New Books in Critical Theory Mahboob Qirvanian and Behnaz Mirzai, "Life of an Enslaved African in the Ottoman Empire and Iran" (U Toronto Press, 2025)
Oct 14, 2025
Behnaz A. Mirzai, a renowned professor of Middle Eastern history and expert on the African diaspora in Iran, unveils the extraordinary autobiography of Mahboob Qirvanian. They discuss Mahboob's childhood enslavement in North Africa, his journey through different cultures, and his ultimate transformation into a free man in Iran. Mirzai highlights the significance of this memoir as the only known slave autobiography from Iran, explores themes of identity and displacement, and shares glimpses into Mahboob's literacy, religious conversions, and motivations for writing.
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How The Manuscript Was Found
- Behnaz Mirzai discovered Mahbub Qirvanian's manuscript after his grandson Babak in Toronto reached out with a Persian family copy.
- Mirzai interviewed Mahbub's children and visited his grave, which anchored her edition and translation of the autobiography.
A Unique First-Person Slave Memoir
- This memoir is the only known first-person slave autobiography from Iran and the wider Ottoman/Indian Ocean context.
- Its rarity makes Mahbub's account uniquely valuable for studying slavery across these connected regions.
A Son's Rise To Prominence
- Mahbub's son Ahmad became a trained jet pilot and was close to the royal family's circle before dying in an air crash.
- The family's social rise shows how descendants of enslaved people could attain high status in 20th-century Iran.
