The Relations between the England Government and the Lords of Hayat Davoudi with an Emphasis on the Iran-UK Oil Company Contracts with them (from 1920 to 1941)

Iranian government’s inability to have control over local people and powers in the southern part of the country, where the oil was discovered, was one of the main obstacles and challenges for British authorities who sought to exploit the oil resources. Establishing wide and deep relations with the local rulers like Bakhtiaris, Bani-Kaab Sheikhs, and Hayat Davoudi lords was England’s solution to overcome this challenge. Focusing on this policy, this study aims to take a closer look at the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company’s activities in Hayat Davoud territory and discuss the company’s policies toward the lords of this tribe from the end of Qajar dynasty to the fall of Reza Shah Pahlavi. The quality of relations between the British company and Hayat Davoud lords and also the consequences of the shift of power from Qajar Kingdom to Pahlavi on these relations have made the basic questions of this study. The findings indicate that expanding the area of the company’s operations toward the deeper southern part of the country and involving the Hayat Davoud territory resulted in numerous contracts and agreements between the two sides which brought both political and economic profits for the old and local lords of the region. However, these beneficial relations were badly affected by the new kingdom (Pahlavi). On the other hand, the company following the new cabinet's foreign policy in England, decided to lower the level of relations with the local powers especially the Hayat Davoud lords in favor of strengthening the ties with the central government in Tehran. The outcome of this sudden shift was a severe clash between Hayat Davoudi lords and the Pahlavi administration which finally removed these old local powers from their historical position.