From the Ottoman Empire, Iran, Egypt, and Russia to Europe: A Look at 19th Century Travelogues
Authors: Abdul Ahad Radmanesh  
Published: February 2025

Travelogues are considered one of the main historical sources, a significant part of the historical material discussed by old and new historians is devoted to historical journeys and recording the experiences and achievements of other communities and lands, in the 18th and 19th centuries AD (similar to the development of motorized transport), overland travel from west to east and east to west increased greatly, and many travelers with different purposes and motivations traveled long sea and land routes. In the years when they were away from their original homelands, they were occupied with recording the status of other communities and lands, some of these travel writers initially traveled for different purposes such as business, studying science or establishing relations between governments, and writing travelogues was not their main occupation and most did so while doing other things. The main purposes and motivations of travel in the 18th and 19th centuries included trading, learning new information and experiences, establishing diplomatic relations between governments, escaping from the tyranny of rulers or forced exile, spreading and disseminating religious beliefs, discovering societies, and especially in the 19th century, unknown cultures and the endless human adventure instinct that led to important and influential journeys throughout human history. Although Europeans made exploration and adventurous trips before Easterners in the contemporary period, even the memories and descriptions of Europeans about Eastern countries constitute a significant part of the historical sources of the modern period. After the Great French Revolution, Europe was attractive and important to the people of the East, and travelers from the East, especially from the neighbors of this continent, including the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, Iran, and Russia, entered Europe. In the new era, the West of the World was accepted as the birthplace and origin of modernity and various developments, a model and guide for progress and civilization, and the intellectuals and writers of that period sought to develop their governments by following and imitating Europe as the path of progress and development. The Ottoman Empire, Russia, and Egypt, which were geographically connected and close to Europe, have always been at the center of tourist traffic to and from Europe. Having a special position in the Middle East, the lands of Iran have always attracted the attention of Western tourists and adventurers, in the 18th and 19th centuries, commercial and political travels between Iran and Europe increased, and during this period, Iranian rulers and kings always sent many ambassadors, businessmen and students to the West due to Western science and technology, and at the same time, they received the support of Western powers for the continuation of their reign. In this article, I have tried to briefly review the European travel experiences by taking four examples of Eastern tourists (Ottoman, Iranian, Egyptian, and Russian), the relatively different aspects of contemporary Europe are reflected in the travelogues discussed, and although there are many similarities, the differences in narrative and vision are clear and evident in these travelogues, of course, the topics discussed in this article are selected from their travelogues and some related works and articles.