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This paper discusses the role of the Crimean Khanate and the Safavid Persia in Polish-Ottoman relations during the reign of King John III Sobieski (1674-1696). It is striking that the Polish ruler repeatedly invited the Crimean khan and the Persian shah to join the anti-Ottoman coalition. Notwithstanding numerous letters and envoys dispatched by Sobieski, the Crimean Khanate remained a loyal ally to the Sublime Porte, while Persia denied to take part in the conflict. Sobieski's political plans in reference to Persia, which resulted in numerous embassies sent to the shah, increased opportunities of Polish missionaries to minister in this country. An especially interesting project of founding a Polish mission in Northern Persia in order to minister to the Caucasian tribes was created by a Polish Jesuit, Ignacy Zapolski. Yet, after the death of Sobieski, Zapolski's idea, which gained very limited support of the Commonwealth, could not be turned into reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the World War II Iran was an important centre of Polish war refugee communities. Members of Poland's social elites (intelligentsia and also landed gentry to a certain degree) who had experienced Soviet repressions played a key role in establishing and operating a network of Polish institutions and organisations in Iran. The author focuses on profiles of members of various professional groups and examines their significance in activity of Polish governmental apparatus (social welfare, education) as well as cultural, educational and political organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By focusing on the Assyrian Christians scattered around Urmia in the north-western part of Iran during World War I, the article analyzes the processes and changes that occurred in the religious life of the population under the circumstances of depravity, trauma and migration. The migrations, as it is suggested, caused two opposing tendencies among Assyrians strengthening individualization and ethnicization of the religious matters. The migratory experience played a crucial role in transforming the Church institutions as it might be seen in reference to the Assyrian Church of the East and shifting the focus away from religious authority while giving space to more emotional, private, and finally Pentecostal religiosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]