited to their inclinations and capacities, many would be made useful members of society that otherwise would make no figure in it.”
—Samuel Richardson (1689–1761)
“It is not every man who can be a Christian, even in a very moderate sense, whatever education you give him. It is a matter of constitution and temperament, after all. He may have to be born again many times. I have known many a man who pretended to be a Christian, in whom it was ridiculous, for he had no genius for it. It is not every man who can be a free man, even.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)