T:^fii,.c a^Tu/r Tat 't,^ . '(tLi/"liUI Ifit ^l J^Z C. tfftfrup*v/c«/f / THE REVOLUTIONS O F P E R S I A: Containing the REIGN of (iSQf'AiuiJ^ SHAH SULTAN HUSSCT!^, WITH THE Invafion of the Afghans, And the REIGNS of SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD AND HIS Succeffor SULTAN ASHREFF. To which is prefixed, A chronological abridgement of the Persian monarchy from its iirfl foundation. VOL. I. By JONAS 'HAN WAY, Merchant. LONDON. -Sold by Mr. D o d s L E y, in Pall-mall ; Mr. N o u R s E, Mr. M i l l a r, Mr. Va i l l a n t, and Mr. Patterson, in the Strand j Mr. Waug;h, in Lombard-Street j and Mr. Wi L L c K, in Cornhill, m dcc liii, u ' ^1^ il n^idktr inx et-.l\-u//t To the RIGHT HONOURABLE GEORGE LORD ANSON,. BARON of S O B E R T O N, Vice-admiral of England, firft lord commis- sioner of the admiralty, and one of his majesty's moil honourable privy-council. Mr Lord, WHEN the various events v^ere known of the fa- mous expedition to the south seas, under your lordship's diredlion, your calmnefs and conftancy, in cir- cuniftances .-v'->.< *'*f •vi DEDICATION. ciimftances fo difcouragiiig, and oftentimes terrible, naturally excited a rcfpedful idea of your charadler : but vvc have fincc been indebted in great meafure to your lordship for more eminent fervices. You had the command in the firft truly ENGLISH day, which gave a turn to the late war, and diverted the blow aimed at an important branch of our commerce. That day ga\^c the firft mortal wound to the maritime power of france, and compenfated for the little fuccefs of our arms in flanders. And here, my lord, afteclion for my brother, who did his duty under your auf- pices, as well as the love of my country, demand the tri- bute of my particular thanks. The defire of diftinclion, fo deeply implanted in our na- ture, can have no principle more noble than that of advanc- ing the happinefs of the fociety. The higheft offices of life, necefl'arily create a pre-eminence in toil ; the pofleflbrs of them are therefore intitled to the greater veneration. Men of a6live fpirits are ever looking forward. The fame genius which has hitherto condudled your lordship will ftill lead you on to the increafe of your fame, and the acquifition of new honour. On that board at which your lordship prcfides, depends in a \xry great degree the welfare and fafety of DEDICATrON. vii of this nation. The iplendor of this monarchy is fupported by commerce, and commerce by naval ftrength. Whilft the feveral ftates of europe accumulate maritime power, your lordship's charge receives an additional weight ; and in proportion as your fervices prove inftrumental to your coun- try's welfare, your glory v/ill increafe. In the following fheets, which I have the honour to pre- fent to your lordship, we have a remarkable inftance of the pomp and fplendor of one of the greateft eaftern monar- chies, humbled even to the duft by the iniquitous condud of minifters. How great the contraft between thefe and the nearer examples with which we are furnifhed by our own country ! Purfuits ad:uated by honeit motives, direded by wife laws, under a juft and legal fovereign, fhould they eredl no other trophy than an honourable tomb, muft be in- comparably preferable to the proudeft monuments of fuccefs- ful villainy. But providence has been indulgent to your lordship : your endeavours for the fervice of your country, have been brought to a luccefsfol iflue, and your wifhes accomplifhed in the reward of thofe fervices. May that providence ftill pro- viii DEDICATION, protect you in all the important concerns of your flation, and in all the circumftanccs of your private life. I am, with great refpcd, Al y LORD, I.on loM, JiiJiuary, 1753. Your lordship's moft obedient humble fervant, Jonas Han way. i ix ) CONTENTS O F T H E THIRD VOLUME. PART I. A fummary view of the Persian monarchy from the firfl foundation hy CYRUS to the reign of hussein, the eleventh and laffc king of the SEFFIE DYNASTY. Chap. I. A Chronological account of the Persian empire^ from its firji fcunda' ±^\^ tion by gyrus the great, in the year of the world 3426, to the invafton of Alexander the great. page i II. 7'/?'^ GRECIAN empire over the T?E RSI A-i^s, 'T'he roman conqueji. 'The re-efia- hlijhment of Persia hy artaxerxes. The Turkish government in Persia, to the re-eftahlipment of that kingdom in the line of the seffi es. 12 PART II. The revolutions of Persia, from the beginning of the prefent century to the death of mir vats in the year 171 5. in. Origin of the different trihes of the Afghans, with a general view of the re- volutions of their country from the year iioo to lyoi. 22 ■IV. Character of gurghin-khan prince of Georgia. He is made governor of KANDAHAR, and opprcffcs that province. Complaints of the inhabitants. Gurghin khan fends mir vais to court as a fufpe5fed perfon. Chara5ier of MIR vAis. Befcription of the court of Isfahan, Origin of thi divijions and parties ?« persia. ^7 Vol. hi, ^ b Chap. X CONTENTS. Chap. V. The hUrigties c/mir-vais at the court cf Isfahan-. He goes a pilgrimage to MECCA. Different fculs of mahommedans. He propofes political doubts to the MOLLAH*s at mecca, '-uuhich are refolved in his favour. page ^^ \\. The emperor o/russia fends an^embaffador to the court (j/ Isfahan. Mir-vaisV arts to alami the court on this account. Chara5ier of the cmbaffador. Mir-vais raifes fufpicion againji gurghin khan, governor ^/ kandahar, and is fent hack to his own country^ under a notion of his fidelity. 3 j VII. Gurghin KHAN demands the daughter of mik-vais. The atgbaks affemble and determine to revolt. Mir-vais, ly an artifice, impofes upon gurghin khan, and gains his confidence. A confpiracy concerted with the tribe of tirins. Mir- vais maff acres the khan with all his retinue, and takes poffeffion of kanda- har. 42 Tin. Mir-vais engages the inhabitants of kandahar to join "with him in the rebellion. Famous retreat cf the Georgians. Mir-vais makes himfelf mafier of $he fireight of ZEBiL. The Persian court orders troops to be levied, and fends deputies to KASD AH AR. 48. IX. The PERsi A J^ court raifes troops, and fends deputies to kaijdau a r. Defeat of the KHANS of HERAT and tavris-. Khosroff khan is fent againft the AFGHANS i obtains a violory over them, and lays feige /(? k andahar. His defeat and death. Another Persian army defeated. The' province of kandahar en- tirely fubje^cd by JyiiK'VAis, in; ho dies in lyi^. 5.3 PART HI. The revolutions of Persia from thedeath of mir-vais in 1715, to the- retreat of prince vachtanga from tlie frontiers of d agistan in 1 yzo. X. MiR-.\Er ALLAH, brothcr of mir-vais, fucceeds to the governmmt of the Af- ghans. MiR-MAGHMUD, fon o/ MIR-VAIS, dlfcOVCrS tt dcfign.of fubjCcUng KAH- DAHAi'., murdars his mule, and is chofen king of that country. 7"/^^ abdollees diffatisfiid. The adventure c/ ezadallah, who defeats the Persian army, and^ makes himfdf mafier 0/ herat. Hofiilities committed by the koukds. Incur- fions of the ousbecs. CharaMer of the lesgees, and their motives to invade I'IRSIA. ^8 XI. CONTENTS. xf Chap. XI. The court prepares to attack the abdollees and ousbegs. Seffie koxjli KHAN is made general. Battle between the Persians and abdollees. The MAscATS take pojfeffion of bah a rain. Luft ali khan is chofen general, and marches towards the Persian gulf, and beats the rebels. Mir maghmud marches at the fame time towards kherman. The domejiic enemies of the Persian ge- neral cabal againft him. The ATHEMAT DouLET is confincd, and his eyes plucked cut. Luft ali khan is carried prifoner to Isfahan, and the Persian army difbanded. page 64 XII. A divan is held in which 'the king prefides, to ey: amine into the condiiEl of the ATHEMAT DOULET, Articks of accufation brought againji him ; his anfwer and defence, y^ XIII. Death and charaBer of the athemat doulet. Excurfions of the lesgees. Magnanimity of vachtanga ; he puts- on the turbant, and is named vali of GEORGIA. Preparations made by this prince againjl the lesgees, whom he reduces to extremities. They are faved from deftruSiion by a court intrigue. Vachtanga. takes an oath never to appear in arms in defence ^persia. 82 PART IV. The revolutions of Persia from the commencement of the year i7'2i, to the battle of gulnabad in 1722. XIV. Pacific difpofitions of the Afghans. Uneajinefs given to the court ^Isfa- han by the arrival of the Turkish emhaffador. Hussein fends an embajfader to the grand sign 10 r j and frightened by various pref ages, returns to Isfa- han. The lesgees lay fiege to shamakie, take it, and commit great cruel- ties-, they make themf elves maflers of the reft of shirvan, beat the khan of ERIVAN, and lay fiege to ganja. The court in great confiernation, 88 XV. Mir maghmud raifes an army of 15,000 7nen. Be marches towards kher- man, and makes himfelf mafier of that city -, from thence he proceeds to yezd, and lays ftege to it, but is obliged to retire . He leads his army through deferts towards ■ ISFAHAN, and arrives at gulnabad. The Persians prepare to oppofe him. Different opinions in the divan upon that fubje5t. 96 XVI. The PERSIAN army marches to fight the Afghans. The day cf battle is fix-- ed by the afirologers. Order cf battle and difpofiticn of both armies. The fingular ccndiiSi XH CONTENTS. condu^ of the two frincejfis of loristan. Particular account of the hat tie of GULNABAD. Caufs of the fuccefs of the Afghans. Reflexion on the conduct of ihevALi of ARABIA. page 102 PART V. The revolutions of Persia, from the battle of gulnabad to the abdi- cation of SULTAN HUSSEIN and the taking of Isfahan. Chap. XVII. The king calls a council and determines to remain in Isfahan. Prepa- rations to defend the city. Orders fent to the khans of the prcuinces. The va- Li 0/ loristan is declared generaliffinio. Maghmud encamps at cheerestan, Defcription of farabad ; the Afghans take poffefjlon of it, and appear before JULFA. Defcription of julfa, and the fituation of the ARUENiAffs. no XVIII. The condu^ of the Persians towards the Armenians of julfa. The AFGHANS make themfches majlers of julfa-, their barbarities tozuards the aR' menians. Defcription of Isfahan. Maghmud repulfed at the bridge of SHIR ASS. 116 XIX. Maghmud fend.^ n dcpuCailun to isfahan -with propofah of peace, which are refufcd. He makes himfelf mafler of the bridge of abasabad, and invejls the city. The troops marching to the relief of the befteged are defeated. Gallant beha- ziour of the inhabitarJs of -^zH'iSYAWAii. Treacherous conduct of the vali of ARABIA. Defeat of the KHAii of CO HKiL AN. 124 XX. Shah hussein applies in vain to the vali of Georgia for affiflance. He de- clares his fon TiEHMAs MYRZA his fucccfjor. T/EHMAS efcapes from Isfahan, and endeavours to raife an army to march to the affiflance of his father. Famine in ISFAHAN. AcHMED AG A makcs a vigorous fally to open a paffage for a convoy of prov:flons, but is defeated by the treachery of the vali of arabia. Death of ACHMED ACA. I32 XXI. Conjlcrnation in Isfahan. Treachery of meluck maghmud governor of segestan, who makes himfelf mafler of K-Horasan. Defcription of the famine in ISFAHAN. Capitulation for the furrender of that city. Ceremony of shah Hussein's abdication. Mir maghmud receives the diadem, and takes poffeffwn of ISFAHAri. 129 PART CONTENTS, xiii PART VI. The revolutions of Persia, from the acceffion of maghmud to the crown of Persia in 1722, to the treaty concluded between shah T>ffiHMAs and PETER the great in 1723. Chap. XXII. AsHREFF q^iiits maghmud's anny. Maghmv d afcends the throne and receives the homage of shah hussein, and the grandees of Persia. He regu- lates the civil adminijlration. T^hmas myrza takes the title of king. Magh- mud orders new levies to be raifed in kandahar. He fends nazr ulla with a detachment of troops to lay fiege /; 1727. 249 [I ] VOL. III. PART r. ^.-_. SUMMARY VIEW^ O F T H E PERSIAN MONARCHY, FROM THE First foundation by CYRUS T O T H E Reign of H U S S E I N, the eleventh and last KING OF THE SEFFIE DYNASTY. C H A P. I. [/I chronological account of the Persian empire ^ from its fotmdation by CYRUS the GREAT, in the year of the world 3426, to the invafion of ALEXANDER the GREAT. CYRUS the great, A.M. 3426.* THE PERSIAN empire, founded by gyrus the great, was the ^ fecond of the four antient monarchies which have been efta- bhflied in the world. It is remarkable that this wife anji formi- dable prince was mentioned by name in the facred fcriptures two hundred Vol. III. A years ■ It muft be obferved there are very few dates ia which hiHorians agree exadly. ' The firft was the Assyrian. 2 A SUMMARY VIEW OF Parti. years before his birth j for God was pleafed to declare that he would be his guide, and lead him by the hand to fubdue all nations before him. This prince was the fon of cambyses king of Persia, by man- DANA daughter of astyages king of media. Cyaxares, who fuc- ceeded his father astyages, being threatened with an invafion by the kin^^ of BABYLON, entered into an alliance with the king of Persia, and feveral other princes bordering on his dominions, for their mutual defence i on this occafion cambyses fent gyrus with 30,000 foot to join the medes. Cyrus entered the enemy's country, gained a com- plete vidory over the Babylonians in the firfh engagement, in which their king fell in battle : he then marched up to the walls of babylon; but finding that the garrifon confifted of 100,000 men, he retired with CYAXARES into MEDIA, to ftrengtheu their alliance and augment their forces. Cyaxares, fenfible of the merit of his nephew gyrus, gave him his daughter in marriage, and made him heir to his median domi- nions; upon which gyrus marched towards babylon, leaving gyaxares in media. Cyrus furprifed the Babylonians before they joined their forces, and, marching with the utmoil expedition, gave them battle, and was a fecond time vi<5lorIous. He took sardis, and making crtesus king of LYDIA -f* prifoner, polTefTed himfelf of all his treafure and the wealth of that opulent city; but reftored gr^sus to his throne. After fubdulng the lesser asia, syria, and part of arabia, gyrus inarched a fecond time to the walls of babylon. He caufed a number of canals to be made, and on the evening of the feaft, cutting the banks of the TIGRIS, the water of that river being let Into the canals, fell fo low that he marched feveral bodies of forces on both fides of the city, along the bed of the river. The Babylonians were then folemnlzing a grand feftival, fo that he found an opportunity of entering the brazen gates which the drunken Babylonians had left open -, and taking bal- shazar the king and his whole court prlfoners, put them to the fword, fulfilling the prophecy of daniel, that the cruehies which the babylo- ■NiANi had exfrcifcd upon others, fhould be returned upon thcmfelves. Cyrus, •[. Situated In the prefent natolVa; Chap. I. THE PERSIAN MONAkCHV. j Cyrus, after being 26 years general of the forces both of his father and uncle, at length recovered all the countries in Africa and lesser ASIA, which had been in fubjedion to the Assyrian empire. He then returned to babylon, and both his father cambyses and his uncle CYAXAREs dying, he became the fole monarch of this vaft empire oi PERSIA. In the firfl year of the reign of cyrus *", expired the feventieth year of the Jewish captivity in babylon, and by the advice of the prophet DANIEL he publifhed an edid for re-building the temple of Je- rusalem and re-peopling that city with its antient inhabitants : he re- flored all the vefTels of the temple, which nebuchadonosor had taken from thence and placed in the temple of baal at babylon. Upon this the JEWS returned to their own country under the conducfl of zoro^ BABEL. In Cyrus's time the Persian empire extended from the gulph of oRMUs and the red sea and from Ethiopia on the fouth, to the euxine and Caspian seas on the north; and from the river Indus'^ on the eaft, to the deferts of lybia% the mediterranean and egean^ Seas on the weft. Cyrus made it the bufinefs of his reign to exercife juftice, and to re- lieve the oppreiTed -, governing the nations he had conquered with fuch humanity and tendernefs, that they became his faithful fubjeds. He reigned fole monarch of Persia only feven years, and died in babylon leaving his fon cambyses his fucceffor, CAMBYSES, utM. 3433. Soon after cambyses afcended the throne of Persia ; amasis the tributary king of egypt, endeavoured to render himfelf independent of the PERSIAN crown. Cambyses invaded egypt, but amasis dying, he gave battle to his fon psamenitus, and entirely defeated him : this prince flying to Memphis J his capital, was taken prifoner, and the city furrendered j on which not only the Egyptians fubmitted to cambyses^ A 2 but *= J. M. 3426. ^ Now called the scind. * The part of africa bordering on EGYPT. f Archipelago. % A city of egvpt in the iiland of delta. '4 A SUMMARY VIEW OF Part L but LIBYA, CYRENIACA*, and Other diflant countries fought his protec- tion. But the ETHIOPIANS, and the inhabitants of that part of Africa where flood the temple of jupiter ammon, refufing to fubmit, he in- vaded both at the fame time. The army he fent againft the ammonians + was del"troyed by a tempeft, which raifed the fands in fuch a manner that his troops were fuffocated. In Ethiopia he fucceeded but little better, ihc o-reatv^ft part of his tfoops were deflroyed by famine and reduced to the necefTity of eating human flcfli. With the fmall remains of his army he returned to tkeles, w'here he plundered the temples of that opulent city of all their valuable moveables, and demolifhed thofe beautiful Ihiiclures. Cambysks became (o I'ealous of his brother smerdis, who had ac- companied him in this war, that he fent him into Persia, and there can fed him to be murdered. His fifter meroe, w^hom he had married, fuffcred the fame fate, for making fome reflexions on this a(fl of cruelty. This prince had little fen fibility^ of the laws of humanity, but fubflituted pride and cruelty in their place; he caufed many of his great officers to- be buried alive. He one day afked prexaspes what the people faid of him ? That minifter replied, they admired his many good qualities, but widied. that he had not fuch an inclination for wine. *^ That is, returned *' CAMBYSES, they imagine that wine deprives me of my fenfes, but " you fliall judge of that immediately." Having drunk more than ufual, he ordered his cupbearer, who was fon to prexaspes, to iland at the further end of the room, and taking a bow and arrow, declared he aimed at his heart j after he had {hot him, he ordered the young lord to be opened, and his heart to be brought to him; the arrow having pierced it, he fhevved it to his father* and afked him if he had not a fleady hand ?. The unhappy parent replied, with die flattery of the modern times to PERSIAN kings ; ** APOLLO himfclf could not have fhot better." In the eighth year of the reign of cambyse&, an impoftor refembling, his brother smerdis who had been put to death, impofing on- the peo- ple, ufurped the crown. Cambyses who was then abfcnt refolved to march. * Now called barca in afv.ijca, J Inliablting a part of libva% Chap. I. THE PERSIAN MONARCHY. 5 march againft the ufarper, but, as he was mounting his horfe, his fvvord flipping out of its fcabbarJ gave him a wound in the thigh, of which he died. This cambyses is fuppofed to be the ahasuerus mentioned in the fcriptures. SMERDIS, A.M. 3441. The ufurper smerdis, the artaxerxes of the fcrlptare, was the fon of one of the magi, who was governor of babylon, and is there- fore ufually filled the magian. He endeavoured by all means to gain the affedions of the people 5 and, to prevent his being difcovered, concealed himfelf in the royal palace : but this precaution ferved only to raife the fufpicion of the great men, among whom was otanes, whofe daughter phedyma, smerdis had taken to his bed. This lady finding that her hufband had loft his ears, which for fome offence had been cut off by CYRUS, diicovered the deceit ; on which feveral of the nobility entered into a conlpiracy, and affaffinated the ufurper in his palace. DARIUS fon of HYSTASPES, A.M. 3443, The nobility then proceeded to the choice of a fucceffor, and darius fon of HYSTASPES was eledled. This prince married two of the daugh- ters of CYRUS the GREAT. In the third year of his reign, he gave orders that the building of the temple of Jerusalem fhould be carried on at the expence of the ffate, requiring the Jewish priefts to pray for him, and to denounce curfes againil all who fliould obffrud the work.] The PERSIAN court being removed from babylon to susa, the for- mer city revolted. Darius in the fifth year of his reign marched his army and befieged it. He met with but little fuccefs for 1 8 months : at length zopyrus, one of his generals, cut off his own nofe and ears, and then fled to the city, pretending that he had been thus mangled by order of darius : this aftonifhing ffratagem gained him the confidence of the BABYLONIANS, who readily entrufted him with the command of their troops in feveral fallies, and in a fhort time engaging them to con- fide entirely in him, he betrayed the city to dar.ius. When this prince S ■ took. 6 A SUMMARY VIEW OF Part L took poll'effion of it, he caufed 3000 citizens to be impaled, and the walls to be demoliflied. Darius next invaded scythi a with an army of 600,000 men ; but the enemy retiring before the Persians, drew them into a country covered with fnow, where; darius loft great part of his army, without fighting, and with great difficulty made his retreat. The scythians foon re- turned this vifit, invaded thrace, and plundered the country as far as the HELLESPONT. While darius was engaged in his expedition againfl the SCYTHIANS, megabysus the Persian governor of thrace fubdued the MACEDONIANS, and made them tributary to Persia. He then invaded india, and, as fome hiftorians fay, made an entire conqueft of all that country. He was foon after engaged in fuppreffing a rebellion of the ionians, who had drawn the Athenians and other GjiEciAN flates into the plot j but the ionians, being deferted by all their allies, were entirely fubdued. Darius refenting the injury done him by the Athenians in joining the ionians, who had burnt the city of SARDis, determined to invade Greece by fea and land : he therefore fent an army under the command of mardonius a young lord who had married his daughter 5 this fleet meeting with a ftorm in the egean sea, he loft 300 of his (hips and 20,000 men, and the army being furprized by the thracjans, it was with great difficulty Mardonius made his retreat over the Hellespont into Asia. After this, darius again invaded Greece, utterly deftroyed the city of eretria in eub^a -f*, and made himfelf mafter of all the iflands of the EGEAN sea. He then marched towards Athens j the Athenians fent to the Lacedemonians to join them, but before they arrived they fought the famous battle of marathon J, in which miltiades the ATHENIAN general, tho' his forces did not amount to io,cgo men, not only repulfcd the Persians, but entirely defeated them; many thoufands fell by the fword, and more periffied in the fea, endeavouring to get on board their fhips. Darius + An iiland belonging to creecE, J A town of atticj in creece. Chap. I. THE PERSIAN MONARCHY. ^ Darius now made great preparations for invading greece in perfon, and reducing egypt which had alfo revolted, but died before his armies took the field,, and vfas fucceeded by his fon xerxes. XERXES, A,M. 3479. This prince no fooner afcended the throne than he marched with a powerful army into egypt, and compelled that people to fubmit again to the dominion of Persia. To revenge the overthrow the Persians had fufFered at MARATHON, he made great preparations for conquering GREECE,, and began his march with an army which fome hiftorians fay amounted to three millions of men s. Leonidas, one of the kinoes of SPARTA, defended the ftreight of thermopile with 4,000 men. This^ flreight, which is only 25 feet broad, lies between thessaly and phocis y and was thought the only paffage by which the Persians could enter ACHAiA by land. Here, after loling 20,000 men, xerxes was ready to defpaii- of forcing his way, wdien a native of the country difcovered to him a fecret paffage up the mountain which commanded the flreight. A detachment went thither 5. and the spartans feeing the Persians above them, and finding it impofiible to defend the poft, le on id as commanding the reft of his troops to retire, ftay'd in the pafs with only 300 men, which after making an obftinate defence were all cut to pieces except one man, v/ho efcaped to s part A, and was there condemned for cowardice. The day the battle was fought at thermopile, the Grecians with 400 fail obtained a vidory at fea over the Persian fleet of looo fail; the v/eather being ftormy, above 200 of the Persian fleet were caft away, and the Grecians falling upon them before their fcattered fliips were joined, obtained an eafy vidory at artemisium a promontory of EUBi£A. Xerxes now dividing his army, fent one part to delphos, where they plundered the temple of an immenfe treafure, and with the other he « Some think it more confiftent to read three hundred thoufandj. and ihis number h probable,, conildering they carried their wives and children. 4 ' B A SUMMARY VIEW OF Parti. he marched to Athens, which finding abandoned by the Inhabitants, he plundered and burnt it. A PERSIAN fleet was foon after Tent to salamis in fearch of the GRECIANS, but the joint fleet of the Athenians commanded by the- MiSTOCLES, and of the Lacedemonians by eurybiades, totally de- feated the PERSIANS. Xerxes was difpirited at the lofs of this naval battle, and returned into asia, leaving mardonius behind him with 300,000 men. The following year this army was entirely defeated near plated -f, and the Persian general killed in the field of battle. The fame day the greeks obtained another vidory over the Persian fleet. Xerxes now difgufled at foreign wars and averfe to bufinefs, aban- doned himfelf to his pleafures, and was murdered while fleeping in his bed, ARTAXERXES, A.M. 3500. Artaxerxes the fon of xerxes afcended the throne. In the be- ginning of this reign cimon the fon of miltiades, and general of the ATHENIANS, took feveral cities in thrace, recovered and reftored to their liberties moft of the Grecian cities in the lesser asia, obtained a fignal vidory over the Persian fleet, defeated an army of 30,000 PERSIANS, and carried the plunder of it, which was extremely valuable, in triumph to atiiens. Artaxerxes in order to make head againfl: cimon, made themisto- CLES, who had been banifhed by the Athenians, general of Jiis armies on that fide; but themistocles chofe rather to die by a dofe of poifon than fight againfl: his country. About this time the Egyptians revolted, and chofe inarus the prince of libya their king; the Athenians entered into an alliance with him againfl: the Persians, and lent to his afliftance a fleet of 200 fail, which in conjundion with the Egyptian navy ruined that of PERSIA. At land they defeated an army of 300,000 Persians j but the ne!xt f A city of BOEOTiA, famous for the defeat of xeries's army. Chap. I. THE PERSIAN MONARCHY. 9 •next year artaxerxes gained a decifive vidory over the confederates, reduced the whole kingdom of egypt, nii^de inarus prifoner, and put him to death. This being contrary to the articles of capitulation made with the PERSIAN general megabysus, he retired to his government in SYRIA, raifed a rebellion there, and defeated the forces that were fent againft him, fo that artaxerxes found it necefTary to come to an agree- ment with him. This was that artaxerxes, who by an exprefs decree permitted the JEWS to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem -, and the feventy weeks men- tioned by the prophet dan i el, after which the Meffiah was to appear upon the earth, are faid to commence from the date of this decree. CiMON afterwards defeated the Persians both by fea and land, com- pelled them to accept of peace on thefe terms, that the Grecian cities in ASIA fhould enjoy their liberties, be governed by their own laws, and that the Persian fleet fhould not enter the Grecian feas. Arta- xerxes died in the forty-fourth year of his reign, and was fucceeded by his only lawful fon xerxes II. XERXES II. ^.M. 3544. Artaxerxes having had feveral fons by his concubines, particularly soGDiANus, oCHUS, and arsites, the firil entered into a confpiracy with •one of the chief eunuchs, and murdered xerxes II. in his chamber, where he had fallen afleep, after a drunken debauch, forty- five days after his accefTion. SOGDIANUS. Sogdianus then ufurped the throne, on which his brother ochus raifed an army under pretence of revenging his brother xerxes's death; great numbers of the nobility followed his banners 5 ochus was pro- claimed king, and sogdianus being abandoned, furrendered himfelf to his brother, who put him to a cruel death, after having enjoyed the title of king little more than fix months. Vol. III. B OCHUS, 10 A SUMMARY VIEW OF Parti, GCHUS, called DARIUS NOTHUS, A.M.^SH- OcHus afcended the throne, and changed his name to darius. Ar- SITES, another of his brothers, difputing the crown with him, obtained two vidories over him; but the greeks in his pay being corrupted, AKSiTES was forced to fubmit, and furrendering himfelf was put to death, as was pisuthnes governor of lydia, who afterwards endea- voured to make himfelf king of that province. Several others fuffered the fame punishment, particularly one of his eunuchs, who had the am- bition to afpire to the throne. In this reign the Egyptians revolted and chofe a king of their own, but DARIUS at length reduced egypt as well as media, which had alfo endeavoured to fhake off the yoke of Persia. Darius died after a troublefome reign of 19 years, and left the crown to aRsaces his eldeil! fon. To his younger fon gyrus he gave the lesser asia, of which he had before been viceroy, ARTAXERXES II, ^.71^.3563. Arsaces, on afcending. the throne, took the name of artaxerxes, . and from his extraordinary memory was by the greeks called mnemon *. Under this prince happened the famous retreat of xenophon thro' moll of the provinces of the empire, with only ten thoufand greeks. He reigned thirty-fix years, and was ninety-four years old when he died, being worn out with the diftradions of his family, and the frequent re- volts of liis fubjeds in the latter part of his reign. OCHUS, ^.M. 3599. OcHUS, fon of ARTAXERXES, conccalcd his father's death, and ad- miniflered the government in his name near ten months ; during which time he made a decree in the name of his father, for declaring himfelf king. When he found he was fufficiently eftablifhed, he took upon him . the • RenMjnbcrcr, Chap. I, THE PERSIAN MONARCHY. ii the government in his own name. He was very cruel, but a valiant rrincer he recovered egypt, fubdued syria and Cyprus, and v^^as at lad llainby BAGOAs, one of the eunuchs of his chamber, who had the prin- cipal fhare in the adminiftration the latter end of his reign. ARSES, A.M. 3625c The power of the eunuch bagoas was fo great, that he placed his late mafter's fon arses on the throne ; and four years after, finding that prince difpofed to call him to an account, he caufed him and his whole fa- mily to be afTaffinated, and advanced daiuus, furnamed codomanus, to the throne. -DARIUS III, furnamed COD OM ANUS, ^.^.3629. Darius, governor of Armenia, and coufm-german to ochus, was made fole monarch of Persia. Bagoas flill expecting to have the en- tire adminiftration of the government in darius's reign, as he had in the reigns of feveral of his predeceiTors, finding this prince refolved to take the power into his hands, prepared a dofe of poifon for him, who being acquainted of the defign, compelled him to drink it himfelf, Darius had a beautiful perfon, was an accompliflied prince, and the delight of his fubjeds. He had the profpedl of enjoying a happy reign, when the Grecians being all united, determined to revenge themfelves on the PERSIANS for the ravages they had fufFered from them. They chofe PHILIP king of macedon their generaliffimo in the intended war; but he being murdered before every thing was ready, he was fucceeded l3y his fon Alexander then 20 years of age. ALEXANDER the great, ^.^3631. This prince having fettled his affairs in Greece, marched into asia with 30,000 foot, and 5000 horfe^ with this force he paffed the gra- Nicus'', though it was defended by 10O3OOO Persians, and auxiliary B 2 GREEKS ; * A river in natolia. 12 A SUMMARY VIEW OF Parti. GREEKS; and having gained the oppofite Ihore, he foon obtained a com- plete vidory. After which sardis, ephesus, and many other cities opened their gates to the conqueror, and mithridates king of pontu5, with feveral other princes of asia, fubmitted to him, and joined him with their forces ; his army daily increafed as he advanced, fo that the Per- sian empire was not conquered by the 35000 greeks only. Alexander the next campaign pofTeffed himfelf of an advantageous pafs in ciLiciA ; polling his troops, fo as to prevent his being furrounded by the numerous hoft of the Persians. Darius put himfelf at the head of a formidable army and marched to meet the Macedonians : he had 20,000 GRECIAN forces in his fervice; but his Persian horfe having no room to ad, he was defeated ; and an incredible flaughter enfued. The PERSIAN camp was taken, and among the reft of the prifoners were the mother, the wife, and fome of the children of darius. From the death of gyrus the great, to the invafion of Persia by ALEXANDER the GREAT, are about 209 years. During this period, the PERSIANS confiding in their numbers, and negleding the arts of war, became the more eafy conquefl of the Grecians, by whom this for- midable monarchy was fubverted. CHAP. II. The GRECIAN empire over the Persians. The Roman conquejl. The re- ejlablifiment of Persia by artaxerxes. T^he Turkish government in PERSIA, to the re-ejlahlijhment of that kingdom in the line of the seffies. GRECIAN EMPIRE, A.M. 3635. PERSIA now became a part of the Grecian empire, which was too formidable and extenfive to laft long under one head. Alexander died, A.M. 3643, eight years after his conquefl, and this and others of his vafl acquifitions were divided among the partners •f his vidories. % Syria Chap. 11. THE PERSIAN MONARCHY. T3 Syria formerly part of the Persian monarchy, continued in the family of seleucus the fon of antiochus, one of Alexander's cap- tains,, about 250 years. ROMAN CONQUEST, ^.M 3913. From the conqueft of Alexander to that of the Romans, are com- puted 270 years. Out of PERSIA arofe the kingdom of parthia, which included the fouthern provinces of Persia, and the city now called Isfahan was the metropolis of that kingdom, fitu^ed in the heart of the prefcnt Persia. This kingdom fubiifled 470 years, which leaves the sera of the world, and comes 228 years into that more glorious of the birth of the Saviour of the world, when artaxerxes the firfl king of his race revived the kingdom of Persia, which included parthia. ARTAXERXES, A,D, 228.. The kingdom of persia thus reftored by artaxerxes fubiifted up- wards of 400 years, when it was conquered by the saracens, and be- came a part of the saracen empire. SARACEN EMPIRE, A.D, 628^ The ARABiArs under the saracen empire, the turks, tartars, and ARMENIANS, alternately poiTelTed or divided Persia for 769 years, but this period feems to be left in great obfcurity. TAMERLANE, A,D, 1397. Tamerlane chief of the ousbeg tartars conquered bajazet, and fubduing Persia prepared the way for another race. Tamerlane died in 1402, leaving a fucceffion of kings till 1499, when the firft of the SEFFiEs or prophets began to reign. The * Six years after mahommed, 622 of CHRIST, the firll of MAHOMMID. The mauommepan aera is reckoned by lunar years. 14- A SUMMARY VIEW OF Part L The SEFFIES, A.D. 1^99^ This family cannot be faid to Iiave exifled longer than 227 years, ■ when MAHOMMED chief of KANDAHAR invadcd Persia, ^. D. 1722. As the line of the seffies includes the unfortunate reign of shah sultan HUSSEIN, we fliall give the out lines of their refpedtive characflers accord- ing to the bell accounts. ISM A EL, A.D. 1499. ScHEicH eidar a defcendant of ali, who had diftinguiflied himfelf for his piety and contempt of worldly glory j feparating from the Turk- ish doctors, fet up a new religion. He was murdered by rustan, and left behind him three fons^ the two eldeft fled to avoid their father's fate, and ismael the youngeft, who was then a child, was fnatched from the danger by his father's friends, and fecretly educated in the province of ghilan, in the principles of the fed: of scheich eidar j and as he grew up, he difcovered a great zeal to fupport them. He was handfome, eloquent and courageous. Thofe who by perfecution, had been obliged to abandon the religious tenets of his father, flocked to him. By their affiftance he took feveral places, and led his forces to tavris, where the gates being opened to him, he entered in triumph. Alvante the king, who had rendered himfelf odious to the people, flying at his approach, lie became mafl:er of the city without drawing his fword. Alvante and his brother, who had been at variance, and engaged in a civil war, were now reconciled ^ while they were marching to join their forces, ismael purfued the fugitive alvante, and defeated him in a battle, in which he was killed. He afterwards obtained two vidlo- ries over the brother of alvante. Ismael having pofl^effion of the throne, marched againft the ibe*- rians*", the ALBANIANS", and the tartars, and obliged them to pay tribute ' Some accounts make this 1508. '^ Now called the oeoi\cians. * Albania is now called shirvan. Chap; II. THE PERSIAN MONARCHY. 15 tribute to persia, which for fome years they had refufed. He then gained a fignal vidiory over the king of samarcand, and afterwards en- gaged in a war with the fultan of egypx and the grand fignior. IsMAEL was reputed one of the greateil kings that ever ruled in the eaft. The Persians were prepoflefTed with fuch an high efleem for him, that they confidered him as a man altogether divine 5 therefore when they fought under his command, they braved dangers, and even death with the greatefl intrepedity. He died at 45 years of age, and left four fons, of whom t.£haias the eldeft, of 18 years old, fucceeded- to his throne. ' T^HMAS, A.D, 15-2;. T^HMAS had three brothers, each of whom had an appanage fettled on them by ismael their father, but of thefe only one died a natural death, one being killed for a revolt, and the other for fear he fhould j-evolt. T^HMAS, tho' he had neither the capacity nor the Intrepidity of his father, was a very able foldier ; but fo avaricious, that he committed very atrocious ads of injuftice, for the fake of the mofl: trifling profit; and fo averfe to bufmefs, that he abandoned the government entirely to his minifters, and devoting himfelf to eafe and pleafure, fliut himfelf up in his harram for many years, without going abroad. After having reigned nine years, without being engaged in any confiderable war, he had the mortification to fee his kingdom invaded by the Turks, in which expedition, sulimaN the Turkish emperor made himfelf mafter of tavris, took BABYLON, and caufed himfelf to be crowned king .of PERSIA. After this conqueft, all the cities of Assyria opened their gates to SULIMAN, who had alfo reduced courdistan and diarbeckir. But TALUMAS at length having laid wafte the country, the enemy's army was almoft flarved, and obliged to leave Persia. He gave the com- mand of his troops to an experienced general, and purfued the turks, who being furprized in the diforder of a retreat, the Persians gained a complete vidtory. Persia now enjoyed peace for fourteen years, when 8 SULIMANy 16 A SUMMARY VIEW OF Part L suLiMAN, A. D. 1548, took the field with 200,000 men. T-i-.hmas with 100,000 men and 10,000 Portuguese, who at tliat time were very powerful in asia, engag-.d them the following year, and gained a complete vidlory, 130,000 turK5 being killed in the field of battle. After this lofs suliman concluded a pLdce with t^,hmas, and affairs remained in that flate during 28 year?, when the Persian monarch died aged about 68. At his death he nominated his third fon for his fuc- celTor, but the grandees, not approving his choice, offered the crown to khoda-bende the eldefl fon ; and he refufing it, they gave it to ismael the fecond fon of t^.hmas. ISMAEL II. A,D. 1575. This prince Was then 43 years of age, and was prifoner at the fame time when his eldeft brother khoda-bende refufed to accept the dia- dem. He delighted in war, and had been feveral years confined for the fault of railing troops and oppofing the enterprises of the turks, who contrary to the truces concluded with them, made frequent incurfions into >ERSiA. T/EHMAS though he {hiit up his fon ismael in prifon, en- deavoured to make his life as eafy as poflible, by fending the mofl beau- tiful women to him ; but ismael refufed their embraces, declaring that for himfelf he Was eafy under his imprifonment ; but could not tell whether he fliould have the fortitude to bear with the confinement, Should he have children, and that he had rather have none, than fee them miferable. Ismael began his reign by putting to death that brother, to whom his father had left the crown. And being defirous to difcover which of 'the grandees had advifed his father to keep him fo long a prifoner, caufed a report to be made that he was dead, when learning by his fpies what had been faid of him, he appeared again ; fome of his domeflic enemies he ordered to be feized, others who lied with the forces under them to the extremities of the kingdom, he purfued. The turks alarmed at his motions, took the field, and made incurfions into his dominions. Ismael being enraged at his difappointments, put thofe to death whom he Chap. II. THE PERSIAN MONARCHY. 17 he mofl fufpeded, and prepared for a war with his foreign enemies ; but while thefe preparations were going forwards he was poifoned, and died after a reign of two years. MAHOMMED KHODA-BENDE, A.D, 1^77. This prince, who redded in the province of khorasan, and had refufed to accept the crown, after many folicitations, yielded, and was proclaimed king. Very different charaders are given of him : fome writers affert- ing that his delire was to imitate thofe kings who had the intereft and honour of their country moft at heart ; and others, that his whole de- light was to fliut hinifelf up in his harram, and fpend his time with his women. But the latter account in all probability is falfe : it is true he had weak eyes, occafioned either by a defedl in nature, or by a fit of fick- nefs ; and this alone probably made him fhut himfelf up in his palace ; but the tranfadlions of this reign give no indications of the kingdom being governed by a very weak and effeminate prince. Three of his brothers, who on his afcending the throne fled to the TURKISH frontiers, he allured to court, with fair promifes, and then put them to death. He obtained feveral very fignal vidories over the turks, who alfo took fome towns from him, but not without the lofs of many of their forces. He reigned eight years, and left three fons ; the two firfl refgned only a few months, but the third, abas the great, governed Persia for many years. EMIR HEMSE, firfl fon of MAHOMMED KHODA-BENDE, in 1585. This being khoda-bende's eldefl fon, he fucceeded his father, but ismael his younger brother, caufed him to be murdered in his chamber by affaffms, who deceived the guards under the difguife of women. VoL.m. C ISMAEL x8 A SUMMARY VIEW OF' Parti. ISMAEL III, fecond fan of MAHOMMED KHODA-BENDE, 1111585, IsMAEL the Illd no fooner got pofleffion of the throne by the murder of his elder brother, than he thought to fecure the pofTeflion of it by difpatching abas the youngeft -, but being prevented by his governor, meafures were taken to remove ismael. This bufmefs v^as entrufted to his barber, who while he was fliaving him cut his throat. The lords then prefent, who were accomplices in the crime, inftantly killed the barber, to prefent a difcovery. The fratricide ismael died the fame year as his brother, and abas took pofleffion of the crown. ABAS the great, ^. Z). 1585. This prince is generally efteemed one of the greateft kings that ever reigned in Persia ; his memory is to this day held in the highefl: vene- ration ; and feveral noble works of antiquity yet remain, fome of which I have mentioned, as the caufe-way on the coafl of the Caspian, He was but eighteen years old when he began his reign, and had all the qualifications of a great prince, except one : for his inhumanity tarnifhed the glory of his good qualities. Murched-kouli-khan, who in his youth had been his governor, and to whom he owed the crown, pre- tending to controul him, he caufed him to be killed in his prefence, and the next day, all the friends and relations of this man, to whom he was under fuch high obligations, fuffered the fame fate. The TURKS, fince the time of ismael II, had conquered above 150 leagues in length from north to fouth, and in breadth from the weftern coaft of the Caspian to the black sea ; alfo babylon, with Mesopo- tamia and ASSYRIA. Abas foon recovered the Persian dominions ^ made great conquefts in turkey, and recovered ormus from the Portu- guese. He gave a martial fpirit to the people j polifli'd their manners; and applying himfelf to civil government, brought the governors of the provinces, who were before in a great meafure independent, into fub- jedllon. .But Chap. II. THE PERSIAN MONARCHY. i^ But in the midfl of his glory, his reign was rendered unhappy by an unjuft fufpicion of his children. He had but three, of whom he caufed the eyes of the two youngefl to be put out. His eldeft seffie-myrza, whom he had referved for the crown, was a young man of great virtue, and filial affection : he even difcovered to his father a confpiracy which had been formed againll him. : but notwithflanding this, givi.ig way to his fufpicions, the shah ordered him to be put to death, Seffie-myrza was no fooLcr murdered by his comm.and, than he repented, fhut him- felf up in the dark for 'ten days together, ilied inceiTant tears, faflied and mourned for a year, and never after wore any ornament. To revenge himfelf on the Persian lords who had made him jealous of his fon, he ordered them to be invited to a feaft, and mixing poifon with their wine, faw them with a favage pleafure expire before his face. And the officer who had readily obeyed his commands, to bring him the head of his fon, he commanded to cut off the head of his own fon : when he brought it in his hand, and told the king that the refledion of what he had done would bring him to his grave -, abas replied, that he was now capable of judging of his grief, and bid him comfort him- felf with the thought, that in this particular he was not inferior to his fovereign. Abas the great died at fixty-three years of age, and the forty-fifth of his reign, and nominated his grandfon for his fuccefTor, ordering him to take the name of seffie, which was that of his in- jured father, whofe death abas fo much regreted. SEFFIE, ^.D. 1629. It is faid of this prince that he came into the world with his hands bloody, and that his grandfather abas the great, had from thence pre- dicted that he would live to bathe his hands in the blood of his fubjeds. This predidion was but too plainly verified : for he began his reign by ordering the eyes of his only brother to be cut out j and caft from a rock his two uncles, who had been blinded by order of shah abas. The inftances of his cruelty were innumerable : he buried alive forty-four women of his harram, the' when he was not hunting or over his cups C 2 he 20 A SUMMARY VIEW OF Parti. he ufed to pafs his time with them. He interfered fo Httle in the affairs of the government, that the Persians would have fcarcely perceived they had a king, had it not been for the frequent inftances of barbarity which ftained his reign with blood. Before the time of shah abas, the children of the Persian kings appeared abroad, and had governments allotted them on their coming of age; but after the death of seffie myrza, abas entirely altered that method, and seffie his grandfon was educated in the harram, which afterwards became a rule for the education of the kings fons. Seffie being fhut up in the harram, where he had enjoyed no converfation, ex- cept that of the eunuchs, was taught nothing more than to read and write, and was allowed no other diverfion, than {hooting with a bow, and riding in the gardens on an afs: it is therefore no wonder that he was fo unfit to goverr. This prince by his own folly loft kandahar and BABYLON, two of the moft import places on his frontiers. He had ordered a eunuch to run an iron over the eyes of his fon abas; the purport of this commiffion was well underftood, but the eunuch having compafTion on the prince, and recolledling that the king had no other heir to the throne, he made ufe of a cold iron } and the prince aded the blind man fo well, that the king really believed he had loft his fight. When seffie faw death approaching, and imagined that by de- priving his fon of fight, he had deprived himfelf of an heir to the crown, he was extremely afflided, and exprefi^ed with what fatisfadtion he fhould expire if he had a fon to fucceed him. The eunuch afTured him that he had a fecret to reftore fight to the prince. Tranfported with this expeftation, the king fent one of the grandees with the eunuch to bring the prince to him, when finding that he could fee, his joy, it is faid, prolonged his life till the next year. He reigned 12 years. ABAS II, A.D. 1642. This prince was but thirteen years of age when he began his reign. He was of a difpofition the reverfe of that of his father, for notwith- ftanding his being too much addided to wine, and committing fome ^ ads Chap. II. THE PERSIAN MONARCHY. 21 ads of cruelty, he was one of the beft kings of the seffies. He loveA- juftice, and had no mercy on the public officers who abufed his autho- rity, and opprefTed his fubjed:s. He was kind to Grangers, and openly proteded the chriflians, declaring that he thought God alone was judge and mailer of the confclence -, that as for himfelf he v/as only the go- vernor of externals j and all his fubje but being abandoned by moft of the grandees of the country, who were bribed by the court, he foon came in perfon to make his fubmiffion to the king. Under a prince of lefs lenity, a ftep of this kind would have proved his deftrucflion : but shah hussein, who had flood engaged for him at his circumcifion, when he renounced the re- ligion of his anceflors, being ftruck with an adlon that exprefTcd fo much confidence in his goodnefs, not only forgave what was part, but loaded him with favours, and confirmed him in all his governments. The court being diftrefled what meafures to purfue, laid hold of this opportunity to em.ploy a prince, wliofe valour and other military virtues might render him dangerous in any other province. His brother levan- KHAN was fent in quality of his lieutenant into Georgia, and gurghin- KHANj who, befidc the government of this province, had that of kher- MANIA ^, was nominated alfo governor of kandahar j and as fuch was commifTioned to pacify the troubles that might arife, and to watch over the fecurity of that frontier. This general fpared no pains to put his or- ders in execution : for this purpofe, he raifed an army of 20,000 Per- sians, and having reinforced it with a body of Georgians, he made forced marches towards kandahar, when the very news of his ap- proach difperfed the rebels. So fudden a calm gave him fome fufpicion : he was not fatisfied with- having fupprelfed the infurredion, but applied his thoughts how to root it up. With this view, he made a diligent enquiry after the authors of the part troubles, and being induced from the feverity of his difpofition,, to think that thefe people would never be completely fubjeded without oppreffion, he abandoned them to the difcretion of his army. It is hardly credible to what excefs the violence and cruelty of the troops was carried on this occafion. The chiefs of tribes, and the fimple flicpherds, '' Vali, a viceroy defcendcd more immediately from the fovcrcigns of tlic country over which lie prefidej. « Capital of Persian Georgia, on a branch of the kura. * General'y WtOte CARMANI*. s Chap. IV. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 29 ihepherds, were equally in danger of their lives. They faw their tents and horfes taken from them, without daring to complain. Women were publicly fnatched from their hufbands, and young virgins found no fhelter in the arms of their mothers. Such horrid licentioufnefs increa- fing every day, the Afghans had private meetings, and fent a deputation to court, to complain of the tyranny under which they groaned. Thofe deputies fet out unknown to gurghin-khan, and arrived fafe at Isfa- han i but this governor's friends having foon difcovered the motive of their journey, prevented all accefs to the shah, in fuch a manner, that they were obliged to wait for the time when there was no poflibility of hindering them from having audience. According to an ancient cuftom, the kings of Persia always appear in public at the vernal equinox, when even the meaneft of their fubjeds have free accefs. The Afghans embraced this opportunity to prefent their complaints r the petition which they brought with them was fign- ed by the chiefs of the feveral tribes ; it contained a very lively pidlure of the miferies they fuffered, and would undoubtedly have moved shah HUSSEIN, who was naturally of a mild difpolition, if the friends of gur- ghin-khan had not flifled thofe favourable impreffions, and engaged the prince to difmifs thofe deputies as male-contents, unwortliy of the royal clemency. Gurghin-khan having been informed of what palTed, was not long before he fhewed his refentment The Afghans of kandahar are di- vided into feveral tribes ^ of ten or twelve thoufand families each. Mir- vAis^, a chief of one of thofe tribes, was alfo one of the moll: powerful perfons of his nation : his office of calentar ^ added v/eight to his credit : but his birth, his generoiity, and a certain graceful and popular air, with fome indications of an ambitious fpirit, were the caufe of his being fufpeded as the author of the paffc diflurbances. The khan in order ^ V/hich the TARTARS call hordas. * Sometimes wrote M ir-uve if, which fignifies in Ara- bic prince lion-whelp. The title of emir, of which mir is an abbreviation, is conferred alfo on the CHERiFFs, fucceffors of M AHOMMED ; but every EMI R is not a CHERiFi . There are fome who are chrilhans, fuch as thofe of the DKUSEsand the maronists; thefe laft are fo named from maron their head, and inhabited mount lee anus. *■ Calentar fignifie^ the greateft. This officer is however charged with colledluig of taxes, and as already noted, fcmetimes acts as a fab -governor. Vol. I. p. 2^. .o THE REIGN OF Part IL order to revenge himfelf of his enemies, and at the fame time by feme fignal piece of policy to over-awe the Afghans, ordered mir-vais to be feized and fent to Isfahan ; informing the court at the fame time, that he was a turbulent man whom they ought by all means to fccure 5 that he was the only author of the paft commotions, and of fuch a dif- pofition as was likely to foment new troubles, which might hereafter be of dano^eiious confequence to the monarchy : a remarkable inltance of fagacity, which was afterwards juftified by the event. Gurghin-khan having thus removed the only perfon, in whom he difcovered all the qualifications necelTary for the head of a party, began to be no longer afraid of the enterprizes of the moghol, or of tiie mur- murings of the afgh.ins. He therefore put a garrifon in the capital, and, fatisfied with keeping his Georgians about his perfon, difbanded the reft of his army. MiR-vAis, far from being dejeded'by his difgrace, thought of draw- ing fome advantage from it, by endeavouring to get a thorough know- ledge of a court which was made the place of his confinement. The character of shah hussfin ^ was too remarkable to efcape him. This prince was born with that placid difpofition, which borders on weaknefs, and confequently does not defer ve the name of virtue. He had a flrong attachment to his religion, and might be denominated an honed man, but fo exceffively indolent, and immoderately addi(5ted to women and wine, as to be incapable of governing ; thus unworthy of being a real, he was only a nominal king. It is eafy to conceive then that the guardians of his pleafures were his favourites, and a council compofed of the prin- cipal eunuchs of the feraglio, were the depofitaries of the fupreme power. This council was eftablifhed by shah suliman towards the latter end of his reign, who not content with rendering it fuperior to that of the antient form of adminiftration, at his death gave it the power, in conjunc- tion with the great officers of the kingdom, of chufing which of his fons they K Cantemir-hospodar of MOLDAVIA, wlio flcd (oT ftieltcr into the territories of the czar, in 1715 drew the following charadler of shah hussein. " He is forty years old ; of an indolent " difpofition ; intirely abandoned to his pleafures ; terminating all his difputes with the turks, the ** INDIANS, ar.d his other neighbours, by the interpofition of his governors, and by dint of money." 8 Chap. IV. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 31 they thought fitteft to fucceed him. It was by means of the votes and credit of thefe eunuchs, that hussein was preferred, on this occafion to his brother ABAs-MYRZiV^: yet far from taking umbrage at the power wtiich had raifed him to the throne, contrary to the policy of arbitrary kings, thought only of flrengthening the authority of that tribunal j whe- ther it was that he followed merely the impulfe of a grateful mind, without attending to any other duty ; or finding himfelf incapable of holding the reins of government, he was glad to eafe himfelf of a bur- then, too heavy indeed for a prince of his characfter. This fenate thus invefled with the fupreme authority, were confequently the only difpofers of the royal favours and employments. Merit became an empty found 5 all offices and dignities were given to thofe who paid" the higheil: price j money decided every thing j and the immenfe riches which were accumulated by this means, feemed rather to whet than to glut the avarice of thofe bafe minifters. Every part of the ilate felt the effects of this diforder. The troops being difcouraged by ill difdpline, and worfe pay, ferved with reludance. Robbers infefted the high- ways, and interrupted commerce. Place -men, impoveriflied by the purchace of their o&es, tyrannized over the people, and were rapacious with im- punity J in fine, juflice was publicly fold in the very capital of the em- pire. Shah hussein was perhaps the only perfon in his kingdom, that was ignorant of the diforder of the government. As he was buried in the pleafures of the harram \ the cries of the opprefTed could not reach his ear. The eunuchs had in a great meafure brought the feudatory princes of the empire under their fubjedion, by invefting the younger brothers with the fovereignty, in prejudice to the elder ^ and as the grandees of the court were, like the reft of the nation, divided into two fadlionst, they received no umbrage, but paid an implicit obedience to this tribur nal, which triumphed over the public calamity. In '' Myrza, an abbreviation of emir-zade, which in Persian fignifies fbn of the prince. The title of MY Rz A put after the proper name, fignifies a prince of the blood ; but put before it, fignifias writer; and is alfo a proper nHme, as my rza-m ahommed. See Vol. I. » Harram, fignifies proliibited to men. The womens apartment in persja, india and turk.e:2. 32 THE REIGN OF Part IL In order to difcover the origin of thefd divifions, we muft trace mat- ters as high as the reign of shah abas I*^. This prince, whofe great grand-father had ufurpcd the throne, and who had lately added feveral provinces to his dominions, perceived that he could not long depend on the fidchty of his natural-born fubjeds, no more than on the feveral na- tions whom he had brought under fubjed:ion. He endeavoured therefore to fet them at variance, that he might f^.ipport his fovereignty by being their arbitrator. With this view, he peopled one half of every city and village of his empire with colonies chofen from among the nations moft oppofitc in manners, cufloms, and character to the antlcnt citizens ; and tiiat the equality which he Had eftablilhed between both thefe parties Ihould be for ever prcferved, he forbid them to alienate to each other, under any pretext whatfoever, the lands which they already poflelTcd, or thofe which ho might affign to them. Tliis policy had the effed: which SHAH ABAS expcdcd. Jcaloufy foon gave birth to two oppofite fa(flions> who not content with diftinguiiliing themfclves by a particular name \ and fome external marks, would neither inter-marry nor have dealings with each other. Their hatred fhewed itfelf in a very fingular manner at the feart of hussein and hassan'^, for then they were allowed to come tO' blows, and tho' it was only with ftones and fticks, yet thofe days of feftivity feldom pafled without coding the lives of a great many people. Thefe combats were not only tolerated, but authorized by the prince, whofe power they confirmed, inafmuch as the animofity which they fomented, produced a mutual jealoufy between the two parties, which contained them both alike within the limits of obedience. A policy fo little founded on the good of fociety, could not but have fome dangerous effects. The courtiers inftead of ufing this artifice as a political engine, at length took a great iliare in it, and it was eafy to perceive at the court of Isfahan, thofe fentiments of averfion which divided the comm.on people : every grandee, either for the glory of pro- ted:ing> ^ The beginning of the laft century. ' Peleuk and fei.euk. We may fuppofe them as mad a? thofe were in 1640, who adopted the tenets of the church of England and the church of scofLAND. I have a'ready mvntioned this in a general way in my ill volume, concerning the pep. ?iAN religion. "> The fons of ali, whofe death they commemorate. Chap. V. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 33 teding, or for the advantage of being properly fupported, was of one party or the other 3 and the antipathy which always prevailed betwixt the white and black eunuchs, was, in regard to them, what the fpirit of fadion was to the reft of the kingdom. CHAP. V. '^he intrigues of MiR-vAis at the court of Isfahan. He goes a pilgrimage to MECCA; Different JeBs of mahommedans. He propofes political doubts /o /^^ MOLL A HS tf/ MECCA, which are refohed in his favour, SUCH was the ilatc of Persia, when mir-vais came to court. This 1707, man had penetration fufficient to unravel thefe myfteries, and to make a proper ufe of fuch conjundures as were favourable to his intereft. He made it his firft bufinefs to get acquainted with the party which oppofed GURGHiN-KHAN. The fleward of the king's houfhold, and fatey- ali-khan "", grand veneur °, and afterwards prime minifter, were at the head of this fad:ion. Mir-vais found no difficulty to engage their fa- vour againft their common enemy : he knew that intereft is generally a more prevailing motive than hatred to a foe, or even compaffion for a friend, and made ufe of the greateft part of the money which the Afghans remitted him, to fecure the protedion of thofe lords. The prefents which he made them on this occalion, amounted to thirty thoufand tomans p. The province of kandahar was no longer divided like the reft of the kingdom by this fpirit of diffenfion : the revolutions it had under- gone, had infenfibly extinguifhed their animofities. As mir-vais was avowedly neither a peleuk nor feleuk; he made a dexterous ufe of this " There was another khan of the fame name, who is diftinguilhed in the hiftory of nadir shah. • MiR-CHEKAR-BACHi. P 75,000/. It IS fald that this fum was paid by the AFCH AN s iH thirty thoufand woolen falhes of the manufa^ures of termai, a city in the territories of the great 'j^ MOGHOL. VoL» IIL E 34 THE REIGN OF Partis 1707. this particahr circumflance : for each wilUng to believe him of their piirty, eipoufed his intereft. Having taken fuch wife precautions, he. was not afraid to demand an audience : accordingly he appeared before the divan, and jullified his condud: with fuch addrefs and eloquence, thatr the king already prejudiced by fonie of his minifters, thought it juftice not only to acquit him, but to grant him his favour and protedion. A man of common ambition would have been fatlsfied with this fuc- cefsi but to a perfon of mir-vais's ftamp, It was not fufficient to juflify, himfcif; he afpired at the deftrui^lion of his accufcr. His noble birth, fup- ported by a fplendid fortune, with an artful and infinuating turn of mind, . operated fo effectually on the miftakcn companion of hussein, that he - had now free accefs to this monarch: and he availed himfelf of this favour, and of the credit of his cabal, to flrike the firft blow. He always fpoke of his enemy with refped, and a feeming fincerity 5 but he gave his au-. ditors time to refled on the valour and power of that general : he art- fully infinuated that the government of Georgia, khermania, and KANDAHAR, wlth whlch the fame perfon was invefted, rather rendered him a formidable prince, than an opulent lord. He reminded them, on this occafion, of his prefumption in holding out in tefflis againfl the. PERSIAN armies ; in fine, taking every occafion to raife the fame fu- fpicions againll: the governor, as the latter had exxited againft him, the. king now began to imagine, that gurghin-khan had removed him, only.. to get rid of an infpedor, . who by his fidelity and credit, might baffla his projects. But it was not a fpirit of revenge only that excited mir-vais to render the KHAN fufpededj this dangerous Afghan had more extenfive, and more exalted views. The king's effeminacy ; the want of experience in his minlfters and generals i the confufion and irregularity which neceffirlly followed from thence in the admin iftration ; and above all, that fpirit of divifion which excited one party continually to oppofc the projeds formed by the other ; by means whereof their very befl concerted cntcrprizes were frustrated: thefe clrcumitances, at length, infplred mir-vais with the hopes of refcuing his country from the Persian yoke. His knowledg* 7 and Chap.V. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 35 •and experience of the court had given him too mean an opinion of it, 1707. to be afraid of any difficulty from that quarter, in the execution of his defign ; but he was too well acquainted with the valour and abilities of GURGHiN-KHAN, to ncglcd: any method by which he might remove that general. But the moll important point was to fecure in his intereft the different tribes of kandahar. Tho' his fuperior genius, his win- ning deportment^ his great generofity, had united the hearts of the chiefs, as well as of the common people, in his favour j yet he did not think this was enough to determine him to put an abfolute confidence in them, as if they would certainly join v/ith him in an enterprize of this nature. In order therefore to cover his defign with the fpecious veil of religion, he took his meafures to render a revolt legal, and according to the de- cifion of the higheft earthly authority. It has been already obferved, that the Persians and the Afghans treat each other as heretics. The two fedls of the mahommedans are diftinguifhed by the names of sunni and schias : as mahommed is re- •puted both by the Persians and turks as the true meffiah, their differ- ence is about the fucceflbr of this falfe prophet, and the fenfe of fome -particular texts in the khoran''. The fed of sunni comprehends the TURKS, fome of the tartars, the fubjeas of the moghol, with fome other nations of lefs note, and among thefe the Afghans, who are all followers of omar. The fed: of schias, includes the Persians, and other nations of the fame way of thinking, fuch as part of the ousbeg tartars, and fome princes of the iNDits, who are followers of alt, and diflinguifli their fed: alfo by the name of adeliah'. The Afghans, in fubmitting to the dominion of the kings of Persia, had made it an article of their capitulation, that they fliould not be molefled on account of their religion ^ nor were they ever diflreffed upon that fubjedl. But JNiiR-vAis refolved to make this difference in religion the bafis of his defign of taking up arms againfl his fovereign. With this fecret view, he begged leave of the king to make a pilgrimage to mecca, where he in- tended to confult the JvIullahs '^ as he was now no longer fufpeded, and E 2 this 1 See this fubjeft in Vol. I. Chap. 51. ' Adeliah properly fignifies the fed of the juft. • Mullah fignifies a guide or director, the common name of prieft. 36 THE REIGN OF Part II. 1707. this pilgrimage removed him the further from kandahar, his petition was granted without any dillicuhy. He had not been lono; at mecca, before he fent to Medina to delire the opinion of the chief dodors. The doubts he propofed to them were : " Whether it is lawful for muflulmen opprefTed and cramped in the exer- " cife of their religion by heretics, to take up arms, and free themfelves " from the yoke." The other was much to the fame effe(5l, viz. "Whe- " ther thofe muffulmen were not releafed from the oath of allegiance, *' which the chief men of each family had been forced to make to a " fovereign, who was a heretic, when this fovereign did not obferve the " conventions which he had fworn to, but had made them flaves to in- " fidels^" After which, he expatiated on the fufferings of the nation from the avarice and violence of the Georgians ; obferving, that feveral AFGHANS had already changed their religion, merely to free themfelves from this tyrannical opprefTion. The MULLAHS did not heiitate long about their anfwer 3 for according to the principles of the mahommedan religion, the fword is one of the means enjoined to mulTulmen, in general, for the propagation of their faith. They decided therefore in the affirmative, and mir-vais having fecretly obtained the fetfa", difpatched in the ufual forms, returned to ISFAHAN. Thus far things fucceeded to his wifli, but this holy authority for rebellion could be of no fervice to him, till he fhould return to kan- dahar. Notwithftanding the eager defire he had to execute his projed, he was too good a politician to apply for leave to go home. On the con- trary, he afFeded an indifference, which entirely preventing thofe fuf- picions, which an impatience of returning might have revived, he waited to fee what time would produce; when a circumflance arofe which great- ly facilitated his defigns. Gebers. P4jr-vais by this name marked out the Georgians. This word comes from cHEnR, which in the persic fignifies an idolater, but more particularly a worihipper of fire. I'iiTPA, or rather fetva, the decifion of the mufti, when he is confultcd upon any point of hw. CHAP. Chap. VI. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 37 CHAP. VI. 'The emperor of Russia fends an emhaffador to the court ofisFAUAisi, Mir- VAis'j arts to alarm the court on this account, Charadier of the em- bajfador, Mir-vais raifes fufpicion againft gurghin-khan governor of KANDAHAR, and IS fent back to his own country^ under a notion of his fidelity, THE governor of shamakie, at this time, gave inteUigence to the 1708. court, that there was arrived upon the frontiers an embaflador from the emperor of russia, charged v^ith letters from the pope, and likewife from the emperor of Germany, and attended with a more than ordinary retinue. Advice was brought, at the fame time, that this em- bailador, who was born in capan a city of Armenia, had given out that he was defcended from the antient kings of that province, and had let drop fome hints, that he did not renounce the rights which his birth gave him to that fovereignty. Thefe reports concerning the Hneal de- fcent of the emhaffador, frivolous as they were, alarmed shah hussein and his minifters : their puerile fears thus carried their apprehenfions be- yond all the bounds of probability, for they concluded, that an Arme- nian who was born a fubjed of persia, and had prefumed to talk in that manner, did not come fo well attended, and under the protection of three princes of the fame religion as himfelf, to ad: merely as an em- balTador. The alarm was foon increafed by thofe, who fuppofing that fome parts of the reports were true, thought it their interell to magnify the whole. A frenchman, who had been fent to the court of Isfahan by lewis XIV, for the affairs of commerce -, and fome other Europeans who were fettled in that city, gave into this ridiculous ftory. They had been informed, that this embaffador threatened to caufe all the miffiona- ries to be expelled the kingdom, and therefore endeavoured to fhew that the letters of recommendation from the chriflian princes, by virtue of which he had met with a favourable reception, were fuppofititious pieces 5 ufing their intereft at the fame time to diffuade the court from receiving the ^8 THE REIGN OF Part 11. i-oS. the embaflador: alledging certain predidions preferved in the archives of the ARMENIANS, which foretold that the kingdom of Armenia fliould be re-eftabli filed one day under the protedion of russia. And in order to impofe on a people naturally credulous with regard to future events, they corroborated thefe predidions with a French anagram taken from the embailador's name, obferving that in Israel OR^I^ were found the letters il sera roi, that is, " he fliall be king." The artful infinuations of mir-vais made a ftrong impreffion on the minds of the courtiers. With thofe of the fame fadion as gurghin- khan, he laid no great flrcfs upon thefe circumflances j but with thofe of the oppofite party, " the ftate," he faid, " was in the moft perillous *' fituation ; for there was no reafon to doubt, but the czar, whofe power " and ambition were well known to all the world, had undertaken to " refcue from the Persian yoke, a nation who profefTed the fame reli- " gion as himfelf That the embaflador mull be a fecret emiflTary, who *' under the fandion of his chara(5ter, was come to blow the coals of fe- " dition even in the heart of the kingdom. Otherwife, why fhould an ** ARMENIAN have been chofen ? Could thofe princes have been at a lofe " to find in their vafl dominions, fubjedls of their own, who were pro- " perly qualified for fuch a function ? And why fliould this minifler pre- " tend to be defcended from the antient kings of Armenia, if it was " not to obtain more credit with the credulous part of his country ? But " this was the fmalleft part of the danger. If the government had no- *' thing to apprehend but the attempts of the muscovitjs and arme- " NiANS, the brave inhabitants of Georgia, who are ntuate between " them, would be an infarmountable barrier againfl: the one ; and as for " the others, it is well known that they are more difpofed to commerce " than war -, and confequently will not attempt to fliake off their fub- " jc6lion to our invincible fovereign. But who can undertake to anfwer " for the fidelity of thofe very Georgians ? Is there the leafl reafon to ** doubt, but they fubmit with reludance to a people of a different rcli- " gion ? Have we forgot the efforts they made fome years ago, to with- " draw thcmfelves from their fubjecflion, at the infligation of gurghin- *' KHAN, * The name of the embaflador. Ghap. VI. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 39 *' KHAN, who now is governor of three of the fineft provinces of the 1708, " kingdom ? In fine, are we ignorant, that sanazarli-khan, this prince's *' coufin-german, is now at the court of sT. Petersburg, from whence " perhaps he correfponds with him, while he continually follicits the czar, *' to free thofe unbelievers from their fubjedion to our empire''. The " RUSSIAN armies, reinforced by the troops of one of thofe infidel na- " tions, and paid by the other, may at any time without fighting march '' over the high mountains of alburtz J', crofs theKURA% and pitch " their tents on the banks of the ARAS^ And when thefe formidable " enemies fliall have penetrated into the heart of the kingdom, are we " to prefume that gurghin-khan, who has already attempted to afcend "the throne of his anceflors, will facrifice his ambition and intereil to "his duty? Or is it to be imagined, that this prince, who is defcended . *' from the fovereigns of Georgia, and a chriflian-in his heart, will em- " ploy the forces quartered in kandahar and khermania, which he *' can- bring together at- a fingle word, againfh his country, his religion, "and the fubjecis of his anceflors ?" Thefe arguments were very fpecious and folid, to men who endea- voured to be frightened. In fadt, every thing contributed to increafe the general alarm j while mir-vais was the only perfon at court, who faw into the falfity of thefe political vifions. This man had too much kn{Q and penetration, not to perceive immediately, that thefe chimerical ideas had no foundation J having been occafioned only by fome indifcreet fpeeches of the embafTador, which fhewed rather his folly and flupidity, than his, having any defign of this nature. For how prodigioufly abfurd was it to believe, that the emperor peter the great, fliould without any ne° cefiity deliver up the pretender into the king's hands, and that this mini- iter, who had fuch a perfonal interefl not to be difcovered, fhould begin by " This was a plaufible motive of fear. Mi.lttetzki, prince of Georgia, had been in Russia, and his only fon was general of the artillery to peter the great. Thefe princes were now dead ; bat as it was believed that the czar had promifed militetzki to re-inflate him in his principality, as foon as the war with Sweden was ended : it was alfo imagined that this monarch flill perfifted (in 1715) in his refolution of difpoffeffing the ufurper. ^ Mount Caucasus. ^Formerly, called CYRUS. » Formerly araxes. 40 THE REIGN OF Part II. 708. by a voluntary Indifcretion, the execution of his defign, the whole fuccefs of which depended on fecrecy and circumfpecflion ? Nothing, indeed, could be worfe founded than this panic. The pre- tended fucccflbr of the kings of Armenia, was an adventurer, who after havinn- fuccclTivcly fold coffee, and ferved as a common foldier, became a fubaltern in the fervice of the em.peror Leopold ; but as he underftood the ORIENTAL languages, he was, at length, chofen by the court of Vi- enna, to found the difpofition of the turks, in regard to the peace which was afterwards concluded at karlowitz. Upon his return from Con- stantinople, he paffed into the fervice of peter the great, who in conllderation of the fame abilities, made him a colonel, and employed him alfo to negotiate a peace with the ottoman portj to prevent his being interrupted by that power, during the war which he intended to declare againft the king of Sweden. Israel orii having difcharged this important commiffion to the czar's fatisfadion, defired as a reward for his fervices, that his majefly would gratify him with an embalTy to Isfahan. He confidered that this would be the furefl: way to enrich himfelf in a little time : minifters of this cha- radler enjoying great privileges in Persia, particularly that of not paying any cuftoms. As foon as he had obtained his credentials, he took pofl to VIENNA, and thence to Rome, where he pretended to be capable of bringing the fchifmatic Armenians into the pale of the romish church, and having already obtained letters from the emperor, he procured alfo a brief from clement XI, for shah hussein. Thefe were the particulars of an event, which gave rife to fo many idle fpeculations. The numerous retinue which attended the embaffador, confided for the moft part of Armenians, who were proprietors of the goods he brought with him 5 except fome RUSSiAisis, who were going to BAKU, and had accompanied him to shamakie, in order to give the more luftre to his embafly. So that the pretenfions of fovereignty, and the defign of turning the millionaries out of the kingdom, were idle words which this minifter let drop on purpofe, to engage his companions to join with him in the expences of the journey into Persia. Shah 7 HUSSEIN Chap. VI. SHAH SULTAN MUSSEHsT. 4t HUSSEIN being ignorant of thefe circumftances, was for fome time dubious 1702. how to adt: but the fear of giving peter the great any pretence for a rupture, prevailing over every other confideration, he came to a refolu- tion, contrary to the general expedation of the Europeans, to receive the embaiTador. Israel orii therefore fet out from shamakie ; and ffom the prejudice already conceived in his favour, the Persians paid a yet greater regard to him, than is generally fhewn to perfons of his cha- radber 5 fo that he had reafon to be fatisfied with the honours and diftinc- tions which he received during his flay at Isfahan. In the mean time, the artful fpeeches of mir-vais had produced the efFedl whjch he expeded. The court, continually terrified with chimeras, the natural confequence of a diflemper'd government, began to take um- brage at the exceffive power of gurghin-khan ; and the enemies of that prince, at the head of whom was the prime minifler ^ taking advantage of thefe difpofitions, found no difficulty in perfuading the timorous shah HUSSEIN to join with them in fufpicions, which were authorized by the remembrance of what had pafled fome years before at teflis. It is probable, that gurghin-khan would have been recalled, but that they doubted, whether he v/ould not undertake to maintain himfelf there by force-, or, after the example of ali-merDan-khaN, he might not be- tray the country to the moghol : they refolved therefore to purfue a lefs dangerous method.; this was., to place near his perfon one whom they could confide in, who was capable of watching over his condudl, and at the fame time able to make head againft him, if he offered to create any difturbance. They were not long deliberating upon the choice : this commiffion was given to mir-vais ; and as it was of fome confequence, on this occafion, to increafe his credit with the people, he was honoured with the KHALAET% and reinflated in his employment. Thus ^ Athemat ooulet. In persic, ikhtimadoulet figniiies fupporter of the power. This poft is different from that of the vizir-azem, or grand vizirs in turke v, inafmuch as the latter be- i?g generaliflimo's of the armies, their dignity anfwers to that of lieutenant-general of the empire. * Khalaet fignifies perfeft or accompliihed ; a robe of honour which is given by the king's or- ders ; it is alfo ufed for arms, horfes, or the like prefent from a fuperior. The turks call this CAt- TAN, and the Russians have the fame word for a common coat. Vol, III. F ^2 THE REIGN OF . Part II. J -08. Thus Providence ordained, that a fearful apprehcnfion, arifing from the idle talk of an adventurer, (liould bring aoout the invafion of one of the moll: flourifhing monarchies of the e-Ulern world. Mir-vais, who frooi tlie very circumlknccs of this ridiculous terror, had made a difcovery of the weaknefs of the Persian government; was no fooner returned to KANDAHAR, than he appHed hh thoughts iiow to prevail on his country- men, to embark with him in the enterprize he had meditated. He was waverin^ in rc^^ard to the manner in which he fhould acquaint them with his projed:, when a favourable opportunity oflcred of commencing the execution of it. This was owing to an event, which to thofe who are unacquainted with the diffl:r:nce of manners and laws between the Euro- peans and ORIENTAL nations, may appear as a romance, though there is good reafon to believe it true. CHAP. VII. GuRGiiiN-KHAN demands the daughter of mir-vais. The Afghans af- Jemhle ai2d determine to re'volt. Mir-vais by an artifice impojes upon GURGHiN-KHAN, and gains his cojifidcnce. A con [piracy concerted with the tribe of TiRi'iis, Mir-vais maJJ'acres the khan with all his re- tinue, and takes pojj'cjjion ^'kandahar. Gurghin-khan made no doubt, but his condudl to the Afghans had been cenfured at court ; but he flill continued to ad towards them with his ufual feverity. Being now provoked at the return and juftification of one of their chiefs, whom he had pronounced guilty, he determined to let thefe people know, that neither the favour nor honours which the king had granted to mir-vais, fliould fcreen him from his refentment, who knew him fo much better than he was known at the PERSIAN court. With this view, he refolved by fome fignal ad: to hum- ble them all at one and the fame time ; and hurried by the impetuofity of his temper, he chofe the moft dangerous method he could have thought of J judging it the beft adapted to his purpofe, of making them feel the full extent of his power, Mir-vais Chap. VII. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 43 MiR-vAis had a daughtei-, who was efleemed the moft beautiful lady 1708. in the province. The khan now demanded her for his harram, and ex- plained himfelf in fuch terms, as (liewed he was determined to be obexred. This ad of tyranny was more than mir-vais expeded, but his mind being already full of his favourite dcfign, he made a proper ufe of this incident, to found the diipciitlon of the Afghans, in regard to the plot he was contriving. He acquainted the principal men among them, with his prefent cafe, by whom it was foon communicated to others. Thofe people have an utter averfion againil: marrying their daughters to Grangers : but to give away as a Have, the child of one of the mofl powerful of their chiefs, and of a perfon who was a prince by his birth, to a man of a different fe ** this glorious defign mjuft be kept an inviolable fccret*'* The AFGHANS anfwered with a general applaufe, and all promifed the moft fubmiffive obedience, and the ftrideft fecrecy. *' They fwore to *' fuffcr their wives to be torn from them, and their Caves to be fet at " liberty,^ if they did not perform their engagements; and this they alfo *' confirmed upon bread, fait, their fabres, and the khoran *. We all know, that it is the cuftom of the eaft, for women of con- dition, or even thofc who are flaves to perfons of any rank, never to ftir from He is faid to h?.vc been ftnt to rsrAiiAN in irons. • A cuftom which is very fignificativt\, M it may be prcfumcd to include their temporal as well as eternal life. Chap. VII. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 4^ from a certain inclofure^, which none but the mafter is permitted to 1708. enter. Young women remain there, till they are married, and confe- quently are never ken by Grangers. Mir-vais now made his ufe of this circumftance : as foon as the aflembly broke up, he fent for a girl who was young and handfome, and inftruding her in the part (lie was to adt, he ordered her to be magnificently drefTed, and conduded to gurghin- KHAN,. as hi& daughter. After.giving this deceitful teftimony of his obe- dience to the governor, he made it his bufinefs ta court the acquaintance of his favourites, and even of his domeflics, whom he gained by bribes and fair promifes, infomuch that they all agreed to ufe their endeavours to reconcile their mafler to him». GuRGHiN-KHAN kncw veiy Well that mir-vais had juftified himfelf before the divan, and that the king had honoured him with the khalaet: thefe circumftances, which at iirft excited his anger, now prejudiced him in his favour i apprehending. that he had.no defign to create any occafion of frefh alarms. The folicitations of his creatures and domeftics fo far foftened his refentment, that mir-vais had leave to appear in his. pre=- fence. This artful Afghan was now to give a mafler-proof of his dan- gerous abilities. He pretended fo much refped and fubmiffion at this interview, that the khan flattered himfelf with having abfolutely hum- bled the moft powerful of his enemies. Mir-vais did not flop there : for not fatisfied with being thus recon- ciled in appearance to a man whofe deflrudion he had vowed, he ufed all his endeavours to gain his confidence, and friend£hip. He was oftencr. feen at the governor's levee, than in his own habitation : he no longer importuned him with reprefentations of the grievances of the nation : he feemed to have forgotten all paft injuries, and to employ his time in- tirely in courting his favour, Such a behaviour, joined to the great au^ thority he had among his country-men, with, an eafy addrefs, won the heart of gurghin khan, fo that he reckoned him among the numbec of his intimate friends. As foon as mir-vais faw his bufinefs brought thus far, he thought it a proper time to put the finishing ilroke to his work. We have already mentioned, ^ The harram. 1709. ^5 THE REIGN OF Partll. 1708. mentioned, that excepting the gaiTiion of kandahar, there were no other troops in the province but Georgians, whom the khan had kept near his p^rfon. And tho' thefe did not amount to one thoufand men, yet as they were tlie bell troops in tlie eaft, they were an invincible ob- llacle to an open execution of mir-vais*s defign : but this wary afgham being fertile in ftratagcms, fecretly engaged the chiefs of one of the tribes, named tirin, to refuie to pay the ufual taxes; the khan was no.fooner informed of this rebellion, than he ordered the greateft part of the geor- gian;s, in whom confiiled his principal fecurity, to march that way in order to fupprefs it. In the interin), mir-vais had direded his tribe to approach within two or three leagues of kandahar : and as foon as he heard that gur- ghin-khan had ordered troops to march againft the tirins, he expreffed tlie hi^hcfl refentment of the mutiny of thofc people j fo far was he from excufmg them, that he enlarged upon the puniihment which they deferved. This artful behaviour fo totally defeated the warinefs of the governor, that he made no difficulty to accept of an entertainment, to which mir-vais ?iad invited him, under a pretence of reconciling to his favour two leading men of his nation, who had not as yet appeared in his prefence. On the day appointed for the feaft, mir-vais had every thing ready for the exe- cution of his defign. It was cuflomary to admit every day into the town a certain number of Afghans, who were employed by the garrifon and tovvnfmen in laborious offices: that day he caufed as many armed men, as might pafs unobferved, to enter the town along with thefe labourers, and gave them orders, by all means to elude the prohibition which ftran- gers were under, of ftaying in town after fun-fet, which was the time of ffiutting the gates. He left nothing untried that was capable of con- firming the refolution of the confpirators ; and having taken every other meafure that his prudence fuggefted to him, he waited, not with the anxious fears that attend plots, but with fanguine hopes, to fee the fpeedy iflue of his undertaking:. The governor fet out from kandahar in the morning, and arrived at the camp, which was dcfignedly pitched near one of his country houfes. 2 There Chap. VII. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN, 47 There he was received with the greatefl: demonftrations of joy and re- 1709. fped:. Soon after a fumptuous repaft was ferved up : the plenty of wine together with the heat of the day, having overcome the governor, he fell afleep in the tent where the entertainment was given • while the officers and domeftics of his retinue, took their reft in the tents of the Afghans, who had invited them thither, to partake of the feafl. No fooner were thefe unfufpeding guefls afleep, than mir-vais at the head of fifty men armed with fpears, rufhed into the tent where the governor was afleep. This had been appointed as a fignal to the other confpirators, who im- mediately entered the tents where the governor's retinue were fleep- ing, and inftantly maflfacred every Persian and Georgian they could find. Their unhappy chief underwent the fame fate 3 but it is faid of him, that having had time to draw his fabre, he flew feveral of his af- faffins before he fell. When this treacherous flaughter was over, mir-vais ordered the dead bodies to be fl:ript, and their arms, cloaths, and horfes to be diflributed among the bravefl: of his tribe 5 and taking to himfelf the cloaths, horfe and arms of gurghin-khan, he marched towards kandahar, in the fame order as had been generally obferved by the governor. It was about an hour after fun-fet, when the confpirators arrived at the gates of the city. The guard, deceived by thefe falfe appearances, granted them ad- mittance, and v/ere cut in pieces before they were fenfible of their error. The flower of the Afghans, that followed at a flnail diflance, arrived foon after J and dividing themfelves into different bodies, were foon joined by their country-men, who had been admitted that morning into the town ; part of them marched towards the feveral pofl:s, and part advan- cing towards the head quarters, they furprized the garrifon, already weak- ened by the large detachment of the Georgians, and made them an eafy prey. Mir-vais with his ufual prefence of mind, now cauled a proclamation to be m^ade, that the townfmen fhould keep within doors, whce they would be intirely fafe. By this piece of policy, the garrifon being deprived even of this precarious aflifl:ance, every foldier and perfon attached to the khan, were in a very few hours cut in pieces. CHAP. '^8 THE REIGN OF ". PartH. CHAP. VIII. MiR-VAis engages the inhabitants of kandahar to join 'with him in the rebellion. Famous retreat of the Georgians. Mir-vais makes hi/zi- felf mafer of the freight of zebil. The Persian court orders troops 'o be levied, and fends deputies to kandahar. ijog. f M ^HE day after the taking of kandahar, mir-vais yet depending X more on cunning than flrength, caufed the principal inhabitants to be fummoned early in the morning ; and after having quieted their fears by his foft and obliging behaviour, he protefted to them, that am- bition had no fliare in his undertaking ; that his only aim was to free his country from the yoke under which it had fo long groaned : he then ex- patiated upon what the Afghans in general, and himfclf in particular had fuffered for feme years j and very artfully treating the interefls of the aflembly as his own, he thus continued : " You may judge from my *' fentiments, and every circumflance of my condud:, that my defign is ** not to opprefs, but to free you from flavery. The Afghans will al- *' ways efleem you as the companions of their paft fervitude, and prefent " felicity. Do not be afraid that the happinefs we are now going to en- " joy, will ever be interrupted. The tyrant gurghin-khan is no more.; *' he was the only perfon among the Persians that deferved the name " of a foldier : can you imagine they will ever dare to undertake what *' the emperors of india have attempted in vain, with more troops than *' there are ftones in our walls ? 'Tis only by motion that water is puri- " fied J an enemy immerfed in luxury is far from being formidable. If " there are any amongft you that have not the courage to enjoy this *' precious gift of liberty, which is dropt down to you from heaven, *' let him declare himfelf : no harm fhall be done to him ; he fliall be " permitted to go in fearch of fome new tyrant beyond the frontier of *' this happy flate." The inhabitants not expeding fuch mild propofi- tions, anfwered with loud praifes and acclamations. They all concurred in offering to expofe their lives and fortunes in fupport of the com- 7 mon Chap.VIII. SHAFI SULTAN HUSSEIN. 49 mon caufe; they fwore eternal fidelity to him, and begged him to con- 1700. tinue his labours to terminate an enterprize, on the fuccefs of which the public felicity depended. MiR-VAis now convened the chief men of his tribe: he made them fenfible, that in fuch conjunctures, unanimity is efTential to fafety, repre- fenting to them what they had to hope or fear, from the good or bad un- derftanding in which they might live with the inhabitants ; and after join- ing authority to perfuafion, he forbad them to give the lead ojfFence or moleftation to the people In order to fecure his cdnqueft, he took every flep that prudence did:ated ; whilft neceffity fupplied the place of expe- rience. The arms which he found in the town, he diilributed among the braved and beft affedioned of his men ; he gave orders for filling the magazines; for repairing the fortifications 3 and putting the artillery in order. Workmen were employed night and day, in making gun-powder and fire-arms : he fent mefTcngers to the different heads of the tribes, in- forming them of his fuccefs, and inviting them to come and join him with all expedition. Three days had elapfed fince the governor's death, when the centinels defcried from the ramparts a confideruble body of cavalry; this Vv^as the detachment of Georgians, who, ignorant of what had pafTed^, were coming to the city, loaded with the fpoils of the rebels. As their return was expected, proper orders were given for their reception ; they were fuffered to advance within mufket-fhot, when the cannon of the town was difcharged at them ; fo that they immediately conjedtured that the place had changed maflers. MiR-vAis thought this a good opportunity for eftablifliing the reputation of his arms ; he accordingly marched out at the head of five or fix thoufand horfe, intending to cut off the retreat of the GEORGIANS; but he foon perceived, that he had to do with troops better difciplined, and more inured to war, than his Afghans. The 8 All the PERSIANS and Georgians in the town having been maflacred, and the patbns or AFGHANIS of the open country favouring die enterpr'ze. Tho' this may appear improbable to an Eu- ropean, yet it is eafy to be reconciled in a country but thinly inhabited. Vol, III. G 50 THE REIGN OF Part II. [709. The GEORGIANS quitting their booty, forced their Way fword In hand, and palled the defile of zebil. After fighting their way thro' the country for the fpace of eight days, with an amazing intrepidity, they marched out of the province. What the Georgians fufFered in this retreat, as well through want of provifions and forage, as the frequent attacks of their enemies, is hardly credible j but their courage was invincible. The AFGHANS made five difi^erent attacks upon them in one day, and notwith- llanding the great fuperlority of their numbers, they were always repuU fed J iiifomuch that they loft above two thoufand men in thefe different engagements. As an inftance of the refolution of the Georgians, it is related, that they fvvam their horfes over a confiderable river, within three leagues of the defile of zebiLj on the fide of kandahar : one of them, who was difmounted, feeing an Afghan riding towards him in full fpeed, turned back to meet him, and holding out to him, with one hand, his fabre, as if he intended to furrender, with the other, he fliot him thro' the head, with a piftol ; then leaping upon the dead man's hoffe, he plunged into the river, which he crofled under the incelTant fire of the enemy, who were amazed at his refolution. All the advan- tage that MiR-vAis reaped from this expedition, was the making himfelf niafler of the defile of zebil. This ftreight is on the fide of Persia, as that of CABUL is towards india, and thefe are the only pafles thro' the mountains with which the province of kandahar is furrounded. The AFGHAN chief, who had now fo lately experienced, that valour alone is not fuificient in carrying on a war, left troops to guard thefe narrow pafies, and applied himfelf to diicipline his men, and alfo to gain the other towns of the province; in hopes, that by their means, together with the alliances which he intended to conclude with his neighbours, he fliould be able to withftand the forces that might be fent againfi: him. In the mean time the Georgians marching back into. Persia, fpread the news of this revolt, which foon reached istahan. The Persian court being fcnfible of their own weaknefs, and of the difficulty of pene- trating thro' the mountains with an army, Jiad likewife reafon to appre- hend, Icfl if they fhould gain any advantage by force of arms over the 3 AFGHANS> Chap. V^III. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. cr AFGHANS, thefe people might be tempted a fecond time to furrender the country to the moghol. In this critical conjundure, new levies of troops were ordered j but before they proceeded to open force, they thouc^ht proper to try the ways of negotiation. Mahommed geani khan was the perfon chofen for this deputation ; accordingly he fet out for kandahar, where he ufed every art that the love of his country fuggefled to him, to prevail upon the rebel-chief to return to his duty j and having a particular intimacy with mir-vais, he addreffed him in this manner : " My friendfliip for thee would not per- " mit me to fee the florm gathering over thy head, without endeavouring '' to avert it. I have proftrated myfelf with tears in my eyes, and bitter *' grief in my foul, at the threshold of the palace of their fublime maje- *' llies^, who, reludant to punifh, have let fall the arm that was lifted *' up againft thee in their wrath 3 they have given me leave to come and " fpeak to thee j and I am commiffioned by them to tell tliee, that tho' " they are juftly offended at the death of the khan ; yet they forgive *' this crime, as thou only haft anticipated a punifliment which their juftice " was preparing for him : they confider what is fnice paft only as a ne- " ceffary confequence of that adion : thus the ftorm is blown over; do *' not therefore excite new troubles, but reftore kandahar to its true *' defenders ; and by this mark of fubmiffion, merit the favours with *' which the crown is ready to diftinguifli thee." Mahommed geani khan continuing his fpeech, added menaces to promifes, when mir-vais, who was afraid left this difcourfe fliould make fome impreffion on the minds of the hearers, filenced him abruptly to tiiis effed: " Deceitful man, what do all thefe artful fubterfuges avail? Doft " thou imagine that wifdom dwells only in the bofom of efteminacy, and " hath never pafled the mountains with which thefe ftates are furround- " ed ? Know then, that all thofe who have here liftened to thee, are as " fenfibje, as myfelf, of the fnares in which thou art endeavouring to *' entangle us. Let thy king either raife or let fall his arm, as he pleafes; " they are flaves, and not mufliilmen, who are afraid of the blow. If G 2 '' he ^ For his majefty ; the oriental way of expreffing themfelves as a mark of greater refpedt to their prince. It may be obf^rvcd, that the pe Rsi ans ufe the thij;^ perfon plural even to private per? Ions in common difcourfe. 709. ^2 THE REIGN OF Part II. 1 7c 9. " he were as formidable, as thou wouldft make us believe, it is with *' deeJs, and not with empty words, he would oppjle our juil dcfigns." Having tlius fpoke, mir-vais ordered the deputy to be fent to prifon: whether he thought by this means to prevent the court from receiving intelligence, and to gain time for making greater preparations j ov intended by this a(5t of violence, to cut off all hopes of reconciliation with the PFRsiANS; certain it is, that the detention of mahommed gean'I khan, and the e.xaclnefs with which all the paffes were guarded, hindered the court from being informed of what had paffed. The minifters being un- eafv at not hearing the fuccefs of this deputation, refolved at length to venture upon a fecond. As the lieutenant of mahommed khan, go- vernor of HERAT, had performed the pilgrimage to mecca in company with MiR-VAis, and had contracfled a ftridt friendfliip with him ^ they were induced to imagine that fuch a perfon would be lefs fufpe(5ted, and more agreeable to him, than any other. The new deputy arrived, and explained the fubjedt of his commiffion : but mir-vais told him in an angry tone, *' Thou mayft thank thy good fortune in being my fellow- *' traveller; and the laws of hofpitality, by which thou art intitled in my *' houfe to bread and fait : were it not for thefe circumftances, thou *' fliouldfl be no longer in a condition to make fuch bafe propofals to ** men who are free. Slave to a king who is going to lofe his royalty, " llften to what I declare to thee this day. The victory comes from -" God, and this victory is near'. The impure worfliip of the *' followers of ali, has too long infc(5led the mofl fertile provinces of *' ASIA. Pleaven has at length declared againft the Persians: the af- " GHANS, who are charged with the divine vengeance, will not fheath " their fwords, till they have deftroyed this prince and extirpated his " nation." After this menacing fpeech, which feemed in fome degree prophetical, mir-vais contented himfelf with detaining the deputy, but did not chufe to violate, in the perfon of his old acquiiintance and friend, thofc laws which he had fo little refpeded in that of the deputy of his fovcrelgn. A pafi'agc of the khoran. CHAP, Chap. IX. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 53 C H A P. IX. T^he PERSIAN court ratfes troops^ atid fends deputies to kandahar. D^- feat of the khans of herat and 1 avris. Khosroff khan is jent againfi the Afghans; obtains a victory over them^ and lays fie ge to KANDAHAR. His defeat and death. Another Persian army defeated, ^he province of kanda^har entirely fiibjeSled by mir-vais, 'who dies in iji^. THE court at length perceiving that there were no hopes of recover- 1-7 10. ing KANDAHAR by negotiation, gave orders to the khan of he- rat to march againil the rebels, at the head of 1 5000 horfe. Mir-vais who was well acquainted with the difference between the Persians and GEORGIANS, Went to meet him with only 5000 horfe, which he had aflembled in a hurry, upon the news of the enemy's approach. The AFGHANS having fired fome field pieces, the Persians were ilruck with a pannic, and did not wait for the firfl onfet, but flying before their ene- mies, gave themfelves up to flaughter j and after a grievous carnage, the AFGHANS returned to their camp, enriched with fpoils. This action, which was followed by two or three others of the like nature, in the fpace of 18 months, gave the rebels fuch a contempt for their enemy, that they attacked them upon every occafion, without regarding their numbers. Of this there was a melancholy inftance in mahommed khan governor of tavRis. This general by the king's orders, having marched in SEPTEMBER this year, againfi the rebels, at the head of 5000 horfe, met with fuch a warm reception from their van-guard, confifling only of 500 AFGHAN cavalry, that he had above 1000 men killed and wounded, and was taken prifoner himfeif with three of hio fons. The bad fuccefs of thefe expeditions, induced the court to make pre- parations for the continuation of the war with more order and precaution. They had raifed a confiderable arm.y, and had given the command of it to KHOSROFF KHAN ^ a GEORGIAN, Vv'hich was a vcry natural piece of policy. *^ This word is generally tranflated lord or governor; but kai in tiiC aniient persic figniiies a giant, and metaphorically a king, or great captain. ^^ THE REIGN OF Part IT- 171 1, policy. This prince, entrufted with the care of revenging the caufe of his own country-men, as well as that of his fovcreign, marched into kho- RASAN, and from thence advancing eaftward, in the month of November, he pitched his tents in the neighbourhood of F arra ' 5 a city not far di- flant from the enemy's country. Valour without prudence does not merit the name of virtue in a general. Khosroff khan therefore refolved to wait in this nei<^hbourhood, in order to be informed of the progrefs and forces of the rebels. Accordingly he made inquiries into the flate of their troops, the nature of the country, and of their ftrong holds ^ and facrificing his private refentments to the public good, he agreed to a fuf- penfion of arms, and entered into a negotiation, to try if any method could be found to prevent the cffufion of blood. The king's army, con- filVinfT of 30,000 PERSIANS and 1200 Georgians, advanced in good order towards the flrelght of zebil j from whence part of thefe Geor- gians had made the famous retreat already mentioned. The number of the AFGHAN army was inferior to that of their enemy. All thefe troops, according to the cuflom of that part of the eaft, were compofed of ca- valry. MiR-vAis did not judge proper to make his men difmount, and bein"- fenfible how difficult it would be for cavalry to ad: in thefe defiles, he refolved to quit his poft, and retire to the river belese, about three leagues diflant, and there difpute the pailage. The PERSIANS greatly furprized to find the paiTes unguarded, at length difcovered the enemy, who bordered the oppofite banks of the river. Khosroff khan was the firft who plunged in, the reft immediately fol- lowed the example of their general, and fwam their horfes over ; the Af- ghans aftoniflied at their refolution, and being charged with equal in- trepidity, gave way, and retired in diforder. The Georgian prince made a proper ufe of his victory : for his troops were fcarce returned from purfuing the enemy, than he ordered them to march forthwith to inveft KANDAHAR. The AFGHANS having had no time to recover their cou- rage, nor accuftomed to a regular manner of waging war, were amazed at this firfl difgrace : what added to their confufion was the abfence of MlR-VAIS, • A Cquarc town, about Haifa Icngue in circumference, furroundcd with a muJ-wall, It flands m a fertile country, abundajul)' fupplied with water. Chap. IX. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. s^ MiR-vAis, who not confiding in them fufficiently to lock himfelf up in I711, the town, kept the field with the fliattered remains of his army. Things being thus fituated, they fent deputies to khosroff khan, with propo- fals to deliver up the place, on condition that he would preferve their lives, their liberty, and fortunes. This general had it now in his power with a fingle word to terminate this deftrudive war J but his prudence forfook him. Tranfported by his refentment, and elated with his fuccefs, he thought it beneath his dignity to grant a capitulation to rebels, whom he had fo lately vanquifhed. He therefore gave them to underfland, that they muft fubmit at difcretion.. Death appearing more eligible than flavery ; the Afghans would not liften to fo dangerous a propofal, and the khan began to attack the town. In the mean time the impreffions of fear were in a great meafure worn .out, and the number of mir-vais's troops greatly augmented. There is a large country fouth of kandahar, which modern geographers diflin- guifh by the name of mackeran ; it is bounded by kerman on the weft ; a chain of mountains feparates it towards the eaft fi'om the mo- ghol's empire, and the refl; of it is inclofed by the Indian ocean* The balouches, a fierce and warlike people, defcended, as already mentioned,, from the Afghans, are difperfed throughout thefe deferts, which are- reckoned a province of persi a> Mir-vais had fent a deputation to thefe people, and found no difficulty in perfuading them to engage in a con- federacy, on the fuccefs of which their common liberty depended. At the fame time, the tirins"" enrolled themfelves in great numbers under mir-vais's banners, who was now grown wifer by his miftakes, and re- folved not to expofe himfelf again to the hazard of an unequal combat- Cunning and ftratagem which had been fo often ferviceable to him, were now his lafl refource -, and he determined to deprive them of forage and provifions, fo as to ruin the Persian army, or at Leafl oblige them ta retreat. With this intent, he ordered his troops to lay wafl:-e the country about KANDAHAR I his Commands were fo well executed, that the be-- fiegers foon began to feel the inconveniency of want. Khosroff khan. being now vexed to the heart for having refufed to fign the capitulation, was. » One of the tribes of the clicis already mentioned. 56 THE REIGN OF Part II. 1711. ^^'-^^ obftinately bent upon taking the to^vn, and dally renewed his attacks ; but the garrilbn defended themfelves with iuch bravery, that the Per- sians tired out with iuch a long refift^nce, and labouring under a want of all necelVaries, foon deferted in whole troops. The khan feeing his army at length reduced to 10,000 men, and not knowing any longer how to find fubfillence even for thefe, refolved to retire. This refolution how- ever was too late ; for he had fcarce begun to raife the fiege, when mir- vAis, who was marching with 16,000 horfe to the relief of the place, fell upon his troops, who were fo difheartened thjt they fled at the hifh onfct. Their general ftrove to rally them, but fear had ftifled every knfc of fubordinution ; infomuch that finding his efforts vain, and refolving not to furvive the difgrace, he ruilied at the htad of the few remaining GEORGIANS, into the midil: of the thickefl fquadrons of the Afghans, where fighting with a defperate bravery, he was killed. Such was the end of this prince, whom valour, military experience, and other virtues, rendered worthy of a better fate. He had been fuc- ceflively honoured with the pofts of governor of Isfahan, and of divan- beghi ", and by the death of his father was juft raifed to the dignity of vALi of GEORGIA, when the king named him generaliffimo of his armies. He, as well as gurghin khan his uncle, had the weaknefs to facrifice his religion to his ambition ; yet in his heart he w.is ftill a chriflian ^ and the mifiionaries were always fure to receive protedion and aihflance from him ; he had even in that expedition two of thofe religious people with him, one of whom was killed clofe by him. It feems as if he intended to return to the religion of his anceflors, yet he affcded outwardly to pafs for a mahommedan ; from whence we may fufpedl the report of his carrying a crofs in his flandard. This was the mofl coniiderable fliock which the Persians had yet fuflained in their war with the Afghans 5 for of their whole army, only 700 men efcaped death or flavery: fuch was their diftrefs for want of provifions and forage, during their retreat for feveral days, through rivers and defiles, whilfl they were continually purfucd by a numerous body of frefli cavalry. The " DivAN-BEcHi, or lord of the council. He is lord chief-juftice. Chap. IX. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 57. The PERSIAN court was greatly aflonifhed at fo important a lofs, yet 171 -*, necefTity feemed to dictate frefli efforts. Accordingly another army was raifed, and the command given to mahommed rustan khan, who marched againfl the rebels : but whatever valour and abilities that general might have, fortune did not favour him more than his predeceffor. His troops were beaten and put to flight -, and after this engagement, all the towns and ftrong holds, which had yet held out againfl: the new govern- ment, fubmitted to them, and the whole kingdom of kandahar ac- knowledged no other laws than thofe of the Afghans. The GEORGIANS, inccnfcd at fo many defeats, which they juftly Im- 1714.' puted to the cowardice and inexperience of the Persian troops 3 made an offer to the king of fubduing the rebels, on condition that their army fliould be compofed only of troops of their own nation ; and that the neceffary fums for defraying the charges of this expedition, fLould be paid at a certain time: but this weak prince hussein, afraid of their making a bad ufe of their fuccefs, it is faid, rejeded their propofal. Be that as it may, the defeat of mahommed rustan khan, was the lafl remark- able tranfadion during the reign of mir-vais. The court having lofl all hopes of reducing him by open force, ceafed to arm againfl him 5 fo that this prince died peaceably in his new kingdom in 17 15. It may be faid of this famous rebel, that he was as circumfped: in en- I715. gaging in any enterprize, as he was refolute in carrying it into execution ; that his fuccefs was owing as much to his prudence as to his valour 5 and if he did not fubvert the throne of 'his lawful fovereign, yet he gave the firft blow to the Persian monarchy, and formed the people, by whom it was afterwards fubverted. He had for fome time affumed the title of king, and ordered that the khotbah°, ffiould be made in his name, and arrogated to himfelf the other eniigns of fovereign ty. The infcrip- tion round his coin was a Persian diflich, the kni'c of which is, *' The '* celebrated mir-vais, emperor of the world, a moft juft prince, has " caufed this coin to be ftruck at kandahar, the place of his refidcnce." ® A prayer read by the IMA^^ or prieft of every mofque, every frida y in the afternoon, for the health of the king ; and this is an eflemial mark of the acknowledgment of his fovereignty. Vol. III. H PART [ 58 ] PART IIL THE Revolutions of PERSIA, FROM THE Death of MIR-VAIS in 1715, T O T H E Retreat of prince VACHTANGA from the frontiers of dagistan in 1720. C H A P. X. MiR-ABDALLAH brother of mir-vais fiicceeds to the govermnent of the AFGHANS. Mir-maghmud, foYi of MiR-vAis, difcovers a defign of fubje£ling kandahar, murders his uncle ^ and is chojen king of that country. The abdollees diffatisfed. The adventure of ezadallah,. 'izho defeats the Persian army, and makes himjef majler of hek at, Hojlilities committed by the kourds. Incurfions of the ousbegs. Cha- raBer of the lesgees, and their motives to invade Persia, 3715. /TT^HE efFeminacy and weaknefs of the Persian court feemed to I devote the empire to ruin; fo that inftead of making a good JL ufe of the death of mir-vais, shah hussein was diipofcd rather to quit all pretenfions to kandahar, than to bear any longer the inquie- tude that muft attend all attempts to reduce this province : the emotions which he feemed to feel on this occafion, arofe only from the apprehen- fion he was under that the divan would oblige him to make frefli pre- parations againfl the rebels, la Chap. X. THE REIGN OF, 5cc. 5^ In the mean time, the Afghans met to nominate a fucceflbr to mir- 171 \^Ais. This prince had left two fons 5 the rights of nature and gratitude pleaded in favour of either one or other of them ; but as their tender years rendered them incapable of holding the reins of a government hardly fettled, MiR-ABDALLAH, whom MiR-vAis, his brother, had appointed his fuccefTor, was raifed to the throne. This prince differed intirely from his predecefTor : he had neither his genius, ambition, nor refolution : a timid circumfpedion, difguifed under. the name of prudence, conftituted the principal part of his chara(5ter. He foon convinced the Afghans that he was not born to fupply the place of fuch a man as mir-vais 3 for he was fcarce invefled with the fupreme authority, when he formed a re- folution of refloring kandahar to the crown of Persia. This fcheme being communicated to the tribe, they were divided in their opinions. Thofe of a timorous and peaceable difpofition, and fuch as through age and infirmities, had lefs refolution than caution, defpaired of being able to hold out long againft fo formidable a power as Persia. They com- pared their forces with the great armies of this monarchy, and looking upon themfelves as already fubdued, judged of the feverity of their pu- nifhment by the damage they had done to their enemies. Thus they longed for a reconciliation, which they confidered as the only means of fcreening themfelves from the refentment of their ancient mafters. On the other hand, the military-men, and fuch whofe youthful blood moved brifker in their veins, exclaimed againft the projed, the execu- tion of which they concluded would plunge the whole nation into the extremefl calamities, as they could no longer depend on any treaties with the PERSIANS J who would no fooner take pofTeffion of the flrong holds of the kingdom, than without regarding the articles of peace, the ob- fervance of which themfelves fhould not be able to enforce, would take fignal vengeance for the infamy of fo many defeats : " And what," faid they, *' fhould induce us to fubmit again to be Ihackled, after having fo " bravely recovered our liberty ? What difgrace have we fince fuffered -, " or what advantages have the enemy had over us ? Are we difheartened *' by our vidories ? Have we not the fame arm and the fame head ? Or H 2 *' have 6o THE REIGN OF Part III. J715. " have we fliaken off (o odious a yoke, only to fubmit our necks to it ** again, at a time when our courage might fecure our liberty ? Let us *' rather boldly advance and attack our enemy on their own frontiers, " fince they no longer dare to carry on the war in our country : or if you " are afraid of this attempt, tho' the fuccefs is far from being dubious, *' permit us at leafl to enjoy a tranquillity, which the terror of our arms •' has hindered them fo long from interrupting." The laft opinion was not onlv the moft noble, but likewife the moft reafonable. In the low Aate to which Persia was fallen, there was no juft grounds for hurrying the AFGHANS to a fubmiffioni and if they muft abfolutely fubmit to a mafler, it would have been more prudent to have chofen the moghol, whofe interefl it would have been to ufe them well 3 than a nation whom they had fo grievoully offended. MiR-ABDALLAH had howcvcr taken his refolutlon, and finding it ap- proved of by fome of the chief men of the tribes, he bent his thoughts upon putting it in execution. His intention was to reftore the city and the province to the crown of Persia on three conditions: The firfl, that the annual tribute which they paid before the revolt, fhould be taken off 5 the fecond, that no foreign troops fhould be fent into the province ; and the third, that hussein fliould grant him the government of the kingdom, which fliould be hereditary in his family. In confequcnce of this refolution, they drew up the inftrudlions of the deputies, whom they intended to fend to Isfahan 5 and as there was no reafon to doubt but their propofals would be extremely welcome, every thing feemed to fecure an approaching peace, when an accident happened which broke their meafures. Though they endeavoured to conceal this intended negotiation^ which they knew was difagreable to the greatefl: part of the tribes j it came to the knowledge of mir-maghmud, one of mir-vais's fons. This prince, who was about eighteen years of age, being provoked to fee himfelf reduced to the condition of a fubjedt, in a kingdom which he looked upon as his patrimony, had liitherto diflcmbled his refentment, from the expcdatlon of a proper opportunity of fhewing it. The aver- fion which the military part of the nation had to this treaty, made him 7 think Chap. X. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 6i think that the time was now come to gratify his revenge ; with this view 171 p. he afTembed about forty of his father's friends, who went with him to MiR-ABDALLAH's palace, and made themfelves maflers of it. The young MAGHMUD, as a fpecimen of that llaughter to which he afterwards fa- miliarized himfelf, entered the apartment where his uncle was afleep, and killed him. Immediately the forty confpirators proclaimed the new ful- tan with loud acclamations, and the people alarmed at the found of drums and other military inftruments, with which the palace echoed, flocked thither to learn the caufe of it. MiR-MAGHMUD feeing the people afTembled, made no fcruple to ac- knowledge the parricide which he had juft committed ^ but at the fame time excufed himfelf, by declaring his motive was the public good, as a proof of which, he read with a loud voice the inftrudlions and other papers relating to the treaty which his uncle was on the point of conclud- ing with the court of persia. This treaty, as already mentioned, was odious to the greateft part of the nation, without whofe knowledge it was entered upon : befides, mir-maghmud was fon to the founder of their monarchy ^ and having been accuftomed almoft from his infancy to follow his father in all his expeditions, had on every occafion given flgnal proofs of his courage. Thefe circumftances determined the people in his favour. The military men were the firfl who declared for him 3 and their fuiFrages having been confirmed by the reft of the tribes, he was with the general confent proclaimed king of kandahar, fix months after the death of MIR-VAIS. This young prince had fcarce afcended the throne, when feveral events happened, which feemed to prefage the troubles and defolation which his reign was to produce ; at the fame time they removed a part of thofe ob- ftacles which ftood in the way of his ambition. The funily, to whom 1717. ABAS the GREAT had given the government of hasarai, being extin(ft, the kings his fucceffors had fubjedted this province to the authority of a khan or governor, who, in their name, commanded in the province of HERAT. The ABDOLLEES, who, it has been already obferved, fubmitted to PERSIA on condition of not being fubje^St to foreign governors, were very ^. THE REIGN OF Pait HI. 3717. very impatient under their yoke, when the circumdances of the times determined them to follow the example of the Afghans of kandahar. The abdollees are a wandering nation, and Hke the Afghans divided into particular tribes. Maho^imed zamon khan, then governor of the province, pleafed with the agreeable countenance of ezadallah, fon to a chief of one of thefe tribes, demanded him of the father. Allured by the advantages which he expeded, the parent ufed all his perfuafion to engage his fon to Hve with the khan. The young man heard the pro- pofal with indignation ; fo that the father determined to ufe his authority. This induced ezadallah, in conjundion with fome young men, to kill his father, and caufed himfelf to be acknowledged chief of the tribe in his flead. Mahommed zamon khan was foon informed of this a6Llon j and determined to punifh the delinquent, not only as a parricide, but leit lb bold a ftep fhould be followed by an infurredion. The khan accord- ingly ordered five hundred horfe to march againft ez ad Allah's party, who boldly met them, and routed the Persian troops. The governor fhocked at this difgrace, thought ferioufly of preventing tlie ill conft;- quences of it. He therefore aflembled his troops at her at, the capital of the province ; and not <:hufing to truft the execution of an affair of this importance to any other perfon, he took the command of them him- felf, and marched towards the camp of the rebels. Ezadallah, now at the head of two thoufand men, went to meet the Persians : he di- vided his troops into two bodies ; one he ordered to lie in ambufli, and with the other he waited for the enemy on the banks of the river morga. At length the Persian army appeared j and the khan feeing fo fmall a number of the abdollees, confident of victory, charged the enemy without precaution j when the troops that lay in ambufli fallied forth with loud fliouts and cries, which furprized and terrified the Persians, info- much that they turned their backs, and fied with the utmoft precipitation to HERAT. The young ezadallah, tranfported by his youth and courage, fol- lowed the enemy fo clofe, that he entered with them pell-mell into the 8 town. Chap. X. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEHST. 63 town. The i.nhabitants had formerJy been of the fedl of the sunnis; 1717; feveral had ftill preferved their ancient religion ; and there were fome families defcended from the ancient kings of the country. Thefe cir- cumftances, together with the lenity with which the inhabitants of kan- DAHAR had been treated by mir-vais, and the tyrannical extorfion of the PERSIAN governors, induced the people to declare in favour of the ABDOLLESj infomuch that having joined with them in putting the gar- rifon to the fword, the city was foon delivered from the Persian yoke. This revolution happened in the year 17 17. Ezadallah in lefs than three months got pOiTeflion of the other ftrong places in the province,, whofe fidelity had been fhaken by the example of the capital -, and he-- rat became an independent republic, in which its deliverer held the- moft confiderable rank. This year, the kourds, a refllefs roving people, fituated weft of irac- 171Q.' AGExMiP, appeared in arms at the gates of hamadan, and wafted the country round that city. They carried their infolence fo far, as to com- mit robberies under the walls of Isfahan^ where they took away a num- ber of horfes belonging to the king. Thefe hoftilities and the revolt of herat, were not the only incidents that alarmed the court. The ousbegs% a warlike tribe, whom their vicinity to Persia. renders enemies to that crown, taking advantage of thefe circumftances, carried terror and defolation into the northern part of the vafl province of khorassan. At the fame time, new troubles arofe on the weftern fhores of the Caspian sea. The province of dagistan^ inhabited by tlie lesgee tartars, are mahommedans ' of the kO: of sunni. The ferocity of their natural difpofition, joined to the fterility of their hills ^, have induced them often to P Thli) is part of the country of the ancient parthiank. Agem fignifies barbarous or ftrano^er with regard to the araes. i This name fignif.es free and independent. They are generally underltood to be the tartars ofKHiEVA and Bokhara, and take in alfo thofe of samarcand, which flouriflied in the time of tamer lane. Ttefe people are cornel y^ well-fhaped, and adlive i much given to robbery, but make good foidiers See G. Thompson's account of them. Vol. I. ^ Dagh, a mountain; daCistan. a m.ountainous country. It is fometiraes wrote d aghestah, I have given an account of thefe people in my ifl volume. * Formerly feme of tlicm were ohu'illians. * Their vallies hov/ever are fruitful. (,^ THE REIGN OF Part III. J719. to infdl the neighbouring provinces. Abas II. upon his accefTion to the crown, came to an accommodation with them, and promifed to pay an- nually, by way of lubfidy, a certain fum to each tribe. Each of them promifed to fend every year an embaiTador to the king, with a prcfent of two calves llvins, and two lambs fkins; as an acknowledgment of his fo- vereignty ; and a peace was concluded on thefe conditions. As it was the interell of the lesgees, they obferved this treaty inviolate, as long as the fubfidies a^^reed to were paid them ; but the 1700 tomans", appointed for that ufe, having for feveral years been applied to other purpofes, by the avaricious miniflers of hussein, thefe people had recourfe again to arms, ^^^^ renewed their excurfions. CHAP. XI. T/.^e court prepares to attack the aedollees ^;;^0U5begs. Seffie kouli KAHN is made general. Battle between the Persians and abdollees. 77v MASCATS take pojfejpon of baharain. Lutf ali khan is chofen general^ and marches towards the Persian gulf and beats the rebels, MiR-MAGHMUD marches at the fame time towards kherman. T^he domeflic enemies of the Persian general cabal againft him. The athe- mat-doulet is confined^ and his eyes plucked out. Lutf ali khan is carried prifoner to Isfahan, and the Persian army dijhanded. SHAH HUSSEIN aftoniHied to fee fo many provinces declare againfl him, at length rouzed from his lethargy. The abdollees and ousbegs having entered into a confederacy, appeared to be the moft formidable of his enemies : he refolved therefore to make an extraordinary effort againfl them J and having deliberated fome time on the choice of a general, he chofc stFFiE KOULI KHAN. This noblemau had been inverted fome years with the pod of divan-beghi"^ of Isfahan; but upon difcovering, that the king was fo far prejudiced by his enemies, as to look upon the rcd^itude with which he difcharged his office, as an exceffive feverity, he voluntarily refigned it, and withdrew from court. Si^ffie ' 4,200/. * Lord chief-juilice. Chap. XI. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 65 ■ Sl^fie KOVLi KHAN was now fenfible of the difficulties he fliould en- .1719. counter in fo dangerous a commiflion, and of the oppolitions he fhouW find in the execution of his office, from the prevailing fadion, by whom he was not beloved. Thefe confiderations engaged him to refufe fo de- licate, though at the fame time fo glorious an employment : but the court liit upon a very artful expedient to engage him to accept of it : this was to fend to his only fon, a horfe richly caparifoned, a fpear, a buckler, a culrafs covered with gold brocade, and a turbant enriched with dia- monds. Such prefents are net-er made, except when the king intends to in- veft fome perfon with an abfolute authority, fuch as that of generaliffimo. The father faw plainly the fnare that was laid for him ; but he who had prefumed to refufe his fovereign, could not withfland the folicitations of a fon whom he tenderly loved. This young nobleman, at the age of feventeen, was therefore declared generaliffimo of the forces of the em- pire J and his father, as the court forefaw, determined to accompany him in the expedition. He accordingly alTembled a confiderable body of troops, and both of them repaired to Isfahan to receive the king's or* ders. The young general met with the moll; flattering marks of diilinc- tion : the king made a public entertainment for him, and girt his fword to his fide, in prefence of the whole court j and in order to give him an opportunity of ffiewing his dexterity, he ordered tilts and tournaments in the MEiDAN ^, in which this young lord gained the applaufe of all the fpedlators. "^^ t'-v' After this kind of anticipated triumph, the general fet out for ths camp, in company with his father. His army confided of 30,000 men, chofen troops j fo that it was reafonable to exped: fuccefs from fuch a body of forces, condu(fled, tho' under another's name, by fo experienced a general as seffie kouli khan. Thefe expedlations feemed to be con- firmed by an event, which foon after enfued^ for fcarce had the Per- sians entered the province of herat, when they fell in with a body of 12,000 ousBEGs, who were marching to the affiflance of the abdollees; and attacking them briikly, cut them in pieces. *rhis ^ The principal fquare in i s f a u a x. Vol. Ill, I ^6 THE REIGN OF Part III. 1719. This firfl enterprlze raifed the courage of the vidors, but ezadallah, more enraged than intimidated by this difgrace, thought only of recover- ing his lofs by a new engagement, which was to decide the fate of the province of herat. Ezadallah, at the head of only 15,000 horfe, was not afraid to offer battle to an army which had double the number of men and had like wife the advantage of a formidable train of artillery. Durinf^ the courfe of this war, there was not a more obftinate engage- ment. The PERSIANS and the abdollees, equally animated, the one to avoid the (hame of being vanquifhed, and the other by the defire of preferving their liberty, fought without intermiffion from fun-rife ; and at one in the afternoon, the vidlory was flill undetermined, when the inat- tention of thofe who commanded the artillery, decided the fate of the day. Thefe officers, not having obferved that their own troops occupied a poft which the abdollees had juft quitted, fired upon them ; and the PERSIANS, knowing that the enemy had no cannon, were furprized and thrown into confufion. The chiefs themfelves apprehended treachery, and feemed irrefolute in regard to what ftep they (hould take ; when eza- dallah tried to avail himfelf of a circumflance, the caufe of which was perhaps unknown to him. He therefore renewed the charge with frefh vigour, and meeting with only a faint refinance, from men who were uneafy and intimidated, he pierced their fquadrons, and obliged them to turn their backs. Ezadallah fpurred on by his hatred to the Persians, and his defire of enjoying all the advantages of his vidtory, purfued the enemy a whole day. The PERSIANS loft in the action and flight 8000 men, among whom was their general, and his father seffie kouli khan, who wtrc killed in the retreat. Their baggage, the military cheft, and 20 pieces of cannon fell alfo into the hands of the abdollees ; who on their part loft 3000 men; which, to an infant republic, could be compenfated only by the liberty obtained by that memorable engagement. The PERSIAN armies being thus unfortunate, new enemies declared againft hussein. The mascats are a tribe of Arabians y, whofe country is the promontory towards the ifle of ormus, which forms tlie ftreights ' The country over againft gombroon, on the northern coall of arabia. Chap. XL SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. ^j flreights of the Persian gulf. Thefe people are mahommedans of a 1719, particular fed, yet more conformable to that of the sunnis, than of the scHiAS': they are fubjed: to an iman% who has an abfolute authority over them. This prince taking advantage of the melancholy ftate to which the kingdom of Persia was reduced, had already made himfelf mafler of the ille of baharain ^ -, and, not content with this fuccefs, he threatened to take pofTeilion of bender aeassi^ The court of Persia, unable to face all her enemies at once, feemed to have taken the refolution of arming only againft thofe who declared kft. They determined therefore to make preparations in order to oppofe the dellgns of thofe arabs ; and as affairs were now reduced to an extre- mity by their late defeat at herat, fatey ali khan, at that time athemat doulet"^, offered to march thither in perfon ; but the king, fearing left he fhould be rendered too powerful, by adding the authority, of generalifTimo to his prefent employment, returned him thanks, and appointed lutf ali khan, brother-in-law to that minifter, to com- mand the expedition. In the beginning of the year 1720, this general marched a body of 1720; twenty thoufand men to the neighbourhood of bender abassi ; and as the PERSIANS have no fhips in that fea, he waited for the Portuguese fleet, w^hich, purfuant to the treaty concluded with the viceroy of that nation, w^as to fail from go a, in order to tranfport his troops to the ifle of baharain. This fleet, confiiling of four large velTels, fifteen pinks % and fome other tranfports, arrived foon after, and met with a kind re- ception from LUTF ali khan. But whether it was that he did not think this fleet flrong enough to engage that of the mascats, or whether his enemies at court had with-held the money defigned for this ufe -, I 2 , "he ^ Persiar fe;^. * An ecdefiaftical fovereign. •* Baharain fignifies the twoTeas. An ifland famous for the peap.l fifherjr ; it takes its name from a province of arabia f.elix, fituatcd near it, between the red sea, and the Persian gulf. *^ This place was called gombroon, before abas I. had put it in the condition in which it is at prefent.. To efFeft tins, he made ufe of the materials of the city of ormus, which he had lately demolifhed. Binder is of the fame fignir fication as derbend, 'uiz port or fence of iron; bender abassi being properly the ftrong port of ABAS. ^ prime miniiler, as already explained. f Yeliels of i or 200 tuns, commofily known by this name. gi THE REIGN OF Part III. 1720. he did not pay the fam that had been flipulated ; the officer tv ho conl- mandtd the fleet propofed to fend for a reinforcement, if the khan thought it proper J but finding this alfo inefFediual to obtain the pay- ment, he prepared to fail back again to goa. In the mean time the" enemy apprehending left the Portuguese fleet fliould be reinforced, re- folved to attack them. Accordingly their vefl!els failed from the pott of MASCAT, and foon appeared at the mouth of the Areight ; the Portu- guese weighed anchor, and prepared to receive them ; but having lotl a fmall vellci in the engagement, which in other refpeds was not favour-- able to them, they retired in the night, and failed dire- dcn: fovcrcigntic: upon many cccafions. Chap. XL SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 71 men, and a confiderable number of hearts of hurthen. The Afghans, 1720. however, encouraged by thu promifes and example of their prhice, bore with all thefe hardships, and at length paiTed the deferts. They had fcarce appeared on the frontier of kherman, when the khan of this province having no troops to oppofe them, retired with his family. Mir MAGHMUD entered the country without fighting, and purfuing his march, came and refrefhed his army in the very capital '^ of the province. Tho' that city had opened her gates to maghmud, yet he behaved as a conqueror : he laid heavy contributions, as well on the merchants, as the citizens, and put numbers of them to cruel tortures; fuffering his troops to live at difcretion : fo that thefe miferable people experienced all the horrors and calamities of war, without having had the confolation of attempting to defend their lives and properties. They had been now four months fubjedl to this tyrannical yoke, when lutf ali khan came ■ and refcued them from oppreffion. This general, who was obliged to wait for enemies whom he could not go in fearch of, no fooner heard of what had paiTed in the province of kherman, than he marched thither with a body of chofen troops. Fortune, which had been fo favourable to the AFGHANS, now deferted them 3 for their little army was defeated and put to flight. The news of fo important and unexpeded a vidoryj being brought to t.^ehiran, where the king was lately arrived, fufpended the uneafinefs of this prince, as well as of the whole court. In the mean time, lutf ali khan perceiving that kherman was the only place that could flop maghmud, on the fide of thefe deferts, fortified that part which is called the upper town, and ferves as a citadel -, after which he left a ftrong garrifon in the place, and joined the main body of his army. Whether it was from a thirffc of revenge of his ene- mies at court, who had confiderable eftates in thofe parts ; or that he was obliged to have recourfe to this expedient, in order to maintain his army 3 lutf ali khan laid heavy contributions on the country, ta- king ^ This city, which bears the fame name as the province, is famous all over the eaft for the beauty of the fafhes and fluffs manufaflured there. The wool, of which they are made, comes chiefly from the neighbouring mountains ; it is faid that when their fheep brouze on new grafs, the whole fleece falls off, and leaves the flieep as if they had been fliorn. Their wool is certainly allowed to be the fineft and beft we know of, and draws thither a number of Indian merchants. 7^ THE REIGN OF Part III. [720. king all their arms, horfes and camels; and dividing his forces into differ- ent bodies, he quartered them upon the inhabitants at dilcretion. This continued till the autumn, when the army marched for shirass, the capital of farsistan, which had been pitched upon as the general ren- dezvous. The troops aflembled there in the month of novemrer 1720, and a better appointed army had not been feen for many years in Persia. Their camp enjoyed great plenty j a vaft quantity of provifions and am- munition having been amalTed by means of feveral thoufands of camels, which were employed for that purpofe. The troops, encouraged alfo by the vidory at kherman, were impatient to be led againfl the enemy ; and every thing feemed to prefage the ruin of the Afghans, againft whom all thefe preparations were making. But in fpite of thefe favourable cir- cumflances, Persia feemed devoted to ruin ; for the general was arrefted and fent a prifoner to court, ajid the whole army at once difperfed. This fudden change was owing to thofe lords, whofe lands had been lately ravaged by lutf ali khan : incenfed at the difregard which he had {hewn them on this occafion, they figured to themfelves how low their own intereft would be reduced, if fo great a piece of fervice, as the redudtion of kandahar, were added to the credit which the general had already acquired with the king,, on account of his firfl vidory. They lefolved therefore to employ every engine of falfliood and malice, to pre- vent his marching upon that expedition ; and dcfpairing to fucceed in their defign, fo long as fatey ali khan continued in h-is .office, this minifter was the firft vi<£tim wlioni tliey undertook to facrifice to their own imaginary fecurity. The method which they took to attain their end, was as bold as it was wicked. The king's chief mullah ^ and the hakem bachi*", who were concerned in the plot, entered this prince's bed-chamber in the mid- dle of the night, and imploring his pardon for fo daring an intruiion, in- formed him of the imminent danger which he was in: they told him with all the appearance of the utmoft conflernation, that they had jufl: difcovercd a confpiracy formed againfl: his majeily's crown and life : that LUTF ' P.ithcr the PicnE->!AHMAZ, Of gTcat almoncr ; or the khodafa, the ci.ttplain. •" The thief ph) fician. Ckp. :^I. SHAH SULT.AN HUSSEIN. 5>3 LUTF ALi KHAN was to enter Isfahan with his army, and to feize on lyzo* the royal family; while the athemat doulet", fuppcrted by a bod^' of 3000 KouRDS, who were on their march, under the command of a prince of that nation, was to fecure his majefly's perfon : that there was not a moment to lofe, for this very night the confpirators intended to execute their execrable defign. In proof of what they had advanced^ they produced a letter, which they pretended had been written by the prime minider to the prince of the kourds. This letter had the counter- feit of the royal feal upon it : shah hussein no fooner caft his eyes upon the feal, than imagining he knew it, he concluded he was undone, and his terror deprived him of his fenfes. While he was coming to himfelf, a council was called in a hurry, com.pofed of fome of the principal eunuchs, who were accomplices with the two accufers 5 and after a very fliort con- fultation, the king fent for the kuRchi bachi °, and commanded him to go with what number of foldiers he could get together, to break open the prime minifter's houfe, and to bring him his head. This order however was not flridly executed j for the eunuchs intendin^y to oblige him to make a difcovery of his effeds, which they hoped would be confifcated in their favour, reprefented to the king that it was not proper to put him to death if he made no refiftanc: ; to which shah hussein" acquiefced. The athemat doulet, who was alleep in his harram, made no fcruple to obey : as foon as he was brought to the kurchi bachi, his eyes were plucked out, as if he had been convidted of high-treafon -, after which, under a pretext of extorting a confefiion of his accomplices^ and the circumftances of the confpiracy, but in reality to force him to difcover his efFedls, he was put to the torture. No fooner was this wild refolution taken of arrefting the athemat DOULET, than meflengers were difpatched on every fide to fecure the re- lations and friends of this unfortunate minifler. The commiflion how- ever feemed difficult to execute in regard to lutf ali khan his brother- in-law 5 ^ Prime minifler. • The general of the kurchis, one of the troops of horfe beloDging Xo his majefly's houlhold, Vol. Ill, K y^ THE REIGN OF Part III. 1720. in-law J and it would have been lb indeed, if this general had been guilty of the crime with v/hich he was charged. The governor of shirass was ordered by the king to inticc him into the town, and there to feize on his peribn, and fend him under a proper guard to Isfahan. The governor found no difficulty in executing his commiflion ; for lutf ali KHAN havino- no defign but to march againfl the enemies of his country, fufpeded no evil. SlicIi was the reward which this general received for his fienal fer vices. His difgrace v/as followed with the difperfion of the whole army ; for the khans and other lords, who commanded the dif- ferent bodies of which it was compofed, apprehending from this example that they fhould be called to an account for the depredations committed in KHERMAN, retired to their own eftatesj infomuch, that of this flou- rifliing army, which promifed fecurity to Persia, in a few days nothing remained, except the artillery, ammunition, and provifions. In the mean time every thing was in confufion at T/ehiran, where they were making preparations to defend themfeives againft the three thoufand kourds who were hourly expected ^ but as foon as it was day, and the king faw that no enemy appeared, and had alfo been informed by people arrived from different quarters, and by the feveral bodies of horfe which were fent out as fcouts, that every thing was perfedlly quiet in the neighbourhood, this deluded prince began to fufped: that they had impofed upon him. Under this fufpence he fent for the hakim bachi, and with a very fevere tone, which he feldom afTumed, he bid him tak;: care that the wounds they had made in the athemat doulet, by pluck- ing out his eyes, did not endanger his life, for that his fhould anfwer for it. This declaration in all probability faved the life of that unfortunate man j whofe barbarous enemies would probably have taken his life alfo, from an appreheniion left he fhould ruin them by detecting the villainous falfity of all their impoftures. The athemat doulet recovered 3 and the couriers, who had been fent, bringing intelligence that the army had made no motion, the shah was confirmed in his fufpicions, and refolved to examine the affair in a juridical manner. 2 CHAP. Chap. XII. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. CHAP. XII. 75 A diva?! is heU, in 'which the kiitg prefides, to examine into the condudi of the KT^^-Eyi^T DOULET. Articles of acciifation brought againji him; his anjiver and defence. 1 ■^HE day being fixed for the trial of this great caufe, the king de- 1720. termined to prefide in perfon at the divan, which was compofed of all the miniilers and great officers of ftate. The prifoner being brought into the court, the feffion was opened with a recital of the feveral arti- cles of complaint. The crimes laid to his charge were chiefly thefe, ^ciz. " I. That he had written and fealed with the royal feal, of which he " was the depofitory in virtue of his office of prime minifter, a letter by " which he defired one of the princes of the kourds, to bring a body " of 3000 men with him to t^hiran, in order to feize on the perfon " of the king. II. That he had maintained a correfpondence with the *' LESGEES, from his attachment to the fed of the sunnis which he " profeffed ; and that he had written a letter to one of their chiefs, which " was alfo produced, and by which he gave him intelligence that they " might continue their depredations with all fecurity, provided they did *' not advance towards erivan, where one of his nephews commanded. " III. That he had faid one day, when he was in the city of koom, at ** the tomb of shah suliman, by whofe orders his father had been put ^' to death • that the time would come, when he would revenue his *' father's death, by that of shah hussein, his fon, and all the royal ** family." But this laft accufation had no other proof to fupport it, than the depofition of this minifter's valet de chambre. Befides thefe three capital articles, feveral others were added, which feemed to be rather reproaches againft his condud:, than fubjeds of ac- cufation. It was laid to his charge, that he had decided all affairs of himfclf, and without the advice of the council, and the other miniiiers. That his orders were more refpeded in the provinces, than thofe of the king. That he had married his daughters and nieces to the principal K 2 lords ^6 THE REIGN OF Part; 11 L 1720. lords of the kingdom, from whence it was inferred that he hitended to form a powerful party. That he had difpofcd of the government of pro- vinces to his nephews, who were but children : and laftly, that as his eftate by his own acknowledgment, amounted to the fum of nine hundred thouland tomans p, it was impoilible he could have amaffed fuch immenfe 1^•ealth, without extortion, or, at leaf!:, embezzlement of the royal revenues.. Thefe were the articles of complaint againfl this minifter : upon which the king having aiked him whether he had any thing to fay in 4iis- de- fence, he turned towards the place from whence he heard the voice, and addrelltid the king with a heroic firmnefs, but in a refpedful tone. " Great " prince, the jufiification which you require of your flave, would be " intirely ufelefs, were it intended for no other purpofe than to preferve *' his life, in the deplorable fituation to which malice and impoflure have '* reduced him: life is now become a load to him, undeferving of fuch *' care. But fince his honour, and the glory which his family has ac- " quired in the fervice of your auguft anceftors, do not permit him to be *' filent, while envy and malice are railing their batteries againft him, he •* will convince your majefty, that if you had deigned to hear him be- *' fore you pronounced his fcntence, it would have been as eafy to con- j " found the calumny of his accufers, as to ward off the fatal blow with. " which his innocence has been oppreffed." After this tacit reproach, the athemat doulet ccafing to addrefs. Limfelf in dired: terms to the king, continued his difcourfe to this effedt :. " If the pretended confpiracy had not been the means projeded, by ** which my enemies have ruined me, they woul/ never have thought *' of fo abfurd, as well as heavy a charge againfl: me. Does not this im- «' poilure refute itfelf? When was it they intercepted this fatal letter,, <* which has fervcd as a foundation to this monftrous flrudure of ini- •* quity ?• Was it fent from tjehiran 5 and intercepted before it came •* to hand ? Or returned to them from the kourds? The kourds were. ! •* to make their appearance that night; if the letter was intercepted, how ' ** was that pofilbie, for thefe rebels had twelve days march to make ? " the f 2,25;o,oco/, Chap, XII. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. " the letter muft confequently have been a long time in the hands of " my accufers, which renders them accomplices of my fuppofed crime : " therefore the chief to whom I wrote, mud have fent it back :. but if " fo, why fhould they have been afraid of thofe troops? And if they con- *' trived to take it from him upon his march, who is it that has hindered " this prince from appearing before our gates ? Let my enemies explain *' themfelves -, how is this important piece come liither : and why have; ", tbe3{. waited for the very moment in which the confpiracy was to take- " eiFed:, before they iliewed it to their majefties ? *' The circnmftances with which thefe informers corroborate their ac- *' cufation, plainly fhew their impofture. They fay that 1 intended that " very night with three thoufand men to lay hands on the facred perfon *' of my Ibvereign, furrounded by his courtiers, and by a guard of fifteen " thoufand men j and yet they found me afleep in- my harram, with no " other people about me than my own domeflics. Lutf ali khan,, *' who is fuppofed to have intended at the fame time to take poilefTion " of the capital, we do not hear has made any motion at all with his " troops; and the prince of the kourds, to whom I am faid to have " ordered the gates of the city to be opened that flight, is lixty farfanors 'J ** diftant from the frontier, and has not fet his foot in the province. I " fhall not dwell any longer on the refutation of this part of the charge ;, " their majefties have too much penetration not to fee eafily into the ab- " furdlty of it. I lliall proceed to the other crimes of which I am ac-> " cufed." " It is true, I am a sunni •■, as my anceflors were; nor have I ever ** ficriticed my faith to the ftcurity of my fortune ; but I never kept itt *' a fecret from the king, nor from the refl of the nation ; and theirf " majedies, by entrufling me with the adminiftriition of alBirs, plainl)^" '* {hewed that this difference of perfuafion was no jufl reafon for doubt4- *^ ing of my allegiance. But they have produced a letter, Vviiich they, « pretend I wrote to a chief of the lesgezs, encouraging thofe people " to continue their depredations. Is it not evident that this is an artitice 3 '' like- 9- A farfang is four enc l ish miles, [■ Seel of the TuR-jts, 1720*. 78 THE REIGN OF Part II L " like the former ? Is there any great difficulty in counterfeiting a bul *' in a country, where the men: experienced saraf ' can hardly difcern *' a piece of fpurious coin from that which has pafled thro' the royal mint. '* Thcfe dumb tcflimonies determine nothing, if they are not fupported " by other proofs : and what other proofs have they to alledge againft " me ? Every one knows, that the king having enjoined me by a fpecial *^ commiilion to fupprefs the infolence of thofe moiintaineers, I charged " mv nephew with this expedition. Now this young man, whom I " loved as my fon, and had publicly adopted as my heir, was flain by *' thofe very lesgees, with whom they pretend I held a criminal cor- " rcfpondence : and furely his unhappy cataflrophe is a full jufliiication *' of my condud; in this particular. The depredations of thofe people *' ought not to be laid to my charge, but to thofe who were the caufe " of them, by converting to their own ufe, for fcveral fucceflive years, " the fubfidies granted by treaty to the lesgees. '' With refped. to the execrable menaces which they accufe me of " having uttered at koom, furely it would be a matter of amazement to ** all the world, if in fo numerous a family as that of an a the mat " DOULET, there was not one domeftic to be found whom money could " corrupt. But tho' this teftimony is not fulHcient, according to law ; ** yet there is the higheft reafon, fince the facred perfon of the prince *' is concerned, that no means fhould be negiedled that can confirm or ** invalidate his allegation. Let this wretch be therefore put to the rack, " and he will declare the perfons by whom he has been corrupted 3 by ** which means perhaps a complete difcovery will be made of the ini- " qaitoi;S defigns of my encLnies. This," continued the minifler, " is " whjt 1 have to anfwer to the former parts of my charge j and it will " be as eafy to juflify myfelf in the latter. *' Daring my whole adminiflration, I never determined upon any af- '' fair of moment without the king's exprcfs diredions: for the truth of " this I appeal to their majeflies, who know it bell. As to the ordinary " bufincfs * The BUI. generally contains the name of the perfon, ofter>timcs with the addition of a moral fcntcncc, engraved on a feal, which they ufc with ink, as dcfcribcd in Vol. 1. Chap. 47. in the man- ner as EL'RoPiANs fubfcribe Uicir names. ' A money changer. Chap. XII. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 79 *' bufinefs of my miniftry, I always confuted certain perfons who now 1720, " make this complaint, till I found them difaifeifted to my perfon, and <' too much attached to their own private interefl, to give me any coiinfel " capable of promoting the public good. If thofe very perfons, who " now feem fo tender of the refpedl due to the fuprcme authority, had "■ not often caufed the orders fent into the provinces, even in the king's '' name, to be revoked, they would not have the boldnefs to accufe me " of a fault of which they are confcious of being guilty tliemfelves. For " my own part, I obferved a quite different condu(ft, by making it a " rule never to retract, either through interefl or iblicitation, whatever I " had once determined, after a thorough knowledge of the matter. " I could not have expedied, I own, that I £houid be accufed of having " fettled my daughters and nieces in a manner fuitable to my dignity and " their birth. Do my enemies imagine, that a minifter fo greatly fa- ** voured by his mailer, fhould forget himfelf to that degree, as to feek " huibands for his daughters from among the dregs of the people 3 or ; *' diilionour the blood of the ancient kings of daghestan, from which/ '* he has the honour of being deIcende3T\Vou^d^-hey have me cour/ " the protedion of eunuchs, and ally my family v^^ith their creatures and " domeftics .? But not fatisfied with reproaching me for the advantageous " fettlement of my daughters ; they require me to make an excufe for *' the king's indulgence, in granting the government of fome provinces ** to two of my nephews. It is true, I folicited that favour, but not *' without a precedent; lince then* majefties had granted it to others who " were never cenfured for it. Thus, great prince," continued he, " the *' furv of my enemies has tranfported them lb far, that they are not afraid *' of challenging me for your goodnefs. They demand of me an account " of my effeds, and forgetting that I hold the greateft part of what I " poffefs from the royal bounty; can they pretend to be ignorant that I " was born to a great eftate, that I inherit my brother's fortunes, and <* that the good ceconomy with which I have always lived, has increafed " my property. I intended to leave all to my nephews, and my daugh- *< ters ; and fo natural a confideration might have juftified my parfimony : " but what pretext have my enemies for their infatiable avarice 1 have *' they 172^- 8o THE REIGN OF Part llL " they any fuch relation?, or are they capable of heirs" ? What uie would '' they make of their riches, unlels they would fend every year to mecca " and MEDINA camels loaded with wealth, and violate with impunity «' the laws of the kingdom, by which fuch pilgrimages are exprcflly « forbidden?" The atheMat doulet having iiniihed his vindication ^ his accufers allcd^ed a^^ainfc him further, that the expedition of bahakain had mif- carried by his colluiion with the officers of the Portuguese fleet: that in conjundion with lu tf ali khan, he had betrayed the intcreils of tlie flate, by not making a proper ufe of the confternation of the rebels after the victory of kherman by laying fiege to kandahar; charging liim with all the violences committed upon the fea coaft tov/ards the end of the campaign, and infifling on his declaring the motives that en* ga^ed his brother-in-law to march towards shirass, inilead of leading his army, as the court intended, againll the Afghans* *' I might very eafily," replied the miniftcr, " avoid entering into any " difcuffion upon this fubjedt j for it wauld be fufficient for me to al- *' ledge, that fmce no man is anfwerable for more than his own adions, '' I cannot, without manifeft injuftice, be charged with any faults com- *' mitted by my brother : but the condudl of this general has been fo " prudent and fo agreeable to the real interefts of the flatc, that I am not " afraid to be anfwerable for his military operations. All the world *' knows, that the great shah aeas having difpoflllTed the Portuguese " of the ifle of ormus, by the afliftance of the English fleet "^j this *' prince, in order to preferve his conqueft, without being obliged to *' maintain a number of fliips, concluded a peace with them, and con- *' fented to let them have the moiety of the duties colledled in the ifland, " which was afterwards valued at a certain fum. It is alfo well known^ ** tliatthe funds appropriated to this ufe have been for many years applied '* to other purpofes : the embaflador whom their majefiies appoint to " re/ido ■ Here he alludes to the eunuchs. *' Alfonso de albuqj-'erqj;e conquered the ifld r.nd city of ORMUS in 1 507 ; it was taken again by the Persians in 162;:, when the English had ft gram of duties at B E n d £ r a b a s 5 i the n«w town. Chap. XIL SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 8i " refide at go a, could not therefore engage the viceroy to fend his fleet 1720. ** into that fea, without promifing to pay part of the arrears. Blulutf " ALi KHAN not being able to perform fuch agreement, for want of the " money, which was never remitted to him, as we can eafily prove, the " PORTUGUESE Commander, incenfed at this breach of promife, not only " refufed to take our troops on board, but put back to fea. This is the " plain matter of fad:, the truth of which will be attefted, if necelTary, " by the commiflary of this very fleet, who is now at Ispahan. " But LUTF ALI KHAN, they pretend, ought to have made a proper " ufe of his vidiory, by forcing the rebels in their own capitals Is it *^ poffible that fuch arguments as thefe fhould come from perfons who " concern themfelves in the adminiftration of public affairs ? Is it not '* well known, that this general had only a detachment of his army with '' him ? Would it have been right in him, without ammunition or pro- " vllions, to undertake, juft after the harveft, the fiege of a place e.x- " tremely well fortified, and defended by an army double the number *' of his own ? He was too prudent to take fo rafh a flep, but contented " himfelf, for that time, with putting the city of k Herman in a poflare " of defence 3 and I am not afraid to own, that it was by my advice he *' afterwards joined the main body of his army. Having afterwards de- " termined to carry the war into the province of kandahar, he fet " about making the neceflary preparations for this great expedition. He " was then obliged to make the province ^ furni/h the money and pro- " vifions for the fubfirtence of his troops j and if in the execution of " thofe orders, there was a mixture of prejudice or refentment, this is a " fault t':at ought not to be ranked amongd crimes committed againft «' the flate. " Such was the real caufe of thofe irregularities v;hich have been fo " greatly exaggerated. In regard to the motives which determined lutf " ALI khan to advaiice towards shiRx'Iss, It is eafy to account for them. ** This general, grown wife by the fatal example of khosroff khan, " had * Kandahar. y Kkermania. Vol. III. L 8, THE REIGN OF Part III. .i7?.o. cc j^^^j determined tn furprize the rebels, left they fhould dcitroy the •' crop, which is gathered in that cotintry two moons before the vernal '• equinox. He could not therefore take a better meafure, than to ad- " vance towards this city; becr.ufe here he was in a fituation to traverfe ** {hz defertb' bv the fl^ortefl: way: befides, he confidered that it was *• much eafier to form magazines in the center of a fruitful province, and *' at no f^reat diftance from the capital, than on a barren coaft. It is " notorious, that he fpared neither money, folicitations, nor care, to *• gather in thofe provifions ; and that I even fent, at my own expence, " 3000 camels loaded with rice. If we had any defign, as our enemies ** pretend, to march the army againft Isfahan, the carrying away fuch *' a prodigious quantity of provifions was an unpopular meafure, and " tended to incenfe the people againft us j for they were already irritated ♦* by the burthens laid on them. But it is needlefs to fpend any more *' time in juftifying a condudl, the rectitude and prudence of which are '* evident : it is now time that their happy majefties, who are the fliadow *' of God upon earth, fhould determine the caufe between innocence " and impoflure." CHAP. XIII. ^ Death and char a£fcr of the athemat doulet. Exctirjions of the les- GEES. Magnanimity o/"vachtanga j he puts on the turbant^ and is named vali o/' Georgia. Preparations made by this prince againft the lesgees, 'who7n he reduces to extremity. 'They are favcd from de- Jlruducn by a court intrigue, Vachtanga takes an oath never to appear in arms in defence c/' Persia. FATEY ALi KHAN having thus finiflicd his apology, the king, far from being offended with the liberty with which he had delivered himfelt, could not help weeping at the misfortunes occafioned by his precipitate judgment. And yet as this difgrace was irreparable, and the court imagined they could no longer put any confidence in a man whom they Chap. Xm. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. ^^ they had ufed fo barbarouflyj after he had been a vidim to malice and 1720. credulity, he fell a facrifice to policy, and was fent a prifoner to the caflle of SHIR ASS : but shah hussein to foften in fome meafure the rigour of this fentence, granted him a confiderable penlion, and endea- voured to comfort him by reprefenting the inevitable neceffity of fate ^ The ATHEMAT DOULET died in prifon a little after the taking of Isfa- han*. It was imagined that he made ufe of poifon, fearing left mir maghmud {hould oblige him to make difcoveries prejudicial to the ftatc: but it is- more probable that he fell under the weight of his own misfor- tunes, and thofe in which his country was now involved, by the evil go- vernment of his enemies. Shah hussein thus loft the wifeft of his minifters. He had the no- bleft mien of any perfon at court ; and as he mentioned in his juftification, owed to his ceconomy and good management, that great fortune of which he was poffciTcd. As to the confpiracy, it was undoubtedly a contrivance of his enemies J but tho' his integrity was untainted in this particular, his re- putation was not without blemilh. It is beyond difpute, that after mir v a is was fent prifoner to Isfahan, fatey ali khan took him under his pro- tedllon, and fent him back to kandahar. Now, whether he was moved by compafTion for that prince, who was a sunni as well as himfelf ^ or whe- ther he adled from an averlion to gurghin khan -, or laftly, through the temptation of the great prefents he received from the prifoner ; it was cer- tainly a dangerous ftep, and fufficient to render his fidelity fufpedted. Be- fides, he was already appointed athemat doulet, or of the fame party as the perfon who then occupied that poft, when khosroff khan marched againft the Afghans j and this cabal was charged with being the caufe of the death of that prince, and of the total defeat of the army. But thefe are not the only crimes with which fome writers have ftained the memory of this minifter. A miiTionary, who was at shamakie at the taking of that city, aflerts, that fatey ali khan, provoked at not having been able to obtain of shaii hussein the abolition of the ca- L 2 RACK, ^ PreJedinananirm Is a funuamental principle of the mahommedan reiig'on. * By llie AFGHAi.s near two years af:crv\r.rds. 8^ THE REIGN OF Part III. 17:0. RACK % impofed on the sunnis, and the cuftom of uttering maledidions againft the three firft cahphs, with which the Persians always end their public prayers, formed a projca: to fubvert the government of the schias, and to afcend the throne himfelf. Filled with this idea, he faw no na- tion on whom he could depend fo well as on the lescees, becaufe he was dcfcended from their ancient kings, and moreover mod of their tribes are of this feift. Plence he engaged them to take up arms, and to make incurfions into the province of shir van ; not queftioning but as a con- fiderable number of the inhabitants profelTed this fuiie religion, the pro- vince would fliake off the yoke, and join their forces to thofe of the rebels. "** Be that as it may, shah hussein remained fo {Irongly perfuaded of the innocence of this minifter, that tho' he had the great weaknefs to pardon his accufers, yet the condud he obferved towards thofe who had been confined upon this account, fufficiently evinces that he did not be- lieve him guilty. All of them, without exception, had their eftates re^ ftored to them 5 and if fome who were poffeffed of governments had them taken from them, and others were detained at Isfahan, this was only thro' fear, left they fliould be induced by their refentments to juftify the fufpicions conceived of them. Jt is even obferved, that tho' the athem at doulet's eilate was confifcated j yet the feveral portions were excepted, which belonged to his fons-in-law, maiiommed kouli khan, the prince of KAKET% and to the koullar agassi '^j brother of the vali of GEORGIA, as their wives portion. True it is, tliat as the fidelity of thefe lords was well known, they were not included in the number of thofe whom the court was to have an eye over; and lutf ali khan, who had been confidered as one of the chiefs of the pretended confpiracy, and as fuch had been removed to t/f.hiran, underwent no other punilhment than that of refloring to the king the plunder Jic had taken upon the frontier, '' A poll-tax paid in m aiio.umedan countries hy fubjcils who are of a dirTc-rent religion from that of the prince. « Kaket, a province, the government of uhicli is fometimes joined to that of KAKABACii, and fonictiines to that of Georgia. It Jias jlfo liad i:s general governors; from whence they have derived the name of prince. ' 'I'iie chief of the (laves : a body of cavalry, ccn'pofcd of men of dillinfticn, wlio Rile themftlvcs the king's flavcs. Chap. XJII. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. g- f rentier, and of being watched at Isfahan, not as a ftate-criminal, but 1720. as a man who had jud caufe to be difafFedted to the government. This ftorm was at length fucceeded by fome days of calm. The li:s- GEES, whofe incurlions had given great uneafinefs to the coart, fent de- puties to ISFAHAN to fde for a reconciliation. The anxiety with v>^hich this revolt had filled the minds of shah hussein and his miniflers, was well founded : for thofe people having driven away the coUedlors and other officers belonging to the king, afiTcmbled towards the beginning of 171 9 to the number of two thouiknd men; and, comm^anded by mulla abdal- LAH, and KANLU SABAN, their chiefs, they made incurfions, and fpread terror and defolation in fome of the neighbouring parts of Georgia. Their reputation and forces having increafed by their fuccefs, they were joined by a body of near 30,000 of the inhabitants of shir van, who were of the fed: of the sunnis, and puflied their hoflilities to the gates of GANJA and SHAMAKiE. At length the khan, who commanded in the • latter, having received orders to oppofe thefe hollilities, marched at the liead of forty thoufand men againft the rebels, who were then incamped in a plain between ganja and the borders of shirvan. But jufi: when he was preparing to attack them, they furprized him in the night, fo that part of his army was cut to pieces, and the remainder difperfed. The khan * himfelf perifhed on this occaiion, with mofl of his principal officers. The fear of the refentment of a power over whom they had obtained fo fignal a triumph, was not the motive which induced thefe people to fue for peace. They were determined to take this ilep by a more preffing confideration ; which I ffiall explain by tracing matters fcmewhat hig;her. After KHosROFF KKAN was Hain before kandahar, vachtanga, as the eldeft of the flimlly, ought in courfe to have fucceeded him in the dignity of vali of Georgia; but as he refufed to wear the turbant ^, his younger brother, tho' the patriarch of that country, offered himfelf in •= This being the firft battle of any confequence that was fought between die Persians and les- GEEs in hu£Sein's reign, renders it probable, that this kiian was the nephew of fatey ali khan mentioned in his vindication, page 78. f This is fcmetimes ufed as an expreflion to denote tlio MAKOM.MEDAN religion ; tho' the Armenians, who are chriih'ans, wear turbants in persia.. 35 THE REIGN OF Part III. J720. in his {lead. Their father, then divan beghi of Isfahan, tho' a ma- HOMMEDAN himfclf, was fo incenfed at this fcandalous propodil, that he ' ordered this irreligious priefl to be badiindoed, and kept to his lacerdotal funftion. The inveftiture of this principahty was then given to the third fon who beinf lefs fcrupulous than the eldeft, and fomewhat lefs cul- pable than the fecond, embraced the mahommedan religion. Vachtanga, tho' banhlied to kherman, perfevered in his glorious refolution many years j but at length the folicitations of the court, joined to the irkfomnefs of his exile, overcame his conftancy : he renounced, or more probably pretended that he renounced, chriftianity, and in confe- quence thereof was named vali of Georgia. This new prince repaired to TEFFLis in 1719: he was fcarce arrived there, when beholding with forrow and indignation, the devaftations which the lesgees had com- \ mitted in his territories, he determined to revenge the caufe of his people 1 in fiich a manner, as fliould fecure them for ages againfl: their dangerous - neighbours. Having obtained the confent of the nobility, who were con- vened upon this account, he ordered every Georgian that was able to bear arms, to join him in that capital ; he aUb made every other prepa- ration that was neceflary, and the enfuing fpring would have been ready to take the field at the head of 60,000 men. The LESGEES faw into his defign, and concluded they were undone : their only refource was to implore the clemency of shah hussejn, and to perfuade this prince to interpofe his authority in their favour. Such was the motive of the deputation they now fent : but the Georgians were in arms, when the king's firft mullah, and the phyfician ^, invoked their in- fernal genius to conjure up another ftorm. Thefe treacherous courtiers, re- fledting that a fon-in-law of the athcmat doulet, who lately fell a facri- fice to their impoflures, was brother to this prince ; were afraid left after having defeated the lescees, he might attempt to make ufe of fo fine an army, to oblige the court to punifh them for their iniquitous condud:. They availed themfelves therefore of the afcendant they had gained over their weak and deluded fovereign, and reprcfented that vachtanga, after defeating ^ HaKEM ISA.-JII. Chap. XIII. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. £7 defeating his enemies, might occafion great troubles in Persia, efpecially 1720, as it would then be very eafy for him to' receive conliderable fuccours from RUSSIA by fea : therefore the only way to prevent thefe misfortunes, would be to grant a peace to the lesgees, and order the vali to ceafe all hoflilities, which would oblige this prince to difband his troops, and remove all apprehenfion of danger from his ambition -, moreover^ that this meaflire would prevent the depopulation -of a province, which the vicinity of the fea rendered very confiderable, without expofmg Persia to any future invafions from thofe people; for the dread of being deli- vered up to the refentment of the Georgians, would necelTarily contain them within the bounds of their duty. Shah hussein, perfuaded by this artful difcourfe, made no difficulty to grant a peace to the rebels. And without keeping any meafures with the v-ALi of GEORGIA, he forbad him in the moil imperious and haughty manner to give them any furtlier diiturbance. His orders were : " If " you have got your foot in the ftirrup, alight immediately. If you have *' drav/n your fabre, put it direcflly into the fcabbardj and if you are in \ ** purfuit of the lesgees, Hop the moment you receive our comn.ands j " in a word, take the utmoft care not to infringe the peace which they " have obtained from the clemency of him whom the univerfe obe.j," -^^ Vachtanga was already in fall march, and upon the point of cnjili- ing his enemies, Avhen he received thefe ftri6l and unwelcome oders. j It is generally believed that the only motive which induced him to ftop his purfuit, and obey the imprudent orders of the Persian court, arofe from an apprehenfion left the chiefs of the nation fliould defert him, as they had formerly deferted gurghin khan. Be that as it may, he declared he would obey, but it was In terms that clearly demonftrated the height of his refentment. After ordering the courier into his prefence, he drew ] his fabre, and fvvore he would never fight again in the fervice of the J king, nor in the defence of Persia. He then difbanded his troops, and / withdrew to tefflis, fully determined to obferve his oath inviolate. / PART e^ J-2I [ 83 ] PART IV. THE Revolutions of PERSIA, FROM THE CoMxMENCEMENT OF THE YEAR 1721, T O T H E Battle of GULNABAD in 1722. CHAP. XIV. Pacific difpofitiofU of the Afghans. Uneafmefs given to the court of ISFAHAN by the arrival of the turkisu embaffador. Hussein fends an embnjj'ador to the grand fignior , and frightened by various prcjages^ returns to Isfahan. T^he lesgees lay fiege to shamakie, take it, and commit great cruelties ^ they make themfelves mafters of the reft of SHiRvAN, beat the khan of erivan, andlayfiege to ganja. 'The court in great confier nation. A T the commencement of this year, things Teemed to promife tranquillity. The ready fubmiffion of the vali of Georgia, and the pacification of dagistan, put an end to the anxiety which had been created by the formidable army of that prince, and by the excurfions of the lesgees. Advice was alfo come, that the rebels of KANDAHAR, intimidated by their defeat, were ready to enter into an accommodation : and the peace and reftitution of the ifle of baharain, which were negotiated by the king's orders, and actually concluded in 2 tj.c Chap. XIV. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 89 the courfe of this year, by means of eight thoufand tomans^, gave room 172 1, to hope, that the monarchy thus deHvered from its principal enemies, might fubdue the reft, whom fear and example would hereafter contain within proper bounds. But there was one circumflance which llill difturbed the court. They had heard by letters from hassan basha, the governor of bagdat, that an embalTador from the ottoman port was ready to fet out for t.£HIRan: and as it was well known that the grand vizir ^, ali bacha', defigned to declare war againll Persia, when he was killed at the battle of peterwaradin"" j they had reafon to apprehend, left his fucceflbr fhould infpire the grand fignior with the fame fentiments, efpecially at a time when the peace of passarowitz, and the intefline commotions of that kingdom, afforded a favourable opportunity for fuch an undertaking. Under thefe circumftances, the timorous court of hussein concluded that this minifter was come to demand the ceffion of fome province, and to declare war in cafe of a refufal. And tho' the kiflg had already re- folved to fend an embalTador to Constantinople, in order to found the difpofition of the port ; and, if there fliould be occafion, to purchafe the continuation of the peace, by offering to yield fome extent of territory towards erivan or kerkoud j yet the uncertainty he was under, whe- ther the TURKS would be contented with thefe terms, occafioned great uneafinefs. As the king could not avoid giving audience to this minifler, the go- vernors of the places through which he was to pafs, had orders to receive him with all the honours and refpedt due to his character. He came by KERMANSHA, HAxMADAN, DERGHESIN, and CASBIN tO T.-EHIRAN, wherC he arrived tov/ards the beginning of January 1721, tv/o months after his departure from the frontier, and the difgrace of the atheaiat doulet. The * 20,coo/. ^ Vazir or vizir, in the Arabian tongue fignifies a porter. In turkv this title is given to the counfellors of Hate ; and that of vizir-azem, or grand vizir, is firlt miniltcr. ' This miniller was remarkable for his integrity ; but he was fevere, and hated tlie chriflians, whom he confidered as the natural enemies of his mafter. » A Ilrong town of sclavonia on the DANUBE, fubjedl to the houfe of Austria. FoL. III. M i72l. ^o THE REIGN OF Part IV. The embaillidor, whole name was douri effendi", has given the following relation himlelf of the ceremony of his being admitted to audi- ence. " In this order I went to the palace of tcharbag, where having " ali'^hted from my horfe at the third gate, I entered the audience cham- " ber. The shah was feated oppoiite the door : at his right and left ** were a great number of officers °: there were alfo thirty Persians^ " macnificently armed, and about ten miniflers or great officers of the " kinf^dom; the latter were feated. I paffed through the midft of them " with a ftately gaitj I wore a fliff turbant on my head, a gown lined " with fable on my flioulders, and held the imperial letter as high as my *' head. I walked on very gently till I came near the fofa, on which *' the shah was feated ; and when I was within two fleps of him, I " raifed the imperial letter with my right hand j and with my left, I fa- ** luted him in the manner fovereigns are faluted^, and I fpoke to him *' thus:" " May health refide with thee *■ : God preferve me from the schei- *' THAN ' ALRAGiM. In the name of the moft merciful God, this pre- *^ fent writing tells thee the truth '. Behold the moft liappy and moft '* magnificent imperial letter of their majeflies, the mofl magnificent, the *' moft formidable, the moft majeftic, the moft potent sultan achmed, " KHAN GAzi "i may God give glory to thofe who affift him ; fovereign *' of the two continents, emperor of the two feas '■^ -, who is a fecond *' ALEXANDER ZUL KARNEIN ^ j fcrvant of the holy ORIENTAL citicS y ; '' fultan, ■ Signifies fliiird in law. " Beglerbegs and khans. p Of thofe who are called kuzzlebash, which fignifies red heads ; fo called from the crimfon caps worn when they were firll formed into a body under this name, by sheich heydr, father of i smae l L of the sefkie dynafty. They have been fometimes confidercd as the janizaries, /. e. ingecherrls among the t u r ks, though this dillinflion is in a great meafure loft, for the foldiers in general wear crimfon caps ; but the corps of every diflerent nation arc kept dillind. •! I prefume he took the hem of his garment and kifled it. ' The TURKS generally begin all their recitals and writings with an invocation. ' Scmeithan or I A Til AN, with us fatan ; wliom the maho.mmedans believe to have been curfed for having refilled the will of God, when he was commanded to proftrate himfelf before apam. Ragim, according to fome commentators, fignifies deprived of grace. ' A paffagc of the khoran. " 'I'his furname is given to thofe mahommedaw princes, who have made conquefls over the enemies of their religion. ^ The black sea, and the archipelago. ' With two horns, that is, whofe empire embraces the eaft and weft, named by the eaftern people the horns of thy world. ' Mecca and MEDINA. 7 Chap. XIV. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 91 *' fultan, fon of fultan. He wiflies all health to the moft fortunate pre- 172 1. ** fence of their majefties, the shah geaija% whofe crown glitters like *^ the fun, and defires to be informed of his precious health. " I made him this compliment in the tone in which we fing the EZAi^rS *' throwing my words into a cadence. The prime minifter ^ who was '^ during this time on my right hand % attempted twice to take the im- " perial letter from me ; but I took no notice of him. The shah him- " felf ftretched out his hand with the fame intent ; but your flave*^ caft " his eyes on no fort of objed till he had finiflied his harangue. Then " I kilTed the imperial letter ; and railing it twice to my head, I pre- " fented it to the shah, who had already thrice offered to take it. He " raifed himfelf on his knees to receive it 5 and having killed it, he made " a fign to the chief of his eunuchs % who came for it, kifled it, raifed '^ it twice to his head, and then held it in his hands. The shah or- " dered me at the fame time to fit down ; but your flave out of refpedl '* refufed it. He commanded me a fecond time j and as I continued to '* refufe it, the chief mafler of the ceremonies ^ took me hold by the '^ arms, and forced me to fit down 2," The king afked the embafiador many queflions j and after they had dined in the fame hall according to cuflom, he took his leave of the king, and retired. The loth of march ^ shah hussein gave audience for the third and lafl time to this. embaiTador : on which occafion a mi- nifler from Russia, two envoys from the ousbegs, and ninety-four de- puties of the LESGEES were introduced. The latter were come to de- mand, each in the name of his particular tribe, the ordinary fublidies, M 2 the * As great and as potent as gem or giamschid, an antient kir.g of pbrsia. * The EZAN is what they cry five times with a loud voice from their turrets, to give the people notice that it is the hour of prayer. •* Athemat doulet. « Giamschid, the antient king of PE RSI A juit mentioned, gave the preference to the left ; though in general the right is efteemed in the eaft, as with us in Europe. ^ This defcription was given to the grand fignior. ' The kislar aga. f The esik agasi bashi, chief mafter of the ceremonies, whofe office it is to hold the embaffadors by the arm, while they pay their refpedls to the king. s From this ex- traft we may form an idea of the formal manner of a Turkish writer, as well as of the ceremonies ot a TURKISH embaiTador at a Persian court. •* Vernal equinox, or Persian new- years-day. 92 THE REIGN OF Part IV. 1 72 1, the payment of which had been fettled by the late peace. The king be- - ing pre-pofTefTcd with an opinion that the turks intended to take an ad- vantage of the divifions which had rent the kingdom, was agreeably fur- prized when the cmbafTador of the port aiTured him, that his maftcr was fully determined to obfcrve the peace. The beginning of april the TURKISH embalfador fet out on his return for Constantinople. Mor- TAZA KOULi KHAN, appointed embaffador to that court, was alfo pre- paring to take the fame rout, with a more explicit anfwer than that which the king Iiad given to the Turkish minifler. In the interim, the court received frefli alarms from the eaftern parts of the empire : the governor of mesched ' acquainted the court by a letter, that the abdollees of herat had made great incurfions j obferving, that if fpeedy meafures were not taken to protect the city and its dependencies againil: the rebels, they muft foon be obliged to fubmit. This intelli- gence was foon followed by news of a more dreadful nature : the 26th of the fame month, tavris, the fecond city of the kingdom, and capital- of the province of aderbeitzan, was deftroyed by an earthquake, in- which very near a hundred thoufand of the inhabitants periflied ^. Under thefe melancholy circumftances, shah hussein prepared to take his leave of t^hiran, and return to Isfahan, where he arrived with- his whole court the firft of june. Towards the end of this month, the confternation of the people was increafed by a phscnomenon, which might be confidered as fuch in that climate. Thev were ten davs without fee- ing the fun ; during that time it is fiid the horizon was covered with a reddiih cloud, with but little more light than when the fun is totally, cclipfcd^ The aftrologers pretended that all thefe figns prefiged great calamities to Isfahan ; and the king having quelli-oned them concerning the nature of thefe calamities, fome of them predicted an earthquake like to that which had lately deftroyed the city of tavris j others, that fire would fall from heaven and caufe a general conflagration j but not one of them had fenfe enough to fee, or not honefty and courage enough to tell this ' Capital of khorajan. ^ The fame fate happened in 1657. ' This circumftancc, tho' fcrioufly attefted, the reader is at his liberty to believe : when mens minds are dillempercd witk fear, thty cafily imagine they fee fpeilres. Chap. XIV. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 93 this monarch, that his effeminacy and weaknefs had rendered him con- 1721.- temptible 5 and that his own fubjecfts, no longer reflrained by fear, would be tJiemfelves the caufe of all the misfortunes with which he was m^enaced.- The king, as a further mark of his imbecillity, frightened at thefe pre- dictions, quitted his palace, and went to lodge in tents : part of the court and of the inhabitants having followed the example of the prince, the. gardens and public fquares were filled with people. Things were in this fituatlon, when a new difgrace feemed already in fome degree to verify the predidlon. The lesgees, reftlefs and un- mindful of their great obligations to fiussein, remembered only the oath of VACHTANGA the vALi of GEORGIA ; and being informed moreover that from a ftrong perfuafion of their not daring to break a peace, which had been granted as fo high a favour, the neighbouring provinces were bare of troops, they were emboldened by thefe circumrflances, joined to that of SHAH" Hussein's removal to t^hiran, to make an irruption into shir van, under the command of sultan Ibrahim, and daoud beg their chiefs. The pretext with which they covered this revolt, was the difgrace o'F FATEY ALi KHAN, who had been condemned, they faid, only becaufe he \vas defcended from their antient fovereigns. They foon m.ade them- felVes mailers of the flat country : but their aim was above deftroying. defencelefs peafants, and plundering villages. The riches of shamakie,, the capital of the province, equally excited the ambition and the avarice of their generals ^ and tho' their army, which confifted only of 15,000 men, did not feem ilrong enough for the execution of fuch a proje'dl; yet they appeared the 15th of august before that city, in hopes^ that they- fnould be favoured in their enterprize by the sunnis, who v/ere the mofi numerous part of the inhabitants. This conjecfture wa.s juilified, by the event. The. governor, hussein khan, knowing how little he had tO' depend on the fidelity of the inhabitants, made no filly,, left he fhould be deferted by the people that followed him, or betrayed by thofe who, Aaid behind in the town j fo that he determined to make as good a de- fence as he could within the walls. This refolution, which was the only cue he could take, enabled him to withftand the attacks of the ensm^y/ 3 ^^' ' 94 THE REIGN OF Part IV. 1721. for the fpace of 25 daysj and perhaps the length of the ficge would have tired out the lesgees, if the sunnis, who kept a correfpondtince with the enemy, had not found means, in fpite of all the vigilance of the go- vernor, to open one of the gates to them. The befiegers rufhed in im- mediately, making hideous fhouts^ but altho' the garrifon was furprized, they were not beaten. All the lesgees could compafs that day, was to force their way to the sunnis quarter, where they entrenched themfelves. Early the next morning they marched out in good order, intending to complete the conqueft of the city. The governor made fome ftand againfl them ; but perceiving that he was deferted or betrayed by his people, he determined at length to provide for his own fafety. His loyalty and courage had prevented his taking this refolution in time ^ for the enemy having detached fome cavalry after him, they foon came up with him, and brought him back to the town. The fituation of shamakie rendered it a flaple between the Russians and PERSIANS"" j but the great plunder of it did not fatisfy the avarice of the lesgees: their generals were hurried by this bafe paflion, to commit the mofl barbarous cruelties againft hussein khan. They put him to the acuteft tortures, imagining he had buried his treafure -, but whether it was that this nobleman had not concealed any, or indifferent about his life he did not regard their fury, he made no difcovery j for which reafon they cut him in pieces, together with his nephew, and another of his relations, and flung their bodies to the dogs. About 4000 inhabitants were put to the fword 5 and this mafTacre -would have been greater, if many had not faved themfelves the night on which the enemy entrenched themfelves in the quarters of the sunnis : for we muft likewife obfcrve, that the lesgees put none to the fword of that feft. They alfo fpared the wives and children of the schias, not through any motive of compafllon, but becaufe, according to their law, the right of conqueft had made them their flaves. The sunnis and the schias were iiot the only inhabitants of that city. There was likewife a confiderablc number " I have already rcrrarkcd in Vol. I. the great lofs fuflaincd by ykuriinoff, a Russian ■lerchart. \ Chap. XIV. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. g^ number of Armenians, jews, indian idolaters, and feveral Russian 1721. merchants ; and tho' the conquerors granted no quarter to the schias whom they did not make Haves, yet they fpared the hves and hberty of thefe different nations, confidering them as ilrangers; thus a fenfe of juflice hindered them from confounding them with their enemies. Bat this is to be underilood only in regard to their property : for they stripped their habitations of every thing that was valuable. The Russians loft a great value °, which contributed to create new enemies againft Persia, as we (hall fee hereafter. So many misfortunes, upon the back of each other, completed the confternation of the divan. Shah hussein, who had neither refolution enough to bear fuch a reverfe of fortune, nor abilities fufficient to prevent any further ill confequences, was the firft whom the weight of the bur- then overcame. Being convinced that heaven had declared againft him, he thought no longer of ftruggling with his misfortunes, but bent his whole attention to appeafe the divine wrath. All public diverfions were for- bidden J harlots were expelled the town j faftings and public prayers were ordained j and the minifters of religion appeared in the public fquares and market-places, exhorting the people to avert, by a fincere repentance, the calamities impending over their heads. This condudl, if it was pious, was not politic, for it rendered the confternation general ; the people in every part of the town being heard to fay in a mournful voice, " cheik " OGLOU ° has finifhed his career 3 the fatal period of his government is ** come J his tottering throne is going to crufti us under its ruins." In the mean time the lesgees, who had made themfelves mafters of SHAMAKiE, took pofteffion of the reft of SHiRVANi after which, know- ing that the khan of erivan had orders to throw himfelf into ganja, they paffed the kura, and marched forward to meet him. Tho' this general was at the head of 40,000 men, yet he only contributed to in- creafe the triumph of the rebels. Part of his army was cut to pieces in different engagements ; the remainder fled towards erivan : the lesgees having " About 100,000/. ° The king, who is the fon of chejk, a name given to the kings of" PERSIA of the sEFFiE dynaft/, becaufe they were defcended from cueik sefi-je. ^6 THE REIGN OF Part IV. 1721. having made thcmfelves mafters of his camp and equipage, befieged him in GANJA, whether he had retired after his defeat. C H A P. XV. Mir maghmud 7'aifes an ar-riy of i^yooo men. He marches towards KHERMAN, ajui makes bimfelf majler of that city j from thence he pro- ceeds to YEZD, and lays fiege to it^ but is obliged to retire. He leads his army through deferts towards Isfahan, and arrives at gulnabad. I'he TERSiA^is prepare to oppofe him. Different opinions in the di'van upon that fiihjeSi, PERSIA thus faw herfelf threatened with a florm from all fides, when MIR MAGHMUD, the moft formidable of her enemies, dif- clofed his ambitious defigns. The Afghans dilheartened by the defeat they had met with before kherman, confidered themfelves as utterly undone, when they heard that lutf ali khan was making preparations for the fiege of kandahar. The prudence and valour of this general j the number and difcipline of his troops j and the quantity of ammunition and provifions with which his magazines were filled, made them con- clude that their ruin was inevitable. In this fituation, the whole nation ieenicd defirous of a peace, and w^aited only for the approach of the enemy to fue for k. But they no fooner were informed of the imprifon- ment of lutf ali khan, and the difbanding of his army, than fecurity and joy fucceeded their fear. MiR maghmud, whofe authority had been in fome meafure deftroyed by thefe melancholy circumflances, in- fenfibly refumed the command of his people. The firft ufe which maghmud made of this change, was to put him- felf in a condition of making a vigorous refiftance, in cafe the Persians fliould determine to purfue their dcfign. With this intent, he omitted nothing that might contribute to the fecurity of the province ; he raifed troops, ordered arms to be made, and filled the magazines with every thing ncccfTary to hold out a long fiege. Thefe preparations were juft com- Chap.XV. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 97 completed at kandahar, when they heard of the extremity to which ,-2 the city of mesched was reduced. The news of the de{lru«il;ion of %-AVRis, and of the irruption of the lesgees, followed foon after j and thefe different events eafed the minds of the people, and gave their chief an opportunity of forming new refolutions. Ma GH mud's apprehenfions being thus removed, he began to think of becoming formidable in his turn: the hopes of conquefts, which his lafl defeat feemed to have flifled, now crowded again upon his imagination. To difpofe the Afghans to enter into his views, he reminded them of the feveral circumilances that ought to diffipate every thought of danger: he obferved to them, that the provinces of kandahar, herat, sa- blestan, mecran, and dagtstan, had (l:iaken off the yoke ; that SEGESTAN, KHERMAN, and ths greatcft part of the vaft country of kho- rasan had been ravaged, and skirvan invaded ; that the difperfion of the army which was under lutf ali khan, and the oath of the vali of GEORGIA, rendered Persia entirely defencelefs. He put them in mind of the advantages which he had obtained over this nation, at a time when her power was really great; and relating the fuccefs of the kourds, the ousBEGs, and the mascats, he made the Afghans believe, that the throne was ready to fall a prey to the firft who would venture to feize on it. Such difcourfes as thefe, accompanied with feveral marks of his libe- rality, could not but make an impreffion on the minds of a people, who were naturally inclined to war. Hence they talked of nothing but con- quers ; and the hopes of booty engaged 15,000 Afghans to lift them- feives under the banners of their chief But maghmud being fenfible that thefe forces were not anfvverable to the greatnefs of his defign, ap- plied himfelf to the means of increafing them. For this purpofe he had no occafion for long negotiations : the reftlefs and turbulent fpirit of the neighbouring nations foon determined them in his favour. At the firft news of an intended expedition into Persia, the abdollees, ByiLoucHES, the inhabitants of CABUL, and the neighbour- ing country Hocked to him ; and in a very fliort time his army was greatly . Vol. ill. N augmented I72I. pS THE REIGN OF Part IV. augmented by thefe adventurers of feveral countries and religions. But among the different chiefs who joined him, aman ola brought him the moft confiderable reinforcement. This captain, whom fome have ima- cr'mcd to be a prince of cabul, was originally only a fimple dervife, but chufin^ a mihtary life, was now at the head of a confiderable body of troops, and joined maghmud rather as an ally than as a fubjed : em- barkin'T in this enterprize, upon condition of making an equal divifion of the fruits of their conquefts. The union of their forces did not conftitute an army of above 25,000 fighting men : they took with them a fev/ ele- phants for burthen, with a confiderable number of camels j thefe with their driver?, the fervants of the foldiers, and the domeftics of the chiefs, made this army appear much more formidable than it really was. Magh- mud never had fo many troops under his command before. They were fcarce affcmbled, when this young chief full of ardour and hopes, began to carry his enterprize into execution. He entrufted the regency of kan- dahar to his brother; after which he cioffed the deferts of segestan with the fame precaution and fatigue as he had done the preceding year; 3722. and entering kherman towards the beginning of January this year, he fit down before the capital of that province. This city did not make any long refinance. The perseesp, and the INDIANS, who were fettled there, having refufed to fight agaiiifl an army which confillcd partly of troops of their own nation, foon obliged the remainder of the inhabitants, who in other refpeds were not prepared for a fiege, to open the gates to the enemy. When maghmud was mafter ot the town, his next point was to take the citadel. He tried feveral times to carry it by afiTault ; for as he had no cannon fit for a fiege, this feemed the only way he could take it : but he met with fuch a warm and gallant reception from the garrifon, which had been left there by lutf ali khan, that he foon began to defpair of fuccefs. Being thus pro- voked at a refiftance which he did not exped, he knew not what mea- fures to take. He was fenfible of the coniequences of his undertaking : he P The PERSEEs arc the defcendants of the antient Persians, who worfliipped fire, and have pre- fcrvcd their religion. Thefe people are bell known in the call, and even among us, by the name of «AUR or CEBER, which in the p£rsian language fignifies an infidel or an idolater. Cliap. XV. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 99 he could not ralfe the liege without Jofing his reputation, by acknow- 1722, ledging himfelf defeated, at the very commencement of the campaign. Bcfides, how could he pretend, after mifcarrying before fo inconfiderable a place, to attack the capital of a vafl empire? But it was yet a greater difficulty by what means to take a citadel flrongly fortified, and provided with a numerous garrifon. Some of the braveft of his men had thrown away their lives to no purpofe ; and feveral others, difcouraged by the repulfe, had already deferted him, and fet out on their return to Kanda- har j fo that if he perfifled in his defign, it feemed to threaten the total difperfion of his army. His mind was occupied with thefe refledlions, when the governor, frightened at fuch vigorous attacks, or apprehenfive of the want of pro- viflons, offered to treat with the beiiegers. He required that the army fliould raife the fiege 3 and on his fide he would pay, as an indemnity or ranfom, 2500 tomans '^. Tho' the tendency of this extraordinary capitu- lation was to preferve, and not to furrender the place, yet the prefent cir- cumflances were fuch, that the propofals were received with joy. As foon as the money was paid, the hoflilities, which had been already fli- fpended, intirely ceafed. Fortune having thus favoured maghmud, he now thought of purfuing his firft defign. He had lofl 4000 men in crofTing the defert, and at the fiege J but the prefent conjundlure gave him a fair occafion of r-iiiforcing his army. Many of the inhabitants of kherman are persees, who, from the remembrance of their paffc grandeur, being enemies of the reign- ino- nation, v/ere naturally inclined to efpoufe the caufe of a prince, whom they confidered as the fcourge of their tyrants. A few days after the capitulation, maghmud marched at the head of his army towards the north, taking the road to yezd. This city is fituate about feventy leagues from kherman : the country between is very fandy, and has only a few inconfiderable villages, at a great diflance from each other. Tliis circumflance fhev/s, that this prince's view was not to en- rich himfelf with the fpoils of the open country, in the fruitful plains of N 2 FARS; ? 5,250/. ,00 THE REIGN OF Part IV. 1722. FARs ' : his thoughts were engaged upon another objed: j and he avoided ( every thing that might retard the execution of his defign. He knew 1 very well that he fliould not meet on th's road with any fortrels that might jflop him, or with towns where his troops might be incumbered with pil- T lla^e. It was with this very intent he preferred the road through the de- Verts, upon his firll: fetting out, inftead of taking the ordinary rout, which was much fhorter and eafier. As foon as he arrived befbre_YEzp, he attempted to take the town by afTauIt, attacking it with all his troops on every fide ; but he was on every fide repulfed with lofs. Being grown more circumfped by his mif- takes, he refolved not to perfift in the fiege, the confequence of which muil: be extremely dangerous. He therefure continued his march ; and after having proceeded with all pofiible expedition through the plains % which feparate the city of PAHANAVENS.iiom that of eiben, at length he entered the cultivated country. The people, terrified at his approaclz, deferted the villages and towns that lay in his way 3 fo that nothing retarded the rapidity of his march. At length, having difperfed fome troops that feemed to have been fent rather to reconnoitre than to fight, he arrived -^W within four days rnarch o f Isfah an j when two officers, who were de- / puted by the court, were conduded into his prefence, -^^AHOMMED KouLi KHAN, then prime mimfter *, not knowing how to avert fo fudden a ftorm, had fent thefe officers to treat with him : ac- cordingly they opened their commiffion, which was to offer him a fum of 15,000 tomans", on condition that he would not proceed any farther, and that his troops fliould commit no devaflation in the territory of Is- fahan. Maghmud judged from hence of the weaknefs and terror of the enemy, and difmiffing the deputies without making any anfwer, ad- vanced with his ufual diligence, and pitched his camp at gulnabad^. It is far cafier to imagine, than to defcribe the terror with which the king and his miniflers were feized, when they heard that maghmud was marching ' Farsistan or pep.sia properly fo called. • This country abounds in nitre. ' Athemat doulet. " 37,500/. ^ Signifies confcrve^f^rofe*.. This village is ihrcc leagues from Isfahan. Chap. XV. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. loi marching dlredlly to Isfahan. They had lull'd themfelves into fecurity, 1722. from a perfuafion that this prince would not leave behind him uncon- quered fo vafl a tradt of country ; and little thought that he would open the campaign in the very center of the empire 5 confequently they had not made the neceffury preparations to oppofe him. Hence there was neither ammunition nor provifions in Isfahan , and as the celerity of the march of the rebels, had not afforded time to colle6l the different bodies of troops, that were difperfed on the frontiers, they were abfo- lutely at a lofs how to ftem the torrent. However, as fomething muft be done, they colleded the few troops that were at hand; to thefe they joined the militia, that was raifed in a hurry in the city and the neigh- bourhood ; and all the lords of the court, excepting thofe whofe profefTion was inconfiflent with arms, being ready to mount on horfe-back, the- army waited only the king's orders. As this monarch was incapable of forming any refolution himfelf, he waited with impatience to hear what the divan would determine. In time of (Siftrefs, when a union of counfels is mod neceffary, the pufilla- nimity of fome, and the wickednefs of others, generally create perplexity. The council was divided in opinion : the prime minifter gave his advice not to hazard a general a(ftion, but to intrench their army, and cover the town. " By this means," faid he, '* our new troops will be infenfibly " accuftomed to fee the enemy 3 a few fkirmifhes will rouze a martial " fpirit by degrees -, if the rebels attempt to force our lines, we fball fight *' them to an advantage; if this meafure fhould oblige them to continue " in their camp, it will be an eafy thing to flarve them, by cutting ofF " their provifions : thus the iffue of the war will be protradted, and the " troops difperfed in the provinces will have time to join us, and cut off ** the retreat of the rebels.'* This was the opinion of the athemat doulet. On the contrary^ ABi)4yj.AH khan, vali of ARABIA, now' at ISFAHAN, maintained, " that It was beneatn the majelty of the empire to temporize with rebels. *' and flaves ; that the grandeur of the king, and the honour of the nation, " were concerned to challife their infolence. Why," faid he, *' fliould 2 " the 4' I02 THE REIGN OF Part IV. 3 7^12. '* the frontiers be expofed to new invjifions? The king's troops are in- ** cenfed ; they long for battle ; the beft way therefore is to make ufe •' of this firft ardour of the foldiers, and to cruQi an infatuated youth, *■* who by the victory of lutf ali khan, and his mifcarriages at kher- *' MAN and YEZD, ou2:ht to have learnt the difference between foldiers " and robbers," The ATHEMAT doulet's advice was certainly the moft prudent and ilife; but that of the Arabian prince fuited mofl with the pride and revenge with v/hich the divan was animated. Persia devoted to ruin, had hardly a fingle advocate devoid of pallion, and whofe mind was free from prejudice or treachery: tbe latter opinion was preferred by the plu- rality of fuffrages, and as foon as they heard that the Afghans were ar- rived at gulnabad, the army received orders to march and fight them. Maghmud was not furprized at this determination ^ for he never dreamt tbat the king would fubmit to fee his capital befieged, without trying the i'llue of a battle j and therefore as he knew neither the number nor valour of his enemies, he intrenched himfelf in his camp. CHAP. XVI. 7'be PERSIAN army marches to fight the Afghans. The day of battle it fixed by the afirologers. Order of battle^ and difpofitlon of both armies, The fingular conduSl of the two princeffes of loristaij. Particular ac- count of the battle of gulnabad. Caufe of the fucccfs of the Afghans, liefiexion on the conduSl of the vali o/^ Arabia. THE feventh of maRch the Persian army appeared within fight of the enemy's intrenchments ^ but shah hussein having, by the advice of his aftiologers, fixed the eighth of that month for the engage- ment, there paffed only fome light fkirmiilies the firft day. It was given tut in the Persian camp, that jniaghmud, furprized at the number and beauty of the king's troops, propofed to make his cfcape with a thoufand cf his beft horfe. The Persian generals fpread thefe reports in order to 3 encourage Chap. XVI. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 1^3 encourage their foldiers 3 for they could not really think, that this prince intended to facrifice, by an ignominious flight, his fubjec^ts and allies to the fury of an enemy, in fearch of whom he had made fo long and fo extra- ordinary a march. 'gLJNDAY_the,£ighjd^ according to the vain prognoflics of tlie aflrologers, was to deliver the Persian monarchy. The generals begaa early in -the morning to range their troops in order of battle. On the fide ' of the PERSIANS J the rent;er. which feemed to be deligned only for a body of referve, was g.Iven to cheik ali khan,, geaeral of horfe. He had under him feveral khans with tlieir troops, 4000 of the king's horfe, and the fame number of his foot guards j the latter being armed with, mufquets and fabres : thefe were covered at fome diilance by a battery of 24 pieces of cannon, defended, and ferved by 2000 cannoneers, under the command of mahomme© khan, grand mafier of the artillery ^' Tiie ri^ht wing was formed of 2000 of thofe horfemen who are called the king's flaves y, fome of whom are armed with bows and arrows, and others with fufils _aildjpiftols ; there were likewife fome khans, and feveral other lords with their attendants. This wing was under the command of rostam KHAN, the KOULAR AGASSI % brother of VACHTANGA, VALI of GEORGIA. The VALI of ARABIA, who fhared the general command of the army with the ATHEMAT DOULET, had flrengthened this wing with a body of 3000 cavalry of his own nation, at the head of whom he intended to* fight. ^ The ATHEMAT DOULET Commanded in the left wing, which was com- pofed of the king's houHiold j the lords belonging to the court, and the. reft of the noblHty. Ali merdan khan % vali of loristan ^ joined them in perfon with 500 horfe. Such was the order of battle in the king's army. They had, befides the forces above-mentioned,. 18,000 in- fantry * ToPCHi BACHi. y.KyLAMs. ^ General of the (laves. * It is affirmed that two daughters of this prince attended him in his former expedicions agamft the Turks in mens habits^ and now fought by his fide. ^ The province of loristan is a mountainous country, that for.- merly depended on chusistan, or the antient susiana j but having been peopled by colonies oC the K.OURDS, it was afterwards comprized in kourdistan. Berongierd, a place fituate near HAM AD AN, IS Its prmcipal fortrefs. We muft take care not to confound this place v/ith larijtan* which is on the fca coall. I722'» V< J722 jo^ THE REIGN OF Part IV. fantry of militb, raifed upon th'.s occufion in the neighbourhood of the ' ""' city, who were armed with mufqnets. The different troops formed all . to^^ether a body of near .jo^ooo ti^Jitlng men. There is no agreement in the accounts of thofe who were at Isfahan durinf^ the fiec^e, in regard to the number of foldiers in maghmud's army : the moll: probable opinion is, that it was not above half the number of the king's troops. It confifted chiefly of cavalry j thefe were armed with ajabrc and lance, which thofe people handle with equal dexterity : their defenfive armour^are a buckler and cuirafs, made of a double fold of hard leather, and many of them carry piftols. Their whole army was divided into four unequal parts : the moft numerous formed the right wing under the command of a man ola. Machmud was in the lecond divifion, which he placed in the center : he gave the command of the tjilrd J^nasrjjllah, a persee, whom he had made^ne'cfhis lieutenant-generals : and the fourth, and leaft numerous of thefe bodies, were choice men of the eehlevans or n^ssai Nadir shah afterwards ufcd th^fc kind of arms with great fucccfs : they are long, »nd carry a great diilancc. Chap. XVI. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. -joj On the other Ude there was a much fmaller body of Ibldiers, disfigured wth fatigue, and the fcorching heat of the fun. Their cloaths were fo ragged and torn, in fo long a march, that they were fcarce fufficient to cover them from the weather j and their horfes being adorned with only leather and brafs, there was nothing glittering among them but their /pears and fabres. The two armies flood in fight o( each other the greateilpjyjt^ of t|ie day, without making, any motion on, either fide, but feeming rather to fland in mutual awe. Maghmud embraced this opportunity to ride through the ranks, and to encourage his foldiers. " He reprefented to *■*' the PERSEES, that the hour was now come, which would free them " from the yoke of their tyrants 3 that liberty was now in their own " hands, if they would prove themfelves, on this occafion, worthy heirs *' of the valour of their anceilors." Turning to the afghans and the EALOUCHES, " he cxhorted them to fight with that bravery which had " rendered them fo often triumphant over their enemies ; he reminded " them of thofe glorious feats, and defired them to look upon the riches " of ISFAHAN as the firil fruit of an eafy vidory ; a vidory, without which " they muft inevitably perifli, either by the fword in their retreat, or by *' hunger and thirft in the deferts." While MAGHMUD was thus endeavouring to infpire his troops with that ardour, which they flood in need of on fo important a conjundure, the PERSIANS were taken up in debates. Though the king had fent poiitive orders to fight, yet the athemat doulet, who fhared the general com- mand with the vALi of Arabia, inlifled flrongly that they fliould avoid coming to an engagement: " It is true," faid he, " we may expedl the ^ mofl generous efforts of the Persian valour, on an occalion in which " the fafety of the empire, and the liberty of the emperor are at flake : " but what does valour avail, if it be not armed and direded by expe- " rience ? Almofl all our infantry, who are the principal part of our '' forces, are novices in the duty of a foldier j they are entire flrangers ^' to the ufe of the mufquetj and have we then any rcafon to exptd; " that they v/ill be able, in this undifciplined flate, to fland the fl:iock Vol. III. O *' of 1722. ,o6 THE REIGN OF Part IV. 1722. " of the^nemv's cavalry, or to attack in fuch order as to pierce thro' their " fquadrons ? Too much fecurity is oftentimes the caufc, that even the bcft '' concerted undertakings mifcarry. Let us not dcfpife an enemy Vv^hom *' fortune favours : we have 4000 pioneers with us, let thcfe cover the " army with intrenchmentsj and if you are abfoUitely determined to hazard " a battle, thcfe lines bordered with cannon and infantry will be a fure " place of retreat, in cafe of a misfortune. But my opinion, is to wait till " famine compels the enemy to attack us in our entrenchments ; then *' our cavalry fallying forth from the extremities, will take them in flank ; *' and will meet with fo much the lefs refinance, as they will have to deal '* with troops already fhattered and broken by the continual fire to which *'' they mutt be expofed." Thus the athemat doulet endeavoured to bring them over to an oninion, which differed but little from that which he had openly declared in council. The propofal was prudent, inafmuch as it left very little to. hazard, and feciuxd all the advantage that ought to be expedled from their infantry, which otherwife muft be ufclefs. The officers who com- manded in the center', ftruck with thefe reafons, had already approved the proje^fl 3 when the vali of Arabia, and the koular agassi, who were afraid left this opinion fliould be toilowed by the reft of the princi- pal otlicers, cried out : " This is no time to debate, but to fight -, it *' would be an eternal fliame to fo numerous an army, in which is the *• flower of the nobility of the empire, to be afraid of appearing before " a ^ang of robbers and rebel herdfmen." Saying this, they waited for no anfwer, but retired, and mounting led on their fquadrons againft the enemy : this ferved as a fignal to the troops, who all moved forward at. the fame time, and fell upon the left wing of the Afghans with fiich. impetuoflty, as flung them into diforder. Maghmud, who obfe! ved both armies from a throne raifed on the back of an elephant, was furprized at this fhock, and began to think that all was loft. His alarm v^as caufed by the vali of Arabia, who having made a long winding to the right at the head of a body of Arabian ca- valry, • The general of horfe, and the general of the artillery. Chap. XVI. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 107 valry, overthrew all he met in his way, and made himfelf mafler cf the 1722. camp of the Afghans. It is reafonable to believe, that the affair would have been foon determined in favour of the pep.sians, if he had returned diredlly and charged the enemy in the rear. Maghmud, terrified at the tlanger, was preparing for flight, and had ordered the lighteft of his dro- medaries to be made ready for him ; when a circumRance arofe, that in- fpired him with more courageous refolutions. The athemat doulet feeing both armies engaged, returned to his pofl, and charged the right wing of the enemy with as much bravery, as he had before given marks of prudence. Aman ola, who commanded that wing, made a feint of giving way, and retired^radually without breaking his ranks; but he had hardly let the enemy gain fifty paces upon him, when ordering his men to open their ranks of a fudden, one hundred camels appeared kneel- ing, each of which had one cf the harquebufes above-mentioned on his back. The Persians afloniflied at this unexpected fight, and a general difcharge of this little artillery being made, mofl of the fore-moll tank were killed, and the Afghans making loud fhouts, attacked the refl, and oblig;ed them to turn their backs. Aman ola made the proper ufe of this ftratagem : for without giving the PERSIANS time to recover themfelves, he purfued them up to their battery, which he came behind, and having cut the cannoneers in pieces that guarded it, he caufed the cannon to be pointed againfl the center of the PERSIAN army, who were thus put to flight before they had fought a blow. This artful flep decided the fate of the day. The vadi of lo- RiSTAN, who had loft one of his brothers in the adion, and had been alfo wounded himfelf, feeing every thing rendered defperate by the defeat of the left wing, and of the center, went off diredlly with what foldiers he had remaining, and retired into his province. His example was fol- lowed by ferez oullah, khan of hamadan, and by ali riza, khan of COHKILAN*", who having called off their troops, retired each to his re* fpedlive province. In the mean time, the vali of arabia having made himfelf mafler of -maghmud's camp, am'ufed himfelf with plundering the baggage ; and O 2 the' 'f A country fuuatc ten days journey from Isfahan tov.'arus eassora. loS THE REIGN OF Part IV. 1722. tho' he had obferved the enemy's motion, yet inflead of attacking them in the rear, as was expedled, he refuled the faccours, that with repeated I inftances were demanded of him. The Afghans therefore had no enemy to oppofe, except the koular agassi. This general endeavouring to I vindicate his opinion given in council, continued to fight with redoubled coura'Te and refolution. Being determined to conquer or die, he had already cut part of the oppofite wing in pieces, and puflied the remainder as far as their entrenchments, when maghmud feeing the field almofb clear of the enemy, advanced to take him in the rear. This motion difperfed the PERSIANS, who compofed the greateft part of the troops of this gal- lant officer J but a body of 400 Georgians refufing to defert him in this extremity, he defended himfelf on all fides with the utmoft intrepidity j till at length, after having had two horfes killed under him, he was over- powered with numbers, and with the companions of his glorious teme- rity, died fword in hand. The defeat of this valiant troop completed the vidory. The vali of Arabia loaded with maghmud's treafure, and with the plunder of the camp, had by this time taken the road to the town, which he entered by the oppofite gate ^ to that ^ by which the army had marched out againfl; the enemy. Such was the fatal ifilie of the battle of gulnabad, in which the Per- sians, fo long accuftomed to blunders in politics, took two dangerous Hepsi one was, to divide the command between two generals who did not agree j the other, to plant their batteries fo forward, that they could not be properly fupported. This lafl circumfi:ance, and the fagacious condudl of am an ola, gave the victory to the Afghans : but we may fay, that tlic treacherous conduct of the vali of Arabia decided the battle*. The king's army loft 15,000 men; a number which will not appear ex- .aggeratcd, if we confider the circumflances of the engagement. The greateft. ^ The PER TOKCHi in the eaft part of Isfahan. ^ The hajak in the weft. * It has been much (Joubtcd, if the vali of arabia was Induced to a ', the AVGHhi^s take pojjejjion of it, and appear before julfa. Defcription of julf a, and the fitua* tlon of the Armenians. 1722 A ^ ^°°" ^^ ^'^^ v\t\s'=> arrived of the defeat of the Persian army, /^ which was commanded by the greateft part of the nobihty of JL JBl the kingdom, the city of Isfahan was under a general con- flernation. The Persian troops, who fled from the field of battle, ex- aggerated the valour and condudt of the enemy, which ferved to increafe the panic ; infomuch, that the inhabitants of this great city already figured to thcmfelves the diftrefles which followed not long after, and imagined they faw the Afghans, with their drawn fabrc?, pradifing all imaginable barbarities. Under Chap. XVII. THE REIGN OF, Sec. ju Under thefe extremities the king called a council, in which he renre- ,1722. fented the danger his perfon would be expofed to, if he flood a fiege in ' a city unprovided with ammunition and provifions j and whofe ruinous walls could be but a feeble barrier, when defended by troops difheartened by their late defeat. His danger had hov/ever infpired him with fome degree of fortitude ^ and v; ith an air of dignity, in a very pathetic flrain, he fpoke to them to this efFefl : " It is not for my own fecurity, that I *' propofe to remove ; a prince, who is afraid to die with his fubjeds, is " unworthy to rule over them : but the greatefl part of the provinces flill " obey me ; their fate is conneded with mine ; for the rebel will be/ ** mafter of the empire, as foon as he has my perfon in his power." The ATKEMAT DouLET Confirmed the king's remarks j adding, that /. it would be very imprudent to expofe the king's perfon to the hazard of fiich an event 5 that it would be advifeable for his majefhy to retire that very night to case in, while the enemy, yet intoxicated with their vic- tory, would take no meafures to oppofe his retreat j that when the shah. fliould be at full liberty, he might eafily ailemble an army, capable to raife the liege, and deftroy the Afghans : that at all events, the lofs of ISFAHAN would be only the lofs of one city, which maghmud could not keep with fo fmall a number of troops > whereas, if the king fliould. fliut himfelf up there, the lofs of Isfahan would draw on that of the monarchy. This fpeech feemed to convince the greateft part of the aiTerably 5 when the vali of Arabia, who had fo bafely betrayed his trult that very day, and yet, by a flrange fatality,, was continued in his office, flood ^ up, and fpoke to this effeft : '' It is debating to a great difad vantage,. *' jufl after the lofs of a battle. Whilfl men arc afi'tdted with fear, in con- " fequence of a recent misfortune, whatever their natural intrepidity and *' difcernment may be, they are but ill capable of diflinguifliing the real '• magnitude of objedls : even prudence lof^^s its very nature, and be- ** trays itfelf A panic terror, caufed by a trifling unforefeen accident, ' " has fnatched the vid:ory out of our hands. Ought fuch an accident, *' which is not uncommon in war, to make us tiemble before a weak 3^ " and. JJ2 THE REIGN OF Part V. 1722. " and contemptible enemy? EefiJes, were it prclumed that their chief *' will undertake to lay fiege to fo large and Co populous a city as this, he " would hardly dare to enter it with the contemptible gang of robbers *' about him. What is there then to fear ? If he fhould be bold enough *' to appear before our walls, the prefence of the shah will encourage " their defenders j and the whole empire, incenfed at this attempt, will " flv to the afliilance of their fovereign. But if his majefly fliould dc- *' prive thefe loyal inhabitants of the opportunity of exerting t.iat va- " lour, which his prefence infplres, fuch a itep will not only ftain his- " lion our, but diihearten all his faithful fubjcdts, and encourage the re- '* voltcd : fuch a behaviour, much fooner than the force of arms, will '* oDcn ISFAHAN to the conqueror; and the reft of the empire, amazed " to fee a bafe sunj^i 'on tlie facred throne of the fucceflbrs of ALf, " will not flir in defence of their prince, becaufe they will conclude " his fate irretrievable.*' The boldeft opinion prevailed over the moft prudent. Shah hussein was afhamed to abandon his capital, and therefore determined to defend it J fo that nothing more was thought on, than to make a vigorous re- fiftance againft the enemy. New levies were made; the ruinous parts of the walls were repaired ; intrenchments were thrown up in thofe places which were moft expofed, and efpecially at the head of the bridges which open a communication with the fuburbs; and every other precaution taken, that the proximity of the danger, and the inexperience of the minlfters would permit. The vali of arabia was appointed governor of the tpwp; and SHAH HUSSEIN fent meiTengers to the khans of the different provinces yet under his dominion, ordering them to repair with all the forces of their governments to honsar'', where they were to join the vali of lo- R I STAN, whom he had declared generalifTuno of his armies. In fine, this monarch, more fcnfible than ever of the miftake he committed in treating the vali of ghorgia with fuch imperioufncfs, fent magnificent jirefents to this prince, and wrote to him in the moft prcfling manner, to perfuade him to march to his affiftance. Thefe •^ ' It may be prefumetl that he pFCttnJcd to be a sen i as -iho' he was a suj( n i himfelf. * Ikis cii^ is fold to be about. five leagues from Isfahan. Chap. XVIL SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. J13 Thefe regulations were prudent and fuitable to the fitaatlon of affairs; 1722. but in the interim proper care was not taken to provide for a fieo-e. The inhabitants of the open country, flying from the cruelty of the conque- ror, flung themfelves in crowds into the city; infomuch that the public fquares, the gardens, and the ftreets, were every day filled with this ufe- lefs multitude. The king, who did not confider the difference betwen a common man and a foldier, not only negleded giving orders upon this fubjedt, but feemed to forget that there were no magazines of provifions in the city ; and the didates of fear fuggefting to him, that his fecurity muil arife from his numbers, he forbad upon pain of death, every perfon in ISFAHAN, whether inhabitant or ftranger, to ftir from thence. In the mean while, fome arabs who had been fent upon the fcout, having brought intelligence, that the rebels had left on the field of battle the 24. pieces of cannon, which they had taken in the engagement, a detach- ment of troops was fent to bring back the artillery ; which they executed without any obflruclion from the enemy, who continued quietly in their camp. This inadivity was owing to the wavering difpofition of maghmud : he, who had hitherto fhewn himfelf adive and enterprizing, now feemed aftonifhed at his own vidory. The little fuccefs he had at kherman and YEZD J the vaft extent of Isfahan, and the number of troops within its walls, gave him reafon to apprehend, that the fiege would be of long continuance ; and that the governors of the provinces would have time to crufli him with the joint forces of the empire : on the other hand, he could not with honour, nor common fafety, abandon an enterprize, which had already cofi: him fo much labour. Thus his mind was agita- ted with thefe different thoughts, when the return of the fpies, whom he had fent into the city, removed his anxiety. By thefe he was infor- med of the great confternation into which the Persians were thrown ; "; from whence he concluded, that if inllead of giving the enemy time to 1 recover themfelves, he had purfued them to the gates of Isfahan, he . might have made himfelf mafter that very day of the king's throne and perfon. He refolved therefore to purfue his fortune. With this view he Vol. III. P began ,14 THE REIGN OF Part V. 1722. began his march, and plundering every place by the way, he encamped, the 12th of the fame month with his whole army near cheerestan, a / jtown a little to the caftward of Isfahan. The PERSIAN? finding the Afghans had abandoned the artillery above- mentioned ^ began to think they had no intention to lay fiege to the town ; but this motion of the enemy's army undeceived them, as to the fond expectation they had entertained, concerning the retreat of the Af- ghans. The firft ftep they took in confequence of this difcovery, was to abandon farabad, a country-palace three miles from Isfahan. Shah HUSSEIN, who had exhaufted the treafures amafled by the kings his pre- decefibrs, to indulge his paflion for building, had fpared no expence to render this palace worthy of a great monarch. In fad, it was fo fpacious and magnificent, that he had often entertained thoughts of abandoning the capital, to make this his ordinary refidence. The palace was encom- pafTed with ftrong lofty walls, flanked at fmali diftances with towers. In his prefent circumflances, this place ought therefore to have been con- fidered as a fortrefs which might incommode the enemy, or at leaft re- ) tard their operations; but the rebels were fcarce arrived at cheerestan, ' / when orders were fent to abandon farabad > which was executed in fo imprudent a manner, that altho' the Persian garrifon might have eafily carried off the cannon, they contented themfelves with burying them. This was too grofs a blunder to efcape the Afghans : fome of their fquadrons who were upon the fcout, hearing what had paffed, marched with all expedition, and took pofTeflion of the caflle and its artillery, the 19th of the fame month, without meeting with any oppofition : they were foon joined by the refl: of the army. Maghmud being now ad- vantageoufly fituated, and mafter of feveral pieces of cannon, determined tQ repair the lofs of time, occafioned by his late irrefolution ; accordingly he mounted on horfe-back, and appeared the fame day before julfa This town is fituated onlv a mile and a half fouth of Isfahan, on the fouth banks of the river zenderoud, or frefh river, on the fide of which it ^ It is hard to reconcile this conduft, otherwife than by fuppofing that the afohans might be ignorant of the an of rendering the cannon ufelcfi, and finding them cumbcrfome, chol'c to ficglc«Lt ttiein. Chap. XVII. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. n^ it is extended for almofl three miles. It was founded by abas the great, on the following occafion. The Armenians having revolted againft the TURKS, and fubmitted to this prince, he removed part of the inhabitants of ARMENIA into different provinces of Persia. Thofe of the antient jULFA, a town on the banks of the aras, were tranfported to Isfahan, from whence they afterwards removed, and fettled in this place, to which they gave the name of their former refidence. The people v/ho had been drawn from erivan, shirvan ^j and the lower Armenia, had fettled in the fuburbs of Isfahan ; but abas defirous of improving this new colony, obliged them to remove to julfa, together with fome persees'I ' of the neighbourhood of kherman and yezd ; by this means, four nevr ; quarters were formed. Moft of the persees took occafion to retire from, thence, fo that of fifteen hundred families, which were at firft computed in their quarter, there remained only three hundred, all compofed of ar- .^ tificers and labouring men. But the Armenians being an induflrioas ] adtive people, applied themfelves to commerce, and by their care this colony foon arofe to a flouriihing condition. Abas I. was too great a politician, to negled: any meafure that might contribute to the welfare of fuch an eftablifhment. He lent them con- iiderable fums of money, without demanding any intereftj he exempted them from all kinds of fervitude j he granted them the free exercife of their religion j and in order to fcreen them from the jealoufy and avarice of the PERSIAN officers, he allowed them a kalenter of their own na-- tion, to whom he affigned a place at thofe celebrated fealts, in which, purfuant to the cuftom of remotefl antiquity, the kings of PERSiAdine ia ; public with the grandees of the realm. Some of the fuccelTors of this prince followed the fame maxim, and julfa in a very little time became a confiderable place. It had the appear- ance of a republic, founded in the midll of a foreign nation j no mahom- MEDAN was permitted to fettle there, and the rigor of the law of retaliation, caufed the inhabitants to be refpecled even by the Persians themfelves. The ARMENIANS of JULFA thus cncouraged by fo necelfary a protedlion, Pa Were » Part of the antient media. J722. ^/^^ .t-- ii6 THE REIGN OF Part V. 1722. were in a thriving condition for many years j and carried on in different parts of the world a confiderable trade, which was very ufeful to the flate. But the court at length, forgetful of its own interefts, grew tired of favouring them i and in shah hussein's reign, their privileges, which liUdfuitered fome diminution under his predeceilbrs, fell into contempt. Under this government, no regard was paid to the law of retaliation. The ecclefiaitics cffcnded at the equality which this law eftablifhcd between niulTulmen and chriflians, introduced a cuflom, that if a Persian killed an ARiMENiAN, he (liould expiate the crime by giving a load of corn to the relations of the deceafed. The Armenians coniidered fo io-nomi- nious and unjuft a treatment, as a mark of fervitude ; but they had no relief, and were equally a fport to the avarice of the great, and the in- folence of the people. While they groaned under thefe calamities, induflry declined among them 5 and the fpirit of commerce, for which they had been fo much diftinguiOied, was in a great meafure fupprelTed j fo that they thought of little more than to prefcrve their lives, and the property they had already acquired. CHAP. XVIII. ne conduB of the Persians toivards the ar^menians of julfa. The AFGHANS make ibemjehes mqfiers of julfa ; their barbarities towards the ARMENIANS. Defcrtptiou ^/^ Isfahan. Maghmud repulfed at the bridge of shirass. THE ARMENIANS having been thus treated with great contempt, it was feared they would cherifh a refentment, which might in- duce them to change their makers. The Persians, at leafl, tho* they now flood in fuch need of their fervices, were jealous 3 and in this, as in many other inftances, prepared the way to their own ruin, for fear of being undone. For the Armenians, who are brave, and tenacious of tlieir property, it ought naturally to have been expedited, would have itTuggled hard to be delivered from a rapacious enemy : however, upon ^ the Chap. XVIIT. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. jj^ the firft news of maghmi'd's arrival, the king enjoined them to ap- 1722, pear v/ith their military equipage before his palace, intending, as he faid, to entruft them with the guard of his perfon, during the abfence of liis hou/hold troops, who were going to march againfl the rebels. The Ar- menians, flattered with this teftimony of benevolence, repaired to the place appointed in great numbers j but no fooner were they drawn up, than they were commanded to lay down their arms, and difmiHed with ftrid orders to deliver up what arms might be flill remaining among them. Tho' fuch a mark of diilrufl: was more proper to provoke, than to foften the minds of a brave people ^ yet as foon as the Armenians knew that the Afghans were advancing, they defired fuccour, offering to maintain the troops at their own expence. They repeated their in^ ftances, as the rebels approached -, and finding that the vali of arabia, whoiiad promifed to fend them affiftance, broke his word, they llill put themfelves in a pofture of making as good a defence, as their fituation and circumflances would permit. Things were thus fituated, when the Afghans appeared before julfa : they attacked the place as foon as they arrived, which was in the night- time J and the afTuult lafted two hours. The befieged, in order to make the enemy believe they had regular troops, called one another during the engagement by Persian names ^ and tho' they were very indifferently arnied, yet they defended themfelves with fo much bravery, that the ut- moft the enemy could do, was to feize upon a little entrenchment, which had been thrown up in a hurry. The Armenians, encouraged by this fuccefs, waited for the vali of arabia, defigning to attack the Af- ghans in their turn, as foon as they had any fuccour ; but this general made them feniible of the indifference he bore to the common caufe : for inftead of keeping his word with them, obferving that seffie myrza * was marching during the attack at the head of a detachment of horfe, in order to make a diverfion, he hindered him from proceeding any further, by reprefenting that the king his father did not intend that the prefump- tive heir of the crown fhould expofe himfelf to fo dangerous an encounter. This ■ This was h Ossein's eldeft fon, who was of a martial fpirlt, and therefore an objeft of jealoufy ^mong the «un«chs. ii8 THE REIGN OF Part V. 1722. This extraordinary proceeding, together with that of difarming the ARMENIANS, induced people to think, that it was the king's intention to facrifice julfa and its inhabitants to the fafety of the capital. Nor is it altogether improbable, that this weak prince, through the inftiga- tion of his treacherous minifter, the vali of Arabia, might imagine that the Afghans would be contented with the wealth they (liould find in that town, without perfifting in fo hazadous an enterprize as the ficoe of ISFAHAN. This ARABIAN princc, by religion a sunni, and acftuated with the fame ambition as his father, who thirty years before had attempted to (hake off the Persian yoke, either held a correfpon- dency with maghmud, which is moft probable 5 or was governed by the pernicious maxim of thofe generals, who, to prolong their own autho- rity, do not chufe to terminate a war, when it is in their power to bring things to a fortunate iffue for their fovereigns and their country. The ARMENIANS had not time to refrefh themfelves after the fatigues of the firft affault, but were preparing againfl a fecond, when fome of the befiegers taking the advantage of the obfcurity of the night, went all round the town, to try if a breach was pradlicable in their walls of earth*. A PER SEE in their fervice, undertook to pierce a hole through the wall -, which having done to his purpofe, an elephant was brought up to it, and by his means a part of thofe feeble ramparts was broke down : nazr ULLA, who commanded the party, took poffeflion of the breach 3 and the ARMENIANS perceiving that he waited only for day-light to enter, deputed the chief perfons among them, before the night was fpent, to treat of a capitulation. The Afghan heard their propofals, as one who was fure of conquefl : he obliged them to furrender at difcretion, and to ranfom their lives and effeds, by a contribution of 70,000 tomans p. Hard as this condition appeared to the Armenians, maghmud added another more fevere : for fcarce had he been mafter of julfa, when he demanded of the Armenians a certain number of young virgins, which they fliould pick out of the moil confiderablc fiimilies of their nation. The • Thofe of ISFAHAN are of the fame kind, am indeed are almoft all the fortified places in the kingdom. » 175,000/. Chap. XVIII. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 119 The AFGHANS were mafters of the town ; To that the Armenians had 1722. no other relblutlon to take than that of fubmiflion. All the young women therefore that could be found, who were remarkable for their beauty, and whofe age exceeded nineteen, were brought before certain perfons appointed for this examination : thefe chofe fifty out of the number, and condud:ed them to farabad, adorned with their richefl cloaths, and with all their jewels, where they were prefented to the conqueror. Magh- MUD kept part of them for his own harram, and diilributed the remain- der among his principal officers. The ARMENIANS ar€ very jealous of their honour, fo that nothing could cut them deeper than to deliver up their daughters. The difcon- folate mothers made julfa refound with their lamentations 3 fome of thofe young maids were fo fhocked to fee themfelves abandoned to the enemies of their country, that they died with exceffive grief. The Af- ghans, whofe hearts could not but feel, in fome meafure, the diftrefs of thefe young women, and whofe religion by no means allows of any violence, fent thofe home who were moft afflidted j and others were ran- fomed by their parents ; fo that in a few days, there remained but a very fmall part of them in this kind of llavery. The AFGHANS, humane in this refpedt, were inexorable in regard to the contribution. The Armenians pretending that the chief part of their eiFeds was in Isfahan, faid they were under an abfolute impoffi- bility of paying fuch a fum. They offered, however, to enter into an obligation of paying it, as foon as they recovered their effects, that is, upon the taking of the city, or at the conclufion of a peace. This was making the fruits of the firft fuccefs depend upon a new event. Magh- MUD, pretended to be fatisfied with the propofal ^ but as foon as he had their bond in his hands, he ordered three of the principal men among them, who had figned it, to be arrefted as fureties 3 and pretending that his treafure was exhaufted, he infifted upon their paying imme- diately what money they had in their hands, as part of the fum. In confequence of this determination, he ordered their houfes to be fearched. 7 The 120 THE REIGN OF Part V. 1722. The ARMENIANS, whofe avarice had caufed them to overflioot their mark^i, began to be renliWe of the folly they had committed, in endea- vouring to evade the payment ; but it u^as too late to redify the miftake. The officers who made the fearch, dilcharged their commiflion with the utmoft exadnelSi carrying off every valuable thing they could find, as for all MERDAN KHAN, provokcd at an adion which defeated the chief hopes of the empire, facrificed this unnatural brother to his own refentment, and to the Dublic venofeance. Am AN OLA having taken poilefTion of this convoy, with all the bag- gage of the PERSIAN troops, was fully fenfible of the great confequence of his vidory ; but he ftained the luftre of it by his cruelty. Part of the PERSIANS had laid down their arms, upon promife of quarter -, yet he paid no regard to his word, for he faved only thofe from whom he expeded a confiderable ranfom, abandoning the reil to the inhumanity of his fol- diers, who killed them in cold blood. Three miles from Isfahan, there is a town called ben Isfahan % fituated on the declivity of a hill, and fortified with the addition of fome art, at the foot of which extends a plain, which feveral rivulets of run- ning water contribute to render as fruitful as it is agreeable. After the battle of gulnabad, many flocked thither from the neighbouring vil- lages, fo that there was a number of men capable to bear arms 3 and thefe had been extremely adlive in harafling the enemy. Having now re^ ceived intelligence, that the Afghans were returning to their camp after their vicflory, much fatigued with the march, and without obferv- ing any order -, they attacked them Vv^ith great valour, and with an eager thirft of revenging the death of their countrymen, infomuch that they put them to flight, and feized on their baggage and convoy. Maghmud v^as fo much provoked at this affront, which might have been attended with dangerous confequences in the prefent fituation of his affairs j that he inflantly mounted on horfe-back, and putting hlm- felf at the head of a body of cavalry, overtook the enemy as they were returning home with their booty. Fortune however favoured this prince as ^ In ARABIC as well as HEBREW, fon of ISFAHAN.. Vol. III. R 1722. ,30 THE REIGN OF Part V, 1722. as little as it had done his general. Thefe peafants gave him fo warm and fo refolute a reception, that after cutting part of his troops in pieces, they obliged him to turn his back, and to leave them a confiderable num- ber of prifoners, among whom were his uncle, his younger brother, and two of his coufins. The vexation caufed by this frefli difgrace, did not affed maghmud- fo tcnderlv, as his fears for the prefervation of perfons whom he loved, and who were fo nearly related to him. As foon as he returned to his camp, he fent an officer to shah hussein, entreating him to interpofe his authority in their behalf; and this prince glad of an opportunity of doing an adt of humanity, and ftill fondly expedling an accommodation,, immediately difpatched mirza rahim, one of the officers of his court. The AFGHANS efcorted this meflenger as far as ben Isfahan : he made all poffible expedition, but he arrived too late; for at his entering the town, he faw the dead bodies of the captives fixed upon flakes ; when he complained at their having aded fo precipitately,, in an affair of that importance, they ftopped his mouth by telling him ; that barbarians who, contrary to their promife,. had murdered their prifoners in cold blood, ought not to be furprized, If they (hould meet with fuch treatment in their turn, when there was no promife given. Tho' maghmud might naturally have expeded thefe reprifals, they flung him into a kind of frenzy. He immediately ordered all the Persians in his power to be maflacred upon the fpot ; and not contented with fo cruel a revenge, he forbid his men to grant any quarter hereafter to the enemy. His mind was agitated for fome days with the emotions of grief and revenge ; but as foon as he recovered, and began to reflect ferloufly, he fell into a Ihite. of defpondency. He had never flattered himfelf with the hopes of redu- cing ISFAHAN, but by the reputation of his arms 3 and when that was loft, he could hardly exped, that the vali of Arabia would be able to- prevent the befieged from taking advantage of his difgraces, by attackivig him in their turn ; or elfe, that this treacherous general, alarmed at his ill fucccfs, would ceafc to favour a party, which fortune feemed to have aban- doned. In thefe embaraffing circumftanccs, he reinforced the guards of the Chap. XIX. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. ,31 the bridge abasabad, and the other pofts ; and leaving only a very 1722. fmall garrifon in JULfa, he ordered the remainder of his army to return to FARABAD, as if he intended to fecure his retreat. The fate of the empire was then In the king's hands. He might have eafily forced fome of thofe pofts which were at too great a diftance to be able to fupport each other } and if he had done that, or even made a feint towards it, there was reafon to prefume that the enemy would have abandoned their feveral ftations -, and inftead of befieglng, would have been befieged themfelves. The Armenians of julfa, who were ac- cufed of favouring the rebels, and yet continued always faithful to their fovereign, to whom they gave exadl intelligence of every thing that was paffing, fignalized their zeal on this occafion. They gave notice to the court of the confternatlon which had fpread itfelf throughout the camp of the AFGHANS j and in order to induce them to make a proper ufe of it, they offered to put the garrifon of julfa to the fword, as foon as they could fee the king's troops engaged with the enemy. This was fuch a propofal as no one in their right fenfes could refufe to accept, for there was great probability of its fucceeding j and the Afghans would ' then have been inevitably undone. If the bridge of abasabad had been attacked on both fides, at one and the fame time, it could never have held out ; the detachments placed at the feveral pofts, deprived of all hopes of fuccours, or even of a retreat, would have been forced one after an- other J and the remainder of the army, inverted at farabad, to all hu- man appearance would have been reduced to the neceffity of imploring the clemency of the Persians : the lead benefit they could expert fi-om fuch an enterprize, muft have been the opening a pafTage for the con- voy which the inhabitants of een-isfahan had recovered. Thefe advantages were fo evident, that the king could not help feeing them ; and the troops received orders to adt in confequence : but the vali of ARABIA their commander, preferved the Afghans from this danger. This prince judging that his treacherous conduit would be dif- covered, if the enemy raifed the fiege, marched out of the town, but with a full refolution not to fight. He evaded coming to adion for fome R 2 days. 132 THE REIGN OF Part V. 1722. days, under pretence that he waited for a body of troops, which, accord- ino- to the advices he had received, was fet out from one of the provinces, and could not be long upon their march ; and having by this delay cooled the kinQ;'s ardour in regard to his projecl, and given maghmud time to provide for his fecurity, he brought his army back into the city -, alledging, that as the fuccours did not come, he did not think it prudent to hazard an aftion, which was to decide the fate of the empire, upon the promife of fo fufpeded a people as the Armenians of julfa. This ftep faved MACHMUD, and a new event foon revived his hopes. Tiie khan of coHKiLAN, being ignorant of the defeat of the troops which were to join him, was in full march towards the capital, when he was attacked, as the others were before him, at a time he did not imagine the enemy fo near > and after lofing two thoufand men in the engagement, he made the befl of his way back to his province with eight thoufand men. CHAP. XX. Shah hussein applies zti vain to the vali of Georgia for ajjiflance. He declares his fon t.i-:hmas myrza his fucce£or. T^ehmas efcapes from ISFAHAN, and endeavours to raife an army to march to the afjijiance of his father. Famine in Isfahan. Achaied aga makes a vigorous f ally to open a pajjdge for a convoy of provifions^ but is defeated by the treachery of the VALI o/' ARABIA. Death of KGW.UEXi AGA. THE affliction which this news caufed in Isfahan, was increafed by another piece of intelligence, received foon after it. The kdig depended upon the Georgians as his deliverers ^ the valour of thofe peo- pie was equally known to the Persians, and the rebels 3 and there was no reafon to doubt, but the enemy would raife the fiege, upon the firfl notice of their march. From this perfuafion, shah hussein wrote in the moil: prcfling terms to their prince, immediately after the battle of GULNADADi but the proud VACHTANGA, not being yet able to overcome the nK>rtification which this monarch had given him, by preventing his revenge Chap. XX. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. ^133 revenge on the lesgees, adhered to the rafh oath he had made on that i722» occafion, and by his prefent refufal to fight, facrificed the whole empire. As foon as it was known, that no afTiftance could be expeded from the GEORGIANS; the apprehenfions, which the inexperience of the rebels, and the advantages obtained over them, had in fome meafure fufpended, revived with greater force. Ail hopes of fuccefs were now banifhed ; and the minds of the people were intirely filled with the ideas of their paft misfortunes, and thofe with which they were yet threatened. It was notorious, that the governors of the provinces were fully refolved not to fubmit to the authority of the vali of loristan ; and the defeat of the KHANS of the bactiarians, of hamadan, and cohkilan, was a proof that no good was to be exped:ed, fo long as they refufed to unite under the fame commander. As the danger increafed every day, the king thought It high time to enter into fome meafures, to prevent the whole royal family from being involved in one common ruin. This monarch had fourteen fons, and four daughters. Three days after the battle of gulnabad, he had de- clared ABAS MYRZA the cldeft, his fucceflbr to the. throne, and refigned the care of the government into his hands. This young prince being of a very warm temper, and difdaining to diffimulate, began his adminiftra- 1 tion with ordering the vali of Arabia, the firft phyfician, and fome other perfons of figure, to be put to death : however, they contrived to ward off the blow, by obtaining of the king to (liut him up again in the feraglio ; where, according to the policy of the ilate, he had been hither- to confined with his brothers. Seffie myrza, who followed him in order of birth, was fubflituted in his ftead, but did not fucceed better ; « for the courtiers judging him too weak to govern, about a month after he * underwent the fame fate. The third brother was not chofen, becaufe the too fcrupulous attachment which he profefied to the duties of religion, feemed to difquallfy him for fuch an office 5 fo that t^hmas ^ myrza,, who was next to him in order of birth, was acknowledged towards the end of MAY, prefumptive heir of the crown. The ^ This prince's right name is t/emashes, which in the antient Persian language fignifies moft pure. 134 '^^^ REIGN OF Part V. 1722. The latter end of june, the king refolved to fend this young prince out of ISFAHAN. The defire of fecuring in his perfon a legitimate fuc- \ cellbr, was not the only motive, which induced him to take this refo- lution J he was aUb willing by this means, to deprive his generals of all pretence of dilbbedience, hoping that the difficulty they made to unite the forces of their refpedive governments, would no longer fubfift, as foon as they had orders to aflemble under the command of the prefump- tive heir of the crown. Aman ola, who had been fent with fome for- ces to attack the troops, which were marching to the relief of Isfahan, was not yet returned, and his abfence weakened the main army of the AFGHANS J infomuch that they could hardly fupply forces fufficient to guard the different pofts, which (hut up the feveral avenues to the town. T^HMAS MYRZA being determined to follow the direfiions of the tking his father, fet out from Isfahan the 21ft of june in the night, efcorted by three hundred chofen horfe. Mahommed emir, furnamed ASHRiFF' sultan, fou of MIR ABDALLAH, whom MAGHMUD had de- prived of his throne and life in k and ah a r, commanded the poft which intercepted the communication 'between the town and the country, on the fide of the gate tokchi. Maghmud's mother was extremely fond of this young lord, and had by her intreaties faved him more than once from the cruelty of her fon. Ashreff diffcmblcd the averfion he had conceived againft the murderer of his father -, and behaved with fo much prudence and valour on every occafion, at the fame time giving fuch de- monflrations of zeal for the intereft of his chief, that at length he gained his confidence, as well as the eftcem of the whole army. . This poil was the beft guarded, as it was by the tokchi -gate the city I could moO: conveniently receive fuccours. T^hmas intended to furprize it, and to force his way through, in order to retire to casein. He ad- vanced by the favour of the night ; but could not efcape the vigilance of the enemy, whom he found under arms, and ready to oppofe him. ' Tho' the AFGHANS were inferior in number to the troops of t>f.hmas I MYRZA, yet the engagement continued very obflinate and bloody, till ASHREFF, • Ashreff fign'fics moll noble. Chap. XX. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. ,3^ ASHREFF, after lofing a great part of his men, was obliged to retire to a 1722, neighbouring fort, to favc the remainder of his people from the fury of the PERSIANS. This event filled the befieged with hopes : they flattered themfelves that the prefence of the prince would raife compafllon in every breafl 3 and that he would foon be in a condition to refcue them from the miferies in which they were involved. The Afghans on the contrary were in great eonfternation to hear that the heir of the diadem had efcaped, and mic^ht foon return at the head of an army. Maghmud in particular fell into a tranfport of rage j the captivity of the whole royal family being the greateft advantage he had to exped: from the taking ot Isfahan. He was heard to fay in the vehemence of his wrath, " that it would be to little purpofe " now to reduce the capital, fince there vyould be flill a prince able to " difpute the throne with him." His paflion prevailed over his rea- fon fo much, that though ashreff had behaved fo gallantly, he accu- fed him of holding a correfpondence with the enemy 3 and condemned him to death. So paflionate and unj-ufl: a fentence however did not take place. Asu- reff appeared before an afTembly of the principal officers of the army,, to vindicate his innocence 3 he reprefented to them, that the poft which he had guarded, was, like feveral others, weakened by the detachment made from the army under aman ola, and confifled only of one hun- dred mca when T^HM as, appeared : that this prince was at the head of a much more numerous body of troops, exceedingly well mounted, and compofed of feveral perfons of diilinClion of the bravefl foldiers about the court : that notwithflanding thefe circumflances, he went out of his entrenchments to meet the prince ; but fo fmall a number of foldiers as he had under his command, however gallantly they might behave, could not hinder the Persians from forcing their way fword in hand 3 and that, as a proof of his vigilance, thirty of his men were killed on the occaiion. There is little room to imagine that ashreff was falfe to his trufl j for MAGHMUD having neither children nor brother of a proper age to fucceed him, this young lord might be confidered as his heir. The divan pro- 8 nounced ,36 THE REIGN OF Part V. 1722. nounced In his favour; and maghmud, difguiiing his fufplclons, reftored AsiiKEFF to his employments. During this tranfadion in the camp of the rebels, t^iimas myrza, after a forced march of twenty-focr hours, reach'd cashan, he then proceeded to koom, and from thence to casein. This young prince had fo ereat a fenfibility of the danger, in which he had left the king his fatlier, that he fpared no pains to compafs his delivery: but private inte- reft, and the fpirit of independency, intirely baffled an authority which had no force to fupport it j fo that neither his orders nor entreaties pre- vailed. The greateft part of the people in the neighbourhood of. Isfa- han, had been difperfed through fear; and want of refolution now hin- dered them from uniting. Befides thofe bodies already mentioned, which found pretences to avoid coming to the affiftance of the capital ; the troops of GANJA excufed themfelves, alledging they were occupied in oppofmg the incurfions of the lesgees, who were endeavouring to take advantage of the troubles. The forces in tavris had mutinied againfb their khan, lately fent them from court, and confequently refufed to obey the orders of the prince : thus the king hardly received any aflifl- ance from near 50,000 regular troops, which were quartered on thofe frontiers ^ The feudatory princes of the empire, being lefs interefted than the natural fubjeds, in the prefervation of the monarchy, fliewed as little zeal on this occafion ; and many confidered the extremity to which their fovereign was reduced, as a proper opportunity to recover their indepen- dency. ThevALi of LORisTAN, who kept ftill in the neighbourhood of HONSAR, feeing the impoflibility of afTembling an army, marched back with his troops into his own country. The only hopes which t^ehmas had now left, was to find more fub- mifiion in the shah seven ^ T^iehmas having fummoned this militia, mofl ' Sua II suLiMAs, the predeceflbr and father of mussein, maintained 130,000 men on tlie frontiers, without reckoning his houfliold troops, which were 14000 men. 8 The well aJTeftioned to the king ; this is a name they give to a militia, very little different from that of tlie 4 ZAlMt Chap. XX. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. ,37 moil: of thofe lords pretended they were not obliged to march, unlefs the 1722. king commanded in perfon ; and the fmall number furniflied by the reft, cpnfifled only of peafants ill kept and ill paid j who, conceiving a diflike to military fervice, from the fatigues of their march, foon dilbanded, and returned to their home, before they had reached the general rendezvous. In the mean while, the fcarcity of provifions increafed, and the be- iieged became defperate. The grandees, as well as the common people, plainly faw that the only way to open a palTage for a convoy of provifions, was to attack the pofts of the enemy. The king, yet incapable of fup- porting any refolution of himfelf, referred thofe who came to him to the vALi of ARABIA. This general flattered them with the hopes of the prince's return ; and when their importunities obliged him to march out of the town, he came back immediately without making any attempt, under the idle pretext, that his aflrologers declared that the hour was not favourable. Whether the befieged faw into his artifices, or the fear of flarving prevailed over their obedience, they grew tired of thefe evafions ; and in the beginning of July afTembled in a tumultuous manner, de- manding with loud cries that shah hussein lliould come forth, and lead them againft the enemy. This prince, who had been fo cowardly as to fhut himfelf up in the feraglio fmce the beginning of the liege, was far from yielding to fuch a propofal. He ordered fome of his officers to let them know, that he would give his anfwer the next day 5 but the populace infilling that he fhould appear himfelf, the eunuchs difperfed them by firing fome mufquet fhots from the palace. So extraordinary a behaviour, under fuch circumflances, might have occafioned a general infurrection, if achmed • aga, ZAiMS and insariots in turkey. It was eflublifhed by abas the great, and confifted of peifons chofen among the nobility, to whom he gave lands, on condition of their leading a certa-n number of their vahals into the field, when the fovereign ihould have occafion for them. This body, which amounted at that time to 300,000 men, was the lafl: refort in any extremiry or fudden danger ; but as thefe employments were hereditary, and, under the late, reigns, very little care had been taken to oblige the holders of thefe poffeffions to diicharge their duty, they no longer looked upon them in any other light, than as legal eftates. Of this a very melancholy experiment was made on the prefent occafion. ' Vol. III. S ,38 THE REIGN OF Part V. 1722. AGA, governor of Isfahan, had not prevented the ill confequences of it. This gallant eunuch put himfelf at the head of a body of veteran troops, and joining as many of the people as offered themfelves, he marched out of the town at the head of near thirty thoufand men, who were foon followed by the vali of Arabia and his Arabs. As foon as they got out of the gates, they fell with great impetuofity on one of the principal pofts belonging to the enemy j the troops which guarded it were obliged to give way to numbers ; and tho' part of the rebel army came immediately to their affiftance, yet achmed aga would have maintained his ground, if the vali had not deferted him. Achmed, provoked at fo infamous a behaviour, could not dilTemble his refentment. He ordered his men to fire on the Arabians ; and at the fame time gave directions to t^hmas khan, one of his principal officers, to attack them. This divifion flung the troops into difordcr j which the Afghans per- ceiving, charged them with new vigour, fo that the Persians being al- inoft hemmed in, were obliged at length to abandon the pofl, and retire under their ramparts. The intent of this fally was to open a pallage for the convoy above- mentioned, which in all probability would have been followed with the raifing of the fiege. Achmed, who had formed the projed, fpared no pains to render it fuccefsful j but neither his valour nor condud: could fcreen hhn from the difpleafure of the king, who feemed to have fo little difcernment, as to fliew no refentment againft any but thofe who were faithful to him. This monarch was fo infatuated by the artful difcourfe of the VALI of ARABIA, as to impute the misfortune intirely to achmed AGA : he blamed him openly for fighting in compliance with the im- portunity of the people, and without orders from the general : but above all, he condemned him for firing upon the Arabians : and refufing to give car to what he had to alledge in proof of his innocence, much lefs to give liim an opportunity of proving the perfidy of the Arabian prince, he took the government of the city from Jiim. The faithful ACHMED could not furvive this difgrace, together with the approaching ruin cf his country. Whether he took poifon the night following, or % grief Chap. XXL SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 139 grief overwhelmed him, he died a few days after; and the king too late 1722. regretted the lofs of a man, whofe diftinguifiied zeal, bravery, and ex- perience, might have faved his diadem. CHAP. XXI. Conjlernation in Isfahan. Treachery of me luck maghmud governor of SEGESTAN, who makes himfef majier ^khorasan. Befcriptlon of the famine in Isfahan. Capitulation for the jurrender of that city. Cere- mony of SHAH hussein'j abdication, Mir maghmud receives the dia- dem^ and takes pojjejjion of Isfahan. THE death of achmed caufed as much joy in the cJ'mp of the Af- ghans, as conflernation in Isfahan. All hopes of fuccours were now vaniflied ; and, to complete their mifery, even the flefli of horfes and other beafts of burthen was become very fcarce. The befieged, thus preiTed by famine, deferted in crowds ; and tho' the Afghans maflacred every PERSIAN who fell into their hands, the defertion augmented^. Whether acHxMed aga had been the inftrument of opening the eyes of the king, in regard to the vali of Arabia, or this monarch made an eiFort to change his fortune, by changing his general j he offered the command of the troops to lutf ali khan. This employment could not fall into better hands, if the choice had been made fooner ; but things were reduced to the laft extremity, moft of the inhabitants having deferted in the manner related. A great number had perifhed for want, and the remainder, emaciated with hunger, had neither ftrength nor courage to make any defperate attempt ; fo that this lord not daring to rely upon them, and fearing if any mifchance fliould happen, he Ihould fall a victim to thofe fecret artifices which had deflroyed his brother-in-law the athe- mat doulet, conflantly refufed every offer of that kind. S 2 The ''. About this time, father kru$in5ki, the author of the memoirs, from whence part of this hiftory is compiled, obtained leave to remove to julfa. Two miilonaries, of the fair.e order, attempted to make their efc.-pe to shir/ss, with the French conful : one of thefe fathers was killed, with fome other Europeans. The conful was wounded on this occafion ; however he efeaped, with feveral others of his little troop. 1722. ,40 THE REI.GN OF Part V. The VALI of ARABIA was therefore left to carry on his treafonable praaicesj but shah hussein expefling no longer any fuccours from abroad, and defpairing of the fuccefs of any attempt of his people within the walls, refolved to renew the negotiation, which the enemy had opened at the beginning of the fiege. He fent the kurshi bashi to farabad, with orders to offer maghmud the terms he had demanded j which were to eive him one of the princeffes his daughters in marriage, with 50,000 tomans * and to yield to him the provinces of khorasan, kherman, and KANDAHAR, in fuli fovereignty. How advantageous foever thefe propofals appeared, iMAGHMUd was too well acquainted with'the fituation of affairs, and rejedled them with the fame air of pride and difdain, as Alexander once affeded on a like occafion -, the Afghan prince anfwered almoft in the fame terms as the Grecian hero: " The king of Persia," faid he, " offers me nothing that is in his difpofal ; this prince, and the princeffes ** are already in my power j he is no longer mafter of thofe three pro- " vinces, which he offers me -, the fate of the whole empire is now to *' be decided between us." Things were thus fituated, when news came that meluck maghmud, governor of segestan, was advancing by forced marches to the relief of the capital. The king, touched to the heart at the arrogance of the AFGHAN chief, imagined that heaven had ftirred up an avenger of his caufe. Thefe deluding hopes were augmented, when he heard that this general, with 10,000 men under his command, was encamped at gul- NABAD. This event flung the rebel chief once more into great inquietude. The fiege had already coff him above 2000 men j and he could not pre- tend to be a match for this army, which was compofed of regular troops, and for the forces within the gates, who would certainly make fome de- fperate effort to relieve themfelves. Under this anxiety, he thought it more advifcable to tempt the fidelity of his new enemy, than to expofe himfclf to the hazard of an engagement with an officer, whofe valour and military fliill he had already experienced. 7 Nazr * I2C,CC0/. Chap. XXI. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 141 Nazr ulla was therefore appointed to repair to gulnabad, with fuch 1722. magnificent prefents ^ as rather betrayed the fear, than expreffed the liberality of the donor. Nazr ulla executed his commiflion like a maa of abilities ; he reprefented to meluck maghmud, that the capital was reduced to the laft extremity, and that the reft of the empire bcino- at- tacked on every fide, could not avoid its approaching ruin : he made him fenfible of the uncertainty of the iilue of a battle, and that the friendfhip of MIR MAGHMUD might, in the prefent circumftances, procure him ad- vantages far fuperior to his prefent expedations : he then laid before him the articles of his commiffion, and offered him the alliance and affiftance of the AFGHANS, if he inclined to accept the fovereignty of one of the provinces of the kingdom. The magnificence of the prefents had already dazzled the eyes of MELUCK MAGHMUD ', thc Uncertainty of the ilTue of a battle alfo ftaggered him ; but the ambition of reigning determined his compliance. He made KHORASAN his choice, with a view of being fupported in cafe of need by the provinces of kandahar and herat, which their common intereft gave him fufficient reafon to exped:. Having therefore concluded the treaty, he fet out on his march to take pofleiTion of his new dominions. Mesched, the capital of that country, which the policy of abas the GREAT had raifed to fo flourifhing a condition, was greatly fallen from its former luftre. The abdollees and ousbegs, who made incurfions in this neighbourhood, at length took it by ftorm, after a few days fiege -, and not fatisfied with ftripping it of the wealth which had been hoarded there by the fuperftition of the Persians, the inhabitants felt the utmoft effeds of avarice and cruelty. Ismael khan, governor of the province, unable to oppofe meluck maghmud, took the refolution of retiring to casein. Whether the abdollees and ousbegs had no further view than to pillage, and confequently had abandoned their conqueft 5 or whe- ther the thing was concerted with the Afghan prince, the new ufurper was received in mesched the 20th of November, and the other cities of the ^ Seven horfes ir.agriificently caparifoned, faddles, bridles, a poniard enriched with, diamonds, rich, ftaffs, and gold callyans. j^2 THE REIGN OF Part V. 1722. the province knowing he was a schias, made no difficulty to acknow- ledge him tor their ibvereign. The joy which the approach of this general had occaficned in Isfa- han ferved only to heighten the forlorn condition to which they were reduced. The exorbitant p.y of the military people, had exhaufled the SH\H*s treafure; fo that the next expedient was to carry all the gold and filver plate in the palace, to the mintj and when this was all gone, the kinff borrowed confiderable fums on his jewels, of different merchants, but efpecially of the English and dutch'. At length, the latter end of SEPTEMBER, when there was neither money nor provifions left, this un- fortunate prince ordered his minifters to go and treat for a capitulation. Maghmud might at this time have regulated the conditions as he pleafed ; but this dangerous rebel had further views. lie forefaw that he could never be fafe in Isfahan, fo long as the inhabitants were greatly fuperior in number to his troops ; for which reafon he took his meafurcs, that a confiderable part of thofe who remained, might peri(h with hunger, before he figned the treaty. It is true, he might have deflroyed them at once, by ordering a general affault, which, in their miferable condition, would have been the leaft aft of cruelty ; his chief officers prefled him to this for fome time, giving for reafon, that this aftion would not only facilitate the conquefl: of the reft of the empire, by the terror which it would fpread in all parts; but moreover, that it would juftify his inva- fion, fince according to the law, there is no better title to a crown, than taking it by the fword. Whether he was afraid of loling part of his beft troops, or intended to preferve from the greedy hands of his foldiers, the great riches of this fo late flourilhing a city, he lay ftill within his lines, during the lafl: two months of the fiegc, amufing himfelf with the idea of his future grandeur ; whilll the befieged flattered thcmfelves with the hopes of an accommodation, which he never intended. What heart can refleft without horror, on the dreadful circumflances of the famine, caufed by this artful conduft ! In the month of august, horfes, mules, and other beads of burthen, were become fo excefPive dear, ' The DUTCH alone lent him 340,000 crowns. Chap. XXI. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. ,43 dear, that none but the king, and the principal lords about him, or fome 1722. of the wealthieft inhabitants, could afford to eat of them. Notwith- ftanding the averfion which the Persians have from their religion for dogs, and fome other animals, which they look upon as unclean, yet as many as they could find, were confumed in a few days : the people after- wards fed on the bark of trees, leaves, and leather, which they foftened with boiling watery but when this fad refource was alfo exhaufted, they had no other fupport than human fiefh. Never was fo much of it eatea in any fiege as this. What pencil can defcribe their hollow eyes, their trembling knees, their emaciated bodies I Death, in his ghaftly form, ap- peared in their livid countenances, whilH; they were cutting flices of hu- man bodies to fupport the feeble remains of life : fome were even tran- fported by the -violence of hunger, to murder their fellow-citizens, or young children, to feaft on their bodies. Under this lamentable necelHty of periOiing by famine, or of fupporting themfelves by means fo contrary to nature, feveral poifoned themfelves together with their whole family. The ftreets, the public fquares, and the very gardens of the palace, were llrewed with dead bodies, which no one had the heart or flrength to bury. The water of the zenderoud was fo corrupted by the number of carcafes thrown into it, that there was no poflibility of drinking of it j and in a lefs wholefome climate ™, the air mud have been infeded to that degree, as to deflroy what few inhabitants were left alive. Such was the iTiiferable fituation of this unhappy city for above two months. The ARMENIANS werc received in julfa, excepting fuch as had carried pro- viilons to the enemy, contrary to the prohibition of maghmud ; but if any of the Persians were fa defperate as to go thither, they were fure to meet with death : neither age nor fex could protedt them from the barbarity of the Afghans 3 the men were maffacred, and the women and children thrown into v/ells. The 21ft of OCTOBER, shah HUSSEIN, clad in mourning, went out of his palace on foot, and walked thro' the principal fcreets of Isfa- han. This unfortunate monarch bewailed aloud the misfortunes of his reign, ■> The air of I s F A H A N is remarkably rarified ; it refembles much that of M a D k. i d, as I was afTured by a Jefait, who lived many years in both cicies. ,^4 THE REIGN OF Part V. 1722. reign, imputing them to the bad counfels of his minilersj he endeavoured ahb to comfort the multitude that furrounded him, with the hopes of their meeting with a better fate, under a new government. This fpeech from a prince, whofc gentlenefs of nature was the fault which had ever be- trayed him, and by which he was now reduced to this ftate of humilia- tion after a reign of eight and twenty years, could not but make a {en- fible imprefTion on the people, who in fpite of their own mifery, in the bitternefs of their fouls lamented the difgrace of their fovereign. The king having thus taken his leave of his fubjeds the 2 2d of Octo- ber, fent plenipotentiaries the day following, to fign the capitulation. By this adt, he obliged himfelf to refign the empire to the conqueror, and to yie!.^ himfelf up into his hands, with the principal officers of his court. Maghmud on the other fide, promifed that no ill treatment fliould be offered, neither to the king, the nobility, nor any of the inhabitants. This treaty being figned, the day following " maghmud fent horfes for the king and his court : this unfortunate prince having facrificed five camels °, perhaps the only ones left, mounted on horfe-back, in com- pany with about three hundred perfons, among whom were the vali of ARABIA, the ATHEMAT DOULET, a brother of the vali of loristan, and the principal lords of the courts they moved on flowly, with their eyes fixed on the ground j the few inhabitants who had flrength to fee this mournful cavalcade, exprefled their grief by a gloomy filence, which prefaged the fad effedls of this melancholy event. It was now pad noon, when two couriers arrived, to give notice to the grand mafter of the ceremonies of maghmud's court, that the king was drawing near. Thefe officers immediately entered maghmud's tent, who to humble the Persians ftill more, difpatched the fame couriers back, with orders to the shah, to halt at the foot of a hill near the camp, under the pretence that maghmud was afleep. Thus the unhappy hussein was treated with marks of fervitude, even before he had quitted the en- iigns " 'I"he 23d of ocToncR 1722, was the day on which this cataftrophc happened. ° They were killed without any ceiemopy ; I do not know for what purpofe this facrifice was ordered ; that of one caaicl, which fccms to be prcfcribed by the law, iliould have been made at mecca, the lOtL oi the preceding mcon. Chap. XXI. SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 14^ figns of royalty; he tarried about half an hour at the place prefcribed, 1722, and then obtaining leave to continue his march, he arrived at farabad, where the Afghan chief had his head quarters. The grand mafter of the ceremonies introduced him into a hall, at the corner p of which maghmud was feated, leaning on a cufliion of cloth of gold. The king advancing towards the middle of the chamber, faluted him, faying, selam aleiocom*'. The Afghan then rofe up, and re- turned the falute, with the fame compliment ; after which, the athe- MAT DOULET condudled the king to another corner, on the left of magh- mud, where a place was prepared for him, like that which was occu- pied by this rebel prince. The king being feated, opened the converfation by faying: " Son, " fince the great fovereign of the world is no longer pleafed that I fhould '* reign, and the moment is come which he has pointed out for thee to " afcend the throne of Persia, I refign the empire to thee with all my *' heart : I wifh that thou mayft rule it in all profperity." At the farac time he took the royal plume of feathers *" from his turbant, and gave it to maghmud's grand vizir; but this prince refufing to receive it from the vizir, the king flood up, and taking it again, faftened it himfelf to the ufurper's turbant, faying, ^* reign in peace;" after which he retired, and fat down in his place. Maghmud continued fitting, while hussein was fixing this mark of fovereignty on his turbant. Coffee and tea were afterwards ferved up; and the Afghan prince, taking thefe liquors, ad- dreffed himfelf to the king after this manner : " Such is the inftability " of human grandeur : God difpofes of empires as he pleafes, and takes *' them from one nation to give them to another : but I promife to con- " fider you always as my own father ; and I will undertake nothing for " the future without your advice." After thefe words, hussein v/as in- vited P The corner is the moft honourable place in oriental countries. It is alfo the moil commo.- dious, as it is the only one in which a perfon can lean on both fides on the cufhions, which are placed round the walls. s All hail : this compliment is feldom given but to people of the fame per- fuafion in religion ; it is the higheft expreffion of refpeft. f This plume of feathers is called the GIGA, and is the mark of fovereignty. See Vol. IV. page 4. Vol. III. T ',^5 THE REIGN OF, &c. Part V. 22. vitcd into another apartment, which had been appointed for him j and * 4000 AFGHANS were ordered to take poflefTion of the royal palace, and of the gates of the city. Thus the reign of the seffies, after having lafted 223 years, ended at length in the perfon of shah hussein*, the tenth facceflbr of ismael the firft king, and founder of this dynafty. » We may with propriety fay it ended, fince bis fon t^hm as was too weak or two unfortunate to :c-eftabiiih it. PART [ H7] PART VI. THE Revolutions of PER S FROM THE Accession of MAGHMUD to the CROWN OF PERSIA IN 1722, T O T H E Treaty concluded between SHAH TiEHMAS AND PETER the great in 1723. CHAP. XXII. AsHREFF guks maghmudV army, Maghmud afcejtds the throne^ and receives the homage of shah hussein, and the grandees of persia. He regulates the civil adminijlration, T^hma5 myrza takes the title of king, Maghmud orders new levies to be raifed in kandahar. He fends nazr ulla, imth a detachment of troops, to lay fege to casbin. T^hmas retires upon the approach of the Afghan army, Casbin furrcnders, THE tranquillity of the new reign was difturbed by a fudden 1722. event. Ashreff sultan had not forgot the danger to which the efcape of t^ehmas myrza had expofed him -, but continued apprehenfive left that very protedion which had faved him, fliould be im- puted to him as a new crime, by a prince who was upon the point of being abfolute mafter. As foon therefore as this Afghan prince received notice T 2 that j^g THE REIGN OF Part V I. ^ that SHAH HUSSEIN had fubmitted, he deferted his poft, defigning to retreat ^'^^*'' to KANDAHAR, undcr Ell cfcoft of an hundred chofen horfe. Maghmud, fenfible of the confequence of fuch a defertion, fent nazr ulla in purfuit of him with five hundred horfe: this general made fuch hafte, that he over- took hini at versene, a village twenty leagues diftant, from whence he brought him back to the camp. Maghmud had meditated his deflruc- tion but he efcapcd the fecond time. He was really more beloved by the foldiers, than maghmud himfelf, and they talked openly of retiring to KANDAHAR, if any attempt fliould be made to take away his life. Maghmud therefore thought it beft to forgive him, at leall to dilTemble his refentment. His thoughts were now employed in regard to the ceremony of afcend- incT the throne, which had been juft refigned to him. The 27th of the fame month, was the day appointed for this folemnity. Am an ola ported centinels on the turrets, and other lofty edifices, to obferve the motions of the people. The two kings marched out of the camp af the AFGHANS, and advanced towards the town. Maghmud, in order to fhew himfelf to his new fubjeds, took his rout by the bridge of shi- RAss, fo that he traverfed the city to reach the palace. The proceflion was opened by ten officers on horfe- back, and about £000 cavalry, among whom were feveral lords of the court of Persia. Next came the mafter of the horfe to the Afghan prince, at the head of fifteen led horfes magnificently caparifoned ; he was followed by fome mufqueteers on foot, and thefe by 1000 common infantry. Immediately after came the grand mafter of the ceremonies, in the midft of 300 ne- groes drelTed in fcarlet cloth. Thefe negros had been chofen from among the flaves of Isfahan, to compofe the conqueror's guard. Forty paces from thence was maghmud, mounted on a horfe', of which the vali of ARABIA had made him a prefent, on the day of the abdication. The unfortunate hussein rode on his left fide. Thefe princes were fol- lowed by about 300 pages on horfe- back. The mufti ", and am an OLA "•, whom maghmud had appointed his grand vizir j mullah saf- FRAN, ' It is faid that this horfe coft 4000 crowns. " 'I'he judge wl o decides on points of law. ^ He is alfo called aman ola kman, tho' hi^ title of khan has not been obfervcd. Chap. XXIL SHAH SULTAN HUSSEIN. 149 FRAN ^ and NAZR ULLA^, one of his generals J moula moussa his high 1722. treafurer, and mahommed aga fteward of his houfhold, fucceeded next • after thefe came the athemat doulet, and the principal officers of the dethroned monarch, mixed with the crowd of Afghan officers. The whole was clofed by 100 camels, each loaded with one of the harquc- bufes already mentioned, preceded by 600 muficians, and followed by near 6000 horfe. As foon as they had palTed over the bridge of shirass, shah hussein was conduced crofs the gardens of the palace, to the place of his con- finement. Maghmud feemed to think it impolitic to lead the conquer'd king in triumph, but continued his march, and foon arrived at the gates of the town. The inhabitants, notwithftanding their grief, felt a relief from their mifery, in this change, in hopes of fupporting their lives j which induced them to give fome external marks of refpecft to their new mafter. They laid rich fluffs under his horfes feet, and filled the air with perfumes. The guns on the camels backs were often fired, as they marched along j and in the intervals, the ten Afghans who walked at the head of the proceffion, pronounced loud imprecations againfl the fol- lowers of ALi. In this order the new monarch came to the royal palace ^ 5 havino- feated himfelf on the throne, he was faluted the fecond time, as king of PERSIA, by the captive hussein, who was brought here for that pur- pofe J after which he received the oath of allegiance, of the princes, miniilers, grandees, chief officers, and principal citizens. Soon after, the artillery of the town and citadel proclaimed the news to the people ; and the ceremony concluded with an entertainment, which the sultan % for fo he was afterwards called, gave to the deputies who came in the name of all the citizens, to acknowledge his authority. Notwithflanding this great change of fortune, maghmud did not for- get himfelf 5 for it may be truly faid, that in th« beginning he ruled like a * This was MAGHMUD 's chief ecclefiaftlc. y Nazr ulla was alfo denominated nazr ULLA sultan. 2 Devlet KANE, the habitation of grcatnefsi » Shah hussein was alfo called sultan, which feemed to be an additional mark of honour, but shah is the proper title of the PERSIAN kings. This prince was frequently ftiled shah sultan hussein, a writing which I have adopted. 1^0 THE REIGN OF Part VI. .1722. a prince born to the throne. As the moft prefTing bufinefs was now to put a ftop to the dreadful famine, which was ftill confuming the few inhabitants, he gave proper orders for a fupply of provifions ; thefe were fo pundually obeyed, that the very day he made his entrance, a batman * of bread coft only one crown, which the day before was hardly to be had at any price. He then applied himfelf to the regulation of public affairs, in which he difplayed the abilities of a confummate ftatefman. It was equally dangerous to commit the feveral fubordinate branches of the ad- niinirtration to his own officers 3 or to continue them in the hands of the niinifters of the late fovereign ; for he could no more expe6t experience from the one, than fidelity from the other. Maghmud was fenfible of this inconvenience 5 he therefore confirmed the Persians in their employ- ments, but afibciated with each of them a collegue of his own nation. By this piece of policy, he not only formed miniilers to his liking, but likewife prevented the jealoufy and averfion, which his new fubjeds would have conceived, from his difcarding the old miniftry. He left no other pofl than that of divan beghi, entirely to an Afghans prefuming that good fenfe and equity, were fufficient for the difcharge of the duties of this office. Whatever was his motive, he had no reafon to repent of his choice; for the Persians themfelves were foon aftonifhed, to fee juflice adminifiered with more rectitude and integrity by a foreign nation, than it had been during the reign of their natural fovereign S The people were fcreened from violence by the feverell prohibitions ; and the fafety of the conquerors was provided for by the ftridiefi: difcipline. So prudent a condudl, infenfibly diminifhed the conflernation of the inhabitants, which was at length entirely removed, by puniffiing the treafon of thofe who had been inflru mental to his conquefl, verifying that common obferva- tion, that we hate the traitor, tho' the treafon may be convenient. Maghmud ordered all thofe to be arrefted, who, contrary to the alle- giance due to their fovereign, had maintained a correfpondence with the Af- ghans • 12 -; pounds Esoi.rsH for five (hilljngi; « This mi-ht well be under fuch a reign as that of iiusstiN, for it might be etiipliatically Tiid ©f it, " Woe be to thee, O lai.d, whofe king '• Ji a child, and whofe princes cat in the morning." Chap. XXII. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. T51 GHAN3 during the liege. They were all executed as guilty of high treafon • their memory was branded with infamy i their eftates were confifcated, and their bodies expofed in the public market place. The vali of arabia though the mofl criminal, was the only one who was not put to death. It was imagined, that maghmud had made an oath never to take away his life i but perhaps he was afraid of provoking the arabs by the death of their chief; however his villainy did not efcape with impunity, for MAGHMUD confifcated his eflate, and condemned him to perpetual im- prifonment. His hereditary principality, which was that of chusistanS was given to one of his coufm-germans, who had ferved in the rebel army; and maghmud engaged to put him in polTefTion of it, as foon as the fituation of his affairs would permit. The manner in which he be- haved to the late athemat doulet, was not lefs agreeable to the Per- sians. This minifler had the courage to put a reftriclion on the oath of allegiance, which he fwore to the new fovereign, by begging to be ex- cufed from ever bearing arms againft prince t^hmas. Maghmud car- ried his policy on this occafion fo far, as publicly to commend the gene- rous behaviour of that minifler ; and even affeded to (liew him a par- ticular efleem and confidence on that very account. The PERSIANS were not the only people who had reafon to commend the beginning of the new reign ; the confuls of European nations were confirmed in their privileges ; and the milTionaries obtained the free ex- ercife of their religion in their churches in Isfahan and julfa. Such appearances of equity in a prince, who had been hitherto coniidered only as a chief of banditti, drew part of the inhabitants to town, who had fied for flicker to the country. Shah h ossein was almoft the only per- fon in the empire, who had any occafion to complain. Maghmud took from him a great number of young wom.en flaves, who compofed his harram, and diftributed them among his principal ofiicers. This mo- narch had carried his fenfuality to fuch a height, as to render all his fubjecfls tributary to his pleafures ; the influence of his eunuchs, which was the ruin of the empire, arofe from his boundlefs gratifications. How- ever, * Is the antient susiana. The arats call this province after the name of its capital ahouas. Tt borders upon the Persian gulph, and the banks of the EuniRATis. I72Z. ,p THE REIGN OF Part VL 1722. ever, he was now reduced to the company of five of his women, and five domeflics. The princes of the blood were fhut up in another quar- ter of the palace, and guarded in the fame manner as himfelf, by a hundred men. Maghmud, to all appearance, adled thus from a fpirit of ceconomy; for in other refpcds he fhewed a great regard for this prince confulting him on every occafion, and omitting nothing in his power that might footh his misfortunes. Shah hussein, before his ab- dication, had married one of his daughters to the sedr ^ : the new fultan followed this example, and gave away the eldefl of the remaining prin- cefles in marriage to his mufti ; and was married himfelf to the youngeft with great folemnity. This refpedlful behaviour, joined to the neceffity of obeying, induced the dethroned monarch at length to write a circular letter, by which he ratified his abdication, and enjoined all the inhabi- tants, both in town and country, to acknowledge the vi(5tor's authority. During thefe tranfadlons, t^hmas myrza, who was at casbin, having heard of the furrender of Isfahan, and the ceffion of the crown, took the title of shah, and was acknowledged as fuch by the provinces that continued true to their allegiance. This fi:ep ferved as a pretext to gratify the avarice of maghmud j for he no fooner heard of it, than he demanded 120,000 tomans ^ of the city, to defray the expences of the war. At the fame time he laid a tax of 20,000 tomans ^ on the king's firft phyfician : this man had been for a long time his mafter's chief favourite, and was juftly charged with having made no other ufe of his credit, than to hoard up immenfe riches, and to deflroy the prime minifler fatey ali khan, by an artifice, which occafioned, as we have related, the total fubverfion of the ftate. As thefe circumflances had / rendered him odious to his nation, the Afghans made no fcruple of treating him with the utmofi: rigour. His treafure, and the fum which ISFAHAN was obHged to raife, having been carried to the prince's coffers, the great treafurer, moula jmoussah, received orders to repair to kan- dahar, and to employ thefe funis in making new levies : accordingly he fct out foon after. Maghmud hearing that casbin was one of thofe cities * Seok al scheriah, chief jaftice. The turjcs call this officer mufti, and the Afghans **'*?^<^«- ' 300,000/. t 50,000/. Chap. XXII. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. ,^3 cities which had acknowledged prince t^hmas, he turned his thoughts 1722. that way. It is pretended that his defign was to yield this city and its dependencies in full fovereignty to aman ola, as an equivalent for the throne and treafures of shah hussein j which, according to their original compa(5t, he ought to hfvo fhared with him. Mag h mud now entrulled this general with a detachment of 6000 Afghans, and 4000 foreign troops; ashreff and nazr ulla having joined this little army, they marched from Isfahan towards the end of November. T^hmas, prefuming that the 4.FGHANS would not open the campaign at the latter end of autumn, when the weather is pretty fevere in thofe parts, had, by the advice of his prime minifter, put his troops into quar- ters : he was therefore in no capacity of making head againil the enemy. As foon as he heard of their approach, he withdrew to zengan, and from thence to tavris, but in no circumftances fuitable to the dignity of a fovereign. The cities of cashan, koom, and kiare, which lay in the dired: road, fcnt deputies to meet aman ola, and to ranfom them- felves from pillage. This general encamped the 20th of December within three leagues of casbin. As foon as the inhabitants knew that the AFGAHNS were arrived within their diftrid, they fent deputies to meet them. Aman ola was condudled into the city with the found of drums, and other military inflruments. He took up his quarters, with great part of his army, in the palace ^, whilft the reft of the troops were lodged in the houfes of the citizens. The joy which this news occafioned at maghmud's court, was allayed by another piece of intelligence, which came foon after. Moula moussa, who was commiffioned to convoy the treafure to kanadhar, had entered the province of segestan without any oppoiition; but myrza ismael, governor of banda \ having attacked him on his march, moussa and his convoy were put to flight, and obliged to abandon the treafure. It is affirmed that the money amounted to 150,000 tomans^. •» See Vol. I. page 231. * A Ilrong fortrefs in that province. ^ 175,000/. which fome hiftorians report to have been fent to shah ttehmas by ismakl. Vol. III. U CHAP. 154 THE HISTORY OF Part VI. CHAP. XXIII. Pi:ter the great invades the northern provinces of Persia. Operations of the RUSSIAN army. Persia threatened by the turks. The inhahi- tants of CASBIN take up arms^ and drive away the Afghans. Artful behaviour ^:^iaghmud upon that occafion. inii* A /fAGHMUD was not the only formidable enemy, that appeared X V X in arms againft the crown of persia. Peter the great being convinced that commerce is the only fource of riches, and confequently the bafis of the fplendor of a ftate, defigned to open a communication between the Caspian and euxine feas, by joining the volga and the DON^; as he had already opened a communication by a canal, between the VOLGA and the neva, which communicates with the Baltic ; by this means he had rendered st. Petersburg, on the fide of Europe, what astrachan was on the fide of asia. As he was fenfible, that the com- merce of ASIA could not be conveniently carried on but by the Caspian fea, he ordered a chart of it to be made j he likewife fent prince becka- witz ^ into tartary, where he was barbaroufly murdered. The cruelty with which the ousbegs maflacred a whole caravan coming from CHINA in 172 1, having revived the memory of this unhappy cataftrophe, and of the outrages committed againft the Russian merchants at the tak- ing of SHAMAKiE" J the RUSSIAN cmperor was induced to fend an em- baffador into Persia. This minifter was commiflioned to make his com- plaints to SHAH HUSSEIN, if this princc was flill upon the throne, concern- ing what had pafTed in shirvan j and if he no longer reigned, to infill upon the ufurper's giving fatisfadion for the behaviour of the lesgees, the ousBEGs, and his other allies. It is very probable, that the real motive of the embaffy was to examine the fituation of the affairs of that kingdom, of which the Russian court had received but imperfedl accounts. Maghmud, to whom the Rus- sian ' S" Vol.1, page 99. ■ Sec his hillor>', Vol. I. chap, 29. * By the lesgees. Sec page 93. Chap. XXIIJ. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. j.^ siAN minifler addrefl^d himfelf, made anfwer, " That he was defirous 1722. " of living upon good terms with the czar, whom fame had reprefented " as a wife and warHke prince j but as the people he complained of were " neither his allies nor fubjeds, he could not prefcribe laws to them, nor ^^ be accountable for their conducfl. He therefore recommended to him, " to provide for the fecurity of the caravans henceforwards hf flrong " convoys, unlefs he chofe to enter into an alliance with thofe nations, " through whofe territories they were to pafs.'' The CZAR was not fatlsfied with this anfwer j the opportunity was fa- vourable to make himfelf mafler of the weftern fliore of the Caspian. For this purpofe, he aflembled in the neighbourhood of astrachan, an army of 30,000 men, com.pofed of thofe veterans who had ferved in the war with sweden j thefe were joined by a body of tartars, Cossacks, and khalmucks. The 29th of July, he embarked on the Caspian, and anchored the 4th of august at the mouth of the river of terki, on the frontiers of daghestan. From thence a lieutenant was difpatched to tarku, with orders to~ deliver to aldi gherai, one of the princes of the LESGEES,a manifeflo, in which the czar pretended, according to the ordinary flile of fuch writings, " That it was not any ambitious view of *' enlarging his dominions that brought him thither 5 but an intent to " refcue the king of Persia, and his loyal fubjeds, from the tyranny of *' the AFGHANS ; and to chaflife thofe rebels, for the diforders and exceffes ** which they had committed againfl the Russians: he concluded, with " threatening fevere punifliments againfl thofe who fhould perfid in their " rebellion." Thefe manifeflos were alfo fent to derbend, shamakie, and BAKU. During thefe tranfadlions, a brigadier, who had been detached with a body of 6000 horfe to take poiTeifion of andreof, was attacked by 5000 of the inhabitants of that place; but he gave them fo warm a reception, that he drove them back into the town, which was foon abandoned to pil- lage. The tenth of august the fleet landed the infantry at ahrahin near suLACK, where they threw up fome entrenchments to cover themfelves : U 2 here 1.6 THE REIGN OF Part VI. 1-"'^. here the shamkall ai>di cherai, the lords of gorski and axan, and the fultan of a diftridl, whofe name was mahoMxMed, were prefented to the CZAR. Aldi gherai received the Russians intoxARKu: the end of the month the army refamed their march, palled the rivers ma- NA5 AHCHV, and BovNAK, and encamped on the borders of the nitzi. The SULTAN MAHOMMED oppofed their march with a body of io>ooo men • but after a fliarp encounter, his troops were put to flight. The firll: of September the army encamped on the banks of the BUHAN, where they received inteUigence, that the inhabitants of baku earnellly defired the protection of the czar againft the infuhs of the lesgees, who had vexed them with inroads for two years. As the army drew near to derbend °, the governor marched out of the town, followed by the principal inhabitants, and prefented the keys to the Rus- sian monarch. This prince was received with the found of a numerous artillery, and the acclamations of the people. Pafling thro' the town, he encamped at a fmall diflance from the walls, on the fouth fide. The fituation of this place, I have already obferved, is fuch as conflitutes it the gate into asia. After this conqueft, he refolved to return home : having therefore confirmed the governor p in his office, and left a garrifon of two thoufand Russians in the citadel, he ordered part of his troops to march back : of thefe, fome were re-imbarked, and others went by land to astra- CHAN J thofe remaining being fufficient to extend his conqueft the next year : he arrived himfelf in that city by fea the middle of October. While the Russians were making themfelves mafters of the northern provinces of Persia, this unhappy empire faw a new florm impending towards the weft. The port having been informed by shah Hussein's own embaffador, of the extremity to which his mafter was reduced, thought of reaping fome advantage by his misfortunes. The opportunity was favourable, as fhe'was fecured againft her ancient enemy by the treaty of passarowitz 'i. The fpirit of fadion, which generally pre- cedes ' Derbend, in the Persian language, fignifics a ftrong fortification ; as in Turkish, demir CAP I, by which name they call this place, is a gate of iror\. « The city is confidered as diftjnfl from the citadel, in the latter a Russian officer commanded. l Concluded the 21ft of JULY 1718 with the emperor ciiarles vi. Chap. XXIII. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. i^y cedes the fubverfion of monarchies, had diffafed itfelf from Isfahan into 1722. the vvefcern provinces 5 fo that the Turks had all reafon to exped: that they might extend their conqueft with a rapid progrefs. Things being thus lltuated, the Persian minifler was ordered to depart from Constan- tinople in the month of aprilj and the grand vizir turned his whole attention to improve thefe favourable circumflances to the advantage of the OTTOMAN empire. Such were the different motions of thefe powers to the end of this year. We fliall now fee what was tranfi(fling in the center of Persia during the courfe of the enfuing year. The city of casbin had no reafon to be long pleafed with the change of government 3 for aman ola was hardly mafter of the place, when his infatiable avarice prompted him to treat the inhabitants with all the rigour which maghmud generally fhewed to conquered cities. Thefe extortions, and the unbridled licentioufnefs of the foldiery, foon alienated the minds of the people. The yoke grow- ing more intolerable every day, the leading men among them affembled privately, to confult on the means of delivering themfelves from this op- preffive tyranny. It was refolved, that part of the inhabitants fhould at- tack the royal palace at an hour appointed, while the reft were to fall fword in hand upon the Afghans difperfed in different quarters of the town 5 and to the end that their fignal might caufe no alarm, it was agreed to ftrike the firft blow at the found of the horn, which they make ufe of a little after fun-fet, to give the people notice that the baths are ready. The eighth of January was the day fixed for putting their defign in 1723, execution. The confpirators had made all the neceffary difpofitions, and were waiting only for the critical moment of taking their full revenge -, when fome fufpicious appearances determined them to anticipate the time. They had perceived early in the afternoon, that the Afghans abandoned fome of their pofts, and took poffeffion of others j and that they were affembling in a body, in a manner which feemed to exprefs the fear of danger. Upon this the confpirators took to their arms with great preci- pitation, and, without waiting for any other fignal, fell upon the enemy on every fide with the utmofl fury. Aman j^5 THE REIGN OF Part VI. 1723. Aman OLA, alarmed at the report of mulquets, mounted on horfe- back, and hurried away to the great fquare, whither the common danger had brought moll of the Afghans together. Both parties were equally animated with the fpirit of hatred and revdnge, which rendered the vic- tory for fome time dubious. Aman ola, though wounded in the right fliouldcr by a mufquet ball, continued to encourage his troops by his ex- ample j but feeing them in danger of being overpowered by numbers, he was obliged at length to retreat to the palace, where not thinking himfelf fecure, he went thro' the gardens by a private way, and got out of the reach of the enemy. The Afghans loft 1600 men in this adtion ^ their flight was fo precipitate, that they left all their baggage and treafure be- hind them, and their Haves recovered their liberty. No fooner did this melancholy news reach the ear of maghmud, by an exprefs meffenger from aman ola 5 than this prince refolved upon an expedient, to prevent an infurredion in Isfahan. He ordered the guns to be fired, giving out that his general had taken t^hmas aiyrza prifoner; and to confirm this report, he caufed illuminations and other public rejoicings to be made, which ferved as a pretext to double tlie guards, and to hinder any ftranger from entering the city. This piece of policy could not be exerted upon a more proper occafion ; for as the fending away the detachment under aman ola had confiderably weak- .ened the army, there was room to apprehend, that the people of Isfa- han, upon being informed of what had paffed, might attempt to follow the example of the inhabitants of casbin. CHAP. Chap. XXIV. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. j.g CHAP. XXIV. Maghmud orders the Persian minijlers and lords to be majfacred. Arri- *Dal of a xaRKiSH envoy, Isfahan is almojl depopulated, Excurfions of NAZR ULLA. Heavy contributions laid upon the European traders, THE great uneafinefs which the affair of casbin had created in the 1727, mind of maghmud, was in fome meafure removed a few days after, by the return o^ the detachment under aman ola. But how dif- ferent was their appearance ! When they fet out upon the expedition, their numbers, their fpirit, their intrepid countenance feemed to promife new vidories ; but the exceffive cold, againfl which they were not provided, and the wounds which numbers of them had received, had rendered them rather objeds of compaffion than fear. The mifery and hardiliips they had endured, deflroyed many of them on the road, and the remainder were harrafled by their march, and difpirited by their defeat. AsHREFF, upon leaving casbin, had taken the road to kandahar with 300 horfe, from an apprehenfion that this infurredlion would be followed by a general revolt 3 or from a defire of freeing himfelf from the danger, to which the jealoufy of maghmud continually expofed him ; fo that this army, by no means appeared the fame, as that which had left ISFAHAN two months before. Maghmud now refolved on a projed which he had been meditating for fome time. The infurredlion of casbin made fuch an impreffion on him, that he thought himfelf in great danger in the midft of a numerous and dlfaffeded multitude, with only a handful of foldiers about him. The ordinary fuggeftion of his cruel mind under thefe circumftances was that of murder ; for by putting one part of them to death, he hoped to remain more abfolute mailer of the other. To prevent this barbarous ex- pedient from caufing the very infurredion which he apprehended, he determined to begin with thofe, whofe credit, rank, or birth, might en- able them to form or fupport a fadion. With this intent, the very fame day that aman ola arrived, he invited the miniflers, lords, and other Per- sian 2 i6o THE REIGN OF PartVI. J723. siAN chiefs, to a public entertainment. They came without any mif- truft, to the number of three hundred ; but as foon as they were feated, his guard fell upon them with their fabres, and barbaroufly murdered them. Among thefe victims to his infernal policy, were the great chancellor of the empire, the governor of Isfahan and his younger brother, both of them brotliers of jviahommed kouli khan, prince of Georgia ; the KHAN of coKHiLAN, the grand mailer of the artillery, and moft of the principal perfons of note belonging to the court of h^ssein. The athe- MAT DOULET was fpared, in confideration of his brother's having faci- litated the efcape of the Afghans at the affair of casbin. The horror of this cruel execution, was increafed by the circumftance attending the murder of a boy of twelve years of age. He was fon to rostam myrza prince of Georgia, and as he had been adopted by an Afghan, he fled for (belter during the maffacre to the officers of that nation, whofe pro- te ^^^c AFGHANS were in danger of being famiflied in their turn. To remedy thefe inconveniencies, maghmud gave orders to nazr ulla to take the field with a detachment of 3000 men. This general was re- pulfed at feveral of theft little towns ; however, he took fomc by ftorm, 4 and Chap. XXIV. SULTAN MIk MAGHMUD. 163 and obliged others to furrender ; fo that at length he obtained a fupply of 1723. provifions. Among other places koomsha, a city fituated fifteen' leagues fouth of ISFAHAN, fubmitted to him. As this fupply had been raifed in a country ruined by the war, it was not fufficient to maintain the Af- ghan army for any length of time : maghmud therefore gave nazr ulla ft reinforcement of 1000 men, with orders to make an incurfion into the northern parts of irac agemi. This general fet out accordingly the 4th of APRIL, and direding his march thro' the deferts to the foutliward, the better to furprize the enemy, appeared fuddenly in the neigbourhood of HAMADAN. The KHAN who was governor of that country marched out at the head of 3000 men to give him battle : but his troops were too raw tofland the fire of the Afghans, who, after putting them to flight, made three attempts to take the city by ftorm. We have already obferved, that the Afghans had neither patience nor ikill to carry on a regular fiege j fo that a fingle wall retarded their pro- grefs as much as the flrongeft baftion. Nazr ulla being difcouraged at the lofs he had fuftained in endeavouring to take the place, contented himfelf with ravaging the country. As things were fituated, there was nothing difficult in this undertaking. The terror occafioned by this fud- den incurfion, and by the apprehenfions of the cruelty of the Afghans, Vvas fo great, that wherever they turned their arms, they found the towns and villages deferted. It is mentioned as a matter of aftonifliment, that during the whole courfe of this expedition, none but the keeper of the kind's ftuds in khousistan, and the khan of hamadan, had the courage to oppofe the rebels. The former indeed was more fuccefsful than this general ; for taking 2000 men with him, who were appointed to guard the king's horfes, he attacked a party of the rebels, and carried off a con- fiderable number of camels loaded with plunder. This little army had therefore leifure and opportunity to pillage as much as they pleafed ; after which nazr ulla, willing to fulfil his ma- iler's intentions, led them towards derghezin, a town fituate within three days journey of hamadan, on the fide of casein. This town and its neighbourhood, are inhabited by people of the fame fed as the af- X 2 ghans* J64 THE REIGN OF Part VI. GHANS. It was the policy of Abas I. to tranfport tlie inhabitants of conquered places from one country to another, with the view not only of preventing any danger from their difaffection, but likewife of depopu- lating the frontiers expofcd to an enemy : this prince had removed thefe people from kourdistan, to the territories of hamadan, about der- GHEZiN • where, according to their original cuftom, they lived the great- eft part of the year in tents. This conformity of manners and religion, firft gave the ncjtion to nazr ulla of inviting them to is-fahan. He eno-a^^ed their chiefs, and managed the affair fo dexterouily, that he per- fuaded them to agree to this new migration. It is probable the chiefs themfelves might prefer the houfes of the capital to their cottages and tents J but NAZR ulla had foon reafon to think, that this change was not ac^reed to with the unanimous confent of thefe people, for numbers of them, biaffed by their affe(5lion for their own habitations, deferted, and re- turned home again. While NAZR ULLA was ravaging this part of Persia, maghmud did not ad more humanely towards the people of Isfahan, not fparing even the foreigners, as the English factors there experienced j for befides a confiderable fum in money, he took a large value in cloth and fluffs. The DUTCH EAST-INDIA Company's factors were treated more feverely. The merchants of that nation had fold, during the famine, a great quantity of bad fugar at an exceffive high price j and as the extravagant dearnefs of every kind of provifion, had ftripped even the wealthy of the greateft part of their money, the dutch laid out their whole capital, in pur- chafing at a very low rate the moft valuable moveables and commodities in the city, as ftuffs, filks, furs, jewels, &c. But they were at length obliged to refund j for maghmud ordered their ftandard "■ to be beiten down ; and compelled them to difcover where they had concealed their wealth. They had found the means of remitting fome part of their trcafure at different times to bender abassi, yet the fum faid to be ex- torted from them upon this occafion amounted to near 400,000 crowns '. The A kind of enfign or banner, like that ufcd on board of fhips, Tvhich the confuls of JiUROPEan oaiions put up before tJicir Jioufcs. » 100,000/. Chap. XXV. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. 16'- The INDIANS, whom commercial views had induced to fettle in isfa- 172 HAN, were alfo taxed at the rate of 27,000 tomans ^ After this magh- MUD made a frefli attack upon the Armenians of julfa. We have al- ready mentioned that they had given a bond payable at the termination of the fiege, and that nine of their chiefs had been arrefled as fureties for the engagement, which ftill amounted to 50,000 tomans. Whether it was thro' defign or inability, thefe people had failed payment 5 but MAGHMUD fent for the principal of them, and caufed the heads of three of the fureties to be cut off, among thefe was their calentar or civil magiftrate. After extorting fome money from the reft through the terror of this execution, he at length permitted them to return home. CHAP. XXV. Zeberdest KHAN hjs fiege to ghiez, and takes it. The inhabitants of BEN ISFAHAN furrcuder by capitulation. Nazr ulla returns with a cofifiderable booty and provifions. Aneiv colony of ayq^k^^ arrives from KANDAHAR. T^he vALi of GEORGIA depofed. Nazr ulla is fent into FARSiSTAN. Maghmud bcficges ghulpaigan. Ta:hmas marches an army to raife the fiege j his army defeat ed^ and ghulpaigan " taken, Refoluiion and unhappy fate of lutf ali khan. N the mean time maghmud carried on the war with great vigour againft the feveral towns fituated in the neighbourhood of Isfahan. He had committed the care of fubduing thofe places to zeberdest k^an", who was taken prifoner tv/enty years before by the Afghans, and had paiTed from the ftate of flavery, to one of the principal pofts in their army. This officer maintained the reputation of bravery, by which he had made his fortune. Without amufing himfelf, as his predecefTor had done, in ravaging the open country, or in plundering a few defencelefs towns, he ventured towards the beginning of may to lay fiege to ghiez, a fortrefs before which the Afghans had mifcarried more than once. This * 67,500/, * This is a town near cash an. ^' ,66 THE REIGN OF Part VI. 1723. This place was fituatcd within three leagues of Isfahan, upon an emi- nence which coHKnands the country, and was efteemed very ftrong. The KHAN fummoned the garrifon to furrender ; upon the governor's refufal, he fent i'ome persees to break open the gates with their hatchets. But the reception his men met, foon convinced him that he muft proceed with greater precaution. He therefore refolved to undermine the walls, and open a fubterraneous pafTage into the town. The work was direded by a PERSEE, whofe profeffion was to dig wells : when it was completed, he ordered a detachment to make their way through it fword in hand. The befieged, aftoniflied to fee the enemy flart up from under the ground, a thing of which they had no conception, no longer refifted. Mofl of them were put to the fword, and their wives 'and children carried into flavery. This conquefl proved of great fervice to the Afghans, for it not only fecured the neighbouring villages, but likewife contributed greatly to engage the inhabitants of ben Isfahan to fubmit to their government. It was againfl: this town that zeberdest khan turned his arms, after the taking of ghiez. We have already feen, how its inhabitants main- tained the reputation, which they had acquired by the advantages gained over MAGHMUD and aman ola : their example ferved to keep up the fpirit of refiftance in other neighbouring towns. Hitherto they had been deaf to every propofal made by the ufurper, but their prefent cir- cumftances began to render them more docile : they confidered that prince T.CHMAs, whofe name was hardly any longer mentioned, was not in a capacity to lend them aiUftancc ; that the taking of ghiez enabled the enemy to blockade them more conveniently j and as it was now im- pofliblc for them to fupport an independency, it would be expoiing them- felves to inevitable miferies to no purpofe, to hold out any longer. Thele reflexions inclined them to acquiefce to the felicitations of zeberdest KHAN. On the other hand they were deterred by the apprehenfion that MAGHMUD might rcfent the treatment fliewn to liis brother and his other relations, with the feveral damages they had done him. The khan how- ever dilTipated their fears, by offering that the capitulation fhould be iigned Chap. XXV. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. 167 figned by the principal officers of the army, who were to engage their 1723. honours for the ftridt execution of it. On thefe conditions, they fub- mitted at length to the yoke of the ufurper. Maghmud foon juftilied their fufpicions : he could not forgive the damages they had done him, nor their having feveral times endeavoured to perfaade the inhabitants of Isfahan to deliver themfelves by a general infurrecflion from the yoke under which they groaned. His intention was to engage them in fome ftep, which would juftify his breaking the capitulation, and ferve as a pretext to his vengeance. He therefore en- deavoured by means of fome perfons, who fhould feign a deteftation of himfelf and his government, to perfuade them to revolt ; but thefe people were too wife or too virtuous to be caught in this fnare. They were as religious obfervers of the oath they had taken to him, as of the allegiance they had fworn to their lawful fovereign ; hence they feized thofe emif- faries, and fent them to Isfahan in irons, that magHxMud might infli(5l what punifhment he pleafed upon them. This mark of fidelity at length reconciled him to them. The return of nazr ulla, after an excurfion of three months, af- forded no lefs pleafure to maghmud, than the reduction of thofe two places. The apprehenfion he had been under, that the city would be depopulated by a fecond famine, was intirely removed when he faw this general arrive fafe in Isfahan, with a great number of camels loaded with provifions and booty ; alfo with many thoufand derghezins, who might be confidercd as a new colony, not fubjed: to be fufpeded, but in- tirely agreeable to the Afghans. Towards the end of june appeared a fecond colony ; this was a cara- van of feveral thoufand camels, which arrived from kandahar. Thefe fuccours were owing to the prudence of maghmud, at the very beginning of his reign. After the defeat of moula moussa by myrza ismael, • by which a great treafare was plundered, he fent mahommed nischan, his grand mafter of the ceremonies'^, with a frefh fupply of money into that country, to make new levies : and as this prince perceived that his foldiers ■* EsiCK AGASSI. j6S the reign of Part VI. 1723. foldicrs deferted in bodies, and that whole companies had returned home, from the delire of feeing their \vivcs and children i he intruded this offi- cer with 8000 camcb, to bring the families of thofe Afghans who were already in the army, as like wife of thofe whom he (liould enlifl into the fcrvice. This precaution, together with the fame which he had acquired of having afcended the throne of persia, rendered this caravan much more confidcrabic than was cxpcded. Maghmltd diftributed part of the deferted houfes and lands to the AFGHANS and DERGHEZINS ^ lately arrived > and finding that thefe colo- nies, tho' numerous, were not fufficient to re-people the town, he railed a new fund out of the laft taxes, and put it into the hands of mahoMiMed NiscHAN, with orders to lay it out in railing 15000 men more, and to brin^ them from kandahar with their familes. In the mean time SHAH T.i^.KMAS continued atTAVRis, contriving means to recover his dominions ^ but gave no demonftration of a capacity equal to the part he had to adt. His condudt was but a natural confequencc of the manner in which he had been educated. According to the cullom cdabliflied by abas the great, he was not permitted to go out of the feraglio, till the very day he was named fucccffor to the throne. The fame prince, by an efFe6l of his jealoufy, committed the education of the princes of the blood to eunuchs, whofe principal care was to keep them in ignorance. T/ehmas came fo rude and unpolillied out of their hands, that he was obliged to rely intirely upon the information and fidelity of the people about him. The fevere manner in which he was educated, was moreover produdive of another inconveniency. He was hardly re- Icafcd from the feraglio, when his favourite pafiions began to predomi- nate. Thinking himfelf no longer accountable for his condudl, he aban- doned himfclf intirely to his pleafures, which neither reafon nor expe- rience had inftrudcd him how to regulate. To purfue the true objeds of pleafure, as agreeable to the character of a prince, can only be the eftcd: of wife inftrudtions. What then could be expeded from this heir of the PERSIAN diadem ? He ^ Sometimes called darcuzzis. chap. XXV. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD, 169 He had already made one MfQ fiep In difcharging his army at casbin ; 172"; and now he made another no lefs injurious to his intereft. Soon after lie was declared king, he fent a melTenger to vachtanga, vali of Georgia, with orders to repair forthwith to tavris, and pay him homage. A re- fentment of this prince's behaviour in refufing to march to the fuccour of ISFAHAN, or fome falfe policy, occafioned this fummons to be couch- ed in terms, which only ferved to irritate a perfon who was naturally haughty, and very little inclined to obedience. The vali provoked at this treatment, defpifed the orders ; but forefeeing danger from the difaf- fciflion which the grandees of the country fhewed to him ; and having already fruitlefsly attempted to fubje6l his territories to Russia, he " now wrote to CONSTANTINOPLE, offering to pay the port anHually twenty- four purfes, by way of tribute, on condition they would maintain him in the pofTeffion of his government, and confirm the privileges which the kings of Persia had granted to the princes his predeceffors, as well as to the nation in general. The VALI had not time to execute this lafl projed: 3 for t^hmas de- pofed hirnJn^MARCH following, and nominated in his place, jviahommed KOULI KHANj, priucc of CAKET, who was alfo defcended from the anticnt 'kings of GEORGIA. The new vali prefented himfelf before teflis not long after, in order to take poffeffion of his government j but not having a force fufficient to contend with vachtanga, who, contrary to the ad- vice of the grandees of the nation, had given arms to the people ^ he was obliged to return to his principality for fuccours. As foon as he arri- ved there, he affembled all the military people that could be found, and entered into a treaty with his neighbours the lesgees, who fupplied him v/ith a body of 7000 men 3 the jundlion of thefe forces augmented his army fo.confiderably, that on the 8th of may he appeared again before teflis. Vachtanga forefeeing this florm, had already concerted his mea- fures. Finding that the inhabitants began to treat him publicly as a rebel, and that he could no longer depend on their affedtion, he quitted the town privately the preceding night, and carried with him liis family,- VoL. III. Y and " Towards the er.d of FEBauARy. 1723' THE REIGN OF Part VI. and the great treafure which he had amaffed during the courfe of a long rci-n. This proud Georgian then felt the punimment of the mifchiefs caufed by his difobedience. Having wandered from place to place as a fugitive, in AUGUST 1725 he took refuge in st. Petersburg j where, for reafons of Hate, and the connexion he had with the Russian court, he found a fafe azyluni. The new vali meeting no longer with a compe- titor made his entrance into teflis. The grandeet^, and the inhabitants in general, were convinced of their former error, and received him with ^reat demonflrations of joy. He had not been long with them, when he taxed them with 50,000 tomans y, part of which was paid immedi- ately, and the remainder a few months after. In this interval the Afghan army was increafed by a body of 6000 DERGHEZiNS, whom NAzR ULLA had collcded before his return, and by a confiderable number of Turkish adventurers, whom jmaghmud had taken into his pay, as likewife by the recruits arrived from kandahar. This prince was now able to engage in fome frefh enterprize, but appre- hending that his abfence might caufe fome troubles in the capital, he re- folved to entruft the execution of his defigns to the experience of nazr ULLA. Thus the army was again divided into two bodies : this general having the moft numerous under his command, received the sultan's diredtions to fall upon the province of farsistan. Maghmud was of too adive a genius to be long idle: leaving a fufticient garrifon in Isfahan, he led the remainder of his troops againll ghulpaigan, a town fituated in a plain weflward of cashan. The in- habitants of this place were flrongly attached to t.>ehmas's party, and had negleded no precaution neceffary to enable them to hold out a long fiege. Maghmud caufed his cannon to be fired againfl the walls, and then com- manded his troops to florm the town in three different places. The Per- sians defended themfelves with great refolution, but not without aban- doning fome of the works which they had thrown up. Things were in this fituation, when maghmud received intelligence^ that a new caemy had flarted up againfl him. The fiiccefs which Ti£HMAs hid y 1 25,000 /► Chap. XXV. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. 171 had in reducing teflts, raifed the courage of that prince ; he appointed 1721. FENDOUN", KHAiT of the KOURDS, to Command his troops j and having ordered the vali's of loristan and Arabia^ and the khan of cohki- LAN to join that general with all the forces of their refpedive govern- ments, he gave directions to him to march to Isfahan, and attack the ufurper. Fendoun khan was prevented from drawing any fuccours from thofe provinces, by the motion of the ottoman armies 3 who hav- ing invaded Georgia, as we fhall have occalion to mention more par- ticularly, became mailers of that country, and threatened the frontiers of PERSIA on every fide. This general had however 8000 men under his command, all choice troops, which t^.hmas had aflembled in the neigh- bourhood of tavris, and with which he hiight have rendered fome fervice : but preferring plunder, he pillaged the quarter of the city where the ARMENIANS rcfide, under a pretence that thefe people favoured his mafter's enemies ^ and adding impofture to this ad: of villainy, he fent the heads of fome of thofe who had been murdered on this occafion to the SHAH, as if they belonged to the Afghans killed in battle j but the fraud was ealily difcovered, as the heads of feveral Armenian priefts were known by the tonfure. A general fo little a friend to juftice, feemed to promife no great fuccefs towards retrieving the affairs of the shah 3 however he determined to attack the enemy. He knew that maghmud had marched out of Isfa- han with only 10,000 men; and prefumed with good reafon that this army, already harrafled with the cold and continual rains, would not be able to withfland the joint attack of his troops and of the inhabitants of ghulpaigan. Flattered with this notion, he marched againfl the Af- ghans, but was foon put to flight, with the lofs of 2000 of his forces. He then retired to his own country, whither he invited the turks, who, on condition of his fealty to them, left him in pofTeffion of his government. T^.HMAS was thus punifhed for intrufling the command of his troops to a man, who had no military abiHties ; and whofe fidelity he ought to have fufpeded, fince he could not be ignorant that the kourds are of the Y 2 ^anie ^I'^y 172 THE REIGN OF Part VI. f.une fed as the turks their neighbours. This event was followed with the lofs of MACON. Thefe new rebels having entered that place by farprize the very fame year, put the garrifon to the fword, and made themfclves mafters of that fortrefs, which in thofe countries is efteemed impregnable. The lofs of this battle was alfo attended with that of ghulpaigan. Some of the inhabitants endeavoured to throw themfelves into a fort contic^uous to the town, but maghmud cut mofl: of them to pieces. The remainder no fooner beheld a barbed elephant brought againft their walls in order to make a breach, than they fubmitted to the conqueror. The SULTAN having thus routed an army, taken a town, and obliged a fortrefs to furrender, returned triumphant to Isfahan. He then entrufled the command of his troops to zeberdest khan, who not long after made himfelf mafter of honsar, a large town fituate within five days journey north-weft of the capital. Towards the end of December this treneral marched againft cashan, whofe inhabitants, contrary to the alle- giance they had fworn when aman ola was upon his march towards CASBiN, had taken up arms in favour of prince t.chmas. LuTF ALi KHAN, famous for the defeat he gave the rebels before kherman, and afterwards for his difgrace at a time when he might have faved the empire, was not included in the maftacre of the nobles already mentioned. Maghmud was defirous of gaining him over to his intereft j and tho' this faithful fubjed had always avoided entering into any engagements prejudicial to his lawful fovereign -, yet the sultan, hoping to win him, continued to load him with favours. Lutf ali khan being thus efteemed and refpeded at court, might have fpent his days in eafe and tranquillity ; but his loyalty would not permit him to be paflivc: he thought it his duty to ferve T/ehmas his lawful fove- reign. With this view he waited a fiivourable opportunity, and made his efcape from Isfahan, defigning to join the shah in tavris. The flight of luft ali khan, flung the Afghans into frefh apprehen- fions. They could not forget that this general, after the vidory he had ob- 4 tained 'Chap. XXVI. SULTAN MIR MAGHxMUD. 173 tained over them, was juft upon the point of crufhing them in their own 1723. country. They knew that he was acquainted with their weak condition - and fhould he put himfelf at the head of an army, which his reputation might enable him to colled, it was hard to fay what would be the confe- quence. Maghmud caufed diligent fearch to be made for him, and pro- mifed confiderable rewards to thofe who fhould difcover him. They had not yet finifhed their enquiries, when the unfortunate lutf ali khan ap- peared in fight. The people of ben Isfahan having difcovered him in their town, brought him to the ufurper. Maghmud no fooner approached him, than forgetting his own dignity, he fell upon him like a mad-man, and hewed him in pieces with his fabre. How greatly the tyrant flood in fear of the virtues of this illuftrious general, appeared by this barba- rous and unprincely aftion ; as well as by the privileges and favours, with which he rewarded the zeal and affedion of the inhabitans of ben ISFAHAN. CHAP. XXVI. The TURKS fejtd an army into Georgia. The czar fubdues ghilan. Uneajinejs of the ottoman port at the progrefs of the Russians. T^.h- MAS fends an embafjador to the porty ivho tnf carries in his negotiation, Ismael beg is fent embafjador to the court of russia, and coftcludes a treaty with the czar. Particulars of this treaty, DURING thefe tranfadlions in the interior parts of the Persian dominions; in the month of October the preceding year, the OTTOMAN court difpatchcd nisli mahommed aga, as envoy to petep. the great. As he paffed through crim tartary, the khan infor- med him of the circumftances of this monarch's expedition into Persia. He took the road to astrachan, where he expeded to meet the em- peror ^ ; but hearing that this prince was fet out for mosco, he changed his- ■^ We ufe the word emperor and czar in commqn, the former is molt proper, though the latten "ts moft familiar. 174 ^^^ REIGN OF Part VI. 1723. his rout. NisLi mahommed aga had received a flrlifl charge to make all pofTiblc expedition ; but as foon as he arrived 011 the Russian terri- tories, he was detained by the officer who commanded on that frontier, under a pretence that he could not permit him to proceed any further, without exprefs orders from his court. This difficulty, which fcemed to arife only from too fcrupulous an exadnefs in the officer, was not removed till the czar received news from nepleuiff his refident at CONSTANTINOPLE. This monarch being then informed of the difpo- /itions of the port, commiffioned one of his officers to receive the Turk- ish envoy upon the frontier, and to conduct him to court. NisLi MAHOMMED AGA then proceeded on his journey, and arrived at Mosco, where he made his public entry the iixth of February. Some days after he was conducted to the audience of the czar, with the honours due to his character : he delivered his credentials, and bes:- ged that commiflaries might be nominated to treat with him, concerning the affiiirs committed to his charge. The grand fignior's letter to the czar was conceived in very ftrong, tho' moderate terms. The ottoman emperor intimated to him, that he had carried his refentment to a fuffi- cient length againfl: the lesgees j and gave him to underfland, that as thefe people were sunn is, and confequently under his protedlion, he could not be an idle fpedtator, in feeing them reduced under the domi- nion of any chriftian prince. This was fignifying, that if Russia in- tended to preferve the peace inviolate, flie muft give up tarku and derbend, and demolilli the fort of the holy crofs. The AGA explained himfelf fully upon the fubjedl to baron schafi- ROFF, vice-chancellor of Russia, and follicited flrongly for a quick dif- patch; but the czar, being informed from Constantinople that the 'lURKs were as defirous as himfelf to avoid coming to a rupture, defer- red giving an anfwer. While the Turkish envoy endeavoured to difcover the motive of this afFc6ted delay, hahdgee daoud beg, chief of shamakie, being alarmed to ke DER13END in the hands of a prince, who pretended he had taken 8 up Chap. XXVI. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. 17^ up arms with no other view than to chaftife liim for his mlfdemeanours, 1723. had fent a mefTengcr to constantinoplEj offering to put himfelf under the protection of the grand fignior. As this propofal faciHtated the views which the turks had upon Georgia, it was received with joy^ and the HAHDGEE was aflured by the grand fignior, that to difcharge tlie duties which his ofiice of imam^ impofed upon him, he would focn refcue him from the yoke of the chriilians, and be revenged of the Georgians, who had encouraged the enemy to invade their country. After which he^nominated the hahdgee, khan of derbend, and in this quaHty he fent him the ilandards and horfes tails, with which basha's of the firfl rank are honoured in turkey. This event confirmed the port in the refolution of engaging the czar to abandon his conquefls. In order the more eafily to perfuade him into this meafure, the grand fignior publiilied a manifedo, fetting forth, that as DERBEND formerly conftituted a part of his empire, and as the protedion which he owed to muffulmen in general, obliged him to afTift the LESGEES againft the enterprizes of chriftian powers, he could no longer continue the peace with Russia, unlefs the czar would with- draw his troops from dagistan, and particularly from derbend j which he could fo much the lefs forfake, as there was flill a mofque there;, which was formerly built by the port. The lall reafon was fo much the more plaufible, as the law forbid"s the mahommedans to give up, either by capitulation or treaty, any of thofe towns where fuch temples have been raifed. This manife/lo was hardly fent into russia, and diflributed among the foreign miniflers at CONSTANTINOPLE, whcn the port received letters, by which vaghtanga offered, under the conditions already related, to acknowledge the {ov&~ reignty of the grand fignior. The port, inclined to make advantage of the fe different propofals, o-ave orders to the bashas of the provinces of Asia, to join all the troops' of their refpedive governments to thofe of the basha of erzeroum, who was named general in chief' of the army defigned againft Georgia. And * Ciiief aad defender of the law, and fovereign of the people who profefs it. * StRASKiEic. ^^6 THE REIGN OF Part VI. 1723. And in order to provide againft any enterprizes of the Russians, the garrifons were reuiforccd, and the magazines of the frontier towns filled with provifions. But the real defigns of the port were againft Persia : this is manifeft from her refufing the offer which the khan of CRIM TARTARY made to obAru6t the progrefs of the Russians on the fide of TERSIA, by laying fiege to astrachan. Peter the great was in the fame difpofition, in this refped, as the port, and was making the fame military preparations. He gave orders for putting derbend into a flate of defence, and for rendering the troops ' complete. He then affembled an army on the frontiers of dagistan, under pretence that the lesgees threatened to make an irruption into the kingdom of astrachan. In the mean time he continued to ^mufe the Turkish envoy, and to infinuate to this minifler, that the Intereft of both courts was to agree concerning the conquefts they were to make in Persia j that this was the way to avoid any obftacles that might arife on either fide ; and that a(fting thus in concert, they might fettle the government of that monar- chy, in the manner moft agreeable to their refped:ivc interefls. And join- ing menaces to perfuafion, he difpatched nisli mahomme» aga home with an anfwer to this effedl : that it was not his intention to make the leaft infringement in the peace, which he had concluded with the port : but if this power (hould attempt to oppofe his views, he would take proper meafures to crofs the defigns which the grand fignior might have againft the countries fituate between the two feas "". At the fame time he gave orders to tranfport the artillery, with ammunition and provifions, for taking the field i and leaving Mosco, he fet out the beginning of march for ST. PETERSBURG. It is evident that tl.e czar's propofals were equally advantageous to both empires : of this the port was convinced, but it was difficult to put them in execution. The Russians and turks had in fome meafurc declared war againfl persia, one by invading dagistan, and the other by marching an army into Georgia; fo that it did not feem ' Caspian and black seas. Chap. XXVI. SULTAN MIR iMAGHMUD. ij-j feem confiftent for t^ehmas to commit his interefls to neighbours who v.xre Gripping him of his dominions. The port had Hill greater obflaclcs to fura:ount. As foon as iviagh- p.iuD was become mafler of isfaHx^n, he enjoined the inhabitants, upon pain of death, to break off all epiftolary correfpondence, and by the dif- ferent precautions which he had taken on this occafion, the fuccefs of the- fiege had been kept a fecret. Upoji the return of osman aga from ISFAHAN, the court of CONSTANTINOPLE was informed that this prince had obliged shah hussein to refign his capital and his diadem. This great event occafioned new deliberations. Maghmud feemed pofTelTed of the qualifications and fortune of thofe conquerors, who in former a^^es had ravaged asia. The Turkish minillers however were not fo much afraid of his power, as embaraffed by his being of the fedl of the sux- Nis as well as themfelves. They concluded that their troops would re- fufe to fight againfi: a prince, who, by the deftrudion of the Persian empire, appeared as a hero of their religion. This difficulty increafed, as they were to enter into an alliance with a chriflian power, not only to fhare between them the different provinces of a monarchy ceded by the abdication of shah hussein to maghmud, but likewife to dethrone him, and to fubftitute in his ftead t.^hmas, a prince of the fedt of all Yee it feemed prudent to put a flop to the progrefs of a man, whofe am.bi- tious enterprizes already threatened the empire ^ and there was no poffi- bility of effeding this with any fecurity to the frontier, but by accepting the czar's propofal. The port was thus in fufpence between the fear of magHxMud's future fuccefs, and the hope of reaping fome advantage from the fituation to which he had reduced the kingdom of Persia. The czar, who had prolonged the negotiation with the Turkish minifler upon the fame prin- ciple, gave orders that he fhould be conducted to the frontier by very flow journeys ; fo that he did not r^ach Constantinople till the end of _^iay. As foon as he arrived, he affured the grand fignior, that the czaiI bad no other intention than to fupport a good underflanding with his highnefs ; adding, that this prince had fent full powers to his refident. Vol. hi. Z to ^1^-Z^ j^S THE REIGN OF Part VL to aa in concert with the port, that no umbrage might be taken on 7 "3 * either fide. In the beginning of march, ghilan fubmitted to the Russian troops. About the lame time ibrahim, basha of erzeroUxM, was joined by the BEGLERBEGS cf DiARBECK, TREBESONDE, and fcveral Others, who formed an armv of 40,000 men. The basha put himfelf at the head of them,, and fent a melfenger to mahommed kouli khan, vali of Georgia, de- mandin^y the delivery of the city and caftle of teflis. The vali wanted neither courage nor experience ; but he had very few troops, and the taxes which he had impofed, ahenated the affedtions of the people from him, in the very beginning of his reign.. Under thefe circumilances he lubmitted to the ottoman dominion,, on condition that the seraskier. would confirm him in. his principality. The Turkish deputy promifed him this upon oath, and returned to give an account of his negotiation ta > the general. Agreeably to this convention, the tuuks marched to the walls of TEFLIS the i2th of JUNE. Mahommed kouli khan met the seras- kier with a numerous retinue in due form, and delivered the keys of the town and caftle to him. This general received the vali with great de* monftrations of benevolence, and as a mark of honour gave him a veffc lined v/ith fable j but as foon as he took pofTeflion. of th 'i fortrefs, he or- dered him to be arrefted, thus confirming a Georgian proverb, *' To t: uil *' an OTTOMAN is to lean upon a wave*^." The depofed khan found means a few days after to efcape from prifon^ and retired into his prin- cipality of CAiCET. In the mean time the port had nominated jbaccarT^ ' ^i*- vachtan-ga's eldeft fon, for his fuccefibr. This prince was fo averk t':^ the new government, that a few months afterwards he went out of te- flis, under pretence of diverting himfelf by hunting, and voluntarily re- tii'ed from a place, where he enjoyed only the empty title of fovereign. In the mean time the seraskier, encouraged by the reduction of teflis, caft his eye upon ganja, and marched his army the autumn following, Turkish honour has had a reputation, but mrtl modern writers meiition it as an imagina:/ Chap. XXVI. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. j^^ following, in order to lay fiege to it. He made, himfeif mafter of the fuhurb of the Armenians j but the garrifon and inhabitants of the town, recovering from their furprize, attacked him in his camp. The turks being prefled hard on every fide, abandoned their artillery and baggage, and fled with the utmofl precipitation : they lofl on this occafion ^^ooo men. The seraskier, difpirited by this difgrace, retired with the fliat- tered remains of his army to his government of erzeroum. The rcdudion of Georgia had in fome meafure made the turic^ amends for the uneaflnefs occafioned by the Russians taking polTcflion of ghilan. The courts of st. Petersburg and Constantinople feemed now to triumph fucceffively at the expence of the fugitive king of Persia. As their jealoufy of each other incrcafed with their fuccefs, they took fuch meafures as they judged mofl convenient for their mutual fecurity. The CZAR marched frefli troops towards shir van j and the grand fjo-nior put azoff, and the Dther towns on the Russian frontiers, in a poilurc of defence. T^HMAS shah being thus on all fides opprelTed, refolved to try his fuccefs in negotiation. With this view he confirmed the credentials which his father had given ismael beg, as embaflfador to the court of st. Pe- tersburg; and nominated another for that of Constantinople. They both fet out at the fame time. The perfon appointed for the ottoman port was detained at cars ; hut he difpatched two of his retinue in a fecret manner to notify the fubjed of his embafly. Thefe deputies took the opportunity of the grand fignior's coming out of the mofque at the feaft of beiram, to prefent their memorial to him. They were then introduced to the grand fignior and the mufti, to whom they delivered their difpatches 3 the refult of which was, that in October following the PERSIAN embaiTador was permitted to come to Constantinople. His commiffion was, to requefl the affiftance of the turks againfl: the Afghan rebels. The grand vizir being informed that an embaflador had been fent into RUSSIA upon the fame errand, not only made it a reafon to evade a definitive anfwer, but reproached t^hmas for making any fuch applica- tion to a chriftian power. This behaviour was in fomc meafure owing Z 2 to 1723- 1 ^ o o )So THE REIGN OF Part VL to «he rccept'fon \vhich had been given at Constantinople fome months before to the envoy of mir maghmud. The court feemed defirous at this time to humour the aitedion which the people fhevved to the Af- ghans j as well as to purfuc the proje(5ts which they had formed, in con- fequence of the reduction of Georgia. IgMAEL BEG, whom T.^HMAs had nominated as embaflador-pleni- potentiary to the court of Russia, was more fuccefsful. He arrived at ST. PETERSBURG the fccond of SEPTEMBER. The CZAR, whofe adive j^enius was impatient of delay, fixed the audience for the fifth. This ceremony was performed before tlie fenate, after the following manner : The embafTador, with his retinue, left their fabres at the hall-door. He made his entrance, holding up in his hand his mafler's letter, which, after he had made his harangue, he prefented to the czar. This prince gave it to his chancellor, who laid it upon the table, defiring the cmbaflador to draw nearer to the throne ^ which having done, upon his knees, he killed the hem of the czar's garment, and afterwards his hand : at the fame time the czar inquired after the king's health. The Persian minifter applying this to shah hussein, and believing he was dead, made no reply, but flied tears. The chancellor then informed the em- baflador, that his majefty's minifters would anfwcr the letter which he had brought j upon which he withdrew to the hall, where he had left his retinue. Soon after arrived news of the furrcnder of baku. The necefTity of preferving a communication by land with ghilan, had determined the czar to make himfelf mafler of that coaft ; in confequence of which, he had given orders to major-general matuskin to embark with 3000 men at astrachan, and the 28th of July they arrived at baku. The general immediately wrote to the commanding officer, " That as the inhabitants •' had fued the preceding year for the protection of the emperor his " mafter, tho' his majefty then fhewed fome repugnance to accept of " their allegiance, yet in confideration of the friendlhip fubfifting between *' him and the king of Persia, and through compafilon for themfelves, *' he had rcfolvcdto fend a body of troops, with ammunition and pro- *' vi lions ; Chap. XXVI. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. j8i . *' vifions; therefore they ought to render themfelves worthy of this favour '*' by a ready fubmiflion, if they were willing to be confidered as loyal " fubjeds, and good citizens." In paffing through astrachan, ismael beg had left a letter, which was now delivered, exhorting the inhabitants of baku to a fubmiiTion 3 but the governor anfwered, that he could not admit foreign troops into the to'fVn, without the exprefs orders of shah t^hmas. As he per- fifted in this refolution, general matuskin began to cannonade the town, and employed the two galliots, which he had brought with him for that purpofe, in bombarding it. The garrifon of baku was very numerous, and the commandant feemed determined to make an obftinate defence ; but on the 7th of august he demanded to capitulate, and fent a depu- tation of the principal inhabitants to acquaint the general that he would furrender up the town. This conqueft created no difiiculty in the negotiation with which is- mael BEG was charged. He was well acquainted with the melancholy fituation of his mafler's affairs, and knew that he could not obtain any fuccours upon better conditions : he took no notice of the hoflilities which he had in fome meafure authorized by his letter, but follicited the czar's minifters in fo flrong a manner, that they figned a treaty of alliance with ^, him the 23d of September, on the following conditions: I. That the czar fliould pacify the troubles of persia, drive ouf the AFGHANS, and re-eftabli(h the government. II. That T/SAiMASj as lawful fovereign of that kingdom, n;iould yield in perpetuity to the Russian monarchy, the towns and dependancies of derbend and baku, with the provinces of ghilan, mazande- RAN and astrabad. III. That he fliould furnifli, at the prices flipulated in this public ad, camels and provifions for the ruswan troops. IV. That hereafter there mould be full liberty of commerce between both nations. V. In fine, that this alliance fliQuld be mutually defenfive. PART J723" [ .82] PART VIL THE Revolutions of PERSIA, FROM THE Treaty concluded between the emperor of russia and TiEHMAS SHAH in 1723, TO THE Death of MIR MAGHMUD in 1725. CHAP. XXVII. Pretenfions of am aij o l a to the croum, compromijud. Surrender i^f CASH AN. Death a?id charaSfer of i^AZK ulla. He is fucceeded by ZEBERDEST KHAN, ivho takes and f hinders shiras5. 1723. '^^^▼'HILE T^HMAs was thus obliged to yield to necefllty, MAGH- %/%/ MUD was in danger of being ftripped of the fovcreignty by the ^ ^ very man who had moft contributed to his conquefls. We have already mentioned that aman ola followed him in this expedition as a confederate, and not as a fubjcd. This general, jealous of the fupe- riority which the partner of his victories had acquired over him, dilTem- bled his refcntment in hopes of indemnifying himfelf by the wealth which he expedted to draw from casbin. It is pretended that magh- MUD had confented to his being declared fovereign of that city and its I diflria ; Chap. XXVII. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. 183 diflrid; but the bad fuccefs this general met with in that expedition ir- 172*^ Fitated him fo much, that he was hardly recovered of his wounds, when he infifted boldly on maghmud's fliaring with him the treafure and fo- vereignty annexed to the Persian diadem, purfuant to the compad which he faid they had entered into upoa their fetting out from Kan- dahar^ Regal power, divided between two perfons, is abfolutely Inconfiftent, even in a limited monarchy ^ and confequently impradicable in defpotic governments : as to the treafures, they were neceflary to the fupport of the ftate. Maghmud therefore could not agree to thefe propofals ; it was his interefl however to carry it fair with an experienced general, who- had moreover brought a confiderable body of troops with him, which' would obey only his orders. This circumilance feemed to prefag£ the downfal of their ufurped power. Maghmud amufed him with different promifes ; till aman ola perceiving that he was trifled with, refolved to keep no further meafures. One of shah hussein's daughters, whom maghmud had given him in marriage, contributed to inflame his temper, which was naturally fierce. She reminded him of the perfidy and am- bition, of the avarice and cruelty of xmaghmud ; d^e made him alfo fen- fible of the danger to which his life was expofed, if he did not imme- diately remove out of the power of the tyrant- and at length prevailed on- him to join his forces to thofe of t^hmas shah, in order to drive away the ufurper, and divide his fpcils betv/een them.. With this intent, towards the end of decemser,, AxMAn ola left. ISFAHAN. As foon as he was out of the gates, he put the royal plume upon his turbant J and, in order to deceive maghxMud, he took the road to KANDAHAR. Machmud did not venture to oppofe his march; he was afraid of increafing the number of his enemies ; and perhaps was not forry, though at the expence of part of his army, to be difengaged from a man who had the prelbmption to declare himfelf his competitor. But as foon as he heard that this general had altered his rout, he was fo affeded with a fenfe of the danger that might enfue, that he fet ouf immediately in purfuit of him v/ith v/hat forces he could colleifl:, order- ing. 1^4 THE REIGN OF Part VII. 1J23. ing the reft of his army to follow him with all poflible expedition j and in four days he came up with him. It was prefumed, that aman ola would not venture himfelf again into the power of a man, to whom he had given fuch fubjcd: of offence, but rather decide the quarrel by the fword. Inflances of caprice and inconftancy are very frequent among the eaftern warriors ; as foon as they came in fight, they ran and embraced each other. Whether the remem- brance of pad friendlhip Aifled all reproaclies, and opened their eyes to a mutual intercft ; or that aman ola did not depend on the fidelity of Jiis troops, to meafure his ftrength with that of the young conqueror j thefe marks of affedion were followed by a reconciliation j and aman OLA was won once more by maghmUd's promiles. This prince artfully foothed the ruling pafTion of his dlfgufted friend, and made him the compliment of his own horfe : they embraced each other, and renewed their former oaths on the points of their naked fabres. Maghmud fcnt him back to Isfahan, efcorted by a body of horfe : with orders to the gove^nor of the city to pay him all the deference he could dcfire, except granting him his full liberty. Maghmud having thus prevented the danger of his friend's refent- ment, obliged the troops belonging to that general to fwear allegiance to him, and had the judgment to incorporate them with his own. He then joined the forces under zeberdest khan. This general had lately raifed his reputation by a new conqueft. He blockaded cashan, the inha- bitants of which, intimidated by the taking of ghulpaigan and honsar, furrendered by capitulation. The khan paid a religious regard to his promlfe, fo that there was neither any dilbrder nor plundering in the town > but it is faid that he afterwards mafi'acred a confiderable number of thofe fit to bear arms, in order to fecure a conqueft, which he had not othcrwife fufficient force to garrifon. It was not till after this barbarous execution that maghmud joined the vidtorious army : the news he had received from farsistan, was the caufe of this motion. Nazr ulla, who had been intrufted with the 4 peduiftion Chap. XXVII. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. . jg^ redudtion of that province, made himfelf mafler of all the towns and na-?, villages in his v^^ay, without meeting with any refiflance. The terror of his name induced them to make a ready fubmiffion. Thus he arrived in the neighbourhood of shirass, without fhedding any blood. Here his fortune changed, in the firft attack at the fiege of this place, he was wounded by a mufket-ball, which put an end to his life. The lofs of this general, v/ho had the higheft reputation as a foldier, plunged his army into the greateft grief. Of this they gave the moil melancholy to- kens, by the bloody funeral rites with which they honoured his memory. For after the whole army had marched round his body, with colours trailing on the ground, they obliged their Haves and prifoners to perform the fame ceremony, and then facrificed them at his feet 3 according to the barbarous fupcrflition which they had learnt of the Indians ^ They killed alfo the fineft of his horfes, the fleih of which, agreeably to the cuftom of the Afghans, was divided among the foldiers, in order to make a funeral entertainment. Na2r ulla was in ftature very tall, but ill Ihaped. The cuftom he had contrad:ed of keeping one eye fliut, procured him the name of the one-eyed lord^, by which he was often diftinguifhed. He was fond of the ARMENIANS, whom he took openly under his protedion. The in- curfions and robberies in which he had been exercifed from his youth, had formed him early to military exercife, in which he acquired great reputation, and was efleemed by his own people as a confummate general. His great prudence, and the feries of fuccefs attending it, made him fu- fpeded of having learnt the magic art, afcribed to the Indians. It was perhaps this prejudice that created an extraordinary confidence in Jii^ foldiers, who thought him invincible. He was of a mild and humane temper, behaving towards thofe who fubmitted to him, with a RnCi regard to his word, and with a certain fighting glorioufly to the lafl: gafp. The cuttinc^ off fo neceffary a fupply, was not the moft confiderable advantage which the Afghans reaped from this vidtory. The country was rava'-^ed, and the neighbouring towns kept fo much on their guard., that the fcarcity was greater in their camp than in shirass j infomuch that ZFBERDEST KHAN was upon the point of raifing the fiege, when the taking of the convoy enabled him to wait at his ieifure, till the enemy, overcome by famine, would be obliged to implore his mercy. He was not deceived in his expectations -j for shirass was foon reduced to a very melancholy lituation, numbers of the inhabitants dying with famine ; fo that the khan determined to capitulate. On the 13th of april he fent his brother to treat with the enemy. This refolution was followed by an eafy and imprudent fecurlty. The AFGHANS perceiving that the befieged had negledted their pods, detained the deputy, and made a general affault. The Persians, furprized and dlfconcerted, made very little refiftance. The Afghans put eveiy one they found in arms to the fword ; and this unhappy town was under thefe dreadful circumftances,when the officers reftrained the fury of the foldiers. Themaffacre being over, the conquerors plundered with their ordinary II- centioufnefs. One remarkable incident is recorded of the punifliment of covetoufnefs : fome of the foldiers having found in the houfe of a private man a confiderable quantity of corn, which he had concealed in pre- judice to the other inhabitants, they tied him to a flake in his granary, where he died with hunger; revenging the death of many, whom tins wretch had facrified to his avarice. Thus one of the moft celebrated cities of the eaft was taken and facked, after a blockade of near eight months : the Afghans having defpaired to reduce it otherwife than by famine, confined thcmfelves to their feveral pofts. They loft before it 2000 of the troops of their own nation, and 3. a Chap. XXVIII. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. J89 a coniiderable number of derghezins. The number of Persians who 1724* died by the fword, was not fo great as that which perifhed by famine. Zeberdest khan exaded no more of the inhabitants byway of tribute, than what they annually paid to the kings of Persia. He then ordered them to colle<5l provifions from all the neighbouring parts, that he might fend a fupply as foon as poflible to Isfahan, where it was greatly wanted. CHAP. XXVIII. 2^EBERDEST khan's expedition againfi bender abassi. Maghmud marches into cohkilan, aiid lofes great part of his army. Imprudent conduB of SHAH t^.hmas towards the Armenians. The turks take ERivAN. The ARMENIANS o/^ NACHIVAN invite the TURKS into their country. Tavris heficged by the ruRtcs, and taken. Siege of ha- MAD AN. EBERDEST khan was animated by the taking shirass, a place J of fuch confequence; and began to meditate new conquefts. He had hardly fettled the government of that city, when he ordered Hus^ sein aga, one of the officers of maghmud's houfliold, with four hun- dred men, to make an incurfion into the fouthern part of the province. This detachment penetrated without any obilacle as far as lar, the capital of laristan, a province formerly governed by its own kings, Hussein aga plundered the city with his fmall body of men, but the caftle held out, and the governor of it refufed to capitulate. The Af- ghan commander then puilied on as far as bender abassi **. This was the fecond time during the war that this city was expofed. In Ja- nuary 1722 it was pillaged, without making any refinance, by 4000 balouches j but upon their attempting to break into the fortrefTes, where the English and dutch east india companies had their compt- ing-houfes, they were repulfed with confiderable lofs. The AFGHANS fucceeded flill worfe. Upon the firfl report of their march the inhabitants retired with their moil valuable effeds : but the Euro- peans \ ' Gombroon* jp3 THE REIGN OF Part VII. 1724. PEANS were prepared to give them a warm reception. The Afghans therefore thought proper to accept a fuppJy of provifions, without mak- incT any attempt on them. The grcateft part of this detachment died : the maHf^nity of the air, and the bad quahty of the water not agreeing with them, infomuch that they were reduced within two months to a very fmall number, who rejoined the army without makin.g any acceffion by the plunder of this city, to the riches they had amaiTcd in their ex- pedition. During this interval, tlienevvs of the taking of shirass having reached ISFAHAN^ the AFGHANS wcre animated with frefli ardour. Magh- MUD refolved to lead them himfclf in perfon to new conqucfts. Ac- cordingly he fet out in June with an intent of fubduing cokhilan, a country fituate within ten days journey of the capital, towards bassora^ His army was near thirty thoufand men : fo that he had all the reafon to promife himfelf undoubted fuccefsj but the event did not anfwer his expedlation. His troops were not only harrafTed continually by the ARABS who inhabit the neighbouring country, hut alfo diflrefTed for Avant of provifions ; whilll the air had tht; moft pernicious efFeiffs on his foldiers, infomuch that he did not bring half of his men back to Isfa- han. His difafter would have been ftill greater, if cassin khan, a Per- sian, who was poilefTed of a government in thofc quarters, had not given him all the affiftance in his power. Maghmud compounded with the arabs to return back, on condition of being furnifhed with provifions ; but thefe people perceiving his in- ability to withftand them, broke their word, and harrafled his army to the greateft degree. Thus was the formidable maghmud by too great confidence, and the efforts of fome bodies of roving Arabs, reduced to the utmoft ftreights. He was fo fliocked at his lofTes, that he made his entrance into Isfahan without thofe honours which it had been cuftomary to pay him on the like, occafions. His army being thus dif- couraged, prudence fuggefted to him the expedient of diftributing fifty thoufand tomans ^ among his troops, to indemnify them for the lofs of their This is part of CHus I STAN, whofc capital ij A440V AS. '' 125,000/. Chap. XXVIII. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. 191 their baggage; and he employed them the reft of the fummer In repairing 1724. this accident, as far as the melancholy fituation of his affairs admitted. In this flate of weaknefs and dcfpondency, to which maghmud was reduced, t^. h]Mas shah might have entertained great hopes of recovering the diadem, and taking ample vengeance of the Afghans -, but this prince was entangled in inextricable difficulties : forgetting that his imprudent refentments had the preceding year occafioned the revolt of TEFLis, he loaded the Armenians with exceffive taxes, which were levied with the utmoft rigour. So fevere a proceeding, contrary to his natural difpofition, alienated the affedions of thefe people in the very beginning ; and things were foon carried to an extremity. Neceffity being without law, he entered fome of their principal towns by force, and plundered them, efpecially fuch as refufed to obey the orders he had fent them to join his troops, though by law they were exempted from all military fervice. The ARMENIANS of CAPAN and chiava, finding they were treated as enemies, took up arms. T^hmas, who feemed to exert his refolu- tion only where prudence was wanting, intended to reduce them by force ; but they gave him fo warm a reception, that he became more circum- j fped, and determined at length to enter into a treaty with them. He j gained by gentle meafares, what he could not obtain by force j and thofe people having returned to their duty, gave the greateft proofs of their fidelity. But it was not in the nature of things, that t^hmas lliould recover his dominions at this time. The TURKS being jealous of the advantages fecured to the czar by the treaty of st. Petersburg, endeavoured to counterbalance them by their conquefts. V/ith this view, they provided for the fecurity of GEORGIA J built a new fortrefs near teflis; and affembled different bodies of troops on the frontiers of the Persian dominions. Abdal- LAH, BASHA of VAN ^, entered this province the beginning of the year. Mahommed ' His furname was kouprul oglou, or the Ton of kouproli. This family is defcended from the grand vizir kouproli mahommed easha, fon of a country parfon in the neighbourhood of BELGRADE in ALBANIA. Thjs IS almolt thc Only family in turkey tlut has a proper name. 192 THE REIGN OF Part VII. 1-2.1, Mahommed kouli khak, the fame who had furrendered teflis, made n (land at the head of a body of troops. The bash a having reinforced the garrifons of the feveral towns in Georgia, marched againft him with 35000 men, and foon put him to flight. After this, in February, he penetrated into aderbeitzan, and laid fiege to khoi, which held out two months, and was then taken by ftorm, and plundered. ^ r Arifie achmed, basha of DiARBEKiR, whom the port had nomi- nated sERASKiER, now proje(5ted a more important expedition. This general pafTcd the aras the end of june, and entered the province of LRivAN with an army of above 30,000 men. In order to intimidate the inhabitants, he treated them with great cruelty. The towns and vil- lages upon his march, were intirely facked j and he made flaves of above 20j000 perfons of both fcxes. After thefe barbarous hoftilities, in the middle of the fame month he arrived before erivan, the capital of the province. This city, the capital of Armenia, is diftant about fix leagues from mount ARARAT"". In 1635 it was fituated a mile from the fpot where it now flands. Shah siFFiE having taken it from the turks, made choice of the prefent fituation. The caftle is built on a fleep rQck, inac- ceffible towards the weft 5 and on the other fides it is defended by a triple wall of brick. At the foot of this rock runs the river zengui, which defcends from the lake sevan "^j and mixes its waters three leagues lower with the ARAS. The khan of the province refided in the caftle. The town is encompaft'ed by a double wall, and abounds more in gardens and vineyards than houfcs. The adjacent country is a large fertile plain, ter- minated by the mountains, of which Ararat makes a partj and the whole forms a moft delightful prolpe^St. This advantage, however, is counterbalanced by great inconveniencies. The water and fruits are very unwholefome j the country is fubjedt to frequent earthquakes ; their win- ters, notwithftanding their latitude, are long and fevere; and they have cxceffive heats in fummer. During the months of July and august, moft •" I have already had occafion to mention, that according to the tradition of the Armenians the ark rcUcd on thi* moumaia. " This lake is about 70 miles dilbnt northward of tlie ci.'y. Chap. XXVIII. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. 193 moft of the inhabitants leave their houfes, and retreat to breathe a more 1724, temperate air in the mountains. It is computed, that in the heat of fummer there are often 20,000 tents in their neighbourhood j for not only the kourds travel thus far northward, but llkevvife the people from the extremity of cald.-ea, come hither with their flocks. The OTTOMAN army had with them a numerous artillery, with which they foon made a breach in the walls. The seraskier then attempted. to ftorm the town ; and tho' his troops behaved with great courage, they were as bravely repulfed by the garrifon. They met with the fame re- ception at three general affaults ; and the air being in fome meafure in- fcded with the number of dead bodies j the Turkish general defired a truce of three days, in order to bury the dead. In the interim, the basha ofcuTAYA joined the army. This determined the seraskier to try his fortune once more. The loth of SEPTEMBER he Ordered the fourth general aflault j but with fo little fuccefs, that he fufFered more on this occafion than in any of the former attacks. The turks having loft near 20,000 men by the fword, and the unwholefomenefs of the air, were difcouraged. They had indeed re- ceived frequent fuccours, and their bombs had reduced great part of the town into ruins; but the Persians as well as the Armenians, aduated by the double motive of rage and felf-prefervation, ftill fhewed the fame courage and refolution. The befiegers, almoft exhaufted with the fatigue of fo long a fiege, threatened openly to retire ; when the arrival of a re- inforcement of frefh troops from Egypt, changed the fcene. Sari Mus- tafa, BASHA of ERZEROUM, alfo brought a conflderable reinforcement with him towards the end of the month ; fo that the murmurings of the foldiers began to ceafe, and they thought of nothing further than briiig- ing this enterprize to a happy concluiion. The KHAN, who commanded the town, began to be intimidated at the fight of fuch large reinforcements. The garrifon was already in diftrefs for provifions ; and a great number of the foldiers and inhabitants had pc- riflied with hunger, ficknefs, or the fword. They expeded no fuccours Vol. III. B b fiom 1724- i^^ THE REIGN OF Part VII. from T/F.HMAS, and were reduced, for want of lead, to nevv-cafl the few balls that were remaining, and.thofe which they found in the breaches and ditches, by putting a pea in them ; an expedient which might con- ceal their want of this kind of ammunition j but yet it diminiflied the weif^ht of the ball, which mufl confequently do lefs execution. Thefe circumftances, and the prefiing follicitations of his brother, whom the TURKS had taken prifoner near the aras, determined the khan to enter into a capitulation. The firfl of October he fent deputies to the Turkish camp, and after fome difficulties it was agreed, that the governor and the garrifon fliould be fafely conduced with all their effedts to the frontiers of karabagh ° : that the inhabitants of the caftle, and thofe who had retired thither during the fiege, but had no lliare in defending the town, fliould quit it and retire to the old erivan : that none of them fliould be molefted, either in their perfons or effedts : and that the town, the caflle with the artillery, and ammunitions, fhould be immediately furrendered to the grand fig-nior. o Thefe articles were pundtually executed. The bash a of kara hissar. condudted the garrifon to the frontier, from whence the khan proceeded to AHR, where t/chmas then refided. During this interval, the troops under the command of the basha of VAN, were not idle. This general having defeated mahoMiMed kouli khan, as already related, and taken the fortrefs of khoi, had formed a defi^n upon tavris. As he had not troops fufficient to attempt a place. of that importance, he acquainted the court > and the bashas of cara.- MENiA and ALEPPO, with fome others were ordered to join his army. Towards the beginning of august, he received a deputation from the ARMENIANS of NACSIVAN P. The inhabitants began to defpair of fuccours from the Persians, and were afraid of the cruelties of the turksj the fubjedl therefore of their deputation was, to recommend the conquiill of their • A diftrid fouth of the aras, full of inaccefliblc inount;iins. De lisle has a place called ca- tACHABAN. P Nacsivan fignlfics thc iuil made. 'Ihe Armenians prctenJ it was the ti li city ihat was built after the deluge. Chap. XXVIII. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. 19. their country to the basha. Upon this he ordered the chiefs ^ of kour- 1724 DisTAN to march thither with 12,000 men, and to thefe he joined a de- ' tachment of loco Turks, commanded by Ibrahim aga. Thefe troops , no fooner appeared in the province, than the Armenians rofe up in arms. The PERSIANS were driven from NACsivAN and OR.DouBAD^ This ex- pedition, together with the taking of erivan, reduced the greateil part cf ARMENIA MAJOR Under the Turkish yoke. In the mean while, the basha of van marched with an army of twenty- five thouland men towards tavris. Tho' a great part of this town had been deflroyed by the earthquake already mentioned, it was ftili one of the nnell: cities in the eafl ; but it had neither walls nor artillery, fo that like antient sparta, its only bulwark confided in the number and firength of its inhabitants. The turks, crowding upon one another, had already made themfelves mailers of a whole quarter of the town, when the inhabi-. tants flocking from all parts, barricadoed the fireets by which the enemy had entered j and their com.munication with the main body of the army being cut off, four thoufand of their men were furrounded, arid cut in pieces. The BASHA was not difcouraged by this difafier : he made feveral at- tacks, but his troops were confi:antly repulfed. He began to waver in his refolution, when his fpies informed him, that the inhabitants were pre- paring to attack him the next night in his entrenchments. Finding the valour of his troops unequal to his defign, he ordered fires to be made in his camp as ufual j and the 2 1 ft of September in the night he marched off filently, leaving his tents ftanding, the better to deceive the enemy. Some hours afterwards the inhabitants came out of the city, to the num- ber of twenty thoufand : finding that the Turkish army was retired, they followed them till the next day at noon, but could not com.e up with them. In revenge they mafiacred not only all the ftragglers that fell in their way, but likewife the fick and wounded, which the enemy had been obfiged to leave to their difcretion. The ottoman army, confiderably reduced, retired to tassou, a town. fituate within twenty leagues of tavris, on the north bank of the lake B b 2 . • . CHAHt. ' Begs. «■ ThI? plac^ is noted for it> tra:1" In filkew am: cr^cr rr.anufaclures. 1^6 THE REIGN OF Part VIL X724. CHAHI. Here the Turkish general added to his difgrace, by attempting to be revenged of the Persians for the gallant defence they had made. Tho' the neighbouring villages had fabmitted without making any refiftance, yet he carried the women and children with him as flaves, and put the men to the fword. The inhabitants of tavris were fo provoked at this cruelty, that they took the refolution of purfuing him, and preventing his retreat. The BASHA having notice of their approach, marched out at the head of eight thoufand men j moft of thefe were killed in the engagement, and' he retired to khoi with the few who faved themfelves by flight.. Thefe were not the only armies whicK the turks had in Persia. Hassan, basha of bagdat, and achmed his fon, basha of bassora;, entered this country with the troops belonging to their refpedtive govern- ments, and laid fiege to hamadan. T^.hmas, encouraged by what had pafled before tavris, fent part of his troops under the command of flat- GELLA KHAN, onc of his principal officers, to the relief of this town. But the fuccefs did not anfwer his expectations : his general was defeated,, and put to flight. The OTTOMAN army being thus free, continued the operations of the fiege without interruption. In the mean time, the enemy defended them- felves with the fame refolution ; and it was now two months flncc the opening of the trenches, when a German renegado fprung a mine, of which he had the diredlion. The effed: determined the fate of the be- fieged. The turks mounted the breach with loud Ihouts, and carried all before them : a flaughter of the inhabitants enfued, till fome of the TURKISH generals, moved by a fenfe of humanity, facilitated the efcape of great numbers, by giving them a pafl^ge out of one of the gates of the town. The taking of erivan and hamadan, and the repulfe of the basha of van, concluded the campaign on the fide of the turks. The army under the seraskier, together with the remaining forces of the basha of VAN, were reduced to forty thoufand men, including the garrifons of GEORGIA. The. troops of EGi'PT and the kourds feparated, and took up tlieir Chap. XXIX. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. ,97 their winter quarters in erivan, nacsivan, and ordoubad. Thofe of 1724.V BAGDAT and BASSORA, retired to their own country, after leavino- a fuffi- cient garrifon in hamadan, to fecure their conqueft. CHAP. XXIX. Rejmcings at Constantinople. The port is dijatisfied with the conduSi of PETER the GREAT. The conferences renewed by the ?7iediation of the FRENCH mtnifter to the ottoman port, Conclufion of the treaty between the CZAR and the port. Articles of that treaty, THE TURKS having extended their conquefts fo far as hamadan j this event feemed to quiet the minds of the people, already uneafy concerning the fuccefs of a war hardly commenced. This circumflance added to the fatisfadlon of the miniflers of the port. The public re- joicings lafted nine days, and were fcarce iinifhed, when they were or- dered to be renewed on the following occafion. Mahommed kquli KHAN, who flill thirfted after revenge, had pafled the kura near GORi,and laid fiege to the fort by which that little city is defended. He was carry- ing on the attack with great vigour, when regeb, basha of teflis, marched with 6000 men to the relief of the place : this, together with the defedion of the principal Georgians, who were gained by the port, obliged the khan to retire with great precipitation. The Turks came up with him as he was paffing the river j and he loft a thoufand men in the adtion. He then retired with the reft of his troops into the mountains. The FRENCH embaftador ' thought proper to diftinguifh himfelf, upon^ the occafion of thefe rejoicings, for the accomplifhment of one of the ar- ticles of the treaty, concluded by the mediation of the court of France. To explain this, we muft trace matters fomewhat back. It has been already mentioned, that the port being informed of the fuccefs of ISMAEL BEG, the PERSIAN embaffador at the court of sT. PETERSBURG, pufhed on her conquefts in Persia without referve. Whether the czar flighted the refentment of the port, on account of this ' The marquis of bonnac. jgZ THE REIGN OF Part VII. 1724. this treaty j it was fcirce concluded, when he fent copies of it to his lefi- dentNEPLUEOFF, but without any inftrudions to him or to the French embailador j at the fame time, he made it public in all the courts of EUROPE. This caufed a general furprize at Constantinople. Neither the embailador, nor the Russian refident, expeded fuch an event. They were greatly confounded, whilfl their enemies laid hold of thofe circum- ftances to decry their condudt. This was not difficult to effcdl. The TURKISH commifTaries having opened the conference in the beginning of JANUARY this year, with bitter reproaches, declared in the name of the grand fignior, that fuch a prince as t^ehmas, wandering from place to place, without fuccour or fupport, could not with any validity confent to the difmembering of his dominions j therefore fuch engagements were void : that the grand fignior would not fuffer any foreign power to extend his dominion in Persia: confequently, that the only method to preferve the peace fubfifling between the two empires, was to relinquilli all pretenfions derived from this treaty, and likewife to abandon the con- quefts made on the borders of the Caspian fea. After fo explicit a declaration, the Turkish commlHiu'ies broke ofF the conferences abruptly. It was thought the port would declare war againft the czar, and fend the Russian refident to the callle of the kven towers. This miniller having no inftrudions, refufed to yield to the foUicitationsof the French embaffador, to enter into a negotiation ; which ferved to increafe the difguft of the Turkish miniflers j fo that the florm feemed to be gathering, when the embalTador ventured to take the confe- quence of negotiating upon himfelf. With this view he waited on the miniflers of the port, and entered into a clofe conference with them j in which he reconciled all matters fo well, that they were foon agreed upon almoft every article \ The grand vizir, who prefTed the conclufion of this affair under-hand, found it very difficult to make the divan come into it j efpecially as the point was to enter into an alliance with a chriflian power, in order to fliare the domi- nions of a mahommedan prince. There was no time to lofe: they muft I either • 'Ill's relation being made by a frenchman belonging to the cmbafladofs miniftiy, wc mull allow for fomc paitialitiw as to tlic abiliiies cf his maUcr. Chap. XXIX. SULTAN MIR MAGHMUD. 199 either conclude the treaty entered upon with Russia, or flop the progrefs 1724. of that power, by declaring war againft her. Ibrahim, the grand vizir, laid this before the divan, which he convened in the name of the em- peror his mafter. After very warm debates, the divan declared for the continuation of the peace ; upon v/hich, the French embaffador dif- patched monfieur d'alion ", a relation of his, to the court of Russia, with the preliminaries of the treaty ; who arrived at mosco the middle of MARCH. The firfl article in his commiilion was, that shah tjehmas fhould be obliged to fend a folemn embafly to Constantinople, to beg of the grand fignior that he would fet limits to his conquefts, and confent, as far as was confident with the glory and interefls of his highnefs, to the execution of the treaty concluded the year before at st. Petersburg. The others contained a projed of accommodation, in regard to the limits of the conquefts made, or which were to be made in Persia, by either of thefe contradling powers. Thefe preliminaries having been agreed to, the Russian refident received new inilrudions, and the 19th of may the conferences were renewed. The vJzir had made it an ePcablifhed rule, to live in peace with the chriftian powers, as neceflary to his fecurity. How favourable foever his difpofition might have been, there were great obftacles to furmount, before they could come to a conclufion of the treaty. Dagistan, and part of shirvan,. inhabited by mahommedans of the fe'ith a body of 12000 men > and arri- ved lirft at the place of affigQation. T^HMAs was advancing, on the firll: of august, without any miftruft, with no more than 3000 men 3 when he received advice, that ashreff was followed by a much greater number of troops than they had mu- tually ♦ This place is between KO0^t and t«thiras^ 224 THE REIGN OF Part VIIL ^7^5' tually agreed to take for their cfcort. This intelligence having opened T^HMAs's eyes, he conlidered what meafures to purfue. He had no rca- fon to doubt of the fuperior number of the Afghans ; but the defire of being revenged of their perfidy, and the confidence he had acquired by his late victories, almoll: tempted him to try the fortune of a battle. The troops he had with him, were of two different forts, Persians* and KHAJARS. The latter, who were the moft numerous, infifted, that in confideration of the fervices which they had already rendered, and ilill were difpofed to render, the prince would promife, that in cafe of fuccefs, the athemat doulet fhould be always chofen from their body. The kezelbachs oppofed fuch an innovation. This difputc, which feemed to be very ill timed, divided this little army into two oppofite fadions. T/ehmas perceived that his authority was too feeble to quafli the difturbance, and therefore refolved to retreat. But curiofity feeming to prevail over fear, he kept only a thoufand men with him, and or- dered one of his general officers to march with the other two thoufand, to reconnoitre the rebels. Amur aslan khan '% his general, had foon demonftrative proofs of what he was fent to difcover. The Afghans having already pafled the hmits agreed upon, were in full march ; and the number and difpofition of their troops plainly fhevved that their de- fjgn was to furround the shah. The khan perceiving their intention, difpatched foma horfemen to acquaint this prince, that nothing but a fpeedy flight could fave him from the treachery of the enemy. This advice arrived at the very interval that ashreff, having been in- formed by his fpies of the place where this prince then was, had de- tached a body of two thoufand five hundred men, with orders to make a long winding, and cut off the prince's retreat. T.-ehmas perceiving the danger into which his credulity had engaged him, abandoned his troops, and fled to t^.hiran, attended only by two hundred men. Amur aslan khan, who was foon hemmed in by the Afghans, put himfelf in a poflure of defence. The engagement was obilinate : this brave Kezeldachs. * The man by wl.ofc orders the British fadory was pillaged in RESHD in i7|8. Chap. XXXIir. SULTAN ASHREFF. 225 brave general twice repulfed his enemies, but at length gave v^^ay to num- 172?, bers ; he was in the utmoft danger of being cruflied, when the approach of night preferved him, and as many of his foldiers as could fave them- felves by flight, and the favour of the neighbouring mountains. In a few days he arrived at t^hiran. T^HMAs, who had retired thither, being apprehenfive left the enemy {liould follow him, continued his march with great expedition towards MAZANDERAN. The ruggednefs of the mountains, which furround this province, has often rendered it the azylum of the Persian kings : here this prince took flielter, followed by his general Amur aslan khan, and thofe whofe horfes could bear the fatigue of fo precipitate a march. The prudence of this condudt was foon proved by the event. Ash- REFF, being perfuaded that tjehmas was ftill at t^hiran, refolved to furprize him before he could have time to remove from thence. With this intent, he compelled the peafants to ferve him as guides, and foon appeared with his army before the walls of the town. Upon difcover- ing that tjehmas was fled, he ordered his troops to attack the place ; but the befieged behaved fo well, that he was obliged to abandon his en- terprize. Being greatly irritated at his difappointment, and the laborious march he had made in vain, he directed his courfe fouthward towards sava, which furrendered by capitulation. He afterwards marched to koom, a city of great importance, and before which he mufl: in all probability have mifcarried, had the inhabitants been prepared for his reception 3 but the want of proviflons obliged them to capitulate, after a flege of eight . days. The fultan, more politic than his predeceflbr, obferved the condi- tions of his treaties very ftridlly. By the redu(5tion of koom, he became mafler of twenty pieces of cannon, and three elephants. He alfo found fome treafure belonging to t^^hmas, together v/ith the wife, and part of the court of this prince. However, his fortune here did not compen- fate for the failure of his plot j and he returned to Isfahan greatly vexed at his difappointment, and uneafy at the accounts he now received of the new enterprizes of the ottoman court. Vol. III. F f The 2^6 THE REIGN OF Part VIII. 1-25. The apprehenfion of being charged with cruelty, which had rendered the memory of his predeceff ^r fo odious, was the only motive which had induced the fultan to fpare the lives of the authors of the letter already mentioned ; and though this had been intercepted, it was prefumed that others of the fluiie nature might have raifed a fufpicion of his defigns. Now he was returned, he thought it eflential to his prefervation to ex- terminate this remnant of the nobility; efpecially, as he would be ever fubiedt to their treafonable correfpondency. Accordingly he aflembled them at his country-palace of feriiabad, under pretence of a hunting match ; and having convicted them of holding a correfpondence with his enemies, he condemned them to be beheaded ; which fentence was ex- ecuted upon the fpct. CHAP. XXXIV. Death cf PETER the great. Deplorable Jlafe of the Persian monarchy. The TURKS take tavris and ganja. Achmed bash a marches an arm)\ and takes plfejion c/' loristan. Divifon among the bacti- ARis. The vali of LORisTAN makcs an incurfon into the territory of BAGDAT. THE conquers which the turks had made the preceding year, and the indolence into which the Russians feemed to have fallen, with refped to Persia, gave the port a fuperiority, at which thefe new allies began to take umbrage. Tiie inconveniencies which the turks apprehended in waging war againft the Afghans, of the fedt of sunm, and the very name of the emperor of Russia, kept the turks in the re- folution of adhering to their engagements, when they received advice of the death of that monarch. General romanzoff ^ envoy extraordinary of RUSSIA for the ratification of the treaty, and commiilary for regulating the limits in persia, was fenfible of the difiiculties which this accident would create in the execution of his commiflion. However, he kept his own » I am not furc that he was at this time a general, the' he was fo afterwards. Chap.XrXIV. SULTAN- ASHREFF. 2^7 own counfel, and endeavoured to perfaade the turks, that the emprefs 1725. CATHARINE had adopted fuch meafures, as would prevent the denth of his much lamented mafler from making any alteration in the fyftem of affairs in the Russian empire. The grand vizir pretended to be convinced of the truth of what he faid ; and declared, that the intention of the grand fignior was to con- form exadly to the engagements, which he had entered into with the deceafed monarch ; and therefore," he would immediately difpatch the commiflaries, v/ho were to regulate the limits upon the fpot. This minifter, neverthelefs, under the pretence of putting the port in pofTelTion of the provinces, which were fallen to her fliare by the par- tition treaty, had no other view than to extend the frontiers of the otto- man empire. For this purpofe, he made extraordinary preparations, that the armies which were to adt this year againfl fersia, might be in a condition of making new conquefts. This diftrelTed monarchy was thus a prey to feveral different enemies at one and the fame time. The port had ftripped her of Georgia, al- inoft of all ARMENIA, and part of aderbeitzan. The czar had made himfelf mafter of the weftern coaft of the Caspian, except sha- MAKiE, which was in the hands of the lesgees. Khorasan, kher- man, KANDAHAR, and the governments of Isfahan and shirass, were in the power of the Afghans or their alTociates. The authority of shah tjehmas was acknowledged only in mazanderan, astrabad, and fome few places of irac agemi. The reft of the provinces which had not openly revolted, either defplfed the orders of this prince, or formed independent armies, which attacked indifcriminately the Russians, the TURKS, and the Afghans. Thefe troubles foon reached fome of the provinces lately conquered by the turks. The fovereign^ of the lesgees, who had put himfelf under the protedion of the port, {hook off this new yoke, and attacked hahdgee daoud, who held shamakie under the ottoman domi- F f 2 nion, y OUSMAI. 228 THE REIGN OF Part VIII. 1725. nion. The province of shirvan was thus divided between thefe two parties, and the shemkall, who had fubmitted to the authority of the RUSSIAN emperor, pillaged at large. Whilft the LESGEES gave proof of their inconftancy, the Janillaries of the f^arrifon of erivan, mutinied againfl arifi achmed. In confe- quence of this revolt, they plundered his palace, and the grand fignior's chert. This general was wounded in the fray, and faved himfelf by flight. This inrurre and leaving his baggage and artillery behind him, he retired to kher- mansha. The AFGHAN prince did not Interrupt his march : it was not his defign to demolifh an army which might be eafily replaced, but to baffle the projects of the port, by increafing the repugnance which the Turkish nation in general fhewed to this war. The fame religious zeal, which has ever created fuch bloody contefts between the turks and the Per- sians, was now a reafon not to fight with the Afghans. Ashreff ac- companied rather than purfued them as far as the walls of this city. But not fatisfied with having defeated his enemies, and driven them from his frontiers, which was ading merely on the defenfive, he ufed otiier gentle expedients to difarm them. He was no fooner arrived near khermansha, than this artful Afghan fent deputies to acHxMED basha, who, upon the approach of the per- VoL. Ill, 1 i si^^^^ 2^0 THE REIGN OF Part VIII. 1726. siAN army, retired with his fcattered forces towards bagdat. Inftead of propofing'a negotiation, as was expeded, thefe deputies declared to him pubhcly to this effcdl : *' It is the opinion of our fovereign ashreff, that " the fpeilb taken from people of the fame religion, cannot be kept as a " fair booty : as he is pofTelTed of his dommions as a lawful prince, he ** does not think fit to ad as a robber, by detaining the property of his " brethren ; for which reaibii he has commiflioned us to acquaint you, *' th-.it you may fend for your treafure and baggage, and, except arms, in " general for whatever your troops left in their camp." To thl.s a(5l of generollty, ASHREFF added that of returning the prifoners he had taken. Doubtlcfs this prince intended to create friends of people, whom he had no further reafon to fear, at leaft in the prefent campaign. The TURKS were the more affecfled with it, as they had other troubles upon their hands. The death of peter the great, had not been at- tended with any of thofe changes, which they expelled. This monarch's Lfl will, fupported by the grandees, and by tiie wijule army, eftablifhed the emprefs catharine on the throne without any competition. Vach- tanga, the GEORGIAN priucc, who was driven from tfflis, and re- tired to ST. PETERSBURG, WaS UOW fcut tO ASTRACHAN. Tile RUSSIAN emprefs being affronted at the little regard which the port Ihewed to the reprefentations of her minifters, required of this prince to take up his refidence in that city, in the neighbourhood of his own country. This circumftance, joined to the inconflancy of the Georgians, alarmed the TURKS. Sultan deli, a nephew of the khan of the grim tartars, now headed a body of male-contents, and gathered new flrength and courage, by a great number of Circassians and other tartars, whom he drew to his ftandard. The reputation of his arms, and the defire of plunder, had lately tempted them to make an expedition towards azoph, from whence they returned loaded with fpoils, before the khan had time to oppofe them. In the mean time, things continued in fome confufion on the weftern coall oi the Caspian sea. Prince dolgoruki made no progrefs on the 2 iidc Chap. XXXVTIL SULTAN ASHREFF. 2^1 fide of SHIRVAN : the llsgees were mafters of great part of that pro- 1726. vince, and were intereft^d to oppofe the intended partition j fo that the RUSSIAN and Turkish deputies had no opportunity to execute their com- miiTion. Towards the fouth, the arabs, naturally fierce and impatient of any foreign yoke, would not fubmit without the utmofl reludlancy. The title of coraish, which ashreff alTamed, joined to the defire of novelty, might engage them in that prince's party ; and with fuch affift- ance he might eaijiy become mauer of mecca and Medina, and caufe himfelf to be proclaimed head of the mahommedans °. The troubles which had lately broke out in egypt, were net intirely pacified. The court endeavoured to infinuate for fome time, that ashreff had em- braced the religion of the Persians ^ but this artifice was eafily ktii tliro' by the people. A war, undertaken againft a nation of the fame faith, was confidered as odious and unlawful ; and the moft zealous at- tributed the lofs of the battle to the divine juftice, which had confounded the temerity of thofe who oppofed the propagation of the faith, by de- claring againil the defliroyers of the monarchy of the schias. Under fuch circumflances, a perfon of lefs efteem than achmed bashaw might have had the difafter imputed to his mifcondudl, and, according to the ufual policy of eaftern countries, under this pretence been facrificed to the public refentment. But this general was the fon of a man, whofe head the port had demanded feveral times to no purpofe 5 and they were now to behave tov/ards him with deference, that he might not declare in favour of ashreff, by which means he might aiTume an independent fovereignty in this province. The republic of Venice had not forgot her rights to the more a, nor the emperor of the Romans his to Bosnia : this prince, ah'eady dilfatis- fied with the algeri.,es, who had taken one of the fhips helonffin? to the east INDIA company of ostend, was not only in peace with all EUROPE, but alfo clofely connedied with the Russians. With regard to shah t^hmas, they did not treat him with fuch eontempt, as to negled: demanding of him the ceffion of the provinces I i 2 ' they ° Imam, 2^2 THE REIGN OF Part VIII. J726. they had conquered ; yet all the abihties of mustafa EFFENri, could not prevail on him to agree to the conditions propofed. So that the TURKS, tho' mafters of great armies, and ftrongly inclined to reduce PERSIA to their obedience, law themielves in danger of being forced to relinquifli this favourite objedt. The "rand fignior, fenfibly difgufted at his late difgrace, opened his treafures, and employed all his miniflers in making difpofitions for the next campaign. They embarked tvv^elve thoufand men at alexan- DRETTA. Six thoufand men of eydin received orders to join them, as alfo a body of troops drawn from the {landing forces of egypt : and concluding there was better reafon to depend on chriftian fubjeds, who could not be worked upon by the artful infinuations of ashreff, they ordered the basha of nissa, with twenty thoufand Albanians, and the BASHA of BOSNIA, with ten thoufand Bosnians, to take the fame j^^y. rout towards Persia. The beginning of afril this year, ten men of war were alfo fent to salonica for freih reinforcements. Thefe powerful fuccours were fent to achmed basha. The winter had pafl'ed without any adtion worth notice, except that of savi mus- tafa, who marched out of ganja, of which town he was governor, and difpcrfed the Armenians in the neighbourhood of shamakie. Thefe people, laying hold of the prefent circumflances, formed them- felves into a kind of republic, which, as we have mentioned, diftin- guiihed itfelf by the total defeat of a body of fix thoufand men, whom abdallah basha had fent againft them the preceding fummer. It was not long before they had their revenge alfo of the governor of ganja. It was their cuftom to aflemble in great numbers during Eafter, in a plain in that neighbourhood. Having received intelligence that the turks, who could not purfue them into their mountains, had formed a defign to furprize them on this occafion, they took their meafures, and not only defended thcmfelves, but alfo drew the Turks into their defiles, where they obtained an eafy vi(5tory over them. Ashreff faw that the ottoman court meditated his ruin ; and tho' be had kept the field, and obtained a vidory in the laft campaign, he Irad Chap. XXXVIIL SULTAN ASHREFF. 253 Iiad hardly any other fupport than his own abilities to maintain himfelf upon the throne. His great point was to increafe his reputation for piety and religion. With this defign he obliged his miniflers and principal offi- cers to give him an exa(5t account of their condudt and adminiftration : at the fame time, to demonftrate how much he meant to govern as a juft prince, he fent to all his governors and great officers, a^detail of his raili' tary operations, and of the manner in which he had governed fince his acceffion to the throne. This piece of policy was lefs neceflary than he imagined. The vafl preparations, which feemed to threaten his utter deftruction, vanifhed of themfelves. The new raifed troops in turkey, who had been deceived with ref^ard to the place to which they were at firft ordered to march, ob- ftinately refufed to pafs the frontiers of the empire. The defertion was fa much the greater, as the apprehenlion of a general infurrec^ion fecured them from punifhment. The people and the foldiers murmured alike againfl a war, which their honeft, tho' fuperftitious, prejudices, taught them to look upon as unjuft and impious. The port, alarmed at an oppofition which defeated her projeds, did- not hefitate long upon what meafures to take. She difpatched orders to the SERASKIER, ACHMED BASH A, to cutcr as foou as poffible into a. ne- gotiation, and to conclude a peace with ashreff on the moll honourable conditions he could obtain. How preffing foever thefe orders were, achmed was in no hurry to comply with them. This general having received freili fuccours from, the KOURDS and Arabs, had formed an army of 60,000 men; with thefe he hoped to repair his lofs in the laft campaign, the difgrace of which could not be imputed to him. The temper af this general was too well known by the Turkish mmiflers, to depend on an abfolute compli- ance on his fide. Therefore they fent richidi effendi, a man of abih- ^'ties and experience in bufmefs; he arrived in September at the army, which had already entered the plain of hamadan. Achmed basha had at leaft the fatisfadion of treating at the head of a numerous body of forces. 3 ^^^^ 254 THE REIGN OF Part VIII. J 727. The AFGHAN army was not far off, when the bash A fent to zoula, prime-minifter and general of ashreff's troops, that now was the time to decide their quarrel j therefore he had only to accept of the conditions which he was commillioned to propofe to him, or he muft prepare for battle ; when he hoped to (hew what an ottoman general, at the head of a faithful army, was capable of performing. This blunt manner of opening the conferences, contributed to haften the conclufion of a peace, now become equally acceptable to both parties. The negotiation being referred to men of abilities and moderation, to- wards the beginning of October a treaty of peace was at length figned in the camp of hamadan. The articles were as follows : I. The grand fignior fliall be acknowledged head of the muflulmen, and the true fuccelTor of the Caliphs. II. In this quality, the public prayer p fliall be made in his name throughout all Persia. III. The provinces, cities, and towns, which he polTefTes in Persia, fliall be ceded to him in perpetuity. IV. He fliall re-enter into polTefllon of chusistan, retaken from him during the war. V. He fhall take pofT^fllon, and hold in like manner, the cities of ZENGAN, sultanie, ebher, Tu^hiran, and their dependancies. VI. The artillery, arms, and ftandards, taken from the ottoman army in 1726, fliall be reftored, VII. Ashreff fliall be acknowledged by the grand fignior as lawful fovereign of the kingdom of Persia. VIII. He fliall be named as fuch after the grand fignior in the public prayers, and fliall coin money in his own name. IX. He ^ * Khotbah. Chap. XXXVIII. SULTAN ASHREFF. 255 IX. He fliall appoint an emir hahdgee to conduit the Persian ca- 1727. ravan, which goes every year in pilgrimage to mecca^. This ca- ravan fhall, according to cuftom, take the roid of bagdat ; and the governor of that city {hall not have a power, as formerly, to appoint a chief over it -, nor ihall it be fubjedt to the authority of any of the grand fignior's officers. The treaty being ratified on both fides, the peace was proclaimed by circular letters through the ottoman empire ^ and the grand fignior, by a folemn embafiy, acknowledged ashreff as the lawful fovereign of PERSIA. ^ This cuftom, as I have obferved, had been difgontinued by the Persians, though the sunn 13 irake a point of it. The END of the third volume* An HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE BRITISH TRAD OVER THE CASPIAN s W I T H T H E Revolutions of Persia. V O L. IV. THE REVOLUTIONS O F P E R S I A: Containing the HISTORY Of the celebrated usurper NADIR KOULI, F R O M H I S BIRTH in 1687, 'till his DEATH in 1747. To which are added, Some particulars of the unfortunate reign of his fiicceflbr ADIL SHAH. VOL. II. By JONAS HANWAY, Merchant. LONDON. Sold by Mr. D o d s L E Y, in Pall-mall ; Mr. N o u R s e, Mr. Millar, Mr. Va i l l a n t, and Mr. Pat t e r s o n, in the Strand ; Mr. Wa ugh, in Lombard-Street ; and Mr, Wi L L c K, in Cornhill. m dcc liii. A Walker delin 'etSadf. To the RIGHT HONOURABLE JOHN EARL of HYNDFORD,. Vifcount iNGLESBURY, and grange, Lord CARMICHAELL of CARMICHAELL5 Knight of the mofi: ancient order of the thistle, one of the' lords of his majesty's bed-chamber, lord-lieutenant, and principal flieriff of the county of Lanark, one of his majesty's moft honourable priv^y-council, and one of the lords ot the Dolice in Scotland. Mr L0RD5 THE protedlion I received under your lordship's mi- niftry at the Russian court, authorifes this teftimony of my gratitude. The countenance of perfons in your lord- ship's "^'1 DEDICATION. ship's high ftation, is a circumftance which ought to afford plealure in the refledlion ; particularly when providence has profpered our labours abroad, and enabled us to return to our native country, there to live under the happy govern- ment of that good prince, whom your lordship fo wor- thily reprcfented. The firft part of this work gives an account of fome points of moment to the commerce of this nation, which fell within the compafs of your lordship's miniftry. I was a witnefs then, and ftill have the fatisfadion to remember, with what zeal and attention your lordship endeavoured to fup- port the trade of this nation over the Caspian sea. This volume which I have now the honour to prefent to your lordship, is the refult of my enquiries in Persia. It contains the hiftory of great miHtary atchievments, and events that fcem to have excited the attention of the whole world : indeed the memory of them, will, to all appearance, be pre- ferved to the lateft pofterity. I am entirely fenfible that how glorious foever fuch atchievments may appear to vulgar apprehenfions, there can be nothing truly great, that is not confi-ftent with the laws of God, and the happinefs of fociety. The purfuits in which your lordship has been engaged, and the important negotiations you liave condudled, were calcu- lated to promote and prote6l liberty ; not to enflave or op- prcfs mankind. Thefc my lord have been the objedl of your DEDICATION. vu your care : in thefe you have been long exercifed with great honour and fuccefs ; and by thefe you have gained the affec- tion of foreign princes, as w^ell as of our ov^^n fovereign* PoHtenefs joined with dignity, a juft difeernment with an eafy addrefsj and a facility of expreiling the noblejft fenti- ments in the moft becoming language, are endowments uni- verially allowed to your lordship : fuch qualities have juftly recommended you to the efteem of that prince, who makes the welfare of his fubjedls the great end of his government May your lordship long enjoy, under his happy reign, all the pleafures and advantages which are due to your diftin- guifhed merit. I am, with great refped, My LORD^ Your lordship's moft obedient: humble fervant. Jonas Hanway, London, January, J 753. CONTENTS O F T H E FOURTH VOLUME. PART I. The birth and life of nadir kouli, from 1687, till his putting tjeh- MAS SHAH in pofTeffion of mesched in 1727. Chap. I. 'TT^ H£ name of the Persian ufurper, his birth ^ captivity, rohheries^ 1 and employment in the fervice of a beg, whom he murders \ he mar- ries the daughter of the deceafed, and retires into the mountains : his engagement in the fervice of the governor of K.noKASA'H : he commands an expedition againji the ousBEGs, acquires great honour, and is afterwards difgraced. page i II. Nadir retires to k^lat, and is well received by his uncle. From thence he re- treats into the mountains, where he forms a ftrong party, and robs for fever al years. 'The AFGHANS take Isfahan. Sef o din beg deferts shah t^hmas. Na- dir's uncle obtains a pardon for his nephew of the shah. Nadir's treacherous condu^ in feizing KJEL AT. He beats a Jlrong party of the AFGHAiiSy takes ni- chabur, and reinforces his army with 1000 men, 8 III. Nadir kouli hears of the dijlrefs of shah t^ehmas at farabad, dejires his pardon, and obtains it. He joins his forces with thofe under the command of fatly A LI KH an^, whom he afterwards kills, and acquires the fole command of the army. Hecondu5ls shah t^hmas to nichabur, and from thence to mesched. Shah TyEHMAs's devotion in that city. 14 PART II. From the recovery of the whole province of khorasan in 1728, to the expullion of sultan ashreff out of Isfahan in 1729. IV. Ti^LHMAS KOULI khan rcduccs khorasan and herat. He returns in triumph to MESCHED, with the head of the governor of herat. Shah txhmas fends an Vol. IV. b mbaffa-^ * Viz. FATEy ALI KHAN KHAJAK., X CONTENTS. embajfador to the ottoman court. The Turks fend suliman eff^ndi into Per- sia. AsHK-EYV dejlroys saiid achmed KHAN^o-j(?r»y the Persian army. The Persians revenge themfelves on the AFGHANS. Shah t^ehmas enters Isfahan, and gives his general tmh- MAS KOULI KHAN, the powsr of raiftng money. 30 PART III. From the total defeat of the Afghans in January 1730, till t^iimas KOULI KHAN is chofen king in March 1736. VI. Ashreff flops at shirass. T^hivias kouli khan marches and defeats the AFGHANS the i^th of January 1730. Flighty diflrefs^ and death of ashreff. TyEHM AS KOULI khan marches againfl the turks, and takes hamadan and TAVRis •, he makes a truce^ returns to her at, reduces that province^ and marches into khorasan. The shah marches to erivan, obtains fame advantages over the TURKS, and is afterwards defeated near the aras, and again ^/hamadan. ^7 VII. An account of the revolution in turkey. The grand vizir and feveral other great ofliicers put to death. Achmed III. dethroned. Mahommed advanced to the government. The extraordinary adventures of patron a kalil, chief of the re- bels. 44 VIII. Achmed basha of bagdat, negotiates a peace zvith the Persians in January 1732. T^hmas KOULI khan augmcnts his army in khorasan. He difap- proves of the peace with the turks, and enters into intrigues with his officers. He makes his f on governor of khorasan -, arrives at Isfahan in Augufl 1732, and endeavours to vindicate his conditB to the shah. 63 IX. KouLi KHAN feizes shah t^hmas. The infant abas elected king. Intrigues cf KOULI khan. T^.hmas shah temoved to sebsawar. The two fons of KOULI khan nominated to the principal governments. His manifeflo difclaiming the peace with the turks. Topal osm an basha appointed ferajkier of the Turkish army. Kouli khan marches to bagdat. ^9 Chap. CONTENTS. XI Chap. X. Defcription of bagdat. This city is hefteged. Hhe conduSi of kouli KHAN. The vigilance of ACHMED bash a. Straiagem of top al osmat. p. 180. 1. lo. injurou5, r. injurious, p. iS^. 1. 29. a heavier Wtight to the, r, tncre« p. 257. aotc, Caspian, X, akcuipsl ASo, p, 26;. 1.6, dele poor. [^1 VOL. IV. PART I. '.THE I R T H AND LIFE O F NADIR KOULI, From 1687, Till his putting T^HMAS SHAH IN possession of MESCHED in 1727. CHAP. I. The name of the Persian ufurper, his birth, captivity, robberies, and employ mejit in the fervice of a beg, whom he murders-, he marries the daughter of the deceafed, and retires into the mou72fains : his engage- ment in the fervice of the governor of khorasan : he co?}ima?ids an ex- pedition againft the ousbegs, acquires great honour, and is afterwards difgraced. TFIE Sovereign of the univerfe, who fixes the periods of empires, and reftrains the wild ambition of princes, had now prepared an inftrument of his vengeance to chaftife the Afghans, whofe cruelties had filled Persia with blood. Their triumphs drew near an end : the hour approached, in which the Persians were to take ample fa- tisfadlon for all the ravages committed by thofe ufurpers, from the death Vol. IV. A - of £ THE HISTORY OF Part I. ^'J'^'J' of GURGHiN KHAN *, to their invafion of Persia \ and for all the dread- ful calamities they had occafioned during that period ^. About this time appeared, with a more diilinguifhed eclat, nadir- KOULi, the hill:ory of u.'hofe life and actions will ever feem wonderful, becaufe they are really fo, and not the fidions of romance, or the flat- tery of panegyrilh : charaders like his, will excite the curiofity, and command the attention of pofterity, fo long as the lives of great men, and accounts of great actions, continue the objed of hiflorical enquiry. We fliall here find a man, whofe birth and beginning were fo obfcure, as with difficulty to be traced out ; conducing to an ilTue, with amazing refolution and fleadinefs, opportunities he had worked out for himfelf ; planning with deliberation and forefight, the fabrick of his future fortune^ and carrying his defigns into execution, with an unwearied application, till, like other mighty conquerors before him, he became terrible to asia, and the undoubted arbiter of the eail. He changed his name, as he changed the fituations of his fortune, which has occafioned fome per- plexity: his real name was nadir koul, or nadir kouli ^ Nadir, both in the Turkish and Persian languages, fignifies wonderful j which epithet is ufed by the mahommedans to defign the particular attribute of the deity, as we ordinarily iliy the Almighty ; tho' the ufe and cuflom of PERSIA gives it to people of the lowcft rank of life. When shah X^hmas made him a khan % as we fhall have occaflon to relate, he ho- noured him with the addition of his own name 3 and this laft is one of the higheft dignities that can be beflowed by the monarchs of Persia. He was then t^hmas kouli khan*^; and tho' koul fignifies a flave, in this fenfe it is the higheft badge of honour in the eaft. Afterwards, when he became the fovereign of Persia, he reafiAimed his name nadir, with the addition of shah^j tho* as he mull be ever confidered as an wfurper, the name by which he has been mofl known, and probably \^cilI » In 1709. * In 17^2. ' Till 1727. '' Koul, in Turkish, is a flave ; anJ w A D 1 K K.OU L I, figniriei the flave of the wonderfjl : for the idiom of the language fixej the genitive ©n the antecedent noun, fo that inflead of nadjri koul, they fay nadir kouli. * Noble or chieftain. ^ Which fignifies the lord, who is a flave ofTAMMAs. « Nadir sua h,, m NADIR the kirg. Chap. I. NADIR SHAH. will continue to be known, to pofterity in Europe, Is tjeamas^ kotjli KHAN. Though authors feem at length agreed about his original name, theif accounts differ in feme particulars with regard to his birth, his family, and firf!" appearance in life. As to himfelf, he fometimes boafted of the mean- nefs'of his extradion; at others, policy or caprice induced him to claim a relation to ginghiz khan, the great Turkoman conqueror, and alfo to TAMERLANE. I havc uot yet feen any account fo fatisfadory and confident, as wiiat I received in Persia ; and I am the more inclined to acquiefce in it, becaufe, tho' there are very few reports of thuigs, in which the Persians agree \ yet in the circumftinces I am now about to relate, people of the moft underftanding, and of the beft intelligence, unanimoufly concurred. According to thefe accounts, nadir was born in the year 1687, at a village, or more probably in a tent, a few days journey ^ to the fouth-eafl of MESCHED, not far from kjelatK He was defcended from the af- SHARs, who are a tribe of tartars, and fubjedls of Persia: they live for the moft part by hulbandry, and fupply the Persians with horfes and cattle. The name of nadir's father was imam kouli, whofe fitua- tion of life was fuch, that he earned his bread by making caps and flieep- ikin coats, which is the apparel of the lowefl of the common people in PERSIA. Nadir himfelf was bred up to no other employment than that of a fhepherd, and being only thirteen years of age when imam kouli died, h^ was left in fo poor a condition, that he was obliged to gather flicks in the woods, for the fupport of himfelf and his mother, and carry them to market on an afs and a camel ", which were his only patrimony. It ' This orthography feems mofl agreeable to the pbrsian pronunciation: but this, as well ae other ORIENTAL words, are varioufly wrote by different authors, as tama?, tahmas, &c. ' Whether it has been from this cauie, or that few people have travelled in persia, I find the fe- veral accounts which have been written of t^hvias kouli khan, are, for the moft part, very erro- neous ; fo that in the profecution of this work, I fliall chufe rather not to fay all that I have heard, than to advance any thing, of the truth of which I am in the leaft diffident. ■= A Jay's journey is commonly reckoned 24 miles. ' I do not find this place in the maps ; but I (hall have frequent occafion to mention it as a flrong hold, and the repofitory of the treafure taken from the moghols. "> Jr. p. oof or" this I was told an anecdote, pretty remarkable, and much to his honour. After he was exxihed to tiie throne airf"-'ibvereignty of persia, a perfon xataed saidar, who had been his A 2 companion 68 :¥' 4 THE HISTORY OF Parti. It is recorded of him, that when he was returning in triumph from his conqueft of india, he happened to pafs near the place of his nativity, where he made a fet fpeech to his chief captains, in which he related iii: what manner he had puffed the early part of his life; and, in particular^ mentioned the feeding his father's camel, concluding to this effedt : " You *' now fee, to what a height it has plei.fed the Almighty to exalt me; " from hence learn not to defpife men of low eftate/' I70J.. About the year 1704, when he was 17 or 18 years of age, the ousbeg TARTARS made an irruption into khorasan, where they put many of the inhabitants to the fword, and carried others into flavery ; among the lafl; were nadir kouli and his mother: fhe died in captivity, but he 1708. made his efcape in 1708, and returned to khorasan. From this time we hear no more of him, till with fome of his companions he robbed a flock of flieep"; the money which this produced, enabled him to retire into the mountains: however, we do not find that he continued the pro- J -12. feffion of a robber for any length of time, but entered into the fervice of a BEG, by whom he was employed as a courier. He was once charged with difpatches of importance to the Persian court at Isfahan, and fent in company with another courier, as is frequently pradtifed in Per- sia. Whether nadir was ambitious of being the fole carrier of thefe difpatches ; or whether his fellow-courier did not travel faft enough ; or for fome other fecret reafon, he killed him. After his arrival at Isfa- han, he told his ilory fo well, that he procured admittance to the miniflers companion and fcllow-labourer in ranging the woods, was created a khan, and granted the privilege of wearing the black heron's feathers on the left fide : this is one of the highclt marks of favour m rERsiA, for their kings wear tliefe plumes upon the right, as a badge of their fovercignty. This man died at kislar, on an embaffy to Russia. Nadir, upon conferring thofe honours upon him, (poke thefe words, " Do not grow proud, but remember the afs, and the picking of llicks." And /o late as 1745, kelbk beg, a yurbalhi or captain, declared, that nadir kouli, having formerly borrowed of him 50 batmans of wheat, which is about the value ot thirty fhlilings of our money, he had often importuned both nadir kouli and his brother, who was afterwards ibuahim khan, for payment of it ; and that at length they did repay him thirty batmans of the Jifty. What is ilill rr.ore remarkable, and more convincing of the truth; after he alc.ndcd the throne of Persia, he took notice of this incident in a public manner, and reproached kelek beg for his unmerciful im- portunity, but did not pay the ballance of this debt of poverty, nor take any further notice of the man. " Not of his father's, as fome writers mention, for he was already c^#d ; nor do we iind (.tho' his BDcle Blight be in better circuinftances) that his father was ever maftcr of a flock of fheep. 2 Chap. I. -^NADIRSHAH. ^ minifters of shah sultan hussein, to whom he affigned fuch plaufible 171*2'. reafons for his condud on the road, that he was not only acquitted, but received prefcnts, and was fent back with anfwers to the letters he had brought. His mafter, however, received him with fuch a countenance, as gave reafon to fufpect that he meditated his deftrudion. Nadir per- ceiving this, refoived to kill his mafter ; to which he was the more in- duced, from a violent paffion he had conceived for his daughter, whom he had demanded in marriage, but was refufed. After the murder was perpetrated, he took the lady away, and retired into the mountains. One effed: of this enterprize was the birth of riza kouli myrza, whofe genius and difpofition had fo great a refemblance with his father's. This defperate action having acquired him a reputation for courage, fome of the domeftics of his late mafter, the beg, joined him, and they became robbers : in this flation they continued for fome time, as favourable op- portunities occurred. Nadir at length offered his ferviceto babulu khan governor of khorasan °, by whom he was accepted in the capacity of a gentleman ufher p. It may feem llrange, that a chief of a gang of free-bo©ters, fhould be re- 1714^ ceived into the family of a governor of a province, and have an honourable office beftowed on him. But this will not appear fuch a matter of furprize, if-we confider the great extent of country, and that nadir's robberies were for the moft part in mazanderan, which is three or four Imndred miles diftant from mescheD} add to this, that a man of perfonal ftrength and bravery generally meets with a favourable reception in Persia, without be- ing much queftioned concerning his manner of life. Befides, the revolt of MIR vais had alarmed the eailern provinces, as it gave occafion for the tartars to make frequent inroads 5 fo that men of a promifing figure, or • He had alfo the title of eegler beg, or lord of lords. Thefe I have had occafion to ex- |5lain ; there are not above three or four in tlie empire ; of whom one is alvvays fixed 'in khora- san : this province has been geriCrally conf.dered as a kingdom, and the government given to the .king's fpn, or nearefl relation : feme ages are pad fince a vvJ! was built along this frontier, to pre- vent tte incurfionof the I ARTARs, of which there are rtill fome reuains ; but shah abas the great removed feveral thoufand families from other provinces, and brought them hither, alledging that a wall of ilclh was the mofl eu'ectual b.ir;ier againft an entmy ; and nadir after this example fxed feveral families of jews and christians, as well ai mahommedams, in mesched, to fome of v/hom he lent money to trad-;, to others lands were afligned to cultivate. p Esik agassi. fr THE HISTORY OF Part L 17 14. or remarkable for their galkini Uhaviour,- were fure of being acceptable; and thus we may reconcile tL. oadiiQ. of the governor of khorasan. The PERSIANS are all fupp^jfed to be foldiers upon occafion^ and it may be prefumed, that nadir's reputation for courage and great perfonal flrength, were recommendations mope prevalent than virtue, or any polite accomplifliment. But without being bred at court, from the flrength of his own o-enius and difcernment, he was a mafter of the arts of addrefs, and havin"" a mind unreflraincd by any moral confideration, he inlinuated himfelf into the affedions of thofe, whom he afterwards made no fcruple to deftroy. He behaved fo well in this new fervice, that he won the heart of his mafter j and, under the fpecious pretence of defiring to pleafe, he concealed his ambition. The fatisfadion he exprelTed in his prefent fituation, induced his companions to believe, that to be faithful in the caufe he efpoufed, was the virtue he afpired at moft j however, he af- fedted a particular zeal for fome, whilfl he fliewed' a coldnefs for others, as they feemed more or lefs inclined to pleafe him. 17 17. The diilreffes'' of Persia iacreafing, he had not been long in the fer- vice of BABULU KHAN, before a command in the army was given him, in which he behaved with great intrepidity, in feveral fkirmifhes with the TARTARS of KHiRVA and BOKHARA, who frequently made inroads on 2719. the frontiers of khorasan. ezadallah being already mafler of he- rat, and the kourds in the weft making incurfions into irac acemij thefe tartars ', who are generally called ousbegs^, came this year in a body of above 10,000 men, and began to lay wafte the moft fertile plains of khorasan, plundering the inhabitants, and carrying many thoufands into captivity. In this emergency babulu khan colledled all his forces, which did not exceed 6000 men, and of thefe part were infantry. His officers (hewed a reluftance to try their fortune with fo unequal a force, againft a people of fuch known bravery as the tartars. Nadir kouli, however, had different fentiments of the matter, and from his experience of the valour of the khan's troops, he offered liis fervice to march at their head againft thefe ravagers j declaring at the fame time, that he would en- gage ^ See Vol. TFT. pngc 62, (^3, ^c. ' Of indepcndant tart Any. » This word we have mentiontd to fi^iiify free and indepcndant. Chap. I. ' NADIR SHAH. gage his life upon the event. Nadir's military virtues were evidently fu- perior to thofe of the officers about the khan, though he was not then above 3 3 years of age. The khan was fo fenfible of this, that he had al- ready given him the command of 1000 ' ; and not having the leaft doubt of his fidelity^ he accepted the offer, and conferred upon him the command of his troops, during the intended expedition, whllft himfelf remained in the city, to keep good order, and prevent the inhabitants from following the example of thofe of herat, who had revolted three years before. Several of the OiBcers refufed to a<5t under this new general, but their place was foon fupplied by others, whom nadir approved of. The ousBEGS were already advanced to the banks of the river tedjen, within a few days march of mesched. Nadir having with great appli- cation provided what was neceflary for the expedition, marched at the head of his troops in. fearch of the enemy, who were pillaging at large 3 how- ever, the news of the approach of a Persian army brought them toge- ther, and they prepared for battle 3 their numbers being almofl double to thofe under nadir's command. We have no particular account of this action, but in general terms, that the tartars, according to their ordi- nary cuftom, charged with great fury. Nadir having feleded a proper ground, and encouraged his men, ftood the fliock; and when the tar- tars by their own impetuofity were in fome diforder, the Persian troops made a general difcharge of their fire-arms, then falling on with their fabres and battle-axes, put them to flight, deftroying near 3000, and re- taking all their plunder and captives, which were very coniiderable. Nadir, elated with this his firil victory, returned in triumph to mes- ched, where he was received with great expreflions of joy. The fire of his ambition now began to blaze, nor could he fupprefs the confciouf- nefs of his fervices, but demanded to be confirmed in his ofiice of general, under the command of babulu khan : this governor affured him that he would write to court in his favour, and that nothing fliould be wanting on » Commanders of looo are called mim bashis. As few readers can retain a remembrance of the explanation of Persian words, I ihall avoid them as much as poffible ; but when they neceffarily occur, 1 fhall occafionally mention their fignification, tho' the fame words fhould have been already explained in other parts of this work. 719. S THE HISTORY OP^ Part L on his part, to reward his merit. Whether it was ftiat babulu khan did not a and with a ferocity peculiar to him, made no fcruple to declare his opinion, that the khan had not aded as a man of honour. This infolent behaviour obli- ged the governor to alter his con,dud j fo that from tlie highefl com- mendations of nadir's valour, he condemned him to be beaten, in the fevered manner, on the foles of his feet ^ What contributed to this dif- grace, was the envy of nadir's abilities as a foldier, among feveral offi- cers of diflin(ftion in the Persian troops. It is eafy to imagine that a man of fo imperious a fpirit, could but ill brook fuch indignities ; he therefore retired from mesched to feek fome new adventure. CHAP. II. Nadir retires to k^lat, a?id is well received by his wide. From thence he retreats to the mowitains^ where he forms a Jirong part\\ and robs for feveral years. The Afghans take Isfahan. Sef o din beg defer ts shah t^hmas. Nadir'j uncle obtains a pardon for his nephew of the SHAH. Nadir'j treacherous conduSl infeizitig kjelat 3 he beats a Jirong party of the Afghans, takes nichabur, and rei?2forces his army with 1000 tnen. 1719. "^^ T A D I R being thus turned loofe into the world, applied his thoughts i_ HI immediately how to retrieve his fortunes, and do himfelf that jullice, which he could not obtain of babulu khan. His uncle", a chief ' This is common to pcrfons of the higheft rank in Persia. Sec Yo\ I. page 256. " It may perhaps feem ftrangc, that n adir's father Hiould have been a cap-maker, and Im uncle chief of a Chap. II. NADIR SHAH. ^ o chief of one of the tribes of the afshars, commanded at k^elat, a 171Q. ftrong hold, about ten days journey irom mesched : to him he applied, and complained of the hard treatment he had met with in the king's fervice. His uncle entertained him for fome time, till by his intrigues he began to difcover ambitious defigns -, and nadir thus becoming an objeo Nadir having thus removed the bar to his ambition, as a reward for ^ " this fi(>nal fervice was conflituted a khan % and had the command of the whole army given him : he now began to difplay all the talents of an able minifter and a great general, fo that t^ehmas trufted entirely to his con- dud. He was a mafler of the art of improving advantages, and knew that his fecurity, as well as the future advancement of his fortune, de- pended on that army, of which he was now the chief. As one of his peculiar charaderiftics was a piercing knowledge of men j he foon re- folved which officers to difcharge, and whom to put in their place : he gained the affedions of the common foldiers by an unwearied attention to every circumftance that could tend to the promotion of their intereft, par- ticularly with regard to their being paid pundually, and buying their cloaths at an eafy price. His fnil care was to engage his. mafter to march his army into khorasan, where he allured him the inhabitants were ready to take up arms againft the common enemy. The proper meafures being taken to fecure the pafs of banrahad, the army marched towards nichabur, the king himfelf commanding in per- fon. Ttehm AS made his entrance there the 15th of iMay j on which occafion the inhabitants proclaimed their joy in the fincereft manner. Their wiflicr, fecmed to prefage his reftoration, which they were the more inclined to believe, from the pleafure they received in being the firft city that was re- lieved « This made him nadirkoulikiian, but \vc do not find him called by that name, bccaufe he (bon alterwards was honoured with the name of ihc shah, and was called r.a.HM as kouli khan. o. €hap.m. NADIR SHAH. . ,p lieved from the yoke of the Afghans, at a time when they leafl expeded lytS, fo happy an event. It was an acceffion to their joy, that this revokition was brought about by a perfon whom they had confidered only as a robber and whofe power as fuch they dreaded equally with that of the Afghans- but who was now verifying the aiTurances he had given them a few montJis before, that he meant to reftore the Persian diadem to the true heir of SHAH sultan HUSSEIN. The AFGHANS in tliofe parts, diflieartened by the great lofs they had fuffered in the affair of banrahad, and unable to recruit, retired from the neighbourhood of nichabur, without attempt- ing to fuccour their ally meluck maghmud, governor of mesched. Under thefe circumftances, nadir found no difficulty to augment the shah's army 5 the anxious wiflies of the people, to fee themfelves free from the yoke of the Apr hans, and their defire of eftablifliing their law- ful fovereign, foon brought a flrong reinforcement, fo that this general was now at the head of near 18,000 men, a larger army than had for a long time appeared in thofe parts. Nadir was impatient under every unneceflary delay, and prepared immediately to march with all his forces againft the abdollees, who under the command of meluck maghmud, had taken pofTefTion of mes- ched : they no fooner heard of the defeat of the Afghans in the defile of banrahad, and that shah t^ehmas had entered khorasan with a numerous army, than they began to prepare for a defence. But mesched being a place of little or no ftrength, and the inhabitants intirely averfe to the rebel government, they retired from that city ; fo that when nadir arrived there with his troops, the shah made a triumphant entrance, without effufion of blood. The citizens, delivered from opprcfiion, re- ceived TiEHMAS with the higheft demonfcrations of joy i and nadir, who was perfonally known in that city, where babulu khan had fome year^ before treated him with great indignity, was now loaded with honours. The prefent fituation of t^hmas's affairs, rendered him incapable of making his acknowledgments to nadir in a pecuniary way; yet he was in the highefl degree prodigal of his authority, as if he already meant to conflitute him his fovereign, rather than his general. And as the C 2 highefl i7-« 20 THE HISTORY, Sec. Part L higheft mark of dignity which he could confer on him, according to the cuftom of the Persian kings, was to give him his own name, from hence forward he ordered him to be called x^i^HMAS kouli kh^^n^j by which name we fliall diflinguifli him, till he wrefled the diadem from his mafler.. TiEHMAS thus lavifh of his favours, may be fuppofed to have aded upon principles of gratitude, as men of probity are generally inclined to^ think this a duty 5 but where the expreffion of this virtue is alfo an ho- nour conferred on him who receives it, nothing can be more reafonable,. than to exped a fuitable return. However, he feemed to be ignorant,, that when princes have nothing left to beftow, they feldom receive any return for thofe favours they have already conferred 5 nor is it Grange that it ihould fo happen with regard to princes, when we find it fo al- mofl: every day in common life. This prince, who partook much of the genius of his father, with re- gard to the religious turn of his mind, rejoiced at fo favourable an op- portunity of paying his devotion at the tomb of imam ^ riza -, for it had been long obferved as a duty of the kings of Persia ^, to make a pilgri- mage once in their life-time to this tomb, as the turks do to mecca and MEDINA. And the perils which he had gone through fmce the battle of gulnabad, with his providential restoration, by means of his genei'al T/EHMAS kouli KHAN, naturally infpired his mind witli a deeper fenfe of gratitude to heaven, PART <■ Some authors mention this event after the battle of d amgoon the next year ; but it is probabL- that >.e might now have a double motive befides that of gratitude, as gcnerofity, or policy, to make his r,;;;r,e kr.o\vn in that of the general ; which, if we judge from the event, was however a very falfe policy, « One of their prophets or chief expounders of their religion. ^ Shah abas the great, who was an able politician, as well as a great foldicr, obferving that the Persians carried great wcaltli out efh's country every year in their pilgrimages to mahommed's tomb, employed all his art to rcllorc tile reputation of i » a m riza; and not only difcredited the notion of going out of their own country upon fo long a journey, which in forae meafure was interdiding thefe pilgrimages, but knowing th:u his people had, as is indeed common among chrillians, a fond inclination to afcribe a more peculiar fanc- tiry to fome particular place ; in order to (hew thcra an example, he caufed a very magnificent mofqu^ to be buih on the tomb of this prophet at mesched, and made the pilgrimage himfelf wiih all his court. By thus (hewing an example, mescheu became a place of great rt-rort, and journeys to ARABIA were out of faftiion. The kings his fuccelTors made it a law to thcmlclves, to begin their reign by a pilgrimage to this tomb ; and in procefs of time, it was very rare for any Persian of tl/c fcft of A LI :o make the pilgrimage of mecca or miuina. [ 21 ] PART II. FROM THE Recovers of the whole province of KHORxA.SAN IN 1728, TOT H E ExpuLsioi^ OF SULTAN ASHREFF out of ISFAHAN IN 1729. CHAP. IV. TyEHMAS KOULI KHAN rcdiiccs KHORASAN and HERAT. He rettims i?z triumph to mesched, with the head of the governor of her at. Shah T.£HMAS fends an embafddor to the ottoman court. The Turks fend SULIMAN EFFENDI into PERSIA. AsHREFF defroys SAIID ACHMED KHAN governor ip/^kherman, and prepares to attack t^hmas shah.. AsHREFF marches to damgoon, and is defeated-^ he retreats to Isfa- han, and encamps his trooops at mourtchakhor. 'HILST T^.HMAS SHAH was oiFering up his prayers to the i-28< deity, t^hmas kouli khan prefented incenfe to his idols of ambition and military glory, the only deities he feemed to reverence. Reafons of policy might jaftly induce t.£hmas shah to re- main in mesched, till his army (liould be in a condition to march towards ISFAHAN : and it was natural for his general t^hmas kouli khan, to re- commend this ftep, as it left him at liberty to adl with the more bound- lefs authority in the army. The country of khorasan was well knowa to him in every part, in confequence of the many excurfions he had made^ as an officer in the army, as well as the chief of a band of robbers. The beginning 22 THE HISTORY OF Part H, 1728. beginning of this year he marched at the head of a confiderable body of forces, to reduce the other cities and towns of the province, which had revolted, and eilabUlhed an independent government, or fubmitted to the AFGHANS. The news of shah T/EHMas having entered mesched in triumpji, where he now took up his refidence, facilitated the enterprizes of t^.hmas kouli KHAN ; (o that the greatefl part of the towns and villages fent deputations, and profeiTed themfelves entirely devoted to the intereft of their lawful fovereign. Before this year was ended, we find all the vail: country of KHORASAN fubjcdled, and the Afghans obliged to retire, without daring to give battle. Nadir returned to mesched, not fo much out of incli- nation, as to make an appearance of refped: for his mafter, and to con- fult about the future operations of the war. It was about ten years fince the inhabitants of Herat, which is near the frontiers of khorasan, had in confequence of the vidory obtained by the young EZADALLAH, fhaken off the Persian yoke, and ereded them- felves into a kind of republic*, together with the whole province of that name. It does not appear, that this young ufurper yet remained in that government, which he had been the great inflrument of forming, tho' he had for fome time maintained the chief office in it. It is certain, however, that this republic became formidable to the neighbouring country, and was at this very time meditating the invafion of khorasan : but the fuccefs which t^.hmas KOULI khan had againfl the Afghans at nichabur, and afterwards through the whole province of khorasan, put a bar to the execution of their projed:. Talhmas kouli khan having reprefentcd to the shah, the facility with which he could reduce her at, obtained a permiffion to march to that province, with about 12000 men: he no fooner encamped under the walls of the city, than the inhabitants naturally inconflant, and diffi- dent of their ability to oppofe the fortune and valour of t.chmas kouli khan, fubmitted to him, and delivered up their chief, together with the garrifon. ' It is prefumcd, as they were in alliance with the Afghans, whofc feat of empire was isf-a- HAN, and that thcABDOLLKEsof HERAT wcrc in fome mcafure tributary to them. Chap. IV. KADIR SHAH. 2j garnron\ The Persian general having caufed the former to be be- 1728, headed, left a garrifon in herat -, he treated the inhabitants with fo ju- dicious a mixture of mildnefs and feverity, according to their different circumftances, that he feemed to have fecured their allegiance; he then prepared to march back to mesched, agreeably to the orders he had re- ceived from the shah. Being returned vidiorious, v^^ith the head of the late governor of herat, he began to form a more important enterprize, than that of marching fouthward through the deferts of segestan, as- the AFGHANS had done five years before. In order to detach the turkts from the interefl of ashreff, whomt they had v^^ith great relu<5lancy acknowledged as fovereign of Persia 5, T^HMAS had in the mean time fent an embaffador to the ottoman. court. This minifler was received with more regard than he expedled ;,. for the news of t^hmas kouli khan's exploits having reached Con- stantinople, gave the turks a good imprelTion of the flate of the affairs of shah ttehmas. Tho' their interefl was concerned to fee Per- sia humbled, yet they did not much incline to fupport an ufurper, whole imperious fpirit had carried him fo far as to pretend to an equality with the grand feignior. But in order to be informed more minutely of cir- cumflances fo interefling to them, they fent suliman effendi, an ofH- cer of trufl, into Persia ; of whom they foon learnt, that tjehmas already mafler of khorasan and herat, with a confiderable army of choice troops, and a general of great reputation at their head, feemed to promife an approaching change in the Persian empire.. In the mean time ashreff, after giving a check to a Turkish army, 1720; tho' it v/as the effed: of accident rather than military flrength, dreaded no evil from the fugitive ttehmas : he often mentioned him in terms fo comtemptuous, that to appearance he had perfuaded himfelf of the im- poflibility of being molefled by him. After a tedious fiege, he had at length made himfelf mafter of yezd,. which at different times had coft the Afghans much blood; kherma- nia ^ This aftion has been reprefented as a battle, in which the abdollees had 30,000 men ; but 1 could never find any authority for that report, as a fourth part of that number in fuch a provincQ would be confidered a great army, under fuch diHreffed circumilances as the empire was then in. it4 THE HISTORY OF . Part 11. 1729. NiA had alfo fubmittcd to him. Saiid achmed khan, who was aiiiear relation of the royal blood of the sheffies, during the troubles had efta- blidied an independant fovereignty in khermania, of v/hich asiireff had not leifure to difpollefs him by force of arms; but saiid being in want of money to pay an army, and the impoveriihed fliate of the province making it impofiible to.raife futhcient contributions for that purpofe, his forces at len<^th deferted him. He then fubmitted to ashreff, who was not only the nearcfl potentate, but the only one who feemed to have any regal au- thority : defiring him, however, to remember that he had only a<5led upon the -fame principles as ashreff himielf, and therefore hoped to be re- ceived with the refpcct due to his quality, and with all fecurity to his perfon^ upon condition of which he profclTed an entire devotion to the fervice of this Afghan prince. Ashreff promifed the khan his protedlion, under the fandlon of fa- cred oaths, and let him know that he might repair to shirass, with the people under his command, in all poiiible ft-curity : but no fooner was he arrived there, than the governor fent him prifoner to Isfahan, where he was beheaded. The province of khermanja, and the country on the fea coaft quite to bender abassi, tlius becoming fubjedl to ash- reff, his dominions were extended farther than he had forces to guard them; for the cruelties and depredations committed from the Afghan invafion till this time, havirjg impoverifhed the inhabitants to an ex- treme degree, he was in no capacity to maintain an army fufiiciently nu- merous to fupport his authority over fo vaft a trad of country. As to the PERSIAN foldiers, they were as relu6tant to enter into the fervice of the AFGHANS, as the Afghans were diffident of their fidelity; and from KANDAHAR recruits could hardly be expcded in great numbers; for HUSSEIN KHAN, the govemor of that province, fince the murder of his brother mir maghmud in Isfahan, confidered ashreff rather as an enemy than a friend ; and prefuming that he might fhortly be driven out of PERSIA, he would hardly fend him recruits, Icfl by that means he might retire into kandahar, and with the fmie authority that he put maghmud to death, claim the fovereignty of that province. 8 Spiritual Chap. IV. NADIR SHAH. 25 Spiritual and temporal power being interwoven in the clofefl manner 1729. by the mahommedan law, the grand fignior is fuppofed to reign over the TURKS in quality of imam ^, and fucceflbr of the Caliphs. From hence he claims an authority over all mahoMiMedans of the fed of the suNNis, fo that ashreff, who was of that fed:, could not with any confiflency refufe to acknowledge him as fuch, without afFeding an inde- pendent power. However, he artfully contrived to make his fubmiffion procure him what was more effential ; for he obtained from the turks the acknowledgement of his being fovereign of Persia, and of his holding that dignity and power according to lav/ : and having thus made a puiiTant protedor of a formidable enemy, he lulled himfelf into a fecurity, as if his dominion was built on the moft fohd bafis. He had given rechid basha, the TURKISH embaiTador, the kindeft reception, and fhewed him many marks of honour, during his refidence at Isfahan. Not to be wanting in a fuitable return, the turks made great prepa- rations for the reception of the embaiTador of ashreff, who arrived at CONSTANTINOPLE in JULY this year. Greater rejoicings could not have been made for the reception of a fovereign prince returning in trium.ph. It is however very remarkable, that this Afghan affeded a contempt of all the grand appearances, the military fhews, and the roaring of cannon ; for without looking on one fide or the other, as he entered Constanti- nople, he continued to read his khoran. It is natural to prefume from this incident, that he endeavoured to raife the reputation of his country- men for great fandity, and a divine zeal for the iMahommedan law, as pradifed by the turks : this fort of condud had been the chief caufe, a fhort time before, of faving his mafter ashreff, together with the AFGHAN army, from deflirudion j but the embaiTador now over-aded his part, and gave the turks impreffions to the difadvantage of his nation. AsHRF.FF ill the mean v/hile enjoyed the fweets of peace. The love of pleafure is natural to mankind, and freedom from toil is generally fuppofed the bed means to arrive at it. This prince was certainly a man of ^ Chief of religion. Vol. IV. D 2S THE HISTORY OF Part II. lyg. of parts, very circumrpe but this delign was laid afide. His fugacious general reprefented to him, the in- conveniencies that would attend the length of the march j and moreover, that the meafures which ashreff had taken at Isfahan, were certain D 2 indications ° When r write miles without difcinclion, I mean e^sglish miles. •• Some writers make them much under this number, and fome much above k. 23 THE HISTORY OF Part I L 1729. indications that he meant to feek his majefly; and confequently, that the AFGHANS would be more hurt by the fatigue of their march, than bene- fited by the jundtion of frefn forces, feeing that ashreff had ah*eady col- ledted all in whom lie thought it fafc to confide ; he obferved likewife, that the further he came from Isfahan, the more difficult and the more dangerous would be his retreat. However, not to bring tlie war into KHO.iASAN, nor lofe any advantages which his majelty's faithful fubjeds the KHAJARS, BAYOTS, or any of the neighbouring countries might afford, it was determined to make fome advance to meet ashreff. After flow marclies, he accordingly arrived with the king, and the whole army, near the city of damgoon, before ashreff had entered thofe plains. This fituation was not far from that vaft ridge of mountains, which run eafl- ward along the fouth coaft of the Caspian sea, which being well known to KOULI khan, in cafe of an extremity he could make a fafe retreat. Having leifure to chufe his ground, he had already encamped his forces, and refreflied his men for fome days, when ashreff approached with his whole army. The. AFGHANS had been accuflomed for fome time to daughter the PERSIANS, rather than to engage with them; and to put them to flight by their fliouts, and the iiercenefs of their attack, rather than by their fuperior flrength and knowledge of arms. As they were now equally con- fident of viftory, they urged their general to begin the attack. Ashreff however foon difcovered from the advantageous fituation of the Persian army, that he had to do with a general of experience, and againft whom he muft proceed with great caution, efpecially as his fate feemed to depend on the iflue of the battle. Whilfl he was thus unrefolved, his officers reprcfented to him, that upon the firll report which fliould be fpread of their being afraid to attack the Persians, the peafants would no longer bring provifions to their camp, and that they fliould be compelled to fight hereafter at a greater difadvantage. Ashreff having therefore made a proper difpofition of his forces, on the 2d of OCTOBER attacked the Persian army with that impetuofity, which the Afghans had generally found fuccefsful. The Persian troops Chap. IV. NADIR SHAH. 29 troops flood the fhock, without giving way in the leaft, returning their 1729. fire with perfed: order, fo that the Afghans could make no imprefTion on them. Ashreff furprized, tho' not difconcerted, at the difcipline and fiience of the Persian troops, brought oiF his fquadrons from the charge, and had recourfe to the expedient which he found of great ufe in his late adtion againft the turks. He detached two bodies, each of 3000 men, commanded by the moft experienced officers in his army, and ordered them to take a circuit, and charge the enemy in rear and flank, whilfl he attacked them in front. T^.hmas kouli khan, watchful in every quarter, prepared to receive the enemy j and repulfed them with fuch valour, as flung them into great confuiion. After a ge- neral difcharge of his artillery, it was his turn to attack -, and falling fu- rioufly upon the Afghans, he obtained an eafy vidory. What lofs was fuflained on each fide is uncertain. It may be pre- fumed that of the Afghans was very confiderableP : their camels, harque- bulTes, with all their tents and baggage, fell into the hands of the con- queror. The AFGHANS fled to t^.hiran, which they reached in about two days, tho' the diftance is near 200 miles j from whence, after pilla- ging the inhabitants, and refrefhing themfelves, they made forced marches to ISFAHAN. The day after the arrival of the Afghan army, ashreff commanded all the people of his nation, inhabiting that city, to retire with their ef- fedts into the citadel ^ : thefe orders were executed in fuch a tumultuous manner, that it appeared as if the city had been taken by alTault : the AFGHANS drove the other inhabitants from their houfes, deftroying mofl of their effeds which were not portable, and pillaging the fliops of every thing that was valuable. After which, ashrlff retired with his troops to mourtchakhor ', where he encamped in an advantageous fituation. P As they carried ofF only 1 2,000 men from Isfahan, their lofs here muft have been near 10,000. ^ An inclofed building, which had been made fince the invafion of the Afghans. ' This place is about 25 miles eaftvvard of Isfahan, according to report ; but de lisle does not mention it in his map. C H A P. _ 1729. 30 THE HISTORY OF Part IL CHAP. V. T/EHMAS KOULI KHAN engages the shah to remain at tehiran. The battle 0/^ MOURTCHAKHOR. AsHREFF viurdcrs SHAH HUSSEIN, and jiys from Isfahan. The city taken by the Persian army. The Per- sians revenge them/elves on //j^ Afghans. Shah t/Ehmas eiiters Is- fahan, and gives his general t^hmas kouli khan, the ^ower oj raifmg money. T/EHMAS KOULI KHAN, HOW jealous of his glory, proceeded with the utmofl care, to prevent a reverfe of his fortune. The shah, thinking himfelf feciire of vidory over the fugitive Afghans, impatiently defu'ed to fee Isfahan. Ttehmas kouli khan, on the other hand, feemed to acSl as if he was apprehenfive, that his fovereign would come in for too great a fliarc in the reputation of his vidlories, and that his foldiers would confider themfelves as ailing rather under their king, than under their general. This neither confifted with his defire of indepen- dency in the command of the army; nor with his ambition and thirll of applaufe. He therefore took occafion to reprefent to the shah, that his majefty's prefence was no longer necellary to encourage his troops, fince it was evident from their fuperiority at damgoon, that the enemy was rather to be defpifed than feared j and he did not make the leaft doubt, that he fhould foon exterminate them j that fo much depended on the precious life of their fovereign, that fliould any misfortune happen to him, his fubjedts could have no fecurity of being relieved from tlie tyrannic yoke of the Afghans j that the courage which his majefty dcmonflrated, at the fime time that it engaged the love and admiration of his fubjedls, made them more anxious for the prefervation of a life, of fuch incftimable value ^ that this was the fenfe of the army in genera), which humbly intreated him to remain at ttehiran, with a guard of fix or eight thoufand men. Thefe reafons made an imprefllon upon the shah ; he had an entire con- iidencc in his general, and therefore fuffcred him to gather thofe laurels, 2 which Chap. V. NADIR SHAH. , which he might indeed have juflly claimed as deliverer of his country, 1729. had he aded upon honeft principles. He accordingly marched without obflrudion, proclaiming his vidlory in the name of shah t^'ehmas, and was every where received with acclamations of joy. He foon found his troops confiderably augmented by crowds, who now voluntarily offered their fervice, to give a finifhing flroke to the ruin of the Afghans. la the mean time, ashreff, expeding to be attacked, had made every preparation neceifary to receive the enemy : not only his fovereignty, but his life depended on the event. In the flattering hopes of repairing his lofs at damgoon, he exerted all his fkill in the choice of a proper fitua- tion for his camp ; in erecting batteries for his cannon ; in covering them by intrenchments 3 and making the mod advantageous difpofition of his troops. The 13th of NOVEMBER, early in the morning, t^hmas kouli khan I appeared with his army in order of battle: the Persians marched up \ to the AFGHANS, and fuftained the whole force of their mufquetry, and I part of their cannon, without diforder. Being come clofe to the enemy, they, in their turn, gave a general difcharge. So regular and intrepid an attack, might have difconcerted troops enured' to the feverefl difci- pline. The afloniflied Afghans feeing fach numbers fall, that hardly a fingle bullet failed of execution \ thought only of faving their lives by flying precipitately from the field of battle. The lofs they fuflained on this occafion, was not lefs than 4000 men. The greateft part of the AFGHANS who fled, reached Isfahan by three in the afternoon, and ASHREiLF himfelf, with a fmall number, returned at night. They pre- tended to have obtained a vicftory, but the cries and lamentations of their women and children in the citadel, foon difcovered the contrary. There was alfo great confufion in other parts of the city, infomuch that the miferable inhabitants, remembering the threats of the Af- ghans, in cafe a misfortune fhould at any time befal them, exped:ed nothing lefs than a general mafTacre. But the panic which had feized the * The PERSIANS are excellent markfinen; and when they keep good orderj they take aim, and jnuft neceffarily do great execution. 32 THE HISTORY OF Part 11. 1729., the AFGHANS, diverted them from any fuch cruel purpofe, if they ever I intended it. AsHREFF, however, found time to glut his revenge, by imbruing his hands in the blood of shah hussein. This unfortunate prince, whom ^ MIR MAGHMUD with all his horrid barbarity had fpared, at length fell a I facrifice to the difappointment and rage of this cruel Afghan. Others f of the royal blood are fuppofed to have fallen alfo on this occafion ; as to J the daughters and female relations of hussein, he took them from the j harram, determining to carry them off with him. The AFGHANS, having now no other expedient, prepared for flight, and were bufied in colleding their fpoil. Befides the number of beafts of burthen, to accommodate their women and baggage, they loaded feve- ral mules, and near 300 camels, modly with the treafures and rich effeds of the royal palace. As foon as niglit came on they left the city, in number about 12000, after having reigned as conquerors of Persia, ftwen years and twenty one days. Ashreff perhaps flartled with the groans of the dying hussein, or having his whole mind employed in colleding his treafure, or providing for his own fecurity, had forgotten that the in- adtivity of the Persian general, afforded an opportunity of glutting his revenge by fome more fignal cruelty j but he had not marched two leagues, when he fent back his athemat doulet, with a chofen party, it was fuppofed with orders to fire the city, and maffacre all thofe who might come in their way. This party was advanced to the royal gardens, within a mile of Isfahan, when fome among the common people, concluding they were not come for any good purpofe, colle6led fcveral drums, which they beat in fuch a manner, that the Afghans, apprehenfive that the PERSIAN troops had already entered the town, fled back without doing any mifchief, and continued their rout towards shirass. This precipitate retreat having left the capital unguarded, the peafmts of the neighbouring country, as well as the inhabitants, began not only to pillage the houfes which were abandoned, but alfo to rob one another t whicli-unbridled licentioufntfs created an infinite confufion. Two days pafl under thefe melancholy circumflances, in which the weak were obliged 2 to Chap. V. NADIR SHAH. 3. to yidd to the ilrong, without any recourfe to either civil or military 1 720. authority. The 1 6th of novexMber, t^^hmas kouli khan detached a body of 1500 men, to difperfe the mob^ and take pofTeffion of the royal palace, and gates of the city, in order to his own entrance. It may feem dif- ficult to account for his not following the Afghans, after the battle of MOURTCHAKOR, which might have prevented their carrying off the riches of ISFAHAN : but we are to confider t^ehmas kouli khan, as unbialTed by any particular affedion for the Persians ^ that his glory was not ar- rived to maturity; and that, befides the duty of a general to adl cautioufly with fo artful an enemy as the Afghans, if we may judge from his condu6l after he arrived at Isfahan, it is reafonable to conclude, his defign was to hufband the war, that his office as generaliffimo might not become unneceffary. As foon as the khan entered the city, he took the proper meafures for quieting the tumults of the people, occafioned by the pillage already mentioned ; and ordered a diligent fearch for all the Afghans, whom neceffity or choice had induced to remain there. Of thefe, numbers had concealed themfelves in the houfes of their relations or friends, in hopes to elude the fearch. Many of them w^ere brought into the public places and executed : thefe were a kind of victims to the fouls of thou- fands, who had been ftarved to death by the ambitious policy of magh- MUD, or for the fame reafons butchered in cold blood, during the reign of the AFGHANS. It is remarkable however, that t^ehmas kouli khan pardoned all thofe, of whom the inhabitants of the city made a fair re- port, with regard to the humane manner in which they had executed their refpedlive offices. In the interim, he received a deputation from the AFGHANS of CASBIN I thcfe not only offered their allegiance to shaK t^hmas, but alfo their fervice as foldiers, and to engage immediately in his army. Such a reinforcement could not but prove agreeable to the PERSIAN general, fo that in the name of his mailer he promifed them a kind reception. Vol. IV. E The 34 THE HISTORY OF Part IT. 1720.' The fpirlt of revenge did not Hop with the flaughter of the Afghans of ISFAHAN : the people were furious at the fight of every obje(5l that could raife in their minds the leaft remembrance of their paft fufferings. Maghmud, when he was near his natural death, was taken off by vio- lence as related ; yet, as he was the founder of the dominion of the Af- ghans in PERSIA, they liad at a confiderable expence erefted a magnifi- cent maufoleum to his memory. This edifice, according to the cuflom. of the eaft,. was built in a grove, and inclofed with a wall, Tho' this- prince had been fo inhuman a murderer, yet the fuperftition of the part- ners in his vidlories, induced them to offer their prayers at his tomb. This increafed the indignation of the inhabitants of Isfahan, and added to their deiire of deftroying it. Having obtained the permiflion of the KHAN for this purpofe, they levell'd this edifice to the ground, with the fury of an enraged mob ; they would not even fuffer the repofe of his bones -, and, to add yet a greater mark of contempt and abhorrence', in the very place on which this maufoleum had been ereiftcd, they built a public Jakes. Shah TiEHMAs, who was flill at t^ehiran, having received notice of what had palTed at Isfahan, prepared to take poffeflion of his ca- pital. He marched at the head of the greateft part of the forces which were left with him, and arrived the 9th of December following at gaze, a village about fix miles difiance from Isfahan. Here he was met by his general t^hmas kouli khan j whom the shah no fooner {iWy than he alighted from his horfe, as if he meant to pay him homage :: the general difmounted alfo, and ran to him in a refped:ful manner, to prevent this great mark of condefcenfion j but the shah infifted upon walking a few paces with him, declaring that he could not fhew too- great a diftindion to the perfon who had delivered his country, and driven his enemies from Isfahan. After a fliort convcrfation he mounted again, preceded by his running footmen ' 3. the kuan following jufl be- hind him at the head of his troops. T/ehmas now made his entry into Isfahan, and was received with, all thofe dcmonftrations of joy which the fudden change, from the exe- crabla- ' Sbaiirs. Chap. V. NADIR SHAH. ^^ ■crable tyranny of the ufurper ashreff, to the gentle deportment of their 1729. legal fovereign could infpire. The remembrance of his misfortunes added all the tendernefs of affeAionate fubjecls, to the religious refped for the perfon of him who now appeared as the only furvivor of the seffie fa- mily. But the tranfports of his joy were in a great meafure fuppreifed, when he heard of the fate of the king his father, and faw the palace> which eight years before contained all the fplendor of a court, exhibiting only naked walls ; the remembrance that he was reftored to the throne of his anceflors, was not fufficient to filence the dld:ates of humanity, in a breaft formed to gentle impreffions -, and tho' a king, he was not aihamed to weep. As foon as he entered the harram, an old woman threw her arms about his neck in great tranfports of joy j as he knew that ashrefj^ had carried away his fillers and other relations, he was the more fur- prized to find this perfon to be his mother. This lady had, ever fincc the invafion of the Afghans, difguifed herfelf in the habit of a Have, and fubmitted to all the offices of drudgery, which are ordinarily impofed oa perfons in that fituation. The king, after enjoying the fatisfadlon to find one of his parents alive> prepared himfelf for the duties of a fovereign prince. He received all thofe who appeared before him in fo affable and obliging a manner, that he won them entirely to his interefi: 3 and though their poverty was very great, they contributed as liberally as pofiible to the fupport of the army^ which was increafed to near 40,000 men. T^hmas, whofe tendernefs of nature became his crime, inflead of commanding his general to purfue and extirpate his enemies, gave way to a melancholy turn of thought. T^HMAs KOULi KHAN took occafion from hence, to reprefent to him in a refpedlful manner, that his prefent fituation ought to efi:ace all re- membrance of pafi; difgraces^ the shah replied to this efFed : " How ** is it pofllble that my heart fhould be open to joy; are my own *' misfortunes, and thofe of my people to be forgotten, fo long as the *' murderers of my father and brothers are yet at shir ass, where my " fifters, and other female relations, are held in flavery by the vile af- " ghans ?" This was, in fad, to reproach t^ehmas kouli khan for hi§ inadivity; for it was in his breafl to have purfued them, without E 2 giving 36 THE HISTORY, &c. Part II. J729. giving them the leaft time to form any future proje(5t j but this general, true to his own principles, forefaw that the remembrance of his fervices would wear out of the minds of the people, unlcfs to the othce of genc- ralilTimo, he could add that of a prime minifter, or at leaft poflefs a power adequate to it. He therefore took this occafion to reprefent to the SHAH, that he was very ready to march againft the enemy, and finifli the bufinefs of reftoring to his majefty all his dominions j but that he knew an army was not to be kept together withouu pay 3 and moreover, he had learnt from the experience of lutf ali khan, towards the clofe of the unfortunate reign of his father, that the intrigues of a court often baffle the moft glorious military operations ; therefore, if his majefty meant to compleat the work which was fo happily begun, a power muft be granted him to levy money for the payment of the army. The king, who already defigned to give his aunt in marriage to this general, and had acflually made him begler beg of khorasan, was ftartled at his demand of this extraordinary power of levying money ; being fenfible that fuch a ftep was in fome meafure to yield up the fovc- reignty. He oonfulted however with fome of the principal officers, if there was any proper perfon to whom he could give the command of the army. Whether thefe officers were in the intereft of the general or not, they declared their opinion, that the foldiers would not willingly ferve under any other perfon than t.chmas kouli khan j and confequently, that it would be beft to comply with his demand for the prefent, and re- fent his infolence hereafter, when there fliould not be any fuch preffing occafion for his fervices. The khan, thus obtaining his point in fo im- portant an article, profefled an entire devotion to his mafter's fervice : as a proof of which, he offered to take the field immediately, and go in fearch of the Afghans. Accordingly before the end of December this year, the Persian army began their march towards shir ass. PART [37] PART III. FROM THE Total defeat of the AFGHANS in JANUARY 1750, TILL TiEHMAS KOULI KHAN is chosen king IN MARCH 1736-. CHAP. VI. AsHRETF Jops at SHiRASS. T^.HMAS KOULI KHAN marches and defeats the AFGHANS the i^th o/' January 1730. Flighty dijirefs^ and death of ASHREFF. T^.HMAS KOULI KHAN ?fuirches againjl the turks, and takes RAMADAN and tavris ; he makes a truce, returns to her at, re^ duces that province, and marches into khorasan. T^he shah marches to ERivAN, obtains fome advantages over the turks,, and is afterwards defeated near the aras, and again at hamadan.. ^' "SHREFF did not entertain the leafl thoughts, that the ad:iv3 1729,0 t.^.hmas KOULI KHAN would remain long at Isfahan 5 on the contrary, he expeded to be clofely purfaed. He had, befides his army, a numerous caravan, of which part confifled in camels loaded v/ith the plunder of Isfahan ; yet the firil day he marched fixty miles. His intentions were to have taken the rout of kherman, but hearing, that the BALoucHES wcrc in arms, and concluding they would have no regard to him as a fugitive prince, pofTeiTed of great riches, he determined to march to shirass. When he was informed that the Persian army was loitering, 35 THE HISTORY OF Part HI. 1729. loitering in Isfahan, he had leifure to plunder and ravage the province, as well as the city j and gave a loofe to all that barbarity, which the com* plicated motives of revenge and avarice can Ihggefl to a mind naturally cruel. To this he was the more induced, by the condud: of the Per- sians in ISFAHAN towards the Afghans. T^HMAs KouLi khan having fiipported the rigor of the feafon v^'ith great conftancy, after a march of twenty days arrived near astakhar ". His troops had fuffered vety much by the feverity of the feafon, and want of provifions, the Afghans having laid the country wafle ) fo that the PERSIAN general found his army confiderably diminifhed, by mortality and defertion. TJ^e Afghans having fixed their camp in an advan- tageous Htuation, determined to try the fortune of another battle. The PERSIAN troops, on their part, were impatient to give a finifhing ftroke 1770. to the AFGHANS. The 15th of JANUARY, TiEHMAS KOULI KHAN at- tacked the AFGHANS with all his troops, with the fame vigor as he had done at mourtchakqr, and put them inftantly to flight 5 infomuch that he was apprehenlive, left by fo feeble a refiftance they meant only to draw him into an ambufcade. He had adopted it as a maxim, not to fe- parate his troops j being fenfible that when a detachment is routed, their flight often throws a whole army into confuflon ; and that the fpeed with which the vanquished fly, is but a precarious fecurity to them, fmce the conqueror muft overtake them at laft. An excef^ of caution, may bring on the fame confequences as raflmefs: the khan's great circumfpedion, upon this occafion, gave the Afghans an opportunity to concert meafures for their fecure retreat, with all their valuable eifeds. The houfes, gardens, and narrow paiTages about the city of SHiRAss, were fuch as rendered the approach difficult j and the khan refolved to put nothing to an unneceflary hazard, fince it was plain that the pride of the Afghans was humbled to the duft. Thefe people had however taken a refolution, to defend a paffage in the north fide of the mountains, which leads to the city -, and dividing their men f This city is near the ruins of the antient tersepolis. Chap. VI. N A D I R S H A H. ^p men into platoons, made feveral difcharges on the Persian army : finding ^7Z^* this did not hinder the Persians from marching on in regular order they fled to sHiRAss. AsHREFF being now reduced to the laft extremity, fent two of his principal officers to t^^hmas kouli khan, with offers of de- livering up the princefTes,. alfo the treafure and other effects belonging to the crown, on condition that he and his troops fhould retire out of Persia unmolefled, and carry with them their families, arms, and baggage. To this the KHAN replied, that he would not comply with fuch propofals ; on* the contray, that if they did not deliver up ashreff, he would put all the AFGHANS to the fword. Thefe officers then pretended, that if the ■ KHAN would grant them quarter, they would deliver up their chief: to this no definitive anfwer was given, but the deputies were permitted to retire. In the interim ashreff, who was not io;norant that he had nothinfi- to expedt but a cruel death, if he fell into the hands of the Persians, marched off in the night, and was got to fome diflance before the khan was informed of it. It may be prefumed, that it did not give him any great concern tliat he had miffed the recovery of the princefTes of the. royal blood, however he might be afftdled with regard to the treafure,- In order to facilitate their retreat, the Afghans feparated into different bodies ; it therefore became the more difficult to prevent their flight. The khan was not perhaps fo much concerned about this, as his army imagined j fince every circumflance of his conducfl proved that he was in his heart a tartar, and more difpofed to favour that nation than the na- tives of PERSIA J and thus we may, in fome meafure, reconcile a condu- pened at Constantinople; and as this event was attended with re- markable circumftances, it will not be foreign to our fubjedt, to give a fuccindt account of it. CHAP. VII. jin account of the revolution /« turkey. The grand vizirs and fe'vera! ether great officers put to death. Achmed the Hid dethroned, Ma- HOMMED advanced to the government, The extraordinary adventures of PATRONA KALIL, chief of the rebels, 3730. TT often pleafes the wifdom of providence to accomplilTi the greatef^ X ends by ignoble inftruments. Patrona kalil, a native of Alba- nia, who had been a common failor, and was now only a fmiple Janif- fary, became the inftrument of dethroning achmed the III. the grand lignior, in refentment of the evil adminiftration of the government, and the rapacious avarice of ibrahim basha the grand vizir. Patrona appeared in arms the 28th of September, at the head of a few defperate fellows. It was agreed this fmall body fliould divide itfelf into three companies, and taking different routs they were to meet at atmei- DAN % which was appointed their general rendezvous. This difpofition being made, patrona began his march, difplaying a fmall ftandard ; his companions, v^^ith fabres in their hands, cried out, that all fhopkeepers and mechanicks (hould £hut up their fliops, and every good muffulman fliould follow their enfigns to atmeidan, where they would communicate the juft caufe of their appearing in arms againfl the prefent government. The two other companies having done the fame, the whole city was in an alarm, and * A plain juft wilhout the city. 3 Chap.VIL NADIR SHAH. ;^^ and the (hops were fhut up. The Turks who did not join them, confined lyi^ themfelves to their houfes. The grand iignior, and his vizir ibrahim were at their country palaces at scutari ; and the reys effendi ^ was alfo at one of his country houfes on the canal which extends to the black SEA. This minifler, being given up to his natural indolence, treated the account which was fent of the tumult as a matter below his attention ; fo that there was no perfon of authority to quafli this commotion in the city, except the aga of the JanifTaries, and the kiaya*^ of the grand vizir. The laft, apprehenfive of danger, retired ; whilft the aga put himfelf at the head of his guards, defigning to difperfe the mob. He foon found that his very guards were corrupted; and inftead of being difpofed to a(fl ofFenfively againft the promoters of the fedition, they be- gan to complain of his not joining with them to obtain juflice of the grand vizir. Things being thus circumflanced, he was intirely at a lofs what mea- fures to take, till news was brought him that a party of the rebels were gone to plunder his palace j upon which he retired to provide for his own feeurity. The mob increafed every moment : they obliged all the TURKS they met to join them, threatening to kill thofe who refufed j and fome unhappy perfons, who had no inclination to embark in fo defperate an enterprize, adlually fell a facriiice to their fury. They now broke open all the prifons, and made flaves and malefadors the companions of their fortune. As-^heir number augmented, thofe whom fear rather than inclination had hitherto reftrained, became the partners of their re- bellion. Thus the fire of fedition had already made a great progrefs, before the grand vizir had received any exad: information of it -, fo that it was not till four in the afternoon that the mufti '', the kaimakhan % and the kiaya, with feveral other principal officers of ilate, came to inform him to what a height the infurredion was arrived. Immediately a council was held, which lafled till night without any refolution, but that they fhould hold another council at the palace of the grand fignior* Here b Secretary of ftare. « This is the great ufher of the honfhold, the vizir as well as the grand fignior has one. ^ The firft ecclefiallic, or chief of the law. « The deputy of the grajul vizir, who «.:l.s a? governor of constantinopls. 46 - THE HISTORY OF Part III. 17^0. Here it was refolved that the court iliould immediately go to Constan- tinople j and they accordingly embarked in a yatch. Tliey were no foaner arrived, than the grand vizir, with the other miniilcrs, began to deliberate what mcuiures to take under fucli.preiljng.circumftances, which were of ilich a nature, as feemed akeady to baffle the utmoft of their ikill and authority. They refolved liowever unanimoufly, that the only cf-i fedual method was the force of arms, and therefore a body of troops (hould be colle^led. This indeed feemed to be the only expedient ^ but the grand fignior being informed of their refolution, was unwilling to try fuch defperate means. As foon as it was day, his highnefs fent one of the principal officers of the bostangis * to ataieidan, to command the rebels in the grand fignior's name to retire ; and to acquaint them that if they did not fliew a ready obedience, his highnefs would be obliged to have recourfe to arms. They made reply with great unconcern, that they were aflembled for the honour and welfare of the flate, and would not lay down their arms, till the fultan redreiled their grievances. The grand fignior highly incenfed gt fo infolent an anfwer, gratified his refentment In reproaching his vizir ibkhaim as the caufe of the dif- order. The vizir laid the fault on the kaimakhan, loading him with tjie moft heavy reproaches ;n the prefence of the fultan ; turjiing towards whom he faid, " Will your highnefs fuffer that a wretch ih vile and de- *' fplcable as this fliall longer enjoy tlie light." The fultan flruck with the manner in which his vizir accufed the kaimakhan, caufed him im- mediately to be arrefted : and then affuming a compofed air, difcourfed witlvthe vizir upon the fituation of their affliirs. Ibrahim who was an able, tho' not an honeft minlfler, found the advice his mafter gave was impradicable ; therefore, without amufing him with vain projeds, he re- commended force as the only expedient to reduce the rebellion. " I " fee," continued he, " in this crifis of the empire, only two expedients; " either that your highnefs put yourfelf at the head of your houfiiold '' troops, and fall upon the rebels, or that you permit me to go in your^ " place. I flatter myfelf that I am fufficiently beloved by the foldiers to *' form a confiderable party, as foon as I fliall appear." The « Thefc arc a fpecics of militia in turkey, bat they alio fcrvc as guaids of tJie fcraglio. G5iap. VIL NADIR SHAH, 47 Th'e'tmibrous faltan reli{hed neither of thefe propofals, but rdll vainly 1730. endeavoured to avail himfelf of the right he derived as fovereign of the people. He therefore caufed the ftandard of mahommed to be forthwith difplayed at the gates of the feraglio, and ordered a proclamation to be made from the ramparts, that every foldier who v^ould come under this banner, to affift him in reducing the rebels, fhould receive a gratification of 30 crowns ^ j and, moreover, that their pay fliould be augmented two afpers. He foon found that thefe fair promifes were ineffedual, and therefore gave orders that the eostangis fliould be affembled; but neither were thefe orders pradicable, for thofe who were capable of bearing arms concealed themfeli'es, having no inclination to fight in behalf of a miniflry, which had been long odious to them. His next application was to the marine -, but before any number of men could be colledied, patron a kalil, at the head of a body of rebels, fell upon thearfenal, drove the captain basha from it, and threatened the foldiers of the manhe, if they perfifled in de- fending the court, he would grant them no quarter, but would burn their houfes, together with all the fliips and gallies belonging to the fultan. By this means, he difperfed a great number who had already received money for enlifting, iand'brought off others to join his party ; at the fame time, he augmented his forces with all the Turkish malefadors and flaves, w^ho were in the gallies and baths. At length the grand ffgnior fent a deputation to the rebels, demanding what their intentions were ; they anfwered, that they defired the mu^ti, the ;gra'nd vizir, ibrahim basha, the kaimakhan, mustapha basha, and -MAHOMMED th.e kiaya, might be delivered to them : with regard to his highnefs, they were fatisfied with his reign, and wiflied him profperity. Upon' this anfwer, the fultan immediately. caufed the two lafl to be ar- reiled;- and fent- to acquaint the rebels that they fhould be put to death • but that, in confideration of his compliance fo far, they ought to be con- tented w^ith the baniiliment of the mufti and vizir. The rebels con- fented to fpare the mufti, but flili perliiled in their hrik demand in re- gard to the vizir ; infomuch, that the fultan found his own fecurity would be endangered by his refufal. In ' * I fuppofe dollars of 4 ;. ^f THE HISTORY OF Part III. 1730, In the mean while patron a concluded himfelf with all the dignity and good order of a commander in chief, exading an oath from his com- panions, that they fliould commit no kind of excefs. For the better fupport of their difcipline, fome, who had committed thefts and diforders, were actually puniHied with death by a confent of the leaders of the re- bellion : by which means the city was fupplied with provifions as ufual. The Janiflaries, who had revolted long before in their hearts, joined the rebels at atmeidan, where they formed a regular camp. This flep feem- ed to render the affairs of the court defperate ; howler, the fultan made another effort to obtain the life of ibrahim basha: to which the rebels made no other reply, than that they had already done enough in pardon- ing the MUFTI. The grand vizir, and other great officers already men- tioned, were accordingly condemned to die, and the 30th of September the delinquents were conducted to kapu orasi ^. The approach of death fo terrified the kiaya, that he rendered up his foul without the hand of the executioner. The kaimakhan performed the offices of devotion, tnd received the abfolution which is ufual on fuch important occafions, in a very compofed and regular manner. The vizir did not exprefs lefs fortitude and compofure, but he neither faid his prayers, nor received abfolution ; obferving, that as his life was fo near an end, he would not give himfelf that trouble. How far the grand vizir had mifbehaved, during the long adminiftra- tlon of twelve years, may be judged from the immenfe riches which he left behind him. One of the gentlemen of his bed-chamber', who had been in his fecrets, now confefTed that in a vault under the pigeon-houfe, which this minifler had caufed to be built in one of the courts of the fe- raglio, his riches were depofited. From hence were taken four iron chefls, of which three contained 1 8 long leather bags, with 60,000 fequins •" fun- - duklis in each, and the fourth contained a great quantity of precious flones. The kiaya of ibrahiai's harram, who had a perfect knowledge of his af- fairs, confcfled that a great part of thefe riches was the price of inju/lice -, and that * The apartment in the feraglio, wlicrc prlfoners of date are put to death. ' Anactar OOLAR. m At 9/. 4(j'. the fcquin is 1,512,000/. which fccms to be much too largo a (am to he amafTcd by any miniftcr in any coujitry, wilbout very great corruption indeed. Chap. VII. NADIR SHAH. 49 that he had himfelf been employed in the moft fecret manner, at different i7?o. tlnnes, in conveying money into thefe cherts. The next day in the morning, the bodies of thefe three great officers, without any funeral rites, and almoft naked, were conveyed in a cart to AtMEiDAN, followed by a crowds whoexprefTed great contempt and re- fentment of the conduct of thefe minifters by infulting their remains, and declaring with loud acclamations, that they hoped all the enemies of their religion and country would meet with the fame fate. When the bodies were brought into the camp ; the rebels were loud in their exprefllons of refentment, that the grand fignior had not delivered the traitors alive, as he had promifed. It was urged, on the other hand, that the fultans l^ad never been accuftomed to deliver their miniflers ahve into the hands of their enemies ; and that they ought to be fatisfied with the great con- defccnfion which his highnefs had fliewn upon this occafion. The rebels having carried their point thus far, were intoxicated with their own fuccefs ; and began to declare without referve, that they would depofe the sultan achmed III. and fet his nephew mahommed on the throne. They confidered that achmed was naturally cruel, and had caufed all thofe to be put to death who had dethroned his brother musta- PHA IT. in 1703 ; and confequently, they could exped: very little quarter from him, fliould his power be again eflablifhed, as they had been the authors of the death of his near relation ibr ahim : on the contrary, fliould they chufe mahommed, who had been confined for feven and twenty years, there was great rfeafon to believe he would acknowledge their fer- vices. Achmed, in reality, had given them no remarkable caufe of com- plaint, except his great favour to ibrahim basha ; fo that it was in fome meafure difficult to find a fpecious motive for this laft adl of violence on the ftate. They pretended, that the body of the vizir ibrahim was noC among thofe of the delinquents;, however, after hanging the bodies of the kaimakhan and kiaya, each upon a tree, as fpedacles to the peo- ple, they dragged the third, which was really Ibrahim's, at a horle'e tail to the gates of the feraglio. . Vol. IV. G Here 50 THE HISTORY OF Part III. 1730. Here they demanded with the inofl clamorous infolence, that the real vizir with all his creatures fliould be dehvercd to them alive, as alfo the KEYS EFFENDi ; adding, that as they could not depend on the promifes of ACHMtD, who contrary to all laws, perfifted in proteding a villain, vviiofe avarice had plunged the flate into the greateft diftrefs, he was no longer worthy to reign : at the Hime time they proclaimed mahom- MED. AcHMED tried every expedient to quiet them, offering them con- fidcrable rewards, and to deliver up all thofe whom they demanded ; but they were inflexibly bent on dethroning him. On their return to ATMEIDAN, they threw the carcafs of ibrahim into the common road, near a fountain, where this minifter had eredted an elegant flrud:ure cibout two years before, as an embellifhment to the city, and for the ufe of the people. The rebels having plunged themfelves fo deep, began to find the ne- ceflity of fome perfon, fkilled and experienced in politics, to conduct them in the completion of their work. Ispiri zade, one of the fultan's chaplains, though he had often received the higheft marks of the royal bounty, had the ingratitude to abandon his mafter, and join in the con- fpiracy. This man had concealed his ambition under the cloak of piety and mortification, and was now fecretly become their chief advifer. The ift of OCTOBER he entered the feraglio, where he found the minifters of ACHMED under a great confternation, not knowing what would be the iflTue of the rebellion. As foon as this treacherous priefl entered the apart- ment, the minifters inquired impatiently what was pafling in the city. He anfwered with the air of a man deprefled with forrow : *' The rebels *' will not upon any account fubmit that achmed fliall reign over them " any longer; all my endeavours in favour of the fultan are rendered *' abortive, by the fiercenefs of their animofity. It is in vain to flatteff ** ourfelves any longer, that we fhall be able to alter their refolution." At thcfe words, the whole affembly became motionlefs, and unable t6 utter a word. The perfidious ispiri zade, obferving that there was no body who dared to acquaint the fultan with this news, went himfelf. As foon as he entered the royal prefence, achmed faid, '* Are the rebels " yet Chap. VII. NADIR SHAH. ^i ** yet at atmeidan ? why do they not retire ? I have ihewn them more 1730. " favour than I ought : I have offered to do them juftjce on thofe of " w^hom they complain ; and I have prom.ifed them large prefents ; w^hat ** v^^ould they have more ?" Ispiri zade replied, in a bold but com- pofed tone, " Thy reign is finifhed ; thy revolted fubjec^ts will no longer " fubmit to thy dominion." Achmed, ftarting up, replied, " Whence *' comes it that you have delayed to give me this information ?'* Then running immediately to the apartment " of mahommed his nephew, he took him by the hand, and conducing him to the throne, placed him there himfelf, and was the firft who faluted him as emperor. Among many tender things, he fpoke to this eifedl : " Remember that your fa- " ther loft the place in which you are now feated, by his blind com- " plaifance for his mufti feizoullah efffndi ; and that I lofe it my- " felf, by having trufted too much to my vizir ibrahim basha. Learn " from our examples not to confide in your minifters without due cir- " cumfpedlion. If I had always followed my old maxims, I Ihould " never have left mine fo long in place, or omitted to have demanded " frequent and regular accounts of the affairs of the empire. Perhaps I " might have then finifhed my reign as glorioufly as I began it. Farewel ; " I wifli that yours may be more happy j and I hope that you will have *' a proper regard for me and my children, whom I recommend to your ^* care." Immediately the unfortunate achmed retired to thofe apart- ments which his nephew had juft quitted. After the ceremony of the inauguration of the new fultan was per- formed with the ufual pomp, and he had received the honours due to this high dignity; his curiofity excited him to fee patrona kalil, who had been the inflrument of his exaltation to the throne. This man appeared before the grand fignior in the habit of a common Janifiary, with his naked knees. He advanced with a bold air to the fultan's throne, and kifiTed his hand. His highnefs faid, " What can I do for thee ? " Thou hafl a right to demand of me any favour." This artful wicked fellow, now gave marks of more noble and generous fentlments, than could be expelled from his birth and pafl life, and anfwered the fultan G 2 to " Cas oda. '/:>" 52 THE HISTORY OF Part III. to this purpofe : *' As to the prefent time, I am arrived at the highcft point " of my wiflies, in feeing your highnefs on the throne of the ottoman ** empire. With regard to the future, I know I have nothing to expecft " from you but an ignominious death." The grand lignior repHed, *' I * fwear I will never do you any harm ; tell me only what recompcnce I «* can make you, and I grant it before you afk." " Since your royal " goodnefs is without bounds," replied patrona, " I defire that you «'- will fupprefs all the new impofls with which your fubjeds have been " loaded under the late adminiftration." This was a dangerous requefl, as it feemed to increafe the popularity of this fellow > however the grand fignior did not hefitate to comply, and orders were immediately given to fufpend the colledtion of thofe taxes. , In the interim the rebels, far from difbanding, committed many out- rages, particularly in pillaging feveral houfes of perfons profcribed, which had been fealed up with the royal feal. The new fultan could not but have a quick refentment of fo great a mark of difieped:, as well as viola- tion of the laws 5 however, as he was not yet fecure on his throne, he dcfired that they would refrain from fuch kind of executions ; reprefenting at the fame time, that as they had placed him on the throne, they ought to leave the power and authority of punifhing to him, in the manner which he fliould think moft convenient. Thefe gentle remonftrances, though founded in the higheft reafon, did not prevail on the bafe and undif- ciplined minds of the rebels ; on the contrary, they renewed their in- ilances that the keys effendi fhould be delivered up to them. Tho' this minifter had not been fo guilty as the other officers of ftate, yet he thought proper to retire and conceal himfelf. But had he been prefent, the new fultan feemed in no difpofition to comply with their extrava- gance, the gratification of which might have only fcrved to increafe their tumultuous fury. The rebels proceeded in rifling the houfes of thofe who were mofh obnoxious to them : the plunder of the grandees, together with the riches of the vizir, enablepanIons, like that of the HYDRA, nouriHied new monfler?, which in Icfs than four months grew to a formidable fize. The great difhpation of treafure which this revo- lution had caufed, together with the want of condud; in the new mini- fters, not only occafioned the Janilliries to be in arrears for their pay, bat alfo created a fcarcity of provifions in Constantinople. Towards the end of FEBRUARY this year, people began to murmur aloud, and prcdid another revolution. The number of loofe and abandoned fellows, whom the late rebellion had brought together, was great. Thefe from their natural difpofition, and from their idle manner of living, were ripe for any defpcrate enter- piize. The partizans of achmed, the dethroned fultan, fubniitted with rcludancy I Thefe are cavalry of the Asiatic dominions of turkey. 179 I. Chap. VII. NADIR SHAH. 6i reludancy to the defliny of their late mafler j io that the fpirit of rebel- jy- lion was fecretly fomented. The court feemed, however, to have no fufpicion of it, when news was brought the 25th of march, that a body of people had aflembled at atmeidan, the ordinary rendezvous of male- contents, who, after pillaging feveral fhops, had collected a number of arms. Thefe being joined by a party of the JanifTaries, broke open and plundered the houfe of the aga of the JanifTaries, who with difficulty efcaped with his life. The aga immediately acquainted the grand fignior; and his highncfs ordered the grand vizir, the mufti, and other great officers to be aflem- bled. The experience of September laft had taught them, that fuch lawlefs force can hardly be fuppreffed but by military juftice : accordingly they inftantly colleded what forces were at hand, during the night j and left neceffity fhould oblige them to call for affiftance, they carried out the ftandard of mahommed. The turks imagine that thofe who die in defence of this ftandard, are entitled to the crown of majtyrdom. As foon as day broke, the aga of the JanifTaries at the head of one party, and the grand vizir with another, fell on the rebels at atmeidan. A fmart fkirmifh enfued : the ftandard-bearer was difmounted, and in dan- ger of lofing his llandard, which might have had fatal confequences. The rebels being at length put to flight, retired to the chambers of the Janiffiries, who, though they had not taken arms in any confiderable numbers, were ripe for rebellion. The grand vizir therefore prudently declined following the rebels, lefi: the violation of that azylum, which the quarters of thefe foldiers are efteemed, fhould furnifh a reafon for a revolt, and plunge the city into the fame diforder, as it had been expofed to four months before. They contented themfelves with killing about 200 in the flight, and taking 60 prifoners. As foon as thefe lafl: had made con- feffion of their accomplices, they were flrangled, and their bodies thrown into the fea. The coffee-houfes and taverns were immediately ordered to be fhut 5 and the greeks who fell wine had their veflfds flavedj that no fuel might be 62 THE HISTORY OF Part III. iT'^i. be afforded to heat the brains of a defperate mob. A conftant patrole was kept in the flrects, and the lead lufpicion rendered the party criminal, fo that numbers of innocent perfons fuffered death. This fevere method of curing fo dangerous a diforder in the body politic had its effed:, and prevented the flames of rebellion from fpreading. There were feveral parties of the rebels difperfcd in different quarters of the city. Some thoufands were determined to have joined the camp at ATMEiDAN : had the grand vizir therefore been in any degree lefs a6tive, it is probable another revolution would have fucceeded, with cir- cumftances more bloody and fatal than the former. It was imagined that FATiMA, daughter of achmed the III, and widow of the late grand vizir IBRAHIM BASH a J who was ftrangled, had corrupted the Janillaries, in hopes of revenging the death of her hufband. Whether this lady was guilty or not, is a queffion which has remained unrefolved. In order to quafli this fpirit of fedition as much as poflible, a confiderable number of BOSNIANS, ALBANIANS, and LATs^, wcrc banifhed out of the city. The grand vizir alfo omitted no means of humbling the rebels. All thofe who were ffrangled or beheaded, were thrown into the fea 5 and floating about with the waves as fped:acles of terror, became a prey to birds, and fifli, infomuch that people of any delicacy, would not eat iifh for fome time. It was reckoned, that in thefe different rebellions more than 10,000 men perifhed by the fword or the bow-ffring. Above 30,000 were driven out of CONSTANTINOPLE J and the Janiffiries were quartered in different parts to prevent their cabals. Thofe of a feditious fpirit were obliged to leave the city ; fo that the public tranquillity was at length in a great meafure reftored. The turks however fuffered -very great inconveni- encies from thefe diforders, not only by unhinging their government, and giving occafion to a continual change of miniffers 5 but alfo by the difli- pation of their treafure, which rendered them lefs capable of fupporting a war againfl the Persians. C PI A P. y Thefe arc a people wl o inhabit the ccaft of the black sea, who are tobbcrs and murderers by profcffion. Chap. VIII. NADIR SHAH. CHAP. VIII. h AcHMEd, BASHA of BAGDAT, fjcgotiates a peace with the Persians in JANUARY 1732. T^HMAs KouLi KHAN augments Ms army in kho- RASAN. He dif approves of the peace with the turks, ajid enters into intrigues with his ojicers. He makes his fon governor of khorasan; arrives at Isfahan in august 1732, and endeavours to vindicate his condu6i to the shah. DURING thefe inteftlne commotions in Constantinople, ach- 1731 MED, BASRA of BAGDAT, received full orders to treat with the PERSIANS for a peace, from an apprehenfion that a defeat of any of their armies in asia would unavoidably bring on further revolutions. The lofs which T^HMAS SHAH lately fuftained, in a great meafure facilitated this undertaking. This prince had alfo many private reafons, with re- gard to his interior government, which rendered peace as defirable to him as it was to the turks. Achmed basha was too able a minifter, to be ignorant of any material circumftance relating to Persia, the intereft and power of which he perfectly underfcood 3 and particularly, that the return of t.-ehxMAS kouli khan might render the fuccefs of another campaign very different fl-om the lafl. The grand fignior had trufled him without refer ve, to make the befl: terms he could. He therefore fent to the Per- sian king to acquaint him, that notwithilanding the great fuccefs of the ottoman arms, his mailer the grand fignior was ready to eflablifh a firm and lafling friendlhip with him. The shah, who was at casbin, received the news with the more fatisfadion, as he was under fome apprehenfions, that if the turks had refoh'ed to march to Isfahan, that city muft have fallen a prey to them 5 for there was no army between hamadan and his metropolis, which could make head againfl them. The alarm in that city was fo great, that when a detachment of the Persian troops arrived there to main- tain tranquillity and order, numbers of the inhabitants were preparing 'for flight. 2 Achmed 64 THE HISTORY OF Part III. 173 1. ACHMED BASHA being apprehenfive that his court might rife in her demands, in confequence of the late vidlory, was defirous to bring on an accommodation with the Persians as foon as poilible. Experience, and the light of his own genius had inftru(fted him, that a war with persia could hardly be attended with any good confequences to his country; and that it muft certainly hurt his own particular intereft ; bagdat, the capi- tal of his province, having long been an object on which the Persian kin^s had caft their e\'es with earned wilhes. .-^2 Towards the clofe of the lafl; year, the plenipotentiaries on the part of the PERSIANS arrived at the Turkish camp near hamadan. The confereiices being opened the 16th of January following, tlie preliminary articles were figned. The river aras was appointed as the boundary of the Per- sian dominions i fo that the shah yielded his right to Armenia, eri- VAN, and GEORGIA. The turks thus remained polTcfled cf d country near two hundred leagues in extent, which formerly belonged to persia. It was however ftipulated, that their joint forces fliould be united in cafe of need, to compel the Russians to evacuate ghilan, shir van, and DERBEND, wlth the reft of the weftern coaft of the Caspian fea. During thefe tranfd(ftions, t^hmas kouli khan, being pofTefTcd of the royal authority to raife money, eftabliflied already a kind of inde- pendency ; for the fupport of which he engaged in his fervice a conli- derable number of abdollees, Afghans, ousbegs, and turkumans. If we may judge from confequences, and the general tenor of his con- dud:, he forefaw from the beginning, that the only method by which he could awe the Persians, and arrive at the objed in view, would be to form a large army, compofed chiefly of tartars. For thefe not having any prejudices concerning the hereditary right of princes, were moft likely to be at his devotion, fo long as he paid them well, which the power he was inverted with, enabled him to do. He employed his time in khorasan in putting mesched in a fituation of defence, and took other meafures to prevent the incurfions of the tartars. As foon as he heard that the shah had loft two battles againft the i URKs, and was entering into pacific meafures with them, he wrote in> ^ mediately ^Chap. Vill. NADIR SHAH. 65 mediately to his majefly in the flrongefl terms, defiring that he would 17-: 2, perfift in demanding the reftltution of all the conquered provinces • ad- ding, that he flaould join him foon with an army of victorious troops before whom the turks would fly, as the Afghans had lately done ; that in the mean while, he need only keep on the defenfive. The SHAH, who in a great meafure inherited the peaceable difpofition of his father, found more joy in rcpofe than in conqucft. It is probable, however, that he was acftuated by motives of policy -, for having now no enemy to contend with, his numerous {landing arniy would become un- neceifary j and he might have a fair opportunity of reducing the enormous power of his general, by either totally difbanding his forces, or reducino- them to a fmall number. To this might be added, that Persia having groaned feveral years under the fervitude of the Afghans, the people were very much impoverifhed, and required fome refpite to cultivate the earth, and rebuild their ruined houfes. After the conclufion of the peace, t^hmas marched with his forces from CASEIN to Isfahan 3 where he ratified the treaty, diibanded fome of his troops, and fent others into their refpedtive quarters. He then wrote to his general t^^mas kouli khan, acquainting him, that he had thought proper to put an end to a war fo chargeable to his people j and as he had no enemies foreign or domeflic, that didurbed the repofe of the flate, he ordered him to difband the army under his command, and to repair to Isfahan, to confult with him concerning the domeflic ceco- nomy of the government, and the welfare of his people. Thefe pacific meafures were by no means confiflent with the ambitious projedls of the Persian general. He, who in a lower rank of life had been accuftomed to follow the dictates of his own paffions, unreflrained by any law human or divine, could hardly be expeded to fhew a pafTive conduct at the head of a vidtorious army, intirely devoted to hi^ fervice. He had already acquainted his chief officers of the king's ill fortune againfl the TURKS, and the peace which had been made in confequence of it: he reprefented this condud; as inglorious, impolitic and pufilanimous 3 and as that which would draw on the misfortunes of the preceding reign, and Vol. IV. I plunge 66 THE HISTORY OF Part IH. iy'\2i plunge the empire into the fame diftrefs as it h.ul been in under the Af- ghans. He further made them fenfible, how mucli fupcrior their valour and knowledge in the art of war was to that of the turks; but tiiat pacific meafures, after thus roufing themfelves to a martial fpirit, were the fare way to enervate their minds, and difqualify them for the duties of a foldier; and confequently prepare them to become flaves again : that the TURKS, in the mean while, being fuffered to pofTefs fo fine and ex- tenfive a trad of country, would increafe in power, and Persia would be expofed to the greater ruin hereafter : moreover, that fuch meafures muft certainly have a more dired: aim at himfelf and them, whofe mili- tary virtues rendered them objedls of jealoufy at court ; and the experience of Hussein's reign had proved it to be dangerous for Persians to diftin- gui(h themfelves in the fervice of their country. Difcourfes like thefe carried with them the appearance of honour and integrity j and many who meant well to the royal family, had their loyalty fhaken under the fpecious pretence of the public good. But not to throw all the odium on the king, nadir artfully infinuated to thefe, that the miniflers, whom their fovereign had employed to nen;otiate this peace> had been falfe to their truft • or Persia, fupported by their victorious arms, would certainly have obtained terms lefs difhonourable. As to the common foldiers, what offended them moft, was the confideration that no particular gratuity was promifed them on their difmiffion, after their great and fignal fervices. Under thefe circumftances, a man of lefs art and refolution than nadir, might have tainted their minds with rebellious fentimentsj however, it Was neceffary to condudl his defigns to an ilfue with great circumfpedion, fince there could not be wanting numbers in his army, who were much more inclined to difplace their general than their king. Things were not yet arrived to maturity j nor could any certain judgment be formed of the ftate of affairs at fo great a diftance. The court was diffident of the ge- neral, and the general jealous of the court, fo that neither knew exadly what the other intended. Nadir (ihap.VIIL NADIR SHAH. 6^ Nadir was not at a lofs to find pretences for delaying his return to I732« court, and fome time was neceflary to plan his fcheme for the increafe of his power. It is hard to fay, if the ftrong impulfe of felf-prefervation had not almoft as great a fhare as ambition. The eafy credulous nature of TJEUMA5 might have forgiven all that was pafl, with regard to the infoience of his general, in demanding fo extraordinary a power as that of raifing money, and his imperious condudt in the ufe of it. But fe- veral of the great men about the king's perfon, fome from a knowledge of nadir's boundlefs ambition, and others from private refentment, were lb defirous of feeing him humbled, that they could not keep their own council. They difcovered their opinion and defigns to thofe, who were fecretly in the intereft of the general. Of all thefe intrigues and private commotions, the general was made acquainted j alfo of the condudl of fome, who fpoke difrefpedlfully of the king himfelf. He was therefore the better qualified how to a7i thought the general at Jeafl as faithful as his other courtiers ] and there- ^73^- fore made no fcrnple to accept an invitation to fee his army in review. The evolutions and appearance of his foldiers gave him great fatisfadtion and might have afforded him a fair opportunity of removing the general. The fight of their prince naturally drev^^ the attention of the fubalterns and common foldiers: as he rode through the ranks, many of them de- clared aloud, *' That if he had any particular command they v^^ere ready *' to execute it." The boldefl traitor, whilft a plot is ripening for exe- cution, muft feel fome tremors, when there is any ground to think liis treafon is difcovered. The general, in whofe hearing this declaration was made, was at iirft furprized^ but recovering himfelf, he defired the shah to tell them, " That as the command of the army was given to him, the *' proof of their obedience to their fovereign was to obey their general." After the revlev/ was over, the khan invited the shah to a re- paft. This crafty afshar, as if he had learnt from that mafter of treachery mir vais, how to carry his treafon into execution ', though his purpofe was not bloody j had prepared this fnare to entangle his fo- vereign. Whether fatigue or the infufion of a drug helped to overpower the king; a fmall quantity of wine intoxicated him. Under thefe cir- cumflances, this unhappy prince was an objedt of the derifion of the general's creatures; and in this condition he ordered him to be removed to art apartm.ent in the gardens of hazarjerie, there to be kept under a flrong guard. The king's attendants, who infilled on the right of taking charge of his majefly's perfon, were feized by the guards, and put under confinement. T.EHMAS KouLi KHAN having corrupted the great officers of flate, as well as his own generals, called an affembly the next day, which he ha- rangued to this effedl : ** All the world knows how much I have the *' intereft of my country at heart, and how prodigal I have been of my " life to advance the welfare of it. We have feen, by the late reign, the *' fatal confequences which attend a v/eak and pufilanimous conduct : and ** fhall we be idle fpe€lators of our own ruin ? Shah t^hmas has al- " ready f See Vol. III. page 47. 1732- ^2 THE HISTORY OF Part III. " ready given us a proof of his incapacity to govern. Could a prince, " infpired with a common refolution, or in any degree fenfible of the in- ** tereil: of his fubjeds, have made fo fcandalous a peace with the Turks: " a people, who have adopted it as a principle of their politics, as well " as religion, to pillage and lay v/afte this country ? There is no king " but he, who being worthy of a crown wears it with dignity ; let us " haflen to dethrone a prince, whofe. weaknefs and cowardice will foon '' plunc'e us into thofe misfortunes, out of which we are but juft re- " covered. We have in his fon an heir of the true line, who under '' the condudl of wife tutors wuU learn the art of government. In the " mean while the kingdom may be ruled by a regency, who have the *' honour and intereft of their country at heart." This difcourfe met with all the applaufe from thofe who were intirely his creatures, which his moft fanguine cxpedations could fuggeil : he then demanded of the alTembly, what flwuld be done further with the king; this queftion alarmed them a little, fearing a defign of putting him to death, which they would hardly have been wicked enough to confent to. They made anfwer, that nothing more was neceilciry to be done ; however, upon maturer deliberation, to prevent the diforders which might arife from his being near Isfahan ; it was agreed, that he fhould be re- moved to fome remote part in the eaftern provinces of the empire ; and he was accordingly fent to sebsawar % under a flrong convoy of ous- BEGs and AFGHANS of the suNNi religion. The next debate turned upon his fucceflbr. As they fet out on pre- tended principles of equity, and the general himfelf had declared, he meant to preferve the diadem to the royal hne in the perfon of the young ABAS, it could hardly be expeded, even in this corrupt aflembly, there fliould be a fingle perfon who dared to propofe any other than the in- fant prince. Some of the moft abandoned however, declared there was none fo proper as the general himfelf, as the circumftances of the ftate required a prince who was capable of conducing an army. The KHAN rebuked them with an air of indignation) alledging, that the hereditary » A city in khorasan. Chap. IX. NADIR SHAH. ^3 hereditary rights of princes were fleered, fo long as they took no flep to ^772, injure the people whom they govern. He was indeed already pofleiTed of an unlimited power, and might have embraced fo favourable a con- jundlure to grafp at the crown ; but he could not be ignorant, that fuch an attempt would be attended with fome danger. There mufl have been great numbers in his army, who were not yet entirely devoted to his fer- vice i nor could the reputation of his exploits have fo firmly eftablifhed his charader, as to countenance fo daring an attempt. We cannot fay that his ambition yielded to his policy, but that he feafoned both with patience, till his army fliould be more accuftomed to his authority, and receive more demonftrative proofs of his abilities. The apprehenfions of an infurredion had induced the general to caufe a proclamation to be made in the city, that no perfons fhould flir out of their houfes j but as foon as he drfcovered that the neighbourhood of the army kept the people in fufficient awe, and that the unfortunate tjeumas had no adherents who dared to oppofe his pleafure, he revoked thofe orders, and bufinefs went on as ufual. Preparations were now made for the inauguration of the young prince abas. T^hmas kouli khan en- tered ISFAHAN with great pomp, and going diredly to the palace, caufed public notice to be given, that the khan and the great officers of the crown had declared shah t^hmas incapable of holding the reins of government ; and therefore they had chofen his fon abas, the third of that name, emperor of Persia. The young infant was accordingly brought out in his cradle, and the diadem fixed to the right fide of his head, as a mark of his fovereignty 5 the general himfelf firfl: took the oath of allegiance on the khoran, and profi:rated himfelf in homage to the new king j all the other great officers followed his example. Kouli khan and his creatures now gave the law, not fo much in form. of a regency, as in confequence of their offices. He had ac- quired the afccndency, and was in fad the fovereign. Orders were fent to all the provinces, to notify the acceffion of abas III. to the throne ; Vol. 11^. K and 74 THE HISTORY OF Part III. 2«^2. ^^^ ^"^^ officers were appointed for the refpedive governments, as fuited the pleafure and intereft of the general. He then celebrated his nuptials with the aunt of the dethroned shah. His eldeft fon, riza KOULi, we have obferved, was appointed governor of khorasan j and his fecond fon, nezr ali, was now made governor of Herat. His elder brother ibrahim, one of the followers of his fortunes, was made a khan, and the government of tavris was affigned him. Kherman was conferred on his next brother. Befides thefe, many other difpofitions of the like nature were made, and the feveral offices of moft importance were o-iven to perfons devoted to his intereft. He then confulted for the further advancement of his own fortune, and the gratification of his paffion for military glory. Ail thefe events palled in the month of august. Thus did this great wicked man, under the fpecious pretence of pro- moting the honour and intereft of his country, prepare the way to afcend the (^iddy heights of his ambition. He fecmed already to look down on thefe inflruments of his pride, as wretches who were affiduous in forging their own chains. The activity of his genius fuffered not a moment to be loft. In order to give the greater fandlion to his condudt, upon the principles of national love, he publifhcd a manifefto, declaiming the peace which had been lately made with the turks. It was in a more particular manner addrefled to the basha of eagdat, and conceived in thefe terms: *' Be it known to you, the basha of bagdat, that we claim an indu- " bitable right of vifiting the tombs of the imams, ali, gherbellai, *' MAHALLADE, MouzA, and HUSSEIN \ We demand the delivery of " all the PERSIANS who have been taken prifoners in the late war : and *' as the blood of our countrymen yet fmokes, and calls upon their fove- ** reign for vengeance, there ought to be fo much (hed of the fubjeds " of the grand fignior, as thefe have fpilt of the fubje(5ts of the king of *' PERSIA. We make thefe our fentiments known, that you may not ** accufe US of the diflionour of taking you by furprize. We are going ** fooii Thefe are prophets who are held in veneration by the ?er ians, and whofe tombs arc neat BACD AT. Chap. IX. NADIR SHAH. ^^ *' foon at the head of our vif.hmas kouli khan. In the mean time, tlie Persian general having collected all his forces from the eaftern provinces, and engaged alfo a body of Arabians, the plains of RAMADAN were appointed for a general rendezvous. The army confifted of near ?o,ooo fighting men j and as the fortune of kouli khan, and the bravery of his men promifed fomc remarkable fuccefs, the provinces fent in their refpeclive quotas of troops with great alacrity. Of the grandees of the court of Isfahan, fome through hope of pro- motion, and others through fear of the refentment of kouli khan, were induced to accompany him in this war j which anfwered a double pur- pofe to him, as it prevented their caballing in his abfence, and by means of their influence in their refpedive provinces, put him in a better capa- city of carrying on the war with vigour. TjEUMAs KOULI KHAN at the head of this formidable army, began his march from Isfahan in the month of February, direding his courfe towards hamadan. As foon as he arrived on the plains near that city, he made a general review of his forces, and encouraged his men by aHur- ing them, that he did not doubt before it was long, he (liould fix his ftandards on the ramparts of Constantinople. The firft operation of the campaign was the fiege of kermansha *. Shah t^hmas had certainly erred in his politics, in yielding up this place to the turks, as its vicinity to Persia muft necejQarily have occa- fioned great jealoufies between the fubjcd:s, as well as the governments of both ' This ij a great city, which de lisie's map includes in irak agami, but it is generally under- ftooU to bt in KOVRDtiTAK, Chap. IX. NADIR SHAR ^j both countries. A great part of the inhabitants were Persians; fo that i733< T^.MAS KOULi KHAN was hardly arrived there with his whole army, when the inhabitants opened their gates to him. The unfortunate governor was put to death, in return for the violence on seffie kouli khan at Con- stantinople; this execution was performed in the fight of the whole army. Several other turks had the fame fate ^. After appointing abdal BAKi KHAN as govemor, and leaving a garrifon of his own people in this city, t^hmas kouli khan began his march towards bagdat. This was the favourite objcd; he had in view : he knew that achmed, basha of that city and its dependencies, had m.ade the neceflary preparations for its defence ; but he flattered himfelf, that by taking the field fo much earlier than the turks could colled an army to oppofe him, he fhould bring the basha to a fubmiflion. The TURKS had the precaution to fend detachments of their forces to guard the defiles on the Persian fide, which cover the plains towards the frontiers of bagdat. Thefs however were ealily forced; the turks having neither fkill, courage, nor numbers to ftop the progrefs of the PERSIAN army. Traverfing the great foreft between the cities mendeli and nezereth, he pafTed the river synnee, on the banks of which the TURKS had in vain ereded feveral batteries. Then coming into the plains of bagdat, he crofled the river kentoul, which is a branch of the TIGRIS, and after a march of twenty days, he arrived the loth of april under the walls of bagdat. ^ I canno!: help remarking, how fond fomc writers of hiftorical accounts of p e r s i a are of fhed- ding blood ; if any number of perfons nre put to death, they make whole citiei malTacred. Again, If an army confills of 50,000 men, they mention thfm as 1 00. coo ; but thi.s bit error feems to ar ic from the numerous followers of the eamp. CHAP. THE HISTORY OF Part III. CHAP. X. Dcfcnption of bagdat. This city is befieged. The conduB of kouli KHAN. The 'vigilance of ACWbAED basha. Stratagem of t opal os- MAN. The PERSIAN army defeated with great flaughter. Letter of ACHMED BASHA to the grand fignior. Great rejoicings at the otto- j^iAN court for the viBory over the Persians. Topal osman Jejtds his army into quarters, l^^"?' T3EFORE we enter upon any circumftance relating to the fiege of Jj bagdat, it may afford fome light to the fubjed:, to give a fhort account of this famous city, in the neighbourhood of which formerly ftood the metropolis ^ of one of the moft antient and moft potent monarchies in the world. The place is generally called bagdat or bagdad, tho' fome writers preferve the antient name of babylon. The reafon of thus confounding thefe two cities is, that the Tigris and Euphrates forming one common flream before they difembogue into the Persian gulph, are not unfrequently mentioned as one and the fame river. It is certain that the prefent bagdat is fituated on the Tigris ^, but the an- tient BABYLON, according to all hiftorians facred and prophane, was on the EUPHRATES. The ruins of the latter, which geographical writers place about fifteen leagues to the fouth of bagdat, are now fo much effaced, that there are hardly any vefliges of them to point out the fituation. In the time of the emperor theodosius there was only a great park remaining, in which the kings of Persia bred wild beafls for the amufement of hunting. Bagdat, ' Babylon, the feat of the kings of Assyria. *■ Tke waters of this river, which is called DiDCELiE by the turks and Persians, arc reckoned extremely wholcfome, and not lefs agreeable to the tafte. This river iffucs with a great noife from a cavern to the north of the city DiARBEitiR, near which there is a very good Hone bridge over it. Before it reaches this place it takes in feveral other rivers, and running to the eallward is augmented by the heini, ferdgil, B I CHER I, and others which come from the eaft. After pafling bagdat it receives a great increafe from the diala, and meets the Euphrates not far from dgenasir. Near vasit it divides into many branches, aud forms feveral iflands, called the iflands of the Arabian river. At corn a it again joins the Euphrates, and difembogues itfeli" into the Persian gulph below eassora, its whole courfc being computed 400 leagues. 4 Chap. X. NADIR SHAH. ^^ Bagdat, formerly the feat of the abbassinean caliphs, is the capital of IRAC-ARABI. This country is reckoned 120 leagues Ions; and 80 broad, though great part of it is very poorly inhabited. It in- cludes feveral diRrids, and is one of the moft important governments in the OTTOMAN empire. The city is fituated on the eafl fide of the Ti- gris, on the banks of which it extends about two miles. It was built on the ruins of the antient seleucia, near the year 760. The govern- ment of the CALIPHS being extindt, the city was united to the kingdom of PERSIA about the year 1250, but was taken by amurath the ivth in 1638, and has remained under the dominion of the ottoman em- pire, notwithftanding the repeated efforts of the Persian monarchs to recover it. The fortification is com.pofed of lofty thick walls of brick, covered with earth, llrengthened by great towers in form of baflions placed at certain diflances, and protected by a deep ditch, which can be filled at any time by the waters of the tigris. The citadel is on the north fide, and commands the river. The whole fortification is furnifhed with near 200 pieces of cannon ^. The garrifon generally confills of a body of ten thoufand men, and in time of war more than twice that number, befides the ordinary militia, which is 12,000 men. From hence it is eafy to conceive, that under an experienced commander this place could hardly be taken by an eaftern army, any otherwife than by famine. Its happy fituation on the Tigris is an advantage which enables it, upon the apprehenfion of an enemy, to lay in a large fupply of provifions. The fuburbs being very extenfive, and raifed on both fides of the Ti- gris, there is a communication by a bridge of boats, the only one which that river will admit of, as it is broad and deep, and in its ordinary courfe very rapid. At certain feafons it fwells to a prodigious height, and over- flowing the country, occafions many morafles on the fide oppofite to the city. Among thefe are feveral towns and villages, v/hofe inhabitants are faid to be the antient caldeans. Thefe people are of a particular reli- gion, t Thefe were foimerly orly fix pounders, but cf late fonie of them have been exchanged for heavier. 1733' 8o THE HISTORY OF Part III. ^73 3- gion, which they pretend is that of seth : there are alfo a great number of ARADS in tins neighbourhood, who render travelling dangerous. The advantage of the Tigris is ib confiderable with regard to commerce, that altho' the chmate is excefiive hot, and in other refpeds far from being aoreeable, yet there are a great number of inhabitants in this city. The greateft part of thefe are Persians, Armenians, and jews. The two laft occupy near half the city, and drive a confiderable trade with bas- sora'', and the inland parts. The jews are the more engaged to live here, from a reverence to the fcpulchrc of the prophet ezekiel, which it is pretended is a day's journey from the city. ' Tjehmas kouli khan having found means to corrupt fome of the in- habitants of this important city, made his advances with great confidence. However, he was in want of artillery, and of courfe in no capacity to make regular approaches, had he poflefled the fkill of an European ge- neral. His great bufinefs was to invefl the city, and force the inhabitants to a fubmiffion by famine, or fubdue them by ftratagem. Myrza khan, an officer of great valour and experience, who had been an early follower of the fortunes of kouli khan, was fent with 10,000 men a league up the TIGRIS, and pafTed the river near the fuburbs of kouch kalessi \ This detachment executed their bufinefs without any confiderable lofs : after pillaging the town, they fixed their camp in that neighbourhood ^. Here they found a piece of cannon of a very great fize, which the bash a, nothwithftanding his great circumfpedion, had negleded to bring away, or render ufeltfs. But this was the only battering cannon in the Persian army, and was by no means fufficient to make a breach, tho' it was ufed with fome fuccefs, and helped to intimidate the inhabitants. Bagdat, *^ They have cover'd vefTcIs called tfknrs, in which they bring the produce of india and other countries up the TIGRIS. There are alfo others call'd daneks and gurabs. ' S'gnifies in Arabic the bird tower. ^ It is reported that the waters of the Tigris foon after fwclPd to a great degree, and cut off all communication from the main body of the persiaw army : that the turks took the opportunity to attack this officer, who maintained his ground very gallantly ; but being ovcr-power'd by numbers was obliged to retreat after a confiderable lofs. And that this circumftancc, in a great meafurc, contributed to the defeat of the tersi an general fome time after. But what Turks thefe were who defeated him is not faid, unlefs it was after the battle of kefkoud; andasTOPAL osman, as well as achmed basha, are filent on this head, I mail Itave myrza khan to be difpofcd of ai the reader plcafts. Chap. X, NADIR SHAH. S/ Bagdat was now clofely blocked up on both fides the Tigris, by an i'7'?'2. army of 80,000 men, fo that neither troops, ammunition, nor provifions could be thrown into the town. The Turkish garrifon within the walls confifled of about 20,000 men, befides the militia. They laboured how-* ever under the great inconveniency of having a number of persiax inha- bitants, fome of whom might be fuppofed in the interefl of the Persian general ; fo that achmed had his attention divided both within and v/ith- out the walls. But in order to prevent any evil confequence from hence, tho' the majority were much more difpofed to live under the TURKisir government than the Persian 3 he caufed fome of the principal among them to take up their lodging in the citadel, as hoftages for the good behaviour of their countrymen. T^hmas kouli khan having thus cantoned his army, and blockaded the city, expeded to oblige achmed BASH A to a furrender by famine : nor could he well have failed, if hia vanity had not got the better of his prudence. ToPAL osMAN BASHA, though an able and experienced officer, and zealous in the laft degree for the glory of his mafter, and the welfare of his country J would hardly have been able to relieve bagdat, and pre- vent its being difmembered from the ottoman empire, had the Per- sian general been lefs confident of his fuccefs. When this basha was appointed seraskier ^ of the ottoman army, his credit at the port was very great; yet the fuccours and reinforcements of money, troops, and ammunition, which were promifed him, were fent only in fmall propor- tions, and in a very irregular manner, fo that he was unavoidably obliged to remain feveral months in a ftate of inacflion. During this interval, t^ehmas kouli khan, already anticipating his triumphs in imagination, wrote to the basha of mosul, fummoning him to furrender, adding words to this effed; ^: "I am informed that a certain «' TURKISH general, whofe flow advances give me no great idea of his " courage, ' General in chie ^ Meffages of defiance have been long dlfufed among European generals ; nor would I have inferted thefe, but to give fome idea of the chara^er of t;ehma3 Koy li KHAN. Vol. IV. L 82 THE HISTORY OF Part III 1733* " courage, has been a long time in march, intending to oppofe my con- " queft. Let him know, that I defire he will make more fpeed ; and, *' in order to fliorten his way, I will meet him with part of my forces, *' which are fufficient to make him repent of his rafhn^fs. I will not ** only take his little army, but himfelf alfo as a child in his bechik ■." ToPAL osMAN being informed of this meiTage, replied : " The grand " fienior my mafler has armies as numerous as the fands of the feas, and *' many chiefs to conduct his forces 5 but he has chofen my feeble arm, *' with only a fmall army, to confound thy pride. It is true, lam lame°, *' old, and fickly, but I hope by the afliflance of the Almighty, that " thou wilt meet the fate of nimrodp." In order to facilitate the jundlion of his troops, as well as to advance nearer bagdat, topalosman decamped from diarbekir, and marched along the banks of the tigris j he pafled this river at mosul, and con- tinued his march towards cherchesene. This province is fubje(fl to the ottoman empire, and had been laid wafte by the Persians. He then direded his courfe to kerkoud^ a city forty leagues diftant from mosul, where the basha of the province refides. He had feveral confiderable branches of the tigris to pafs, befides the rivers hazir, jarb, and al- TUN J over fome of thefe he was obliged to tranfport his troops on floats, which retarded his march ; whilfl this army was forming, by the feveral detachments and fmall parties which joined him from different parts. In this fituation, if kouli khan had put himfelf at the head of a body of his bcfl: troops, and at the iiime time left a fufficient number, which he could have done, to flop the communications to bagdat, in all pro- bability he might have rendered the utmoft efforts of the seraskier in- cfFedtual. But his vanity betrayed him : elate with his fuccefTes, which hitherto ■ This word fignifies cradle and litter; topal osman on account of his infirmities being obliged ID ufc the latter. • Topal in the Turkish language fignifies lame, and was an appellation given to osman, according to the cuftom in turkey, in conl'cqucnce of a wound he received, 'vhich really lamed him, the circumftances of which I ihall relate hereafter. p The turks have a fabulous tradition, that the pride of nimrod, who equalled himfelf with god, was chaflifcd by a fingular providence, in a fly creeping up his nofe to his brain, with which he died in exccflive pain; and the basha here expreffes himfelf with humility, by way of contraft to the inlolcnce of KouLiKHAN. ' Tlxis plucc is alfo called cherazour, and is generally cftcemed the capi- tal of iluurd 1st an. 7 Chap. X. NADIR SHAH. 83 hitherto had met with no interruption, he afFeded to treat the Turks 17^^, as enemies not in the leaft formidable. While the Turkish army was forming, Kouli khan erected two forts about two leagues from bagdat, one on each fide of the tygris, which communicated by a bridge of boats. He then caufed a great num- ber of houfes to be built upon the banks of the river : in fome of thefe the principal officers refided, and lodged their wives and houfhold : others were occupied by part of the foldiery, or ufed by futlers and ar- tificers, with fhops well fupplied. The fame abundance feemed to reign here, as in the richeft city in the heart of persia. It is probable, that kouli khan was aduated by motives of policy, in building thefe houfes 3 for on the one hand, this was likely to excite his troops to the greater bravery, in order to fave their effeds from being plundered, and their wives and children from captivity j and, on the other, the Turkish garrifon might be driven to defpair^ by feeing the enemy build a city under their v/alls. However, it is certain, by fuch methods, and by his threatening fummons, the inhabitants were intimi- dated to a very great degree. He let them know continually, that they fhould have quarter and good ufage, if they furrendered ; adding, that TOPAL osMAN was abfolutely unable to relieve them j and, if they obli- ged him to give an affault, he would make a general maffacre, or fell into 11a very all who fliould efcape the fword. The extreme neceflity the town laboured under occafioned fuch murmurings, that it required all the addrefs of achmed basha to prevent an infurredion. He was there- fore obliged to puni(h fome, and to footh others ; feigning falfe exprefles from TOPAL OSMAN, that he was in full march, and juft on the point of relieving them. The inhabitants were likewife intimidated by the flratagems of kouli KHAN, who often fent from his camp in the night detached parties of feveral thoufands, both horfe and foot, with orders to make a long round, and enter the camp another way, with colours flying, as if they were frefh reinforcements. To infult the mifei-y of the inhabitants, as if he L 2 knew 8^ THE HISTORY OF Part III/ 1733. knew their dlflrefs, he fent achmed basha a prefent of fome carts load of water melons, defiring him to divert his hunger. Achmed returned his compliments, and fent a handfome prefent of the heft bread ; obferv- ing, that with fuch he made a fhift to gratify his own hunger, and that of the citizens. Indeed the basha played his part fo well, that kouli KHAN was really ignorant to what an extremity the city was reduced. The vigilance and abilities of the governor, had hitherto defeated the arts of the Persian general -, but matters were at laft brought to fuch an extremity, after being blocked up three months, that no kind of necef- faries could have been procured for four days longer ; {q that the town nuift have inevitably fallen into the hands of a cruel and enraged enemy. ToPAL osMAN, having now increafed his army to near 80,000, in his march to kerkoud had taken two Persian prifoners. He ordered them to be brought before him, treated them civilly, and enquired if they were well acquainted with the by-roads and private ways to bagdat. Upon their anfwering in the affirmative, he told them, that as upon that account they were much fitter for his purpofe than any of his own people, who would certainly be taken ; if they would undertake fo bold an adion, and deliver a letter into the hands of achmed basha, the governor of BAGDAT, he would give each of them a thoufand fequins before they fet out ; and that they might exped; greater rewards if they proved faithful, as the letter was of the greateft confequence. However he demanded of them to fwear fidelity to him, to which they confented. The letter was to this eiled:: *' As I have not yet been joined by all the troops I " exped, I am obliged to march very flowly, in order to give the reft ** time to come up, before I am too near to t^hmas kouli khan, " againft whom I am not yet able to make head 5 therefore I defire you ** will have ftill fome farther patience : keep yourfelf clofe within your " walls, and hulband, to the beft advantage, what provifions and necef- ** faries are yet left." The two PERSIANS were no honefter than he expeded : they received their fequins, and haftened to the camp of kouli khan, in hopes of a further reward from their ov/n general. The letter produced all the efFeds tlie fhap. X. NADIR SHAH. Ss the SERASKIER could defire. The expedlations of t^ehmas kouli IJ'XI* KHAN fwelled to the higheft degree -, and in the triumph of his imagi- nation he looked upon the seraskier as already vanquiilied. By the firfl motions of topal osman's army towards kerkoud, it feemed as if he had intended to go diredly to bagdat j but as he mufl have been obliged to pafs thro' a barren defert, where the troops would have fufFered greatly, he returned to the allan, where that river dif- charges itfelf into the Tigris : the army then marched by the moun- tain of GEOBAR along the Tigris, till they came to duljeiluck "■ about twelve leagues from bagdat. T^HMAs KOULI khan having advice of the march of the turks, detached thirty thoufand men, moflly cavalry, hoping that the enemy, by the favour of the night, as they were pitching their tents, or decamping, might be furprized. The general of the detachment having taken two TURKISH prifoners, who reported that topal osman had an army of above 100,000 men 3 this determined him to acquaint kouli khan of his information 3 and that not being willing to venture againfl a force faid to be fo powerful, he waited his orders. Kouli khan, upon this, im- mediately marched at the head of his forces, which were near 70,000, leaving a confiderable body of his men ' before bagdat. The TURKISH army decamped the evening of the i8th of july, and marched towards kerkoud, near which the seraskier propofed to en- camp. About fun-rifing, the advanced guard of the Turkish army, .commanded by boulad achmed, basha of adene, met a detachment of the PERSIANS, and a fkirmifh enfued. Had the seraskier been dif- pofed to aft on the defenfive, the antient bed of the tigris was before him, which formed a deep foffee 3 but he chofe to favour the fpirit of his troops : and tho' it was attended with fome difficulty, he pafled this ditch with his army and artillery. Having reached the plain, he ranged his forces in battalia, in the form of a crefcent, dividing them into five different * Called alfo dugkuru. ' This body is faid to have been io,coo, and we accordingly find they vvere put to flight immediately when the turks fallied out. t6 THE HISTORY OF Part IIL 1733. diiFerent bodies. He himfelf commanded the troops of Romania' in the center,} abdallah aga was at the head of the right wing with the JanilTaries J the kourds, and other different troops, under Ibrahim, late BASH a of CONIE, forming the left wing. Mahommed basha com- manded in the rear. T/f.hmas kouli khan had hardly time to make a difpofition of his forces J and his ground was full of hillocks of fand : however, he divided his men into ten different columns. As he had intended to make the attack, he was a little difconcerted in feeing the basha ofADENE, with the TURKISH cavalry that compofed their van-guard, advance upon him with great fury ; yet his prefence of mind was not wanting : he animated his men, and expofed himfelf fo greatly to danger in the heat of the a6lion, that he had two horfes killed under him. " At length the Turkish cavalry gave way, and were puflied as far as their infantry 3 but thefe made fo good a countenance, that the fury of the PERSIANS was flopped. The Persians thus appearing fuperior, fome of the TURKISH officers counfelled the seraskier to make a retreat to his camp ; to which he declared, that he would rather perifh than do any thing that had the appearance of flight. He then ordered the troops of ROMANIA in the center, and the Janiffaries in the right wing, to be led up againft the center of the Persian army, confifling of 15,000 foot, which foon gave way. The KOURDS, and other different people, who compofed the left wing of the turrish army, and whofe chief attention was to wait an opportunity of pillage, were now induced to fall on the right wing of the Persians : thefe maintained their ground very gallantly for fome time. Nadir had taken the precaution noj: only to break up the ways towards Mosul ", but alfo to fend a detachment of 3000 ARABS, • Thefe EUROPEAN turks arc cflemed the bravcft. " Near this place is a very remark- able ruin, in which is an arch, that appears to have been the frontifpiecc of a great temple, which the inhabitants, who deal in the marvellous, imagine to be part of niniveh, and that it was built by NiNus the fon of bai.os, or belus; they flicw in the neighbourhood the place where the pro- phet JONAS inhabited, in honour of whom they have built a little chapel, which thf vifit with devotion : Chap. X. NADIR SHAH. g- ARABS ^ fupported by as many Persians, to guard the paiTes on that 1733. fide, againft the bash A of that place, in cafe he fhould attempt to aflift TopAL osMAN : but the basha advanced, and having found means to corrupt the Arabs, thefe not only abandoned the pafs, but joining the tURKS, obliged the Persians to retire j and then advancing with him fell upon the main body of the Persians in flank, whilft the whole TURKISH army were already engaged. The Persians could not fup- port the fliock : t^hmas kouh khan did all that was pofTible to rally them, but in vain. The flandard-bearer ""j either through fear, or bein? clofely prefTed, rode off the field -, and a total rout enfued. The fcene of this adion being a fandy plain, and the duration of it not lefs than eight hours, the Persians were fo much fatigued, that their flight was rendered the more difficult. Clouds of duft, with the fcorching heat of the weather, without a poffibility of getting water, added to their diftrefs, and expofed them the more to be flaughtered by their purfuers. Their lofs upon this occafion, was not lefs than 30,000 men, cavalry and infantry; with all their baggage, their camels, and harquebuffes. The latter did very little execution, in comparifon to the TURKISH artillery. The number of prifoners taken by the turks amounted to about 3000 : their vidory however coft them dear, for they loft near as many men as the Persians. Topal osman afcribed the glory of this day to the bravery of abdallah, the kiaya, and the JaniiTaries, whom he led on to adion. Abdallah being quite fpent with fatigue, fainted in the field j the good topal osman fupported him in his arms, and when he recovered, affured him that the grand fignior fhould be informed of his merit, and how much the vidory, under God, had been owing to him, and to the bravery of the foldiers he commanded. The seraskier then difpatched mefiTengers to diarbekir, bagdat, and other govern- ments, devotion: their tradition concerning the prophet differs not much from that of the fcripture. ^ This circumftance is not mentioned by thofe who are of the Turkish intereft, but is not, I believe, without foundation j becaufe, we do not find that nadir ever afterwards chofe their perfidious alliance, * See Vol. I. page 248. 88 THE HISTORY OF Part III. i--^- ments, as well as to Constantinople, with an account of the fuccefs of the OTTOMAN arms. In the mean while, achmed basha, with his garrifon at bagdat, fallied out, and attacked the Persians, whom kouli khan had left in their entrenchments : they made a gallant defence, hut were at length obliged to yield to numbers. Here the befieged found a fupply of corn and other provifions, which was in the higheft degree welcome to them after fo much diflrefs. Achmed no fooner received the joyful news of topal osman's fignal vidory, than he alfo difpatched a meflenger to Constantinople, to inform his mafler the grand fignior of the ftate of affairs in that great city. As this letter appears to be genuine, and gives an idea not only of the circumflances in which the turks were, but like wife of the oriental manner of writing, it may perhaps be acceptable. " May God be ever praifed and bleffed j for, by his grace, the com- " mander of the fultan's armies, the ever invincible topal osman ** BASH A, on whom may the moft high ever fhed his bounties 3 and " may he find mercy before the throne of God, at the founding of the *' trumpet. He has delivered us from the afflidions we have fuffered, " fince we were befieged by the Persian armies. The diftrefs of the " garrifon and inhabitants of this city was incredible ; and is beyond de- " fcription. We were furrounded j we were blocked up 3 we were en- *' compaffed for the fpace of a whole league. During three long months, " TiEHMAS kouli KHAN, with a body of his troops, pitched his tents " at IMAN azem, on the fide of the Tigris towards Persia, about half ** a league from the city, where he fortified himfelf with ftrong lines and ** redoubts ; and ufed all means to frighten us to a furrender. " Sometimes he detached part of his troops, without our being able " to perceive it ; and ordered them to enter another quarter of his camp, " with drums beating, and colours flying, and with the found of trum- ** pets, as if they were frefli forces coming from all quarters to liis af- 4 " fiftance. Chap. X. NADIR SHAH. g^ *' fiilance. He built forts on each fide the Tigris, well mounted with 173 " artillery 5 fo that all communication was cut off. He was continually " fummoning us to furrender; offering good terms if we would capitu- " late, and threatening us with the fword and captivity if we delayed ; " endeavouring to excite the people to mutiny. Your flave took every '' method to keep up their fpirits j I held affemblies of the people of " war i I told them from time to time that I had advice from the invin- " cible TOPAL osMAN BASHA, on whom may the bleffings of God de- " fcend, that he was at fuch a place, and would foon come and pour ** upon the enemy the irrefiftible force of the ottoman arms, ever ^' vidorious, and we fliould foon be delivered. " On the iirfl day of the moon sefer % the vizir topal osman " BASHA fent me an exprefs from kerkoud, by which I received his " high commands, letting me know that he WuS arrived at that place. " I immediately read his letter publicly, that all the people and inhabi- " tants might be acquainted with the news ; they would hardly believe ** the letter to be genuine j I was obliged to fhew it to every one, that " they might with their own eyes view the feal and hand-writing of the *' great commander, and prevent their defpair. " On the fourth of* sefer in the morning, t^,hmas kouli khan ranged " his army in battle array, and marched towards vugium, leaving a large " body of his troops behind him to block us up. As foon as our garri- " fon and the inhabitants of the city were informed of this, their anxietv " was renewed. Sometimes they were clamorous to have the gates " opened, that they might fally forth : fometimes they were determined " to wait for further news : every one, men and women, young and " old, continued without intermiffion, their hands clafped, and their eyes ** turned to heaven, befeeching God and his prophet to grant fuccefs to " our arms. " On the ninth** of sefer, juft at break of day, as we were lying in " the duft, offering our prayers to God, we perceived on the fide of the " defart, == The 13th of JULY. » The i6thof JULY. * The 21ft of julv. Vol. IV. M J* ^733' ^Q THE HISTORY OF Part III. '' defart, and towards the gate karani capsi, an officer with twenty- '^ five horfe-men, with their fabres in their hands. They cried with a " loud voice, and faid, open to us the gates, for we bring good tidings " to ACHMED BASHA. At firft your (lave beheving them to be fpies, *' doubted to give them entrance. But as the aga who commanded them " was known to feveral people from the walls, I caufed the gate to be *' opened. As foon as he was entered, they began to call aloud, O in- " habitants of bagdat forget your forrows and rejoice, for the great and ** mighty commander topal osman basha, has entirely vanquifhed the •* army of the Persians ; he has cut in pieces 60,000 of the enemy * : *' T.€HMAS KOULi KHAN is fled undiftinguiflicd among thofe whom our *' fabres could not reach. " The officer then delivered to me the letter which the invincible vizir *< had wrote, imparting to me the news of his vidory. No fooner was " this fpread abroad, than the whole city feemed as people rifen from " the dead : they faid with one common voice, let us fall upon the re- " mains of the Persians before they have time to fly. The garrifon ** aflTembled with the principal inhabitants of the city, and your flave at " their head, fell upon the Persians; we poured in upon them like " the mighty torrents, like the thunder of the waters of the Almighty ; " they refiftcd for fome time, but at length gave way to our vidtorious " arms, and fell under the edge of our fabres. All their artillery, am- *' munition and provifions, which were in great abundance, by the fa- *' vour of the prophet came into our poflTeffion. " A great number of people who had no horfes, and others who were *' too old to bear arms, bowing their heads, and croffing their arms, '* and covering themfelves with the drefs of the grave, having in a moft " fupplicant manner cried for mercy; my bowels were moved with com- " paffion towards them, I pitied their condition, and ordered that quar- " ter fliould be given them, with liberty to retire. As for thofe who " fled over the plains, it was no longer a fight, it was a hunting in the *' forefl, ' We may allow people to magnify their fuccefs extremely on fuch an occafion as this ; ami this bappciu. to be doable the nuoibcr which the Persians really loll. Chap. X, NADIR SHAH, 9t ** foreft, a chace of the hearts of the defart. Our vidlorious troops cutting 173 3* ** down every thing before them, purfued the enemy with the fword. " The next day we returned thanks to God and his prophet : we ^' planted on the walls the flandards of the vanquifhed enemy, with all " the other trophies of our vidory. After the public rejoicings and " thankfgivings were over, we buried in their tombs fuch of our people " as had the glory to receive the crown of martyrdom. We then cut " off the heads of all the enemy who were {lain ; we piled them in '^ heaps on the field of battle; and threw the bodies into the Tigris. '' The day after, the great and mighty conqueror, topal osman basha, " arrived with his vidtorious army at imam azem, the fuburbs of bag- " DAT, whither the people of all ranks, young and old, ran to lick the " duft of his feet. " The day following, I, your fiave, accompanied by the bashas and " great officers here, with my whole retinue, and all the principal in- " habitants of bagdat, went with the great seraskier, and returned " thanks in the mofque of imam azem, for the vidories obtained, and " for the end of our great afflidions. I fend you this account, under the " providence of God, by chassoucar aga, whom may the Almighty «« fafely condud." Topal osman remained with the Turkish army two days on the field of battle burying the dead : this vidory coft very dear, not only by the death of fo many common foldiers, but alfo by the lofs of many perfons of great diftindion. The wounded, who were in great numbers, he fent to MOSUL. Among thefe he found the father-in-law and nephew of KOULi KHAN, whom he treated with great generofity ; and after their wounds were drefled, he fent them to the Persian general, with fome propofitions concerning a peace ^. To the latter no reply was made j but he acknowledged his obligations to the seraskier for the humane treat- ment of his relations, and that he hoped 'ere long to return the obliga- tion after the fame manner. M 2 The 8 Others mention their having been fent to coNSTANTlNOPtE j but I bdi«V€ topal OSMa« fought to appeafe rather than to enrage kouli khan. 92 THE HISTORY OF Part III. jyov '^^^^ TURKISH general na fooner received a report of the circumftances of his own army after the battle, than he fent one of his favourite ^ ofhcers to CONSTANTINOPLE with the news of his vidory, which was received with all poflible demonftrations of joy, and magnified beyond the truth. The fpirit of the court however was a little damp'd, when a fecond melTen- ger from the general arrived eight days afterwards, to acquaint the grand fignior, that the army was in great diflrefs for want of provifions, the coun- try round bagdat having been ruined by the Persians -, and moreover, that tho' he had been victorious, yet his lolTes were fo great, that he re- queued an immediate and large fupply of recruits ; that as for himfelf, his age and infirmities were fuch, that he begged his highnefs would give the command of the army to one more able to ferve him, as the duty required all the flrength of youth, as well as the experience of old age j for he forefaw that kouli khan would foon return with a numerous army, when he (hould not be in fo good a condition to receive him as before. This news was however fuppofcd to be in a great meafure owing to the modefty of the bash a ; fo that inftead of making fuch provifion as- had been reprefented as necefiary, they loaded him with new honours which he did not defire. His fon-in-law was made beglerbeg of ROMANIA, and his fon a basha of three tails : he had alfo leave to difpofe of all military employments, and to diftribute rewards according to the merit of his officers j and if he fliould think it mofl: for the honour and fifcty of the empire, he might alfo negotiate a peace. To thefe great honours and fignal inflances of the confidence repofed in him, were added the higheft commendations of his valour and condudl. In the mean time, the court would not be perfuaded, that after fo fignal vicftory there could be fuch a neceffity of fuccours as the basha reprefented: the fight of the three thoufand Persian prifoners filled their mind fo much with the idea of conqueft, and a fond perfuafion of the diftreficd condition of the Persian army, that a fufficient care was not taken to anfwer the demands of the seraskier. The great diftance of * Or thefc occafjons the Turkish generals give their mciTengers a goKlcn ornament, in form of a plume, with three poiats, by which means the people where he pafTcs arc to underftand he is the nicTcnger of vidory or good news. Chap. XI. NADIR SHAH. 93 of the army, and the poverty of the ftate, was a farther reafon why the 1733. eourt was fo remifs, whilfl their general feemed to be the only man who knew how much the flrength and valour of the enemy was to be dreaded. He had accordingly made fuch a difpoiition of his troops in the neigh-- bouring country, as was necelTary to their fupport, with orders to afTemble ia the plains near bag d at the end of august, himfelf, with 30,000 men, remaining at kerkoud,. C H A P. XI. T^.HMAS KOULi KHAN prepares fir another adtion : bis Jlratagem, To-- PAL osMAN obliged to continue in his command, Poulak basha aban-^ donsthepoJlofrhKA'^hK. Topal osman collects his firces, and meets the PERSIANS. Battle of leilam the 22^ 0/" October. Second battle of LEiLAM. Topal osman killed, and the Turkish army routed^ Abdallah kouproli, basha of cARio, appointed generalijimo, TiEHMAS KOULI KHAN retired with the remains of his army tO' HAMADAiNF : having been always accuflomed to victory, he was the more fenlibly affeded by his defeat, efpecially as there was reafon to fear that his glory was nipped, at the very time when to appearance it was ripen- ing to its full maturity. However, as no reverfe of fortune could fubdue his mind, he feemed yet to triumph in the aflurance of future fuccefs j and the perfecfl knowledge he had, how dear the enemy had purchafed their vidlory, and that the treacherous conducft of his Arabian allies had been the chief caufe of the difaffcer which befel him j he encouraged his fol- diers, applauded their conduct, and commended their valour, in the fame flattering terms, as if he had been himfelf the vidlor. He acknowledged the miftakes he had committed in terms the moll engaging ; being con- vinced that paft misfortunes can be retrieved only by future conducft. He made his own and that of the army one common caufe 3 and by re- minding them of their valour upon fo many occafions, he alTured them they fhould have fuch an opportunity of revenging themfelves, as fhould j_ intirely 94 THE HISTORY OF Part HI. 1733. intirely efface the remembrance of an accident, for which they were no way to blame. Thus he ingratiated himfelf with the common foldiers, as well as the officers, in fuch a manner, that he kept the army in good fpirits, and without the leaft rehidance to try their fortune in an- other battle. As a proof of what he had advanced, he was hardly arrived at ha- MADAN, when he wrote to achmed basha, the governor of bagdat, that notvvithflanding his misfortunes in the lafl campaign, he did not in the leaft hold himfelf as vanquiflied : that he was fenfible of the faults he had committed, and intended to mend them : and as he was deter- mined to make war like a generous enemy, therefore he acquainted him, that he might be prepared j for that early next year he would take the field with a more numerous and powerful army than the former, and meet him once m.ore at bagdat. How oftentatious foever fuch a meflage might feem, it not only ferved" to keep his foldiers in fpirits, but alfo as a ftratagem to deceive the TURKS i for tho* they might deem fuch menaces not entirely as an effect of his vanity, with regard to his intentions of returning into turkey, yet they did not dream that his real defign was to fall on them before the winter came on. For this purpofc he fent to Isfahan for recruits, and command- ed his fecond fon nesr ali, the governor of Herat, to join him with all the forces under his command. Thus he foon completed an army, very near equal to that with which he had made his late expedition into turkey. Achmed, basha of bagdat, had too much penetration to be ig- norant of the genius of the Persian general, and too good intelligence to doubt of his intentions of returning into turkey ; but whether that (hould happen fooner or later, he took all pofTible care to put the city in a flate of defence, and to bring a fupply of provifions by means of the TIGRIS, which he could not collecft near his own diftridl, the province for many leagues round bagdat having been laid wafte. Topal osman on his part was ftill in want of ammunition and other neceffaries for his army, and in no condition to ad: offenfively againil 4 PERSIA; Chap. XL NADIR SHAH. Persia: he therefore contented himfelf with fending poulak basha, 17?^, with fix thoufand men, to take polTeffion of the pafs of takajak which is the entrance into turkey on the fide of hamadan. Affairs were in this fituation, when advice airived at kerkoud, that the fon of t^hmas kouli khan was upon his march to the affiflance of his father, with a large body of Afghans and abdollees. The SERASKiER difpatchcd a courier to the port with this intelligence, repre- fenting to the minifters, as he had often done before, the necellity there was of fending large fupplies of men, money, and ammunition to the army intended to act againft kouli khan. He earneftly requeued at the fame time, that in confideration of his age and infirmities, they would allow him to refign the command of the army in favour of achmed BASHA, who in all refpedls was fitter than himfelf to difcharge the duties of fuch an important trufl. The grand fignior, in confideration of his requefl, and his great fer- vlces, had actually determined to comply with his defire, and appointed him BASHA of cuTAYA^ and beglerbeg of natolia. The difpo- fitlon for thefe changes was already made, when a frefh courier arrived at the feraglio from topal osman, with advice that the Persians had forced the pafs of takajak, and that their general was in full march at the head of a mighty army j requefling that they would immediately order the fuccours, which he had fo often and fo warmly foliicited. An extraordinary divan was held upon this fubjeft; the difpofition of thofe changes juft mentioned was fufpended, and topal osman ordered to continue in his command of the army. Poulak basha had been fent by the seraskier with 6000 men, to pofl himfelf at takajak, which is the pafs on the frontiers of turkey. Ac- cordingly he took pofTefHon of it with his troops. On the 1 2th of October, kouli khan's AFGHANS advanced towards him : the easha having ne- gleded to fortify his poft, or ftruck with a panic, retired with his men, and abandoned this important pafs to the enemy. T^e se^.askeier was filled with fuch indignation and refentment, that he wuuld have ordered his * This is a diflrift about three days journey from Constantinople. 96 " THE HISTORY OF Part III. 1733. his head to be flruck off in the field, notvvithftanding he had behaved gallantly in the battle of kerkoud, if feveral of the moft diilinguifhed officers, who were in great cfteeni with him, had not begged his life. ToPAL osMAN now found himfelf in a very dangerous fituation ; a fierce and formidable enemy was advancing on him, whilft the fuccours he had foUicited from the port, he knew by experience, were not to be depended on : the bash A of syri a was his particular friend, and exerted himfelf in colleding all the forces poflible j but thefe were not fufficient. Syria was once a powerful kingdom, and could of itfelf fend large armies into the field j but fince it has been under the dominion of the TURKS, it is fo far ruined, that the basha could hardly coUedl 12000 infantry, with a fmall body of horfe; neither of which had any reputation as foldiers. The seraskier had alfo colledled feveral bodies of forces from MOSUL ^i tho' the inhabitants had been fo terrified at the approach of a PERSIAN army, that numbers were difpofed to flight, till they found themfelves furrounded by roving arabs, and other enemies 5 they re- folved therefore to aflifl in the common caufe of their country, and en- deavour to withftand the torrent of the Persian arms. In the mean while, the garrifon of diarbekir was alfo fent to join topal osman, and fome tribes of the Arabians, who had been of fuch fervice in the affair of kerkoud. The seraskier, in order to facilitate the jundion of his forces, march- ed to the plains of aronia, near the city mendeli, where he muftered near 100,000 men; happy for the turks if they had been all equal in difcipline and valour to the Persian troops. Here the prudent TOPAL osman entrenched his army in an advantageous fituation, to prevent a furprize, and enable him to ad: as circumflances might require. T.f.HMAs KouLi KHAN being informed of the fituation of the turks, niarched diredly towards them, and arrived within fight of their army the * This is a great city fixty leagues above bacdat, and forty below diarbekir, on the weftem b^nks of the TIGRIS, it is near the antient niveveh, which at prefent is but a heap of undirtinguiihcd ruins. Chap. XI. NADIR SHAH. 97 the 2ifl: of OCTOBER. In the mean while, he ordered a detachment to 17^;. make a circuit by the foreft of nezereth, and by paffing the Tigris intercept a rich caravan going for SxMiTRNA and aleppo, and then to join hioi near the plains of aronia, which they performed e. On the 22d of October, topal osman basha acquainted his officers, that he propofed to keep in his trenches on the defenfive ; but at the fame time let his troops know, that fuch as were difpofed, might fkir- mifli with the enemy. The JaniiTaries of cairo, and fome troops of Romania, who had not been in tlie battle of kerkoud, thought their honour concerned to per- form fome fignal adion ; and being joined by fome other of the troops, and by the arabs, whom the seraskier had taken into his pay, they falUed from the entrenchments, and attacked the Persians. The foii was dry and dufly to a great degree ; the wind favoured the turks, and they took the proper advantage of it. They came to an engagement, or rather a fkirmifh, which lafled about four hours. The seraskier per- ceiving his men had the fuperiority, gave orders for others to join them 3 this determined the fortune of the day ; fo that the Persians retreated to- wards LEILA M, about five leagues from kerkoud, leaving upon tk^^^fii J"^^ near 4000 ^ men. {\^ C*553)^ We are left a little in the dark, with regard to that engagement whfcl^-— '''' went by the name of the battle of leilam ; tho* this place, reported to be within five leagues of kerkoud, mufl confequcntly have been twenty or thirty leagues from the plains of aronia '\ The Persian general now prepared for a decilive ftroke : he had fought the firft battle in his owji name s This was not the caravan which had been iocked up in eacdat daring the Tiege, as fome ac- counts pretend. ^ Some make the lofs here much greater. It was reprcfcnted at Con- stantinople as a fecond victory, tho' the court was too prudent to rejoice. It feenis to me to be little more than a ficirmilh previous to the fate of the ottoman army ; hov/ever, it is certain, that KOULi khan's army fufiered on this occafion. ^ Vv'e may reconcile the difFerent accounts, by fuppofing it to be between both places, -for the plains of aronia extend near leilam. The defcripuon of battles properly belongs to foldiers, and few of thefe give us a good account of what pafles at our very dooxs, fo that we muit fuppofe a great deal with regard to U^efe remoter fcenes inoie than is related. Vol. IV. N 98 THE HISTORY OF Part III. 1-33. nam^ as general; the lecond was in the name of tlie young king shah ABAS III. Both thefe being unfuccefsfu], the army began to be fuper- iiitious. KouLi khan therefore refolved to make his decifive blow in the name of shah t.-ehmas''. He chofe an advantageous fituation to the eaft, intending to make the attack early the next morning ; and the fun., fliinin"- in the face of the enemy, he might receive from thence the ad- vanta^ye which the turks enjoyed four days before, with regard to the wind. At day break, the 26th of October, he advanced at the head of 20,000 of his bell troops, and fell upon the van -guard of the Turkish army, which had made fome approaches towards him : this attack was fo well condu<5ted, that in a fliort time he pierced through this body of the TURKS. The battle then became general on both fides. The turks be^an fooa to give way, which put their army in fome confufion. To- PAL osman was not wanting in the duties of a brave and experienced ge- neral; he brought his men up to the charge more than once, but the PERSIANS had the afcendency, and repulfed them with great flaughten The SERASKIER was fatigued with rallying his people, and perceiving the diforder of his army, put himfelf at the head of the Janiffaries, and difputed the victory with as much bravery, as the importance of the occafion could infpire; till at length, two mufqiiet-balls pierced his bodyj. and he dropt dead from liis horfe. Thus fell the brave topal osman, one of the greateft ftatefmcn and generals, and a man of the moll: integrity, of any in the ottoman em- pire. His fall determined the fate of the Turkish army; thole who were near him were dlflieartened, and no longer fought with the fame fpirit: mofl of thefe fell by the fword, others fled, and the defeat be- came general. The Persians purfued the vanquiflied enemy, and made a great (laughter. KouLi khan immedi.Uely fcnt his Afghans to inter- cept the flight of the arab?, who had fought under topal osman ; and, in remen^brance of their perfidious condud at the battle of kerkoud^ he caufcd great numbers of them to be put to the fword. The k However extraordinary this may appear, the fuperliition of the foldicrs might render it necc/rary ; T.ot fo much out of love to sham t^hmas, as to try tlicix fortuoe under a name which had been always lucky to t^.iimas kouli khan. Chap. XL NADIR SHAH, 9^ The TURKS loft upon this occafion all their baggage, artillery, Vith their military cheft, and not lefs than 40,000 men, among whom were many bashas and perfons of diflindion. A great number were taken .prifoners, among thefe was the intendant ^ of the arrny, who informed T.CHMAS KouLi KHAN of the fate of TOPAL OS MAN. Curiofity, as well as veneration for the charader of this great man, induced the Persian .general to order that the body fliould be brought to him : he fcood fome time in filence, and furveyed it with an awful reverence. Topal osman ^vas indeed the conqueror j tho' vanquillied, he triumphed. Being ar- Tived to the age of feventy, he had finifhed his courfe with glory, which it was hardly poffible his enemy fliould ever attain to j lince the prin- ciples on which he fet out, were diametrically oppolite to thofe of this good man. The Persian general ordered the body to be fent to bag- DAT with proper honour, that the remains of fo brave an officer might receive the funeral-rites due to his rank, and the laft homage of his countrymen, whofe caufe he had ever efpoufed, with a true patriot zeal. The news of the death of topal osman, with the intire defeat of the ottoman army, aftoniflied the court, and the whole city of Constanti- nople. The fuccefs at kerkoud in july before, ferved only to add to their fenfibility of this misfortune : and from the opinion v/hich had been entertained of the great lofs of the Persians on that occafion, they imagined kouli khan to be a devil or enchanter^ who could with fd rapid a courfe reverfe his fortune. The grand vizir, apprehenfive of fome commotion in the city, caufed guards to be placed at certain pofts to prevent an infurrcdlion. The divan allembled immediately. The grand fignior and the mufti recom- mended a peace with Persia almofi: at any price, as the war feemed to tend to the ruin of the empire. The vizir on the other hand repre- fented the Persians as vincible, of Which the battle of kerkoud was a ftanding memorial -, and that to lofe the conquered provinces by the force of arms, would be lefs inglorious than tamely to yield them up to the PERSIANS* N 2 This ' ORroU CADI. ^733- ico THE HISTORY OF Part III. '733* l^li^ opinion being at length agreed to, preparations were made to fend cannon and ammunition to Alexandria, alio money for the pay- ment of the army j and 8000 JanifTaries were commanded to march the 15th of DECEMiJER. Abdallah KoupROLi, BASHA of CAIRO, was no- minated as generalinimo, in tlie place of topal 0SMAN3 and the fcveral r.ASHAS in the Turkish dominions in asia, had orders to march with all the forces they could colle(ft. CHAP. XII. 7bc cducatkny and mofi ranarkahle incidents of the life of topal oSxMan BASHA J iDith a particular account of bis gratitude and great generofty to his benefaolor, 'who ranfomed him in his youth frojnfavery. 1 "^ HE mention I have already made of a brave turk, will fufficient- ly countenance the following ftory. It is an anecdote by no means below the dignity of an hiftorian, nor foreign to my fubjedl. The dcfign of it is to inftrud us by example, which is confefTedly the great ufe of hiftory: and I am perfuaded this relation will give pleafure to every one who does not think gratitude a pious frenzy, or that it is a virtue fit only for litde minds, whofe weaknefs betrays them into a pafTion, \vhith clafhes with felf-love, fo much the idol of mankind. Topal osman was educated in the chambers of the feraglio'"j a me- thod which was formerly ufed only with the children of the tribute, and who were all of chriflian parents. In the year 1698, being then about the "* There are different chambers of the feraglio through which tliofc children paficd, who were formerly fent up from tlic christian provinces fubje^icd to the oi toman tn;pirc. They went from the laft chamber into the fervice of the fuUan, and were employed in the diflcrcnt offices of tlie court and miaiftry. According to their conduft or fortune, they rofc t) the fcvcral polls and oflices of the empire. Tiic policy of this was, that not knowing their parents and relations, and oftentimes^ ignorant of the very couutiy they came from, they might be the more abfolutcly dependant and de- voted to the fcrvice of the grand fignior. But now tlie tlrks have found means to have their owa children educated in tlie feraglio ; and the chambers in wliich thofe defigntd fur employments are bred, and from which they a.e taken, do moftly confift of native turks. Chap. XIL NADIR. SHAH. loi the age of tWenty-live, he was fent with the fultan's orders to thcBASHA 17 of CAIRO. He travelled by land to said '', and being afraid of the Arabs who rove about the adjacent countries, plundering pailtngers and cara- vans, he embarked on board a Turkish veflel bound to damietta, a city on the eaftermoft channel of the nile. In this fhort palTage they met vv^ith a Spanish privateer: their fliip was no match for her, but the whole crew reiblved to fight, and try to preferve their effeds, and defend themfelves from llavery ; upon which a bloody adlion enfued. There it was this great man gave the firft proofs of that intrepidity, by which he fo often fignalized himfelf afterwards. The crew, animated by his ex- ample, fought with great bravery j but fuperior numbers at laft prevailed, and osMAN was taken prifoner, after being dangeroufly wounded in his arm and thigh. When the vefTel had furrendered, the inflances of bravery which os- MAN had fhewn, induced the Spanish captain to pay him a particular re- gard, efpecially when it was known that he was charged with the grand fignior's orders, and that confequently a large ranfom might be expedted for him. Notwithftanding the good treatment he received, his wounds were Aill in a dangerous way, when he arrived at malt a, whither the privateer went to refit: the wound in his thigh was the moft danger- ous, and he was lame 'of it ever afterwards 3 from Vv^hich he had the name of topal or cripple, as already mentioned. At that time, vincent arnaud, a native of j^iarseilles, was com- mander of the port at malta ; and, as his bufinefs required, went on board the privateer as foon as /lie came to anchor. Os^'.ian no fooner faw ARNAUD, than he fiid to him j " Can you do a generous and gal- '' lant adion ? Ranfom me, and take my word you (hall lofe nothing by " it." Such a requefl from a Have in chains was not common ; but the manner in which it was delivered, ilruck the frenchman fo much, that he immediately turned to the captain of the privateer, and afked what he demanded for the ranfom. He anfwered, athoufand fequins°. Arnaud upon this turning round to the turk, faid : " 1 know nothing of you, *' and " The antient noON in sys.:a. " Near coo A 102 THE HISTORY OF Part HI. 1733. " and would you have me rilque a thoufand fequins on your bare word ?" '•^ Each of us adl in this," replied the turk, " with confidcncy. I am " in chains, and therefore try every method to recover my liberty; and *' you may aft right in not trufling to the v/ord of a (Iranger; I have " nothing at prefent but my word and honour to give you, nor do I '' pretend to afiign any reafon why you fliould trufl to it ; however, I " tell you once more, if you do truil to it, you fliall have no occafion to " reoent." The commander upon this went to make his report to the grand maimer, don perellos. The air with which osman delivered himfelf, and the feeming ingenuoufnefs, together with the fingularity of the clrcumftances, wrought fuch an effed; upon arnaud, that he re- turned immediately on board the Spanish veiTel, and agreed with the captain for lix hundred fequins, which he paid as the price of osman's liberty. After this, he put him on board a veflel of his own, where he provided him with a furgeon, and every thing neceflary for his entertain- ment and cure. In a fliort time he'was out of danger. OsMAN had mentioned to his benefadlor, that he might write to Con- stantinople for the money he had advanced; but finding himfelf in the hands of a man who had trufted fo much to his honour, he was em- boldened to afk hira another favour, which was to leave the payment of the ranfom entirely to him. Arnaud diflinguifhed that in fuch a cafe tilings were not to be done by halves ; he therefore not only agreed to the propofal, with a good grace, but entrufled him with the fliip, in which he had been lodged, and fliewed him every other mark of generofity and fricndfliip. Accordingly osman, as foon as he was in a condition, fet out again upon his voyage in this velTel. The FRENCH colours now proteded him from the privateers. In a iliort time he reached da.mietta, and failed up the nile to cairo. No (boner was he arrived there, than he delivered a thoufand fequins to the mafter of the veflel, to be paid his benefacflor arnaud, together with fome rich furrs^, and five hundred crowns as a prefent for himfelf He "executed the orders of the fultan his mafler with the basha of cairo i 3 and ** Thefe arc tiie gentecleft prefcnts in the eaft. Chap, XIL NADIR SHAH. ,03 and fetting out for Constantinople, was himfelf the firft who brought 1733, the news of his flaVery. His fenfe of the favour that had been done to him, and the generous Gircumftances of it, was not confined to the firil: emotions of gratitude :.. during the whole courfe of his hfe, he did not ceafe, by letters and other acknowledgments, to teflify the deep impreffion it had made upon him. In 1715 war was declared between the Venetians and turks. The grand vizir, who had projcded the invafion of the morea, aflem- bled the ottoman army, near the iflhmus of corinth,.. the only pafs by which this peninfula can be attacked by land. Topal osman was charged with the command to force the pafs, which he not only executed with great fuccefs, but afterv/ards took the city of corinth by aiTault, For this fervice he. was rewarded, by being made a basha of two tails. The next year he ferved as lieutenant-general under the grand vizir at the iiege of CORFU, which 'the Turks were obliged to abandon. Osman ilaid three days before the place to fecure and condu(5l the retreat of the. ottoman troops, which he effeded with great fuccefs; In 1722 he was appointed seraskier'^, and had the command of the army in the morea. When the confuls of the different nations came to pay their refpeds to him in this quality, he diftinguiflied the French. by particular marks of kindnefs and protedion, and gave them a flrid. charge to write to Malta to vincent arnaud, and acquaint him of his.- new dignity, and to beg of him to fend his fon, that as it was now in his power, he would charge himfelf with making his fortune. Accord- ingly arnaud's fon went into the morea, and the seraskier not only made him prefents, but granted him privileges and advantages in point of trade, wdiich foon put him in a way of acquiring an eflate '. . Topal osman's parts and abilities were fuch, that from this com- mand he was foon raifed to a greater. He was made a basha of three. Uils, and beglerbeg of Romania, one of the greatefl governments.. m V ^ General in chief. ' It may be obferved in general, that when men of emineiU rank ia . tlie eaft mean to do a diftinguiOied fervice, they are not behind the chriilians. 104 THE HISTORY OF Part III. i^-^j. In the empire, and which the vicinity to the danubian provinces, and the frontiers of Hungary, renders ftill more important. His refidence, during his government, was at nyssa. In the year 1727, viNCLNT ARNAUD and his fon waited upon him there, and were received with the utmofl tendernefs and affedion. Laying afide the pomp of the bash a and governor, he embraced them, caufed them to i3e fcrved with flierbet and perfume, and to fit upon the fopha with him- felf ; an honour but rarely beflowed by a basha of the fird: order, and hardly ever to a chriftian. After thefe marks of diftindion, he fent them away loaded with prefents. As the father and fon were taking their leave of him, arnaud faid, he hoped he fliould live to pay his duty to him, as grand vizir, at Constantinople. This, which was then only a compliment, proved prophetical. I have already given an account of the great revolution of 1730 in coNSTANTiNorLE, in which the grand vizir ibrahiiM periihed. This office was become fo perilous, that three had been preferred to it in lefs than a yeflr's time. In September 173 i, topal osman was called from his government, to fill a place, which though by far the highell in the OTTOMAN empire, and perhaps the highcfl that any fubjefl in the world enjoys, is always dangerous, and was then fo in a particular degree. He no fooner arrived at Constantinople to take pofTeffion of his new dig- nity, than he fent for the French embaflador, and defired him to write to MALTA, and let his old benefadtor know of his advancement; and that he lliould haften to Constantinople, while things remained in the pre- fent fituation j adding, that a grand vizir feldom kept long in his llation. In the month of January 1732, arnaud with his fon arrived at CONSTANTINOPLE from MALTA, bringing with him variety of prefents, and twelve turks whom he had ranfomed from flavcry. Thefe, by command of the vizir, were ranged in order before him. Vincent ARNAUD, now feventy-two years of age, with his fon, were brought be- fore TOPAL osman, grand vizir of the ottoman empire. He received them in the prefence of the great officers of itatc, with the utmoft marks 4 oi' ^ Chap. Xir. NADIR SHAH. jo of affection. Then turning to thofe about him, and pointing to the ran- I'-^-i. fomed TURKS, " Behold," fays he, " thefe your brethren now enjoying *' the fweets of liberty, after having groaned in llavery : this frenck- " MAN is their deliverer. I was myfelf a flave, loaded with chains, " flreaming in blood, and covered with wounds : this is the man who *' redeemed and laved me ; this is my mafter and benefador : to him I " am indebted for life, liberty, fortune, and every thing I enjoy. With- *^ out knowing me, he paid for me a large ranfom -, fent me away upon " my bare word, and gave me a fhip to carry me where I pleafed, ** Where is even a mulTulman capable of an adtion of fuch generofity ?' While osMAN was fpeaking, every one prefent had their eyes fixed upon old ARNAUD, who held the grand vizir's hands clofely locked be- tween his own. The vizir then afked both father and fon many queflions concerning their fituation and fortune, heard their anfwers with kindnefs and attention, and then ended with an Arabic fentence, allah-ke- RiM '. He m.ade before them the diftribution of the prefents they had brought, the greateft part of which he fent to the fultan, the fultana mo- ther, and the kislar aga '. Upon which the two frenchmen made their obeifance, and retired. After this ceremony was over, the fon of the grand vizir took them to his apartments, where he treated them with great kindnefs. Some time before they left Constantinople, they had a conference in pri- vate with the vizir, who diverted himfelf of all ftate and ceremony. He let them underfland, that the nature of his fituation would not per- mit him to do as he delired, fince a minifter ever appears in the eyes of many to do nothing without a view to his own particular intereft ; ad- ding, that a BASHA was lord and mailer in his own province, but that the grand vizir at Constantinople had a mafter greater than himfelf. He caufed them to be amply paid for the ranfom of the Turks, and likewife procured the reftitution of a debt, which they had looked on as defperate : he alfo made them prefents in money, and gave them an order, * The providence of God h great. * Chief of the black eunuchs. Vol. IV. O io6 THE HISTORY OF Part III. 1^33. order, in virtue of which they took a loading of corn at salonica, which was likely to be very profitable, as the exportation of corn from that port had been for a long time prohibited. As his gratitude was without bounds, he feemed defirous to convince his bencfador, that his liberality was the fame ; his behaviour, upon this occafion, mud: appear great and noble, fince every action of his life de- mondnucs a mind fuperior to affedtation. His condud appears the more generous, when it is confidered, what contempt and averfion tlie preju- dices of education often create in the mind of a turk: againfl: the chri- ftians : and if we refledl further, that this confeffion was made before his whole court, the ad:ion will appear in its full luftre. By the vigilance and ileadinefs of his miniftry, this great man reAored government and a regular difcipline, with plenty to Constantinople, where a licentious confufion had fo lately reigned, and where the inhabi- tants had been in fuch diftrefs, that the neceflaries of life were not to be had but at an excefllve price. He has indeed been blamed for his too great feverity j but it is certain, that he never condemned to death the moft culpable, even of the lowefl clafs of the people, without the de- cilion of the mufti. And though his feverity fliould have been extended to what might be deemed an excefs, reafons of flate, and the fecurity of the general tranquillity of the empire, might make a ftricft execution of the laws not only expedient, but abfolutely neceffary. Nor can it be fuppofed, that a man, whofe honour and goodnefs of heart was fo con- fpicuoufly difplayed, could be cruel. The greatefl: proof that can be given to clear him of fuch an imputation, is the univerfal regret that people of all ranks fhewed when he was removed from his office ". He received his orders of difmiffion with all the calmnefs imaginable ; for he was too wife to expe<^ that virtue alone could fupport a man in an office under a diflrafted government, and v/here change was adopted as neceflary. When he came out of the feraglio, after delivering up the feal of the empire, he found his friends and domeftics very penfive and difconfolate. " What is the reafon," fays he, " of your affliction i have *^ 1 " In MARCH j;32. Chap. XII. NADIR SHAH. 107 " I not always fald, that the office of vizir is of all others the moft likely 1733. " to be fliort ? All my concern was, how I fliould get out of it with ho " nourj and thanks to God, I have done nothing with which I reproach " myfelf. My mafter, the grand fignior, approves my fervices, and I refign ** with perfect fatisfadion." He then gave orders for rendering his thanks to heaven, as if it had been one of the mod; happy events of his life "*. After this, he immediately fet out for trebisonde, where he was ap- pointed BASH A. His removal could not be called a difgrace, for the grand fignior never ceafed to treat him with all pofiible marks of diftindiion. His highnefs acquainted him, that he mufl leave his fon at const AiNTI- NOPLE, and that himfelf would take care of his fortune. About four days after topal osman's departure, this young man had the honour of de- livering to the fultan, the prefent "^ which his father was to have made him on the feaft of bayram ^. Prefents at the ottoman court, as well as all over the eaft, are not conddered as the effeds of generofity and friendrhip, or marks of refped, but as a tribute which mufl be paid by inferiors of all ranks to their fuperiors, efpecially from certain officers to their fovereign. This prefent might however have been difpenfed with, as the father was out of the office of grand vizir ; but he gave his fon exprefs orders at his departure, not to fail to make it ; and by that medns, he fliewed with what entire fatisfadion he liad refigned his high em- ployment. The grand fignior received the prefent, in a manner that convinced him and all the world, that he had not in the leafl forfeited his efleem. He had been gone but a few days, when orders were fent to him to re- pair to the frontiers of persta, and take upon him the command of the OTTOMAN armies. This was an honourable and important ftation, but full of danger and difficulty. He filled it with all the abilities of a wife flatefman and experienced officer. Though he funk at laft before the fortune of t.^.hmas kouli khan, yet he fell wo. thy of himfelf} worthy O 2 of . ^v A rare inilance this of virtue. I hope it ii, flriaiy true. I am forry to fay it is not more credi- ble of a chrillian than of a mahommedan. See Vol. I. page 198. 'A horle-funuturc .let with jewels, value 50,000 crowns. y This h a high f<;i^ival among the tvrcs at vt'hich time it is ufu^il to make prefents to one another. o:>' jo8 THE HISTORY OF Part III. of that cbarader l^e had lb defervedly acquired, and maintained through the courfe of a life, not difllnguifhed fo much by his high employments, as that he never deviated from the paths of honour and virtue. The grand fignior preferved fuch an efleem for his memory, that tho* his fon ACHMED was but young, he promoted him to the high poft of BASHA and BEGLERBEG of ROMANIA, which his father enjoyed when he was called to the office of grand vizir. It gives us the ftrongeft idea of arbitrary power, to confider the policy of the ottoman government. The fame grand fignior, wiio promoted the fon to one of the firft dig- Bities of the empire, in honour to the father's memory and great fer- vices, fent an order to feize all the father's effeds ^. It may be prefumed the flate was poor, which in fuch governments was a fufficient reafon. Thus the fon fucceeded to no great part of the vafl riches his father died poflefTed of. Topal osman was one of thofe few, who through the courfe of a long life, gave the higheft demonftrations of a mind faperior to vulgar ipplaufe. His greatnefs was the eiFe(fl of his virtue, his underftanding and intrepidity 5 but his ambition was to adl like a man, who believes there is a God, and a ftate of rewards and punifhments. If this generous TURK faid of VINCENT ARNAUD, " Where is even a mufTulman who is '•' capable of an adlion of fuch generofity ?" We may fay, " Where fiiali " we find even a chriftian, requiting a generous adion in a more noble " manner than topal osman?" Inflances of this kind among either chriflians or mahommedans, are indeed but rare • and therefore when they happen, ought the more to be recorded. ^ This is meant of his moveable or perfonal eftate. As to landed eflates, it is a cuflom for per- fons in the fervice of the grand fignior, to affign them in heritage to the cliurch, in cafe of the failure of Iteirs, by which meaiis they cannot be feized by tlxe crowx), without a degree of facrilege. C H A P. eiiap. XIII. NADIPv SHAR xog CHAP. XIII. T^.HMAS KOULi KHAN acquaints the RUSSIAN court of his fuccefs, AcHMED BASHA prepares to jland another fiege. Mahommed khan BALOUCHE declares for t^^hmas shah at shirass j is defeated by kouli KHAN, and hangs hitnfef. The turK5 prepare to take the f eld. Kouli KHAN marches into Georgia the beginning of i734>- and takes teflis, Defcription of that country. Selim basha retires out of Georgia* Kouli khan takes ganja and shamakie. TiEHMAS kouli khan having obtained this memorable vidory 17-? ■9; over the turks, and given orders for the burial of his dead, dif- patched an exprefs to acquaint the Russian emprefs of the fignal advan- tage he had obtained. This news was not ungrateful to the court of ST. PETERSBURG : the port was divided into fadions upon the fubjedl of a war with russia ; but it was apprehended, if kouli khan had not kept them fully employed, they would have foon determined upon it : and preparations were accordingly making in russia, It is prefumed, that kouli khan requeued that the emprefs would not permit tlie grim tartars to pafs near her dominions, fhould they attempt to join the lesgees, who waited only a favourable occafion of m iking a powerful diverfion in shir van and other places, near the coafl of the CASPIAN sea. The Russians, yet poilelTed of derbend, and the conquefl they had made on that coailj were not interefled to countenance the projedls of kouli khan, any other wife than to reduce the turks^ which was a much greater objed than the prefervation of that conquefl. So fignal an advantage gained over the turks, within fifty leagues of BAGDAT, could not but alarm achmed basha. We have already ob- ferved, that this fagacious governor had put his city in a condition of de- fence, and preferved a kind of independent fovereighty. After the battle of kerkoud, feveral detachments of topal osman's forces demanded entrance into the city. The basha ablolutely refufed, alledging, that they ,10 THE HISTORY OF Part IIL 173^. they were fent to proted the city, but not to come mto it: that he had a fufficient garrlfon of his own, and therefore would not admit them. He was now in a better condition of defence than he had been in april before, and had made a larger collection of provifion. Befides his own artillery, he was alfo mafter of that which the Persians had left behind them. Under thefe circumftances, tho' he had but ill grounds to exped any relief from the Turkish armies for a confiderable time, he deter- mined to make a gallant defence. Winter was now approaching, and it might be expedled that the banks of the TIGRIS would fwell as is ufual in that feafon, fo as to render the approaches to bagdat difficult, if not impradicable. However, kouli KHAN advanced towards the city, to try if he could obtain the fubmiffion of ACHxMED BASH a, for whom he profeffed a particular friendQiip, as a man of excellent underflanding, and a good foldier. The teflimony which he ever gave of the bash a was, " That he was much a greater *' man than himfelf, or the grand fignlor j becaufe," fays he, " achmed *' basha has fupported himfelf in bagdat, without giving up the place *' either to me or his mafter." Whilft the PERSIAN general was thus meditating in what manner he fliould conduct himfelf, news arrived from shhiass, that mahommed KHAN balouche % One of his generals, whom he had fent to ralfe recruits in that quarter of the empire, had joined seffie mahommed khan, governor of the province : that they in conjundion with each other had colleded an army of 30,000 men, and proclaimed shah T.EHMAsas their lawful king. T/ehmas kouli khan no fooner received this notice, than he marched back into Persia. He took with him about 30,000 of his befl: troops, and proceeded with the utmofl expedition by the rout of ISFAHAN towards SHiRASS. Thofe of his men, whofe horfes failed, or by any accident could not keep pace in his continued forced marches, he left upon the road j fo that he arrived at shirass at a time, when his enemies had hardly received news of his leaving turklt. 1 Upon • Thio KUAN is diflinguiftied as a iwcive of the coun^-y of ihe em-ovchbs. Chap. XIII. NADIR SKAH. jjj Upon the firft report of the advance of the troops of kouli khan, lyix. ^lAHOMMED KHAN BALoucHE, who imagined it was only a fmall detach- ment under the command of one of the officers of this general^ marched out to attack them. In a fliort time he fell in with the van-ouard of KOULI KHAN, confiftjng of 12,000 men, himfelf at their head. Mahommed khan BALOUCHE now exprefTed great fatisfadion, as if for- tune had delivered the tyrant-general into his, hands. He imagined the greatefl; part of his forces were not yet come up j but he foon found his miilake. When kouli khan began to give his orders for the attack, the thunder of his voice, which was remarkably itrong, ftruck a pannic into mahommed's men, and they hardly flood the firft fire. Mahommed khan balouche had often given proofs of his valour, and was diflinguifhed for many other good qualities. Enraged at the cowardice of his foldiers, he grew defperate ; and, attended by a fev/ followers, fingled out kculi khan, and rode towards him, to try if the fortune of his lance could reach the heart of a man, whom he kntw to be falfe, an enemy to his lawful fovereign, and a flave to his ambition. This attempt, if we may judge from the charadler of the man, was diredled more by principles of generofity and national honour, than by envy or ambition. It did not fucceed : however, he made his part fo good, that he fought his way back again ; and retiring near bender de- LEM, he embarked in an Arabian vefTel, intending to make his efcape. The treacherous arabs, who navigated the vefTel, difcovering who he was, in expedtation of a reward, brought him to shir ass, and delivered him to his enemy. T^hmas kouli khan fent him to prifon, defign- ing to extort a confeffion of his accomplices, and alfo of his riches, which were fuppofed to be very confiderable. Suicide can in no inftance be deemed warrantable, otherwife we might call it intrepidity to baffle the defigns of fuch an enemy as kouli khan. The unfortunate captive general was no fooner left alone, than he hanged himfelf. TiEHMAS KOULI KHAN having chaflifed the inhabitants of shirass, i^-ja, and put thofe to death who attempted to reftore shah Tu^hmas, he en- 8 riched ,12 THE HISTORY OF Part 111. 17 "d., riched himfelf with their lequeflered eflates, and returned to Isfahan. Here he remained till the next fpring, employing liia-iielf in recruiting his army in hopes of finifliing the great work in which he had io well fucceeded the laft year, and of compelling the turks to yield up all the conquered provinces. In the mean while, the ottoman court made aM the preparations poffible, to defend themfelvcs againft an enemy, whom they had now futHcient reafon to believe very formidable. Tliey had made an at- tempt to engage the khan of the crim tartars in their quarrel, and if thefe could have been joined with the lesgees, they might make a powerful divcrfion in shirvan s but it is hardly practicable to penetrate into PERSIA through the palTes of mount Caucasus, or the country to the north-weft of dagistan. The LESGEES, however difpofed to take all advantages of the Per- sians, were but ill-inclined to favour the entrance of the crim tartars on the north-fide of their mountainous refidences. The Georgians were as little difpofed to receive them into their country -, and the Russians leaft of all. The cabardinian tartars, who are fubjedl to russia, were ordered to appear in arms, if thofe of the crim fliould attempt to force a pafTage ; and as a war was exped:ed to break out with the Russians, the crim tartars would by this means be left expofed 3 fo that the TURKS had but little reafon to expert any fuccours in the Persian war from thofe tartars. The lesgees, however, appeared in arms, de- figning to make a diverfion m favour of the turks. KouLi KHAN having recruited his army to near 100,000 fighting men, opened the campaign this year by marching dircdly to tavris, from whence he fent his fon nesr ali, with a body of forces to the banks of the KURA, to drive the lesgees back again into their mountains. Thefe tartars made incurfions into shirvan, but finding a numerous body of PERSIAN forces which they did not expe the weflern fide of the mountains % where they might build a new city ; and he then deftroyed the place. Shamakie had been for many ages efteemed one of the moft flouri(l:iing cities in this part of the world, well peopled, and abounding in all the neceffaries of life. Its fituation was agreeable, and its trade ex- tenlive. Here the merchants from Persia and turkey, Armenia, GEORGIA and RUSSIA had their rendezvous ; fo that it was a flaple for all the commodities of thefe countries, together with thofe of Europe, It was alfo a place of defence. Thefe however were not fufficient reafons with the ambitious kouli KHAN to preferve this city. Indeed, it is hard to fay, if he made a facriiice of it to his pride or refentment, more than to reafons of policy. The con-' quefl of the lesgees was an object he had very much at heart ; and expe- rience had proved, that it was an afylum to them of late years -, or at leaft, that it was the feat of rebellion, from whence shirvan was invaded. C HAP. XIV. ^he TURKS dtfire a peace, KouLi Ki\Mife?ids an embaffador to ihe Rus- sian court, Abdallah kouprou ghfs battle to kouli khan in the valley of arpakavi, and is Jlain, together with 20,000 Turks. Ab- dallah BASHA retreats to cars. Cara achmed appointed seras- KiER of the TURKISH army. Erivan taken. The tuRks declare ivar againft the Russians. Kouli khan'j condudi towards that nation^ THE rapid progrefs of the Persian arms, made the divan of Con- stantinople in the higheft degree defirous of peace with Per- sia : but T/EHMAS kouli khan, ambitious of new triumphs, proudly defpifed any accommodation, but what was judged to be very injurious to the honour of the grand fignior. The inclination of the port was to commence a war with the chriflian powers i and great magazines were forming ' THk place Hood in 174*^, as defcribed in tlic map and account of the trafl of the Russian em- baffy, Vol.1, page 376 and 386. Chap. XIV. NADIR SHAH. i,^ forming in Bosnia, in expedation of a favourable opportunity to enter thro' i '^ -^ 4. VALACHIA into the ukrain. The ottoman court was alfo very jealous of the good underflanding between the Russians and the Persians, and apprehended a treaty of alliance, by which the former were to make a diverfion in favour of Persia on the fide of asoph; whilft there was not lefs reafon to apprehend, that with fuch affiftance t.chmas kouli khan might carry his arms into natolia, and make the grand fignior tremble on his throne. What fivoured the former opinion, was the arrival, at the beginning 1^35. of this year, of hussein kouli khan as embaflador from abas, the infant shah of Persia, to the court of st. Petersburg; his credential letters were figned with the feal of the general t^hmas kouli khan. This minifler informed her imperial majefty, that t^hmas shah being a weak prince, whofe conduct threatened the ruin of the Persian empire, the khans, and all the great lords of the flate, had determined to depofe him, and fet up his fon abas in his place : that they meant not to do the dethroned prince any harm, but to indulge him in all the pleafures to which he was inclined, without fubmitting to his pacific difpofition, with regard to their common enemy the turx : that t^.hmas kouli khan, whofe valour and fortune was equal to that of Alexander, and whofe prudence and generofity were unrivalled, was determined to profecutc the war with vigour : that her imperial majefty might be afiured he would never lay down his arms, whilft the grand fignior was in any con- dition to make war againft her; the Persians being intirely difpofed to fupport a perfed; amity with the dominions of her imperial majefty, whofe intereft they confidered in common with their own. This embafTador was alfo charged with a commiflion, to require the delivery of derbend, baku, reshd, and all the places in the provinces of shirvan and ghilan, with the other diflridts fituated on the coaft of ^he CASPIAN sea, which had been conquered by peter the great ; alfo that thofe tartars in the mountains of dagistan ^, who had fubmitted *■ I have already given fome account of thefe people in my firR volume, and I have only to ob- ferve further, that from this country the a l an s in the fifth century are faid to have fprcad them- felves like a flood over europf, extending their conqueft as far ai spaih. I i;8 THE HISTORY OF Part III. 1735. fubmitted to the Russian arms, flioiild be again reflorcd to the dominion of PERSIA. It was faid, that kouli khan had In the vanity of his heart declared^ that if the Russians did not retire, he would take a broom, and fweep them out. The Russians, apprehenfive of a war with the turks, did not think thofe countries worth a conteft : they had never received any benefit from them, but quite the reverfe, for they only proved a grave to their armies. As to the revenues of thofe provinces fince the year 1722, which were alfo demanded by the emballador, the Russian mi- niftry alledged, that fo far from drawing any advantage from tlience, the government had been at a great expence in the fupport of them. In confequence of this treaty now made with t.-ehmas kouli khan, her imperial majefly appointed a general officer to accompany the Per- sian commillaries, in order to fee the evacution of the countries already mentioned, and to fix the boundaries of the two flates ; which was ac- cordingly done foon after. The embaffudor having received all the ho- nours due to his character, took his leave of the emprefs the 13th ot MARCH ; and tl>e court bore the expence of his journey to the frontiers, according to cuftom. The emprefs intended to fend an embafiador to ISFAHAN, to compliment the young shah^} and from thence to pro- ceed to the army, in order to finifh the negotiations with t^hmas kouli khan, which the Persian minifler had already begun. The TURKS had not yet recovered the fliock occafioned by the defeat of TOPAL osman ; and the rapid progrefs of the Persian arms the lall year had diilieartcned the court to an extreme degree, infomuch that they would hardly have oppofed the enemy, had there been no otlier object to prcferve than the conquered provinces. At the fame time, the good intelligence between the Russians and the Persia n.^ gave great umbrage to the port. The grand fignior comforted himfclf however in hopes of an accommodation with the Persians, and that the lofs of gforgia vtould be repaired by his conqncfts in chriftendom ) the fituation of the Euro- pean • We find afterwards, that the Russian miiiiflcrs wfre too ftnfible of the changes to whidi ?iRMA w^s fabjc.51, to carry this d«ri^n iiUO cxcciuion. Chap. XIV. NADIR SHAH. jj^ PEAN powers at that time feemlng to facilitate the fuccefs of the oiro- i7"f. MAN arms. The Persian army was now increafed to 120,000 men- and KOUH^KHAN abfolutely refuled to enter into terms of accommodation unlefs the turks would not only yield up all the conquered provinces, but alfo pay him the charge of the war. The OTTOMAN court was continually fending troops, ammunition, and money to aleppo and trebisonde, from whence the army under ab- DALLAH kouproli, basha of CAIRO,' was fupplied ; this general had alfo fuccours from cairo, but as yet he kept clofe in his intrenchments in Ar- menia. The TURKS efteeming this as a holy war, were yet in fpirits to try the fortune of another campaign. The grand fignior therefore gave orders to the seraskier kouproli, to give battle to T/ehmas kouli KHAN, as foon as he ihould find himfelf fufficiently reinforced. The PERSIAN general had fpent the beginning of this year in reducing GEORGIA, and was now on his march to erivan. Deligning to bring the TURKS to an engagement, he fent a detachment of 15000 men towards their camp. The seraskier immediately concluded, that this motion could be made with no other defign than to reconnoitre his fituation ; he therefore fent a body of his beft cavalry to meet them, and after a fliort ildrmifh the Persians retreated in confufion. The seraskier unwilling to lofe fo apparent an advantage, difpatched more troops after them, and followed himfelf at the head of his army, making forced marches, in hopes to intercept their jundion with the main body of the Persians. On the loth of June, ttehmas kouli khan appeared with 40,000 men in the valley of arpakavi, fo that the whole force with him did not exceed 55,000^. The seraskier, on the other hand, had an army of 80,000. At the approach of the turks, the Persian general broke up his camp with a feemlng precipitation, and retired towards ERIVAN. After feveral forced marches, being arrived at the flreight pre- vioufly defigned for the a6lion, he concealed a body of Iiis men in a wood, whilfl another ftrong party was covered in a valley. In this fitua- tion he prepared to receive the turks. 2 The ,20 THE HISTORY OF Part IIL ly^c. The van of the Turkish army faw themfelves at once attacked in flank and rear by the Persians, who came out of the defiles. The adion was very bloody, and lafted five hours j the seraskier had two horfes killed under him, and after fighting very bravely, met with the fame fate as his predeceffor topal osman j befides him, fell demir BASHA, and MUSTAPHA BASHA, generals of the firfl rank, the laft was a kinfman of the grand fignior j they lofl alfo four other bashas, with 20,000 men, the greateil part of whom were killed, the reft taken pri- foners y the Persians likewife made themfelves mafters of thirty-two pieces of cannon, with the military cheft and baggage. This victory was obtained the cheaper, as the rear of the turks could not come up, and confequently had no fliare in the adion : thefe retired as foon as they found their van totally defeated : they were fol- lowed however by the Persians for near three leagues 5 fome fled to the neighbouring cities, and others into the mountains. Abdallah basha carried off 8000 Turks to cars, a city in the upper Armenia. The news of this defeat flung the whole city of Constantinople into the utmoft confternation, as they concluded from hence, that not only the conquered countries muft fubmit, but that it would be dangerous to the whole empire to continue the war any longer. Frefh orders were there- fore fcnt to ACHMED, BASHA of BAGDAT, with full powcrs to negotiate a peace with tjehmas kouli khan. The friendfhip which the Persian general had profelTed for this basha, was a circumftance which ferved to fupport the drooping fpirits of the ottoman court ; the basha had alfo acquired fo great a reputation, that his enemies as well as his partizans, often ftiled him achmed padisha^. The mufti and all the court ap- peared however with very forrowful countenances. Car A achmed, who had been for fome time lieutenant to the governor of bagdat, a good foldier, and well verfed in the liberal arts, was now fent to fupply the place of the seraskier kouproli. T^EHMAS KOULI KHAN was uo fooucr mafler of the field, than he difpatched an ofHcer to the Russian court, to inform them of his vidory. The K The emperor achmed. Chap. XIV. NADIR SHAH. ^21 The deligns which he had now formed, required a peace with the Turks • but he iliil promifed to do nothing without the confent of the emprcfs of RUSSIA. However, if we may judge from the event, he was defirous of engaging the Russians in a war with the turks, as the mofl efFedual means of promoting his own fchemes. This fecond important vicflory favoured his deligns He immediately laid fiege to erivan the capital of Armenia; the garrifon having no expe(5lation of fuccours, foon demanded to capitulate, and were per- mitted to retire to cars j but part of the inhabitants were removed into KHOR ASAN. From thence he fent a flrong detachment to erzeroum ^ \ and by the end of this year's campaign he recovered all the conquered provinces. If we confider to what a wretched flate Persia had been reduced fix years before, when ttehmas kouli khan appeared at the head of her forces, we mud impute this rapid fuccefs to his military genius and fortune. What a prodigious change was it for a country devoured by rapine, whofe fubjeds were defpifed abroad, and plunged into miferies at home, to give laws to a powerful monarchy in fo fhort a time ! It is natural to think, that in the height of his triumphs, asia would not have bounded his conquefts, had his paflion been only for m,'litary glory ; but every circum- fliance of his condud proved that he afpired at more than triumphs ; and that his ambition of fovereignty was equal to that of conqueft 3 neither of which could be long fupported without vaft funds, and thefe hardly were to be obtained by purfuing the war againil the turks. Before we enter upon the relation of any new event, we muft go back to the fituation of the ottoman court. The defeat of the seraskier KoupROLi was attended with a further change of miniftry at Constan- tinople. IsMAEL basha, the grand vizir, who had^ been the chief advifer to profecute the war with persia, was depofed the 12th of july, and though a relation of the grand fignior, was banifhed to the ille of candia : ^ At ERZEROUM the peace was concluded by the Persian and Turkish minillers. Vol. IV. Q_ »735' ,22 THE HISTORY OF Part IIL 1735. CANDIA : MAHOMMED BASHA fucceeded him; the laft was alfo ap- pointed SERASKiER of the army intended to be fent againft the Russians. This miniftcr accordingly marched out of Constantinople in great pomp and ceremony, with the flandard of mahommed carried before him. The Russians, who naturally expeded this event, were very vigilant in marching an army early into the field; infomuch, that asoph was befieged before the Turks had taken care to provide a fufficient gar- rifon. This place being at the mouth of the river don on the palus MuEOTis, and communicating with the black sea, the laying fiege to it created great alarms at Constantinople. The minifters of the feveral chriftian potentates Interpofed their media- tion, to prevent the great effufion of blood, which the Russian war mufl neceflarily occafion ; but the turks were inexorably bent to purfue it. KoULi khan pretended to make it an article in the peace he was negotiating with the turks, to include the Russians. This was a mi- niilerial flroke, which anfwered a double purpofe. He knew the turks were entirely averfe to it, and confequently their refufal gave him the better plea to make his own terms ; and, at the fame time, he fecretly wifhed to involve his new friend, as well as his old one, in a war that fhould keep them well employ«^d for fome time, whilft he purfued the favourite projeds which he had planned : for this purpofe, it was alfo necefTary to flart all the difficulties imaginable, in order to protrad the ifTue of the conferences at erzeroum. Abdil baki khan, the Per- sian embaffador, met achmed, basha of bagdat, but nothing could be concluded this year. The turks made no difficulty to yield up or reflore all the countries conquered from Persia fince the time of shah HussEiN, with thofc which had been fcparated from that empire during that reign ; but kouli khan, not fatisfied with this, made pretenfions On BAGDAT, and demanded to be paid the expences of the war. The ifTue however made it appear, that it was not his intentions to cxad: fuch rigorous conditions, but to gain time, and difpofe of the go- vernments of all the conquered countries in a fatisfadtory manner, and to endeavour to pcrfuadc the Russian court, that he meant to profecute the war, notwithftanding the treaty already commenced. PART i 123 ] P A R T IV. FROM THE Electing of T^HMAS KOULI KHAN KING OF PERSIA in 1736, TILL HIS Return from his memorable expedition into INDIA in 1740. CHAP. XV. Tbe young shah abas dies, Ti)e Russians evacuafe derbend, and yield up their conquejls in Persia. T^hmas kouli khan declared king. Conditions of accepting the diadem. The mullah bashi put to death, l>i ADiK coins mo?2eyy and feizes the lands of the church, Edi^ concern- ing the feB of the sunnis and sen i as. THE beginning of this year ripened the plot. Persia, trem- ly^d. bling at the effeds of her own conquefls, faw herfelf in the hands of an ufurper, whofe military abilities rendered him the idol of his army. The young prince abas, who was of a compled:ion extremely delicate, died. Whether his death was intirely according to the courfe of nature, is not declared : it is probable, however precarious the life of this infant-king might have been, that fome art was ufed, in order, that fo feeble an impediment fhould not obftrudl the defigns of T-ffiHMAS KOULI KHAN. The loth of march, as I have more than once obferved, is the Per- sians new-year's-day, when it is the cuftoin of their princes to afTemble Q_2 the 124 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. J 736. the governors of the provhices, and demand an account of their admi- niftration. This was a favourable occafion to convoke all the gover- nors, elders, and great officers, together with the generals of his army, in order to communicate the fuccefs of his arms, and to confult what fur- ther meafures were neceflary to be taken for the common good. The rendezvous was appointed in the plains of mogan, near the banks of the ARAs, where he had afTembled the greateft part of his forces, confining of near 100,000 men. He acquainted the nobles and governors, that the reafon of calling them together was, that they might know from him how God had been pleafed to blefs his arms with fuccefs, and to re- ftore all the dominions which had been torn from the late family of the SEFFiES. That he had delivered Persia from the yoke of the Af- ghans, and was in treaty with the Turks, with whom he hoped foon to make fuch a peace as would be agreeable, fmce the grand fignior mufl be obliged to accept of the conditions which he fhould prefcribe : that he had alfo concluded a peace with the Russians, who had reilored all thofe dominions belonging to the Persian empire, which they had con- quered fourteen years before : in fhort, that he had left nothing to be done except the conqueft of kandahar. But as it was neceflary for the fupport and continuation of the glory of the monarchy, that they fliould have a perfon at the head of their armies, who might prevent fuch fatal confequences as they experienced in the preceding reign, and as it was his intention to enjoy the remainder of his life in repofe, he defired to refign his office ; for which reafon they mufl make choice of a new general. Moreover, as it had pleafed God to deprive them of the young abas, they muft ele6t a king alfo : if they thought shah t^hmas could govern them with valour and wifdom, that they had only to recall him^ but if he was not capable, they muft fix their choice upon fome other : that fo important a bufinefs required mature confiderationj he therefore recomm.ended it to them, and defired their anfwer in three days. There was hardly a fenfible man in the aflTembly, but faw through the thin difguife of thefe propofitions ; and many faw it with indignation, who had not virtue enough to declare tlieir real fentiments, Kouli 2 KHAN Chap. XV. NADIR SHAH. ,25 KHAN retired to his tent, and left the deputies to their own contempla- 1736. tions : he ordered that they fhould be entertained at the public expence, and treated with all the refpedl imaginable. It is reafonable to prfefume that he had already made his fentiments known to the principal officers, whilfl it was obvious to every common foldier, that military glory, and a defpotic authority, were his ruling pafTions. The great care and ten- dernefs which he had upon all occalions fhewn them,, necefTarily engaged their wishes to fee him their fovereign, as well as their general. Under thefe circumftances, what voice could the deputies of the people have, but fuch as was agreeable to the army ? The three days being expired^ the deputies waited on the general with a petition, reprefenting, " That as God had been pleafed to make ufe *' of his arm to reftore the glory of the Persian monarchy, none was " fo worthy of the diadem as himfelf ; that their lives and fortunes were " redeemed by him, and to him therefore they ought to be devoted." T^HMAS KOULi KHAN then replied : " It Is true, that fince I led the *' people to battle, divine Providence has been pleafed to favour my de- " figns. You have yourfelves been witnefTes of the amazing fuccefs of " the PERSIAN arms. It was not my intention however in calling you *' together, to receive this mark of your gratitude ; but fince heaven has *' decreed that my feeble arm fhould be the inftrument of that almighty " power which governs all things, I will confent to your propofal, under *' certain conditions. It will refl on yourfelves to fupport your own *■' choice, and affift me to exalt the nation to as high a pitch of glory ** as the greatefl kings of the former ages have done. But if you will " make me your king, you mufl remember to comply with the condi- •* tions which I now require. Firft, You mufl make the diadem here- " ditary in my family. Secondly, You (hall not entertain in your houfes '** any of the family of your old kings, much lefs mention any thing " tending to rebellion. And laflly, You fhall not curfe omar, osman, <* and ABUBEKER, nor obferve the tumultuous meetings at the comme- " moration of hussein's death ; and as a great effufion of blood has I' been occafioned by the religious differences of the feds of the " SCHIAS 126 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. ^7^^' " SCHIAS and sunnis ', which, in my opinion, are not in themfelves '' eflential, an afiembly of the priefls fliall be called to regulate thefe *^ differences." ^ It may, I think, be prefamed, that nadir shah, for that is the name by which we miift now call him, elate with his great vidtories over the ■ TURKS, had flattered himfelf that he might one day unite the Persian and OTTOMAN dominions under the fame head ) but though this dazling obje(5l floated in his imagination, he could fcarcely hope to make a fpeedy conquefl: of the minds of the people, or that he could reign over both nations, whilfl they remained of difl:erent fed:s. It is true, he was bred a suNNi, and from thence might feein fomewhat inclined that way; though, in reality, the tenets of both parties were equally indifferent to him. The KHANS and deputies of all the provinces came readily into the two firfl articles, which feemed more particularly to regard their allegiance to their new fovereign. As to the commemoration of the death of hussein, the fon of ali, we have already explained, that this feflival ^ regarded the ecclefiaftical government; but fince it might be made an occafion of tumultuous alTemblies, nadir wifely guarded againfl it, as injurious to his interefl:. In regard to the lafh article, they deiired the high prieft* might be heard ; he was accordingly brought into the prefence of the new fovereign, where he fpoke to this effedt : " It is not for earthly prin- " ces to dire<5t in what manner the God of heaven and earth ought to *' be worfhiped : we have our law, as delivered down by divine autho- " rity, through the mediation of the prophet "" ; that is our guide ; and as " all changes in religious matters are fubjed: to very dangerous confe- " quences, I hope no means will be taken to fully the luflre of your vic- " tories, by a ftcp fo derogatory to the welfare of the true believers." Such a fpeech as this, might have eafily fired the hearts of a people na- turally inclined to enthufiafm ; but perhaps this honeft priefl was the only man - See Vol. I. page 33??. alfo Vol. III. page 33. To this we may add, that as the sunn is, who arc the feft of the turks, acknowledge the khoran as expounded by the dot^ors, malek, shafi, H ANBAL, and ABUL H AMFA ; fo thc PE R s I A N s Or sc ii I AS adhcrc to ALI, and are guided by the.r own IMAMS, who have expounded their eccldiallicol law. ^ See Vol. III. page 32. ^Mullah bashi. •" Mahommed. Chap. XV. NADIR SHAH. 12^ man who dared to fpeak his mind j the only one, at leaft, of any emi- 1736. nent authority, who had courage to check that imperious fpirit, which already fliewed itielf in nadir, though he had not yet received the en- ligns of royalty : but as if heaven had marked him out for deliverance from the cruel bondage of nadir's government, he was foon filenced with a bow- firing. This well-meaning priefl might, however, have checked his zeal 5 for as the matter was to be referred to priefts of the different fe<5ls, the confequence was very natural, that it would remain as they found it : nor did the people give their tacit confent to thefe pro- pofals, fo as to produce any particular effect, with regard to the unifor- mity of religion. The next day, being the nth of march, the general was proclaimed king, under the name of nadir shah ", and the people paid him homage as fuch, which he accepted with an air of dignity mixed with arro- gance. The ARMENIAN patriarch, who was in the camp, performed part of the ceremony, by buckling on his fabre ; but as to the plume ° and diadem, which, as already obferved, is the more effential mark of royalty, he changed it himfelf from the left-fide to his right, as if he meant to fhew, that to his own arm only he was indebted for his ex- altation. Thus did the afpiring genius of this inftrument of divine wrath accom- plish his end : thus did he reach that point which c^sar could not attain y tho' in valour, generofity, and (Irength of mind, this celebrated Roman was not inferior to the Persian ufurper j whilft he excelled him in learning, po- litenefs, and humanity, to which nadir indeed had no pretenfions. Crom- well alfo was baffled in his aim at the crov/n of England ; neither his flcill nor cunning, nor his valour nor refolution, could acquire him the- name of king. Rome, tho' corrupt to an extreme, and ripe for a change of that form of government, by which her people had arrived at fo high a pitch of glory, had yet fome honefl and gallant fpirits, who thought the killing of a tyrant warrantable, at leafl: not fo great an evil as flavery. In ENGLAND, " The PERSIANS generally put the title after the name, tho' Europeans ufe it before and after indifferently. ° Thefe are of the feathers of black herons ftuck into a tube, fupported by a. Ilud of precious ftones. N 128 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 1736. ENGLAND, there were numbers whofe principles were untainted, and who faw the error which had been committed, in attempting to change the monarchy into a republican government; but in Persia, ignorance and want of forefight, with univerfal corruption of manners, prepared the necks of the people for the yoke to which they now fubmitted j and it was but a few years after, that they faw pyramids of human heads ereded on that fpot, where they chofe their king p. Nadir being arrived at the fummit of his ambition, began to exert that boundlefs authority with which he was inverted j however, he tem- pered his natural fiercenefs and cruelty with fome tokens of munificence : he entertained all the deputies of the people for three days, and treated them with great civility -, among other fliews and amufements in the camp, was that of fhooting an arrow at a gold plate, which was fixed on a lofty pole ; thofe who Ihot down the mark were to receive it as a re- ward of their fkill, together with a coat of honour. The motto, which he chofe upon this occafion for his feal, was this : " As the jewel was fallen out of the ring of fame and glory, fo God " has reflored it in the name of nadir." The coins which he caufed to be flruck had thefe infcriptions : *' Nadir king of kings, and glory of the age." Another was : *' Coins proclaim through the earth, the reign of nadir, the king " who conquers the world." The afTembly were at length difmilTed, to appearance very well fatis- fied J the priefts only refented the death of their chief, the mullah BASHi, and the little regard which the new fovereign fliewed to the na- tional religious tenets: however, as he did nothing by halves, he was determined to pull off the mafk. As foon as he arrived at casbin, whither he next direfted his march, he convoked all the ecclefiaflics of the city and neighbouring countries, and demanded of them in what manner ' See Vol. I. page 338. Chap. XV. NADIR SHAH. 129 manner the revenues of the church were employed} they anfwered, in 17^6. the fupport of priefts, colleges and mofques, in the kft of which inceffant prayers were offered to heaven for the fuccefs of the arms of their fo- vereigns : to which he replied to this effed: : *"' It is certain that you have " been very remifs in your duty, and that the Almighty is not pleafed *^ v/ith the prayers of fuch men as you are. It is now near fifty years " fince the empire has been on the decline, and was at length plunged " into the deepeft mifery, till the victorious inftruments ^ of the moil " wonderful, by expofing their lives for its defence and glory, have at *' length reftored it. Thefe are the priefts to whofe fervices we are in- " debted j therefore the revenues and lands of the church fliall be appro- " priated to their fupport ^'* ^ It is eafy to imagine, what impreflions the priefts would receive from being plundered of all their revenues ; but as much the greatefl part of the army, particularly all the tartars, were of the fed of the sunnis, they treated their complaints with derifion ; whilft the people in general, apprehending that they fhould be relieved from their taxes, in proportion as the church revenues were applied to the fupport of the army, felt no great reludance in fubmittlng. Religion, indeed, feemed to be almoft at the fame low ebb as morality^ or they never would have chofen nadir KOULi for their king. He left the people however at their liberty, with regard to the fupport of priefts at their own expence, but continued to ex- ad a conformity to the sunnis, agreeably to what he had mentioned in the plains of mogan j and for this purpofe he published the following edid;: 'The decree to tinite the two fe6fs of the schIas and the sunnis, which divide the Persians and the turks. " All in high ftations, the sedr* of great power, the governor, mini- *" flers of the law, and learned men of the royal refidence of Isfahan, " being 9 His army. ' What thefe revenues amounted to, my authorities do not tel! me. If it was one million fterling, it bears one fifth proportion to the whole revenue, according to the calcula- tion in Vol n. page 27. ' The sedr is a perfon of authority in the empire, who has the management of church lands, and of the revenues, for the maintenance of public fchools, falaries to learned men, and other pious ufes. Vol. IV. R ,30 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 17-6. '' being exalted through the king's favour, fliall know, that while the <' abode of our enfigns, on which vicfrory attends, was at mogan S it " was a'^reed that according to the antient cuftom tranfmitted down to " us by our predecelTors in the religion, as explained by hanifa " and " JAFFER*', from henceforth we do acknowledge the direding Caliphs % *' in whom the moft high is well pleafed, as the fucccflbrs of the chief *' of meflbngers y J and that, whenever there is occafion for it, the peo- " pie fhall mention the names of the four with great refped:. " But, whereas, in fome places of thefe kingdoms, at the time of *' calling to prayers, and {landing up to pray, the people mention thefe " words, ALi, the friend of god ^, according to the ufual practice of the *' SCHIAS% but contrary to thofe who are of orthodox faith. This we *' declare to be repugnant to the true religion, and contrary to the agree- " ment and covenant entered into. Befides^ it is apparent to the world', ** that as the prince of the faithful, the lion of God, the victorious ^ is ** eled:, praifed, and acceptable to the Lord of glory ; his rank and inte- *' reft at the court of unity, will not be increafed by vulgar teftimony, " nor the full moon of his power diminifhed by the omifTion of thefe *' words. But the ill confequence of this form is, that both feds^ who " equally acknowledge the chief and prophet ^ of both worlds, are pro- ** voked to animofities, which are offenfive to the prophet, and to the " prince of the faithful ^ Therefore, as foon as this high edid is pro- " mulged, let all muflulmen, high and low, the callers to prayer in the " cities, their dependencies, and adjacent countries, know, that from " this day henceforth, thefe words ^, which differ from the orthodox " cuftom, (liall not be mentioned. It is alfo ufual with governors in '* their aflemblies, after their prefatory prayer ^ to fay, may the king,^ " from • The plains where he was chofen king. « Hanifa, one of the four Turkish doaors, famous for expounding the mahommeuan hw. "^ Jaffer, one of the imams or pro- phets, whofe opinion the sunn is pay the ^jreateft regard to. =« Abubekhr, omar, osman, and ALI. y Mamommed ^ Js always annexed by the schias to the KtLMAH, viz. there is butoncGoo, mahommed is his prophet, and am his friend. * '1 he fef\ of the PERSIANS. ^ Moktisa, /tn's titles. '^ 1 he sunnis and schias. .' Mauommed. « MoRTiiA ALI. ' Ali, the friend of God. s Fattaha and Chap. XVI. NADIR SHAH. ,.j " from whom all our fortune flows, live for ever. As a prayer for 17 16. *' perpetuating a mortal man is vain, and of no efFed, we command that *' every khan ', who is mafter of a drum ^ and enfign, fay it in this *> manner, thanks to the true king for all benefits. From henceforward " let all perfons obferve thefe fettled regulations and written orders : for. " whofoever deviates from them, will incur the difpleafure of the king " of kings. Written in the month safer, 1149 V* Whatever policy might induce nadir to make a difference in the form of prayer, it feems to have betrayed him into an abfurdity. He might apprehend his intereft to be concerned in being acknowledged the " true king j" yet his obfervation on perpetuating a mortal man, feems to be more vain, than the thing itfelf, which he calls fo j fince " living *' for ever," can only allude to immortality after deaths or, according to the eaflern manner, the longefl period of life. CHAP. XVI. Nadir shah marches to casbin, and fends an emhajfador to turkey. T^he grand figniors orders to achmed bash a concernmg peace. All the conquered provmces yielded up to Persia, Nadir shah marches to IS' FAHAN. Great preparations for an expedition againfi kandahar. TH O' it was impoffible this edict could meet with unlverfal appro- bation, we do not find that any remonflrances were made agaiiiil it. However, it was a very politic ftep upon the whole, as it was not only contrived to avoid expenfive and bloody wars with the xuRKiJ, but allb calculated to continue the diadem in his own family, who were well known to be sunnis j and according to the former conftitution of R 2 the' and TOKEIR, is a prefatory prayer, which is generally the firfl: chapter of the khoran. Tokbir is repeating three times, thefe words, allah, akbah, God is greateft, before the kelmah above- mentioned. * I prefume that the order extended to all perfons to ufc this form. ^ Tabal, or fmall drum, which general officers ordinarily wear fixed to their faddlcs. *JUNE, 1736. 1 132 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 1706. the empire, would otherwlfe find it as difficult to ellablifh a lineal fuc- ceffion, as a roman- catholic prince in a proteftant country. Nadir, during his flay at casbin, took the ufual oath, '' To govern •' the people according to the laws of God, as revealed by his prophet *' MAHOMiMED ; and to protecTt and defend the Persians againft all their •' enemies." From hence he difpitched a minifler to the ottoman court, to acquaint them of his acceflion to the throne ; he alfo ordered another to the court of ST. Petersburg for the fame purpofe. The emprefs of Russia in return, ordered her refident in Persia to prefent her congratulations j and prefuming that he had already made peace with the TURKS, fhe demanded what the conditions of it were, that (he might fee if there was any thing contrary to the treaty which fhe had lately concluded with the Persian empire. Nadir flill perfifted, that he would enter into no accommodations with the turks injurious to the intereftof her in^perial majefty : that if his minifters had done any thing, it was without his. orders ; though,^.at tlie fame time, the embaflador ap- pointed for turkey was one of his prime counfellois and favourites. On the other hand, the Turkish miniftry endeavoured to perfuade the people, that in confideration of their yielding up all the conquered provinces, the Persians would make a diverfion in their favour againfl: the RUSSIANS, whoi, during this interval, had made themfelves mafters of AZCPH. The grand fignior,. who feared nadir when he was only general of the forces of Persia, was the more defirous of cultivating a good underftanding with him, now. that he was exalted to the throne of that empire. It was already expefted, that nadir would turn his arms towards INDIA : but in the prefent fituation of his affairs^ it was by no means convenient to give either the Russians or the turks any caufe to be-, lieve, that he meditated an enterprize againfl a country at Co great a di- llance. The former had reafon to complain of his condu(5l, in regard to his treaty with the turks j whilfl thcfe were compelled only by the necefTity of their affairs, to fubmit to terms which they thought highly injurious ehap. XVL NADIR SHAH. j.. ifijurious to their honour and intereft. Hence he judged it necelT^ry to 1736* prad;lfe all his arts to prevent thofe refentments, which might have ob-, {Iriidted his favourite deiign.. "' The grand fignior no fooner received notice of nadir's being advanced to the throne of Persia, than he repeated his orders to achmed, basha of BAGDAT, to conclude the treaty at erzeroum: on his part he fent GHENTCH ALi BASHA to that city ; and the shah appointed abdul baki KHAN as his embalTador to Constantinople. The orders which ach- MED BASHA received from the ottOxVIan court were couched in the fol- lowing term^c, *' The moil honoured and refpefled minifler of the empire, mod re- " nowned, wife, and trufty counfellorj the moft happy achmed bash a, " our sERASpaER and vizir in as^ a, whofe fam.e and felicity is evcrlaflingj. " iliall know, That certain differences have happened between our fub- '^^ lime and exalted court, and the kingdom of persta, which have ** been the caufe of immenfe loffes and fufferings to the inhabitants of " the frontiers, infomuch, that many diftrids are intirely ruined.. A&^ *' v/e are moved with the moft tender compaffion, and defirous to efta— ** blifh a lading tranquillity, we have refolved to make thefe reciprocal- ** lofTes the occalion of a ftridt friendfhip 5 thus to obey the orders of " providence, and preferve the people from mifery. " We have already informed you of our defign to entsr into a con-. " vention with his renowned majefty the shah, who fhines as satltrNj. " and whofe vov/s are heard by the Almighty. The treaty made by our " predecelTor amurath the IVth. is propofed as the foundation of this ** convention. We have learnt from your letters, that the mod famous " and happy shah is difpofed to reform the errors of the religion of pe?.- " siA, and has agreed that feveral articles concerning the faith diall be " ip.ferted in the treaty. As the two courts have propofed to conclude " this covenant, the illudrious abdul baki khan, on the part of the " shah, is inveded with the charader of embalTador for this purpofe, *« We agree to the three following articles : . '' I. Thar ,-j^ THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 17^6. " ^- 'T^^^ ^^^"^^ forward the Persians fhall be at liberty to vifit the <' tomb of MECCA, and other religious places, without impediment, *« and fliall be free of all duties whatfoever : and in order that " every article fliall be exadtly obferved, a plenipotentiary on our *' part fliall always refide at the fplendid court of Isfahan ; and ** one on the behalf of the shah fliall remain at our court. *^* II. That the shah, as a pure effedt of the greatnefs of his foul, *' will caufe the differences in religion to ceafe, by abolifliing the ** fed: of the schias, and for the future tolerating only the sunnis, " who acknowledge the four fucccffors of mahommed, abui^eker, " OMAR, osMAN, and ALi, to the end that there may not be any " farther difputes about religion, ** III. After the shah fliall have re-eflabliflied good order in his do- ** minions, and extirpated the schxas, from whence arofe eternal " diforders and difputes concerning the public exercife of religion, " and fliall have acknowledged us, the fucceflbr of mahommed, " we fliall on our part acknowledge him as shah. " And notwithflanding that we have already given you this full power, " we authorize you again happily to conclude the treaty with the em- " bailador abdul baki khan, in the place which you fliall chufe to " make the exchange j and afterwards, you are to fend the treaty to ** our fplendid court by the vizir korman waley, who will conducfl ** the embaffador abdul baki khan, with all his attendants. For " this purpofe we have difpatched capidusi basha to condiKft him *' hither, and defray his expences on the road. " When you fliall have received the prefent, and comprehended the *' contents of this commiiHon ; above ail exert yourfelf to eftablifli a " good underflanding between the two courts. The prayers of the *' faithful will aid you in attaining the extirpation of the fed of the " schias, and to exclude from the treaty the unbelieving Russians. " By this means you may exped the exalted favour of our majefly, and '* the acknowledgment of all true believers. Thefe are our orders, by *' which Chap. XVI. NADIR SHAH. ,3^ *^ which you are to regulate yourfelf. Given the 8th of the month 17.5^ '^ ziLCHiLDESi, 1148*". I, cAsi ASKER MAHOMMED, a fervant of the " true God, do atteft that this copy is according to the original of the '' fultan." The conferences at erzeroum ftill continued, and tho' the Turks fubmitted to every thing which the shah feemed inchned to infifl upon, yet nothing was finally determined; and abdul baki khan was ordered to proceed to Constantinople, where he continued to pradife the arts of evafion, no doubt by the inftrudion of his maikr. The ottoman court was extremely oifended at this condud ; but as peace was abfo- lutely neceffary, near the clofe of the year the treaty was conduded. Nadir was acknowledged as fovereign of Persia ; all the conquered provinces were yielded back to that empire; and a full permiffion was granted for the Persians to vifit the tomb of mahommed. The laft article was however of very little moment, fmce the true policy of the PERSIAN flate was to prevent their fubjeds from making that pilgri- mage. In the mean while, nadir marched with his array from casbin to- ISFAHAN, with a view to fettle the interior government of the empire. This was not the place which he defired mod to favour ; however, its fituation with regard to the Turks and the Russians, and fome aiFeda- tion of popularity, with refped to the antient metropolis of the empire, drew his attention. His natural inclination to avarice, turned his thoughts to the encouragement of commerce; in which, however, he had not the leaft fkill, nor patience to fee things brought to maturity. The intereft of the ARMENIANS began to revive ; the diftindion of chriltian and ma- hommedan wasweakened, not only as a confequence of the confaiion which had long reigned in Persia, but alfo as an efFed of blending the two feds of the sunnis and schias. A carelefs indulgence, as well as a fierce perfecution, feem equally deflrudive of true religion. Moral duties, and mutual confidences, are the natural effeds of religion, and as ejOfential to the encouragement of commerce, as to. the fupport of a flate , in * April 1736, ,36 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. i73'^>. i" general. What profpeft then had the Persians of a happy reign, under a man whole whole life had been guided by principles diametrically oppofitc to thefe duties ? The infatiable avarice of the eunuchs and minifters of the weak and unfortunate hussein, had fuffered many of the public buildings in Isfa- han to fall to decay, and private houfes were in no better condition " ; the AFGHANS had not repaired them, nor was nadir inclined to recom^ mend any expence of that nature. The fame paffion of covetoufnefs poilelfed his breaft, as It had done thofe of the eunuchs in the former reign, though the objeds they purfued were very different. However, he caufcd the walls to be repaired, and put the city in a better flate of defence. He alfo made a diftribution of feveral lands, in order to their cultivation, referving to himfclf a confiderable part of their produce. To thofe whom poverty had reduced to the lowed ebb, he caufed grain to be given, alfo fuch fmall fums as were neceffary to provide the utenfils of hufbandry. Thus he confulted, in fome meafure, what was effential to the fupport of the ftate ; but at the fame time, the chief objedt of his care was the maintenance of his army. Though the lat: campaign had been atttended with fuch great fuccefs^ yet the common accidents of war had leffened the number of his forces 5 •for which reafon, he fent into all parts for recruits : this diftreffed the inhabitants in a double refpe CHAP. XVII. A JiicctnB account of the incur/ton of the maharrattas, and the e^imitj between nizam al ^vhVCK^ governor o/'deccan, a?id devran khan^ the frj^ mi fjifer of MAHOMMED SHAH J emperor o/'hindostan, iinth the general fate of his court from 1720/0 1736, preparatory to the expedi^ tion of NADIR SHAH intO INDIA. J y >, 5. TT) E F O R E we enter upon a relation of the famous march of nadir X3 SHAH into INDIA, it may be proper to give a fhort account of the fituation of affairs at that time in the moghol*s empire. In 1720, 5ULTAN IBRAHIM having rebelled againfl MAHOMMED shah, his general abdallah khan took occafion to pillage the rich throne of the MOGHOL P of its diamonds, and raifed a great array. This general was foon defeated, and taken prifoner ' -, the young fultan was confined, and the government feemed to be again eftablifhed. Some time after, nizam al MULUCK ', governor of deccan *, grown too powerful for a fubjecft, could not be contained within the bounds of duty, but appropriated the revenues of his province towards the maintenance of an army, which he employed in fubjc(5ting the adjacent countries. He » This throne was made by shah jeran, and reported to have coil eleven millions fterling. ^ This general died fomc months afterwards of his wounds, and it is remarkable that forty-five women of his wives, tor.cubines, relations, and domeflics, burnt themfcives in one room, the day after his death. Formerly, none but the wives of the brahmin s or indian prielh had this barba- rous privilege ; but fince the government has devolved upon the ra.i at, it has been often praftifed for fomc of the wives of princes and others to burn themfcives when their hufnands d;e. Some of thefe princcb arc independent of the moghol, and govern diPJnft tribes, called raitpouts, who are cfteemed the belt foldiers in india. This cuftom of burning is ftridly forbid by the hahovimedan, which is the cflablKhed religion ; but fome of the seyd anJ pattan families, through the mere force of pride fall into this cuftom ; and, to evade the laws, ftt tiicir apartments on flames, and thus deftroy themfcives. There is no compulfion to this facrifiee in any part of india ; but the minds of the people are fo llrongly tainted with an opinion of its being honouralile to th»f furvivirg rela- tions of the party, that money has been often given to obtain tlie confent of a governor for the liberty oi' dcftroying themfcives. ■" This word fignifies hin; who puts the empire in order. ' J t is foirxtirac! wrote d c k i e n . Chap. XVII. NADIR SHAH. ,3^ He pretended to keep the maharrattas' from making Inroads into 1736. the dominions of the moghol. Thefe people had impofed a heavy tri- bute on their neighbours, and taken poffeffion of feveral places of confe- ciuence. They made incurlions as far as the province of malva, killed the governor, and feized all his treafures. From thence they direded their courfe to guzurat, the inhabitants of which they treated as a conquered people ; after which they returned eaftward as far as gualiar, laying the country under contribution : the peafants implored the proteflion of the emperor, and the whole court was under great alarms. The great moghol therefore ordered an army to be provided j and devran khan ", his iirfl minifter and alfo his vizir with feveral other omras "^y were appointed to command it. Inftead of giving battle to the MAHARRATTAS, whofe numbers were much inferior to the emperor's troops, they made a compofition to pay a fourth part * of the revenues of DEHLiE, on condition that they would retire, and lay down their arms. Thefe lords then returned home in purfuit of their pleafures. The whole court was devoted to amufement, and appeared in fome meafure in the circumftances in which that of shah hussein had lately been, in PERSIA. The pufiUanimous condudl of thefe generals, was the occalion that BAJEERAU, at the head of his maharrattas, took up arms again the next year, notwithftanding the contribution agreed for had been pundually paid. They plundered many places, and intended to march as far as AKBAR ABAD ^. Upon this, DEVRAN KHAN and the vizir marched againft them a fecond time, and got up with them a little after they palTed the river jumna, intending to penetrate the province ' of saadit KHAN. But this general having notice of their delign, marched againft S 2 them * Thefe people are fomet'imes called ganims ; they inhabit the hither in dia. "" He was the paymafter-general of the empire, whom they call bukhshi. ■"' Omra is the plural of emir, fignifying prince or great, a title given to perfons of the firft rank in india, as already explained ; this word is alfo wrote umeras. " This they call chot, a tribute which h s been often attempted to be impofed on the more peaceable Indians. >' Aora, this was formerly the capital. '^ Mr. fraser and Mr. otter mention this as the pro- vince of audih, which the former places beyond penjab; this muit be a miftake, or the ma- harrattas muil have travelled over a vaft tra'fl of country. J40 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. t-n5 them with a great force, and defeated them : devran khan and the vizir having joined saadit khan, purfued the iMAHARRATXAS, who were intercepted by a flrong body of moghols, and put to flight. The offence which saadit khan took at the compromife made by de- vran KHAN with thcfe free-booters, together with the great opinion lie had conceived of his own merit, were the chief occafion of his retir- ing to his province difcontentcd. In the mean time, mahommed shah was not ignorant that nizam al JMULUCK was the real author of thefe diforders ; which it would hardly be pofTible to prevent, unlefs he returned court. The emperor there- fore fent him an invitation under the flrongeft affuranccs, not only of fe- curity to his perfon, but alfo that nothing (hould be wanting to give him plealure. This man was the moft diftinguifhed for his abilities of any of the INDIAN lords : their cabals were the chief occafion of plunging the ftate into difficulties : he had often recommended the adminiftration of juilice as pracflifed in the reigns of the former emperors, particularly that of his old mailer auringzeee ^ ; but the unhappy fituation of the court rendered his advice ineffedual, fo that he retired to his govern- ment very much difguftcd. He was irritated againft devran khan and other OMRAS, who had acquired an afcendency over the emperor, and croffed all the meafures which he had propofed, whilft he faw the court abandoned to buffoons and loofe women. Nizam al muluck having been follicited to return to court, at length refolved to comply : but he left his fon ghazi o'din khan to command in his province. He did not acknowledge that he had favoured the in- curfions of the maharrattas3 on the contrary, he declared that he had fupported himfelf when the seyds'' would have taken his govern- ment from himj adding to this effea : '' It pleafed the Almighty that I " baffled all their defigns, in confequence of which I was mifreprefented *' at court. Your majefly alfo, induced by their intrigues, intended to *' come againft me with a mighty army, but heaven diverted the defign, " and • This prince died in 1707, after a happy reign of fifty hinar years. ^ Hossan, ali KHAN and ABDAr.LAii KHAN, who favourcd the young sultan ieramim already mentioned. Chap. XVir. NADIR SHAH. j^i *' and you did me the juflice to believe me a faithful fcrrvant." The 1-7-6, credulous emperor perfuaded of his integrity, would have made liim his vizir, but he pleaded that he was a derveish, and therefore not inclined to accept of fo high a Nation j that there were many perfons about tlic court more capable of executing fo high an office, and confequently he delired to be excufed. This lord however met a very gracious reception, and was honour- ed with the title of asof jah ^ He foon difcovered that thino-s were not mended, that devran khan had his mailer's ear, and took pains to render him ridiculous : even in the emperor's prefence lie mentioned him with the higheft mark of contempt, givino- him the name of a cheat ^. Such infolencies as this could not be relifhed by a m«an of his fpirit : he at length declined coming to court, and fecretlv meditated revensfe. o lb A true fenfe of humanity, and a right knowledge of mankind, can alone fupport us under fuch circumilances. If either of thefe is want- ing, the corruption of the heart is apt to lead us to deflroy thofe, who are the occafion of our humiliation. When the imagination is fet at work, pride fuggefts a thoufand expedients; and where power is added, what mifchiefs will it not efie6l ? But whilfl the fnaft is aimed at one, they forget that millions may feel the v/ound. The vizir had made a double inter-marriage of his fon and daughter to the fon and daughter of nizam al muluck, from whence the latter hoped to eftabliHi an interefl with him, in oppoiition to the other lords; and what he could not rediify by his counfels, to confound by his intrigues. The vizir however took the oppoiite party, and declined all violent meafures, except fuch as gratified his own avarice. This enraged the haughty Indian fo much the more ; that rather than not gratify his private refentment, he refolved to ufe the arm of a foreign enemy. He knew thatsAADiT khan, governor of audih, was become a male-con- tent « Asof jah fignifics in rank as asof, the name of him who is pretended to have been vizir to SOLOMON. ■* Maimovndqi. This word fignifics a q^uack dodot Or chcat i tut here ap- plicable to his cajoling addreis. 142 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 1736. tent as well as hlinfelf ; he therefore entered into a fecret correfpondencc with him, and it is faid they both joined to inform nadir shah of the flate of affairs at the moghol's court. Tho' it is granted, that nizam al muluck might be adluatei by a fpirit of revenge, it feems to me highly probable that nadir did not iiand in need of fucli inftruments, for the execution of his ambitious defic^ns. It can hardly be imagined, that he was ignorant of the ge- neral flate of affairs in that empire, or of the immenfe riches polfefTed by the moghol. He knew alfo the valour of his own troops, and the effeminacy of the IiNDIans : how eafy is it then to believe, that a projed of this nature might be formed by fo ambitious a man, whofe neceffitles for the fupport of his army would tempt him to a defpcrate enterprize ? But it is not my bufinefs as an hiftorian to enter very deep into the more fecret fprings of his condudl, which can be determined only by confe- quences, and of thefe every reader ought to be permitted to judge -, where the caufes of events cannot be clearly traced out, the mind may exercife its faculty, in paffmg that judgment which feems moft confident. It appears to me, that tho' nadir had the wifdom to keep his own counfel, he had taken the refolution of marching into india, in that exultation of heart, which arofe from his great fuccefs againfl the turks. The war, in wliich they were already engaged with the Russians, was certainly an additional reafon of his carrying this defign into execution. Having refolved upon this expedition, he nominated his fon riza KOULi myrza"^ regent of Persia. This young man had already given fcveral marks of a genius very like his father's, fo that from a fimilarity of difpofition nadir added the affedion of a friend to paternal love and flattered himfelf into a belief, that the government would be fecure in his fon's hands. * Hi.- father being now declared king, tlie title of a y t 7 a or prince of coi'.rfc belongs to the fon, aad b) this name we Ihall hereafter call Lim. C H A P. Chap. Xnil. NADIR SHAH, j^^ CHAP. XVIII. Reflexiojts on the different chara5ler of Alexander the great arj NADIR shah. Moral confideratiom on falfe glory. Moti'ues to Ale- xander and NADiR'i in'vaditig india. Nadir leaves Isfahan in DECEMBER 1 736. Coududl of HUSSEIN KHAN, gOVemor of KANDA- HAR, and of the Afghans. Riza kouli MYRZhfubdues the ousbegs of BALKH and BOKHARA. His indifcfeet condudl in Persia. Indian lords correfpond with nadir. IN reviewing the expedition of nadir shah into india, the detail of 1736. which contains the moft memorable part of this hiftory, the reader will indulge the inclination, to which the fubje(ft naturally leads me, of making fome comparifon between this enterprize, and that of the cele- brated MACEDONIAN hero. It evidently appears, that thefe ravagers of the eaftern world, Alexander and nadir, were aduated by the fame predominant paffion 5 an unbounded defire of conquefl: Alexander in- deed had the flrongeil: delire of fame and glory j. nadir added to his de- light in military atchievements, an infatiable thirfl: of accumulating riches. - The one reigned by right of birth 5 the other by an ufurped power 5 a power which could not be fupported without a great military force, nor that force without great treafures. As an ordinary effed of their intrepidity and rapid conquefts, both were the idols of tfieir foldiers; till nadir became cruel and avaricious. Ale- xander was moil beloved ; nadir mod feared. The one aifeded a love to m^nik'id ; the other did not fo much as pretend to ad: upon principles a tiumanity. Both appear to us as objeds of terror and allo- niilinientj but whilft fome mixture of love or compaffion is due to ALEXANT r's memory i nadir can only excite our hatred. The one had a real .^,eneroiity in his nature, and a noblenefs of fentiment, culti- vated l-y liberal education j the other, tho' fuperior m natural parts, was cunni ^', deceitful, and illiterate. I Had ^71^' 144 THEHISTORYOF Part IV. Had ALEXANDER been born to an humble fortune, perhaps he might have given greater proofs of true heroifm, than as a mighty prince and conqueror ; his heart was formed to a love of virtue, but not m a degree equal to his power. Though he was not cruel, he killed his intimate friend ^ j though continent «, he burnt a city " to pleafe a flrumpet. Is it a virtue to diftrefs mankind ! A condudl fo injurious as his, may entitle him to the fame of a conqueror, but not of a hero. Nadir liimfelf had qualities, which are fometimes called virtues ; yet we are fure that no prince, without renouncing humanity, can be in love witli fuch a charafter i nor can future ages produce an imitator, without ex- hibiting a pidure fliaded with gloom and horror. Human nature in all ages and countries is the fame ; but the fecret caufes by which one man differs fo much from another, are not fo appa- rent as the effedts of different educations. There are few countries which have not had their Alexanders or their nadirs ^ men adajated by a certain heroic fpirit of military enthufiafm ; confounding all the rules of morality and religion; exerting a boundlefs power of doing mifchief; committing a*5lions as much fuperior to the comprehenfion of vulgar minds, as contradictory to all the precepts of true philofophy ; and, in ihort, proving by one conftant purfuit, that the corruption of human na- ture may carry mankind much farther to do evil, by the Aibierviency of others as wicked, tho' not fo brave as themfelves, than all the principles of virtue can lead us to do good, for want of virtuous inflruments. If we look back to paft ages, we find the world diftreffed by men of this flamp, under the fpecious name of conquefl:. How intoxicating is the love of fame in the bread of a prince, turned to war I whofe ge- nius is peculiarly military. The vain boaft of triumphs fecms to divert them from all thoughts of mortality, and tempts them to deify them- felves in their own efteem. Amidft the din of war, a true fenfe of humanity is confounded, and heaven itfelf appears amiable only in its thunder. 3 The • CuTui. e With refpcft to the wife of DARIUS, * PjERstPOi. is. Chap. XVIII. NADIR SHAH, 14^ The natural greatnefs of the mind in men born to empire, feems to 1736, find no objed: adequate to it, except in conqueft and power. Men of underftanding indeed difcover the delufion j age and experience opens their eyes, and brings them down to the level of other mortals j it con- vinces them that the exercife of reafon, in whatever flation heaven has placed us, is the only folid glory : this paffion for conquefl will then ap- pear in its true garb of diftrefs and horror. Religion fleps in to unveil this pretender ; and by fliewing us what the rule of the divine admini- ftration is, opens a fcene of real and tranfcendent joys, which carries up the mind to the true fource of greatnefs. What juft reafon can be affigned for the invafion of india by Alexan- der ? Tho' his conqueft of darius may be cenfured by hiftorians as rafh and extravagant, as unguided by experience, and unfupported by wifdom ; yet if we confider the events previous to it, we fhall find his condud cor- refpondent v^^ith the rule of princes in later ages. The expedition of XERXES, and other attempts made by the Persians to enllave the Gre- cian republics, could not be eafily forgotten. To prevent any future defign of the fame nature, was to take the firfl favourable opportunity of humbling the Persians. There was no other way to filence their fcru- ples, to gratify their jealoufy, nor to appeafe their refentment. The PERSIAN monarchy in the reign of darius began to fink, in fomc meafure, under its own weight. Wealth had created luxury; luxury, corruption ; both thefe Contributed to the difunion and effeminacy of the people, and rendered them an eafy conqueii. If the unhappy circum- ftances of persia at that time, were a concomitant motive to Alexan- der's invafion, it did not invalidate the flronger reafons of felf-pre- fervation. Nadir had been lefs criminal, if the fame motives had carried him into INDIA ; but his expedition was certainly founded as much in avarice as ambition, or a fond notion of glory. It is now two thoufand and eighty-fix years fince Alexander made his expedition into india. Will the fame of nadir lafh fo long ? The Vol. IV. T arts 146 THE HISTORY OF Part IV, i'-7^6. arts and learning of greeck, afforded the means of tranfmitting down the feats of the Macedonian hero in a clearer manner, than the lights we receive from Persia under lier prefent circumilances, even in re- , the moghol's court, already in great diforder, was ftruck with terror. From peishor to dehlie is 450 miles °. \n this diftance are feveral rivers and difficult paflcs, which it was ex- pe^5led would retard the march of the Persian army. The court was alio flattered with hopes that zekariah khan, the governor of lahor, would - A crore is loo lacks, or 1,250,000/. ; confequencly this demani was for five millions fterling. » Thefe the Indians call soubahs. Soubahdar is often ufed asgovernor or lieutenant of a province. f They reckon it 202 cofs, each cofs of" 4000 yard>, or 2 ', niiks. 158 THE HISTOPvY OF Part IV. 1738. would form an army capable of flopping the progrefs of the enemy. Thefe circumflances however being infufficient to remove their appre- henfions, a whole crore of rupees ° was at once ilTued out. of the trea- fury for enlifling men j and five hundred carriage-guns of different kinds, with three thoufand harquebufles, were appointed for the expedition, befides a great number of barbed elephants, with all other appurtenances ■ of oriental warriors. Devran khan and nizam al muluck, had the joint command of the army. This circumftance alone was fufficient to have rendered the bed projected defign abortive. We need not go fo far as india, to fee the fid effeds of thofe enterprizes, which are left to the joint management of men at enmity with each other. The third of December, they pitched their tents in the neighbourhood of dehlie. Saadit khan, the go- vernor of AUDiH, was fent for to court to join the other chiefs, or to command the emperor's guards. This prince was already difpofed to re- treat to CASsi BENARisf', but the chiefs entreated him to continue with them ; reprefenting, that liis abfence would be dangerous to the ftate, under fuch critical circumftanccs. Zekariah khan, in the mean while, acquainted the court of the dangerous fituation he was in j that feveral of the tribes in the mountain- ous country had joined the Persians ; and that if they did not fend him an immediate fupport, he could not make head againfl the enemy. The merchants and many other perfons of the greatell property in lahor, in the mean while retired with their effeds. The pomp and ceremony of the imperial army of india, was at length fettled. This was one of the moll: brilliant and numerous, tho' not the moft formidable, that had for many ages appeared in the eaft. It confifted of near two hundred thoufand fighting men, of which a great part was cavalry. Mahommed shah, the great moghol, command- ed in perfon, and nothing eiTential to the mujefly of his throne was want- ing, except v/ifdom,- valour, and unanimity. At • 1,250,000/. p A city in the province of avehabad, famous for tho devotion which is paia there. 8 Chap. XIX. NADIR SHAH. 13,^ At length, after flow marches, and receiving feveral reinforcements on 1738. the road, they pitched their tents in the plains of karnal, fifty-five leagues from the capital. The young prince, sultan achmed, had an equipage prepared for him with great pomp and fplendor, and was ap- pointed commander of the van guard \ The circuit of the camp was very large ^ fortified with intrenchments, and a great part of it flrengthened with artillery. In the center were the emperor's own quarters'; thofe of nizam al muluck fronted them; and under him was the particular ordnance of the court, and the train belonging to it. On the right wing was devran khan, the prime mi- nifler, with five other lords under his command ; kummir o'din * khan with three omras, commanded on the left ; behind thefe were many ge- neral officers, whofe names would rather confound than delight the reader, and among them were the jaats and aheers*. Though the fovereign commanded in perfon, yet each lord feemed to be uncontroulable with regard to the refpedtive body under him. Nizam al muluck, inflead of taking pains to encourage his foldiers, reprefented the valour and fortune of the Persian king as irrefiflible. It is probable, that the inexperience of the Indians in the art of war, mufl in any cafe have rendered them inferior to the veteran foldiers of nadir SHAH ; but if we confider the unhappy fituation of this numerous army, it feemed to be coUedled only for the derifion of the Persians, ^ They call this the harol, which fignifies either the van-guard, or the title of the officer that commands any body of forces, which advances at the head of an Indian army. ' Some writers mention it as twelve miles ; but we cannot fuppofe they made intrenchments Co hr, or that they could defend fo vaft a circuit. s Thefe are called mourcha, which fignifies either barricadoes or intrenchments ; from whence we may infer he had a particular in- trenchment within the main circuit of the camp. t Thefe words fignify the moon of religion. This perfon was the vizir to the great moghol. •» Thefe are two dif-j ferent tribes of the r a i j p o u t s . CHAP. i6o THE HISTORY OP Part IV. CHAP. XX. Nadir'j pomp when he entered the Indian territories. His manner of pqjjifig ri'-jcrs. Short account of the indus : Nadir pajjes this river, Jeminabad and lahor taken. Nadir arrives on the plains of KARNAL. 173^- T^TICTORY feemed now to court the ambitious nadir: elate V with the hopes of giving laws to this vaft empire, he afFeded a more than common jftate. COSSEM KHAN WaS his ATHEMAT DOULET "• : he, With the ARRIZ- BEGi "", were the perfons through whom moft of the orders were given, and petitions preferred. Nadir's fentences, as at other times, were very fummary, and his bulinefs difpatched in a fliort time. He required in- formation of every thing that palled, and obferved a ftri<5l adminiftration of juftice: he attended bufincfs very regularly, fitting in his tent of audi- ence till noon; and after repofing himfelf a fhort time, he returned again, and remained there till the evening. His chiaux^ were kept to their duty more than ufual, to proclaim his victories as he pafled alono- ; befides thefe and his great officers of ftate, a confiderable number of young men with ftandards of red filk adorned with filver, were order- ed to attend upon extraordinary occafions. The great preparations which were making at the moghol's court to oppofe his progrefs, feemed to give him no fort of concern. On the contrary, he prepared himfelf to receive the homage of the Indian lords, and firfl of zekariah khan, the governor of lahor. After eftablifli- ing a garrifon atPEiSHOR, he advanced to the banks of the indus, where 1739- ^^ arrived the beginning of January. He had already taken his mea- 5 fures * See \ ol. in. page 41. Signifies fupportcr of power, or as fome conllrue it, the fecurity of fortune ; this is the fame perfon whom 1 have mentioned in \'ol. I. page 258. This man was alfo honoured with the title of nazem munazem, or him who fcts things in order; and moth ir al MULIK.K, or worthy of a kingdom. « The prcfentcr of petitions. r The 900 guards mentioned in Vol. I. page 251. Chap. XX. NADIR SHAH. i6i fures for the palllige of that uver. Mahommed beg % was previoufly 1739. detached with a confiderable body of troops, to build a fufiicient number of boats, by means of which he might throw a bridge over the river. Nadir's ordinary method was to ufe two iron- chains % to which he fixed the fkins of beafls blown up 3 thefe floating upon the furface, fup- ported the feveral parts of a fmall bridge of timber, which he carried with him. This chain being fecured on both fides of a river, ferved ah^o to hold a regular bridge of boats. The INDUS of the antients, now more generally denominated the sciND, is one of the moft confiderable rivers in all asia : in india only the Ganges exceeds it. In this place it divides the provinces of LAHOR and PEisHOR, and is commonly called the attok, from a great fort on the eaflern fide. It is fubje6l, like the nile, to be overflown, and like that is one great caufe of the fertility of its banks ; here are alfo numbers of crocodiles. Its courfe from north to fouth is computed to be 900 miles ^, or forty-two days journey. The feveral branches of it take different names j the chief of which are the shoub or sielmequs % the sHANTRou'^, the ravi % and the viah ^j thus forming five fl:reams : the province of lahor is for that reafon called pengab^3 and is one of the moft fertile countries in hindostan. Zekariah khan did not attempt to oppofe the Persian army at their paffage of the attok. His real defign was to fubmit, agreeably to the counfel he had received from nizam al muluck j however, to fave appearances, he made preparations for a defence. Nadir marched diredtly ^ This is the fame mahommed afterwards made a khan', who was admiral of the Caspian in 1744, and of whom I received fuch uncivil treatment. See Vol. I. page 222. * Some writers mention that nadir shah carried with him on camels a number of pieces of boats, to be joined upon occafion, this may be eafily confounded with the parts of a bridge, which he d:d carry with him for the pafTage of fmall rivers, and which upon an extremity might anfwer his pur- pofe over greater rivers. '' Thefe are fometimes called leagues, but the map by no means allows above i 2 or i 5 degrees, confequently it cannot exceed 900 miles ; but if we take in the courfe of the feveral large branches of it, the miles may be eafily reckoned leagues. '^ The antient HY PHASES. ^ Hydaspes. • Acesines. * Hydr-aotes. f Or five waters. Vol. IV. X i62 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. J739. diredly to yeminabad, a city of fomc note in the jurirdi6llon of zeka- RiAH KHAN. Here kullinder khan commanded with a body often thoufand men, defigning to oppofe the Persians. Nacir khan, who now had a poft in nadir's army, was entrufted with the attack of this city, which the Persians took, and killed the Indian general. Nadir had fent to zekakiah khan to invite him to a fubmiflion j the mef- fcnger was called before the general divan, and treated with fome inci- vility. This however was but an effed: of policy to difguife his refo- lution to furrender. He then marched out, and advanced above twenty miles from lahor, with an army of twenty thoufand men. xA.s foon as he heard the fate of yeminabad, he retreated back immediately to the capital of the province. Here he made a flievv of defence, but after three days capitulated, on condition that the city fliould be fpared. This is the country of which porus was king, when Alexander made his memorable expedition into india. The neighbouring pro- vinces were then ruled by their refpecftive fovereigns, as we now find them divided by the jealoufy and corruption of their chiefs. The fcene of his firft exploits in india was on the banks of the gur^ilus', which lie palT^id. The eaftern fide of this part of the indus was called taxila. Here we find that mophis, king of the country, fubmitted to Alexan- der, who confirmed tliis Indian prince in his dominion, or in other words, did not commit any violence or injuftice towards him. As an effedt of the generofity of the Grecian hero, mophis received the name of TAXiLES. What future ages may think of modern hiftories, 1 am no judge; but there are numerous circumftances in antient accounts, even in authors of the higheft reputation, which appear as the fumes of fu- perflition or the creatures of fancy : we muil: not however be ingenious to undeceive ourfelves in things of an indifferent nature, fo long as they give us pleafure. We know how hard it is to come at the truth of things which happened yefterday. PoRus, the fovereign of lahor, was exceeded by the fkill and for- tune, rather than by the valour of the Macedonian conqueror ^ he led on his * This Is CiiUcd at prcfcnt nilak, btir.g the upper part of the indus. Chap. XX. NADIR SHAH. ^63 his chariots of war and embattled elephants, difdaining to yield. In 1739, this he feems to have judged ill -, if he had flicrificed to the pride of the GRECIAN inftead of his own, and only paid the tribute of a formal fub- •• miffion, he might probably have faved the lives of twenty-three thou- fand INDIANS, who are faid to have died that day in defence of their liberty. Under the notion of clemency, Alexander then reftored to him the kingdom which he could not keep; nor was there one good reafon why he conquered it. The only true beneficent adion he did, was to reconcile taxiles and porus. After fubduing Persia, and all the country as far as this place, his foldiers, happily for the Indians, were at length tired of their knight- errantry, and infifled upon returning home ; he therefore made this the boundary of his vidory in the eaft, though he had defigned to march as far as the Ganges. He returned to babylon with the name of a con- queror, tho' with much lefs treafure than nadir shah. In his way home he fubdued all the country on the banks of the indus. He fent part of his forces in liiips down that river into the Indian ocean ; from whence they entered the gulph of Persia, and directing their courfe up the TIGRIS, arrived at babylon. Thofe, who marched by land, crofied s ablest AN and segestan, not without feveral encounters with the in- habitants of thofe countries, in which much blood was fpilt. Thence traverhng per sis ^, which owned the conqueror, after a perilous and laborious march he arrived at the feat of his empire, having been abfent twenty months. Nadir remained at lahor eight days, and refreshed his army in the gardens of shalimar^j he then pafled the river shoul, and traverfing serhind and taniseer, he arrived with forty thoufand men in the neighbourliood of a village called tillauvri, which is not far from the plains of karnal. Here he halted to reconnoitre the iituation of the INDIAN army, and determine what meafures to purfue. After a march of twenty-five months for eighteen hundred and fifty miles •", he was al- X 2 mofl ^ Now FA RSI STAN. ' Thefc gardens are of the fame name as thofe of dehlie. " This computation is from Isfahan, viz. from that ciry to kandahar is reckoned 104O miles, and fi om thence to » e h l i e 8 1 o. i64 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 1739. moft arrived at the fruition of the defired obje<5t. It was not difficult in a general of common fagacity to forefee, that fo vaft a multitude of people would not be able to fupport themfelves long in that fituation ; and they muft either difperfe, or come to an engagement. CHAP. XXI. T/:e jiumher of the Persian arfny. Saadit khan arrives at the Indian. cafjjp. He anJ DEVRAN khan begin the e7igagement. 'NADiR'sJira- tagcin to draw the Indians to battle, Saadit khan taken prifoner, and DEVRAN khan mortally wounded. Nadir'j manner of oppofmg the INDIAN elephants. Lofs of the Indians in the field. Dijlrefs of the INDIAN cainp after the battle. Interview bet^wecn nadir and nizam AL MULUCK ; alfo between the Persian king and the great moghol. Numbers of the ihdiahs Jlain in maraiidi?tg. Mahommed shah de- livers himfelf into the hands oj nadir. Indian e^'cSis fealed up in dehlie. NADIR was now within ten miles of the indian army. On the 1 2th of FEBRUARY he difpatched hahdgee khan with his advanced guard ", confifling of fix thoufand of the beft troops of kourdistan. His whole army amounted to near one hundred and fixty thoufand men, of which a third part were fervants and domeftics: thefe having collected a fufficient number of camels, horfes °, and mules in their rout, were all mounted, and fome of them completely arm- ed. Their women, being not lefs than fix thouflmd, were drelTcd with great coats p of crimfon cloth, after the manner of the men, and not to be diflin- • KovRROL, which is the fame as the harrol of the Indians. • There arc in the highland country of kandahar and cabul a fmall kind of liorfrs called yabou5, which arc very ftrviccable. p Thefe are called BARRAWNii bar-Ran fignifies rain, from whence the name of this coat is derived. Chap. XXr. NADIR SHAH. i6s dlftinguiflied at a diflance 3 fo that the whole made a very formidable 1739. appearance. Nadir finding the water at tillauvri infufdcient to fupply his fol- diers, advanced two miles nearer the Indian army; and the i^th of FEBRUARY he encamped not far from the rear of devran khan, at a time when saadit khan was juit arrived in the camp of the great MOGHOL, with a reinforcement of twenty thoufand men. Whatever the nature of SA adit's treafon might have been, as foon as he faw his fei- low-foldiers in diflrefs for provifions, and ready to be over-whelmed by a powerful and fortunate army, the impulfe of his heart carried him inftantly to the tent of mahomm!:d shah, and with the freedom of a foldier he told his fovereign, that there was no time to be loft in giving battle to the Persians 3 that if the other generals refufed to follow him, he would commence the attack with fuch part of his troops as were come up j defiring rather to die fword in hand, than fall inglorioully into the power of an enemy through the neceffity of hunger. Nizam al muluck, who feemed never to have intended to bring things to the extremity of a battle, oppofed this counfel j pretendipg, according to the fuperflition of the mahommedans, that the day v/as not fortunate 3 and as there was no neceflity, they ought to defer it. Saadit khan, though fufpedted of being leagued with t ds treacherous minifter, had too much ardour as a foldier to be retrained by any fucK conlideration. In the mean while, the fix thoufand kourds detached by nadir shah, through the deiire of booty, had fallen on a party of the Indians, and began to pillage the baggage of devr.\n khan. There was no time to debate: saadit khan mounted his elephant, led on his forces, and re- pulfed the kourds. Dlvran khan, now roufed by a jealoufy of the glory of a man, whom he knew wifhed his difgrace, brought his m.en alfo to the charge imm.ediately, with aciefign to fupport saadit khan j fo that the engagement grew warm on both fides, NadiRs ,66 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. i^nQ, Nadir, being appiiled of what was paffing, fent a body of troops to afTiO: his \<:.n ; and jealous of fupporting the reputation of his arms in his firft encounter, he detached three thoudmd of his befl troops in three different bodies, and placed them in ambufli. He alfo fent a fmall body of five hundred men againft devran khan, and another of the fame number af^ainft saadit khan, in order to draw them into the field. Havin-^ then made a proper difpofition of the main body of his ariDy, he advanced at the head of a thoufand afshar horfe to dired the battle. This difpofition had the defired effed. The three thoufand men in ambufcade falling upon the troops of saadit khan, put them to flight, and took their general priloner. Devran khan being followed by above twenty omras and general officers, at the head ot their refpec- tive bodies, fupported his ground with great refolution, till the engage- ment became more' general. At length having received a dangerous wound, he fell extended upon his elephant, and was carried off the field. A report that he was dead, fpread a difmay through the whole In- dian camp. There was a circumfbance pretty remarkable, which I find omitted by thofe who have given us an account of this battle. They mention in- deed the elephants, but not what ufe was made of them. Thefe for- midable animals were cordudcd at the head of the Indian army, and armed for battle : they have ever been reprefented in eaftern wars as objedts of great terror ; their fize, the caftles upon their backs, and all the apparatus of war, have been defcribed by hifi:orians, painters, and poets, in a light which fills the imagination with dread. Nadir was not igno- rant in what manner the Indians fight, and therefore caufed a number of f\ages to be made, and fixed acrofs two camels. On thefe flages he laid naptha, and a mixture of combufiibles, and ordered them to be fct on fire. It is well known with what terror thefe huge animals behold this element j fo that inflead of over-turning the Persian army, at the ap- 2 proach Chap. XXL NADIR SHAH. 167 proach of the camels the elephants turned about, and put a great part 1739- of the INDIAN army into confulion. In this battle feventeen thoufand Indians were Hain, among whom were a great number of perfons of the firfl diflindion. Thofe who fled from the iield, fpread terror and confulion through their whole camp. Several took the opportunity of plundering the tents of their own com- manders. Numbers, who attended the baggage brought into the field> fled towards dehlie, which afforded a favourable opportunity to the PERSIANS to kill and pillage at difcretion. In this adiion not half of the INDIAN army was engaged, and only about fifty thoufand of the troops of NADIR SHAH J he lofl: on his part only two thoufand five .^ hundred men, who were interred the fame night ; but there were near ''f twice as many wounded. Devran khan lofl: his eldefl: fon, and the wound he himfelf had received, proved mortal. His great lofs of blood occafioned his fainting : when he came to his fenfes, he had the additional afflidion to find all his tents and baggage plundered 5 they were therefore obliged to carry him to the tents of mahommed shah, to whom he had been reported as killed. The fight of this favourite minifter, under thefe melancholy circumflances, gave the emperor the deepeft concern. In a fliort time after this lord died of his wounds, which fcemed to give him lefs pain, than to behold his enemy nizam al muluck triumphing in the " favour cf his mafler, and planning fchemes to gratify his bafe refent- ment. In this confufed fl:ate of affairs in the Indian camp, nadir shah advanced to the quarters of nizam Al muluck j this general had been joined by feveral other lords, who drew up their forces in a line of battle, as if they meant to flop the progrefs of the enemy. Night coming on, prevented the Persians from purfuing their vidory. The Indian camp was now fo very thin, that from the emperor's own quarters to thofe of NIZAM AL MULUCK, which was near two miles, hardly any people were found. In the night a grand confultation was held, in which iXrS, T HE H I S T G R Y ; O F .1 ^^rt lY. iT^39. wiu^l* NJiZjAj^j; AL iviuLUCK related in the moft aficding irnnner, tlie deplorable' ftate to which the fortune of tliat diy had already reduced the court; expatiating upon the fatal efFedts of war, and the danger to which the emperor's perfon was expofed ; that every moment brought news of the death of feme perfon beloved by his majefly, and of great confe- quence to the ftate ; his opinion therefore was to accommodate matters with NADIR SHAH, fmct they could no longer depend on the fuccefs of their arms. The INDIAN moi-^rch, though no warrior, was more inclined to trufl to the fortune of & r(|;cehmas KHAN to dehlie, with four thoufand horfe, to take poffeffion of the caftle. Saadit khan was charged with the care of the city, together with the houfes and effedls of the inhabitants -, flricfl directions were alfo given y Banians, who are moftly trading people in india. They are of a particular fedl, who be- lieve the tranfmigration of fouls, whether of man or heart ; from whence they are very harmlefs in their condu^, lell they fhould injure one of their own friends or relations, in the appearance of a bird or bcal^. » ToWPCHI BASHI. * NiTSSACKHCHI basui. ' This word fignifics the queen of th« times. €hap. XXm NADIR SHAH. ,73 given him that no injury fhould be done to any of them. This general ly^n on his arrival publiihed the shah's orders, adding, that none of. the citi- zens ihould dare to molefl the Persians. The governor of the caftle being informed of what had pafled on the plains of karnaLj made no ftruple to pay an implicit obedience to the fummons of nadir's lieutenant, and admitted him, together with all his troops. The palace was alfo prepared for the reception of the Persian monarch. All the valuable effeds were fealed up, and a lift prepared of the omras, and all the wealthy inhabitants of the city. Nadir being mafter of all the jewels and of the military chefts of the INDIAN camp at karnal, gave a gratuity of three months pay to every foldier in his army. He then made choice of two hundred pieces of cannon, with their carriages, out of the Indian ordnance, and fent them with other effeds under a ftrong convoy to cabul. G H A P. XXII. March of the Persian and indian armies from karnal to dehlie. NADiR'i entrance into dehlie. Saadit khan dejlroys himfelf Maf [acre of dehlie. Nadir'j condudi after the jnajjacre, THIS difpofition being made, nadir began his march towards^ dehlie. His advanced guard*' confifted of four thoufand men,- who ferved to efcort his harram; twenty thoufand of his beft cavalry guarded them at a proper diftance. About two miles behind was aia- hommed shah, attended by fifty of his principal courtiers, and efcorted by twelve thoufand Persians. The Indian lords, at the head of their lefpedive troops, marched at the diftance of a mile from each other, . having great bodies of the Persian army between them. Nadir him- felf brought up the rear, with the grofs of his army > the whole com- pofed a number of near three hundred and fifty thoufand men ^^ who ' covered near twelve miles in length, and three in breadth. In « KouRucK, See Vol. L page 249. ^ Before the late engagement the indian army alone was near this number, including all their attendants ; but a great part of ihefe had been difperfed, and> numbers of them killed. 7 ,^^ THE HISTORY OF Part IV. lyXQ' ^" ^^^^ manner they proceeded five days march, till they came to SONPUT. This place, together with panifut, and feveral villages, were plundered by the Persians, as they marched along. From sonput they advanced to nirela, and the next day Mn the evening they ar- rived at the gardens of shalimar. Nadir shah declined going Into the city in the night, as well on account of the fafety of his.perfon, as the re"-ard to his ftate. He ordered mahommed, the great moghol, feated in a royal litter, and preceded by his flandards, with two hun- dred of the fervants of his court, to march forward into the city. Thefe were convoyed by four thoufand pergian horfe, who accompanied the INDIAN monarch to his apartment ^ Nadir encamped with his forces without the gates. The next morn- ing he marched with great circumfpedtion thro' the city to the caftle s, attended by a body of twenty thoufand men. Mahommed shah had already given notice to the inhabitants, when the Persian conqueror was to enter the city ^ -, ordering that all the houfes and fliops fliould be Ihut, and according to the awful refped; (hewn to eaftern kings, that no perfon fliould prefume to appear in the flreets. This order was executed with great exadnefs; for of the vafl number of inhabitants, there were no fpedators of his triumphant entry : a mournful filence reigned through- 4)Ut the city, as if it prefaged fome dreadful calamity. Nadir having taken polTellion of the caftle, was immediately attended by mahommed shah, towards whom he behaved with great civility. He diilributed his troops into their quarters, and took all the nccelTary meafures that due obedience fliould be paid to his orders, till the articles of peace were regulated with nizam al muluck. In the mean while, he enjoined his n/essakhchi ' in the flrideft manner, that whoever pre- fumed to injure any of the natives, fliould be puniflied with the fevereft bailonading, or with the lofs of their ears or nofe, according to the nature of their offence. The * The 7th of MARCH. ^ This they call the aevsh mahl, wlilch fignifies the pincc of joy. » Caille is ufcd fynonimouny for caftle, citadel, or pahce, viz. place of defence. " This was the 9th of march. * Thefe arc the «rd«r of feldiers who arc charged with ifae puniOmient of oficncc, as already mentioned. Chap. XXII. NADIR SHAH. ,7^ The PERSIANS, however polite in their manners, are but rude In their 17:9. flpparel and cufloms, compared with the dehcacy of the Indians. In nadir's army were alfo many tartars, whofe rough and favage afpeds made fuch impreOions on the Indians, that they avoided as much as pofiible all communication with them. S A ADIT KHAN, who fecms to have been a man of warm pallions, and of an inconftant difpofition, was now as forward to recommend himfelf to his new mafter nadir, as he had been ambitious at karnal, of ex- erting himfelf in the defence of his true fovereign. He went out to the gardens of SHiiLiMAR to meet nadir shah, and accompanied him till he alighted at the palace of dehlie. This lord had flattered himfelf wuth hopes of being admitted to a private audience, in which it was pre- fumed he intended to recommend certain meafures for the intereft of the PERSIAN king. Nadir, who had always diftinguiflicd himfelf for his penetration, fpoke with great harfhnefs to him, and demanded why he had not begun colleding the fubfidies. This reproof touched saadit khan to the heart ; his jealoufy was fired, and he concluded that nizam al muluck had done him fomc ill office. Under this anxiety of thought, it is probable the remembrance of his infidelity recoiled upon him. He knew that to be fufpedred by a prince of fuch a temper as nadir, was but a remove from ruin. Under thefe circumftances he retired j and defpair drove him to the fatal ex- pedient of taking poifon. Such is oftentimes the fate of men who fwerve from the paths of honour, and bewilder themfelves in the mazes of iniquity. Thofe prin- ciples which intice them to forfake the intereft of their country, in order to gratify a private paffion or refentment, hardly ever fupport them under a change of fortune, or the prelTure of calamities. What had pafTed on the plains of karnal, and the havock created by the fword and famine, was but a prelude to the diftrefs which heaven permitted to fall upon the unfortunate inhabita.*.6 of dehlie. The next 8 day lyb THE HISTORY OF Part IV. i-j-iQ. day "^ after nadir's arrival, was a feafl of Sacrifice * with the Indians, and the new-year's-day of the Persians. Nadir's lieutenant, t/eh- j^AS KHAN, fent feveral Persian horfemen of the n^ssickhchi to the granaries "", ordering them to be opened, and the price of corn to be fixed. Tills not being done to the fatisfadlion of the proprietors, occa- iioned the ailembling a mob. Sayd neaz khan, and feveral other perfons of diflindion, put themfelves at their head, and killed the Per- sian horfemen. After this unwarrantable adl, a report was foon fpread that nadir SHAH was flain " 3 upon which the tumult increafed. All idle perfons and men of defperate fortunes joined them, and marched towards the •caftle. A party of Persian horfe, which was pofled near the entrance, were forced to retire with fome lofs. In the mean while, feveral per- .siANS whom sayd neaz khan had taken as a fafe-guard to his houfe, were treacheroufly fhut up in a room, and burnt alive. The foldiers who were lodged in the palace of the deceafed devran khan, and other great houfes and caravanferais, were obliged to retreat to their quarters, and remain under arms the whole night. The cannon and harquebufTes on the ramparts of the caftle, as well as thofe in the houfes occupied by the PERSIANS, were difcharged at the mob, but without quelling the infurrcdtion. The next morning nadir, at the head of a ftrong party of his troops ilTued out of the palace, with an intention to fupprefs the tumult. Whe- ther the difcovery of the dead bodies of feveral of his foldiers, fired him with the defperate refolution of ordering the inhabitants to be maflacred, does not clearly appear °. If we may judge from his natural cruelty and infatiable avarice, it is not unreafonable to believe, that he at once deli- vered up the city, without any limitation, to Daughter and pillage. His orders •^ The lorh of MARCH. ^ Eid zoha. ™ Thefc are called paur cunjh. • Thefe people fecm to have been in the fame circumflances of dchifion as the Persians, in their rebellion five jtari afterwards at astrabad, who firll took arms, and then flattered themfelves, and even repoited, that nadir shah was dead. • Mr. frazer, who has given the authorities ibr moft of the tranfadions in deh lie, fays, that the foldiers were at fixll ordered not to do an) harm to the innocent. But foldiers are bad judges in fuch cafes. Chap. XXII. NADIR SHAH. 177 orders were in an inftant obeyed: a place taken by florm never exhibited J770. a greater fcene of horror. The Persian foldiers having fpread them- felves, broke open houfes and palaces, flaughtering with an unbridled fury, with very little diftindtion of age or fex. This bloody fcene ex- tended above fix miles K Many who had fled from the neighbouring country to take refuge in the city, afTembled in a body to defend their lives j thefe were joined by jewellers, money-changers, and rich fhop-keepers. The phyfician of the court put himfelf at their head, and defpair fupplied the place of flrength and refolution. Thefe unhappy people fought bravely for fome time, but being fo little accullomed to the ufe of arms, they had only the fatisfa<5lion of dying fword in hand. LuTF ALi KHAN coududed this bloody bufinefs in one quarter of the town : siRBULLiND KHAN, an INDIAN lord, whofc reputation and vene- rable afped had charms not to be refifted, rufhing from his palace, proftrated himfelf before the Persian general, and reprefented that the inhabitants of that part of the city were innocent -, and begging for their lives, he offered to pay a large ranfom, which was accepted, and the flaughter ceafed. In the mean time nizam al muluck was flung with remorfe at the fight of fo fad a fpe<51:acle, and confcious of his guilt, in being in fome meafure the occafion of it% went and threw himfelf at nadir's feet, intreating his mercy, for the unfortunate remains of fo flourifh- ing a city. After a torrent of reproaches, nadir gave orders for the re- call of his foldiers. This carnage lafled from eight in the morning till three in the after- noon J about four hundred of the Persians were killed, but of the citi- zens not lefs than one hundred and ten thoufand. All the jewellers and goldfmiths fhops were plundered, and many of them fet on fire. Private iioufes had no better fortune : and the palaces of the great partook of the common r DsMLiE is reprerented to be a very large city. ^ Becaufe ef his treafonablc cor- refpondence, which is fuppofed to have becB a motive to the invafion, ' Vol. IV. 2 lyS THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 1779. common ruin, Next morning the inhabitants were ordered, under the fevereft penalties, to bury their dead. Thefe unhappy people had not even time to diflinguifli the mahommedans from the pagans : the latter, liowever abominable to mufTulmen, even after death, v^^ere either tumbled into one common grave, or confumed together in funeral piles, after the manner of the pagans. As to thofe who were fliut up in houfes, numbers of their bodies were not brought out for burial till after nadir's departure : what horrid fpec- tacles they were then, the reflexion is fliocking to humanity. Many who were jealous of their honour killed their wives, and then com- mitted murder on themfelves. Numbers were burnt in their houfes, efpecially women and children j nor did the fword fpare even the infant at his mother's bread. Horror and defpair had plunged the inhabitants into fuch diftrefs, that near ten thoufand women threw themfelves inta wells ; of thefe, fome were afterwards taken out alive '. When the fl.iughter began, the mob who had been the apparent occa- fion of it difippeared, and left the innocent to fufFer. The leading peo- ple" of this fatal tumult had been fo infatuated, as to think that a mo5 might effed: what the imperial army of india had hardly any chance of executing : feveral of thefe were taken prifoners, among whom was sayd neaz khan : NIZAM AL jkiuLucK and the vizir pleaded hard for him, but in vain ; nadir ordered his belly to be ripped open, and in this ■deplorable manner he expired. The prifoners brought before the Persian king amounted to feveral thoufands; of thefe the greateft part were women, of whom many, con- •trary to the difcipline he had eftablifhed, and contrary to the facred rights of humanity, had upon this occafion fufFered the mofl infamous treat- ment. Nadir ordered them to be conduced to their refpedive houfes, where they retired in circumflances of the deepefl diflrefs. The ^ One remarkable incident happened of a certain man who burnt tr\\'enty women of his family ; and then finding that the foldicrs had raiircd his hoiife, went out 10 acquaint them l:c had large cftc\^"ls ; Wicfc the folditri took, but left him unhurt, upOn which he murdered liimfclf. Chap. XXII. NADIR SHAH. j-.^ The amount of the lofs in houfes, efFeds and riches, in To rich a city, muft have been very confiderable : but in fuch a confufion, it is probable many valuable things were loft. Large fums were brought into nadir's treafury j and the booty which the Persian foldiers referved to themfelves, as afterwards appeared, was very important. Before the maffacre at dehlie, a party of the Persian forces had been fent to feize the cannon at the palaceof an Indian lord. Thefe had been alfo treacheroufly fet upon and murdered, by a body of tartar mo- GHOLs*. Nadir being informed of this accident, fent a large detach- ment, who fell upon thofe people and llaughtered near fix thoufand of them. The Persians brought away the ordnance, together with three hundred perfons of the chief rank among them. Nadir caufed the heads of thefe immediately to be ftruck off, and their bodies to be thrown into the retee ^ After this, a proclamation was made, that all perfons fliould purfue their employments, and that none of the Persian foldiers fhould hurt or moleft them. To prevent the ordinary confequences of fuch calamities, nadir gave orders that the granaries fhould be fealed up ", and guards fet over them. He alfo commanded feveral parties of cavalry to in- vert the city, that no perfon might go out of it without a particular li- cenfe. Many whom hunger and mifery induced to leave this dreadful fcene, were arrefted by the Persian guards, who cut off their ears or nofes. So fevere a condudl was foon followed by the diftrefs of many thou- fands, who had been plundered of their money and effeds; for provilions were become exceflive dear. The people who were not the proper in- habitants of the city applied to nadir shah, chufing rather to die by a fpeedy effed: of his anger, than to perifh more flowly with hunger. Thefe went to him in a body, and in tears of anguifh and diftrefs proftrated themfelves, and begged for bread. Even the cruel nadir was touched with Z 2 their « '^efe are called moghol poura. * The river of dehlie. " In PERSIA as well as russia, the fealing up doors by means of a bit of firing with fome bees-^vax impreffed with a feal, is looked upon moie facrsd than any lock. ^739' i8o THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 1^39. their misfortunes, and gave them liberty of retiring to ferid-abad, in order to buy provifions. CHAP. XXIII. Male adviinijlration of riza kouli myrza, regent of Persia. Rebel- lion of the ARABS againjl the Persian government, Co?jdu£i of the PERSIAN embafjddor at Constantinople. DURING this fcene of mifery and devaftation at dehlie, Per- sia ftill groaned under a tyrannical government. Riza kouli MYRZA the regent, by pradifing all the arts of cruelty and extortion, foon incurred the hatred of the people. In order to cover his ra- pacious avarice, he took the fpecious name of a merchant : thus he ar- bitrarily monopolized the raw filk on his own terms, and obliged the manufacturers to take it of him again at the price he was pleafed to im- pofe. In the vanity of his heart he wrote to his father, to acquaint him that he had gained a million five hundred thoufand crowns ^^ without doing wrong to any man. Nadir, jealous of fuch extraordinary abilities in his fon, defired him to explain himfelf. Riza kouli anfwered, that he had turned merchant, and obtained it by commerce, of which he fent him a certificate *. The SHAH, who was not to be eafily impofed on, reprsfented to him the injurous confequences of fuch proceedings j that if he had fo great a pafTion for trade, a fifnery ^ fliould be appointed him, from whence he might draw a confiderable profit, without invading any property, or di- minilliing the advantages which belonged to fair traders, by v/liom na- tions " 7)0,coo. * This certificate of his fair-dealing was inJeed teftified by the merchants of RtsHD, bill it wai obtained by compulfive means, through the intcrpofition of his principal agent HADCHKE SADDUK. J' At a time when the luccefs of the herring-filTicry fccms to be fu- fpcctcd by many, it may be worth while to rcflcd on this advice of nabi r shah ; his notion fccms to arife from reafon and nature, without difcourfe or argument ; for fifh is fo fniall an article of the food of tr.c PE (is I AN I, that it fccms flraugc ihii nadir fhould Humble on the thought. 2 Chap. XXIIL NADIR SHAH. i8x tions are enriched. Upon the whole, he was Co much difpleafed at his i7''o. fon's adminiftration, that he fent a decree, confix'-ming all governors and magiftrates in their polls, till he fhould return from india. This inci- dent was fo contumelious a reproach to the prince, that it laid the foun- dation of his rebellion, as we fhall have occaiion to relate. The PERSIANS rejoiced at the fuccefs of their king over the Indian monarch ; and the value of the riches taken from that prince were re- prefented as ineftimable. What tended to flatter them into the hopes of HALCYON days, was the arrival of a melTenger, who brought a decree ^ from NADIR SHAH, which exempted them from taxes for a whole year, to commence from the tenth of march. The officers, who had begun ^ to colleft the money, were ordered to refund -, which they performed accordingly. Amidil all thefe rapid vidlories, Persia was not free from alarms. Some of her fubjeds in the fouth took the advantage of the shah's ab^ fence, and threw off their yoke. Nadir had ordered feven of his fhips to be prepared in the Persian gulph, for fome expedition which he had meditated ^ : the Persian commander took this occafion to feize the barks belonging to the houles, a tribe of arabs, and would not permit any of them to crofs the freight of ormus. This gave occafion for a revolt, in which the Persian fhips were taken by thefe Arabians, and fever^^il of them burnt. Taghi khan, the governor of shirass, foon after embarked a great number of men in fmall veffels '', and went to chaflife the rebels. In the mean time the mascats, another tribe of the arabs, fitted out feveral fnips, apprehending a vifit from the Persians. Their fears were foon removed, for the houles were an over-match for their enemies: the Persian forces were repulfed, with the lofs of near two thoufand of their men. This event however encouraged the iman "^ of MASCAT, ^ This is called a ragam. Firman, which is a name given it by fome, I imagine to be more proper to india. =» It is laid they were intended to fail round, and go up the indus, to carry troops to join the arniy, which was on the march to india ; hew practicable this might be, I cannot determine. We are told Alexander, came down the Indus. ^ Tarranqiiin"; . • The chief of the arabi ans on the oppofite fide of the gulph. i82 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 1739* MA-CAT, to accept the ofTer of a defenfive alliance with the houles, in order to fupport their mutual liberty, againrr all attempts of the Per- sians. But the greateft uneafmcfs was created by the Turks. Nadir, not- withflanding his great diftance, endeavoured to poflefs them with the terror of his arms j that they might not take advantage of his abfence to make a peace with the Russians and invade Persia. He fent two em- baflidors to them from kandahar, of whom the lafl, mahommed riza KHAN, arrived at Constantinople in November laft yearj and in the beginning of the next month was admitted to an audience of the grand iignior. The khan aillired his highnefs in the moft elegant and exalt- ed terms, ** That his mafter, the shah, had the greateft defire to live " in perfedl amity with him -, but that the means of doing this was to " yield up diarbekir, in the fame condition it was in during its fubjec- " tion to the Persian empire*^. He alfo pretended to the upper arme- " nia : and further infifted that the grand fignior (hould renounce his alli- ** ance with the great moghol ; that the new fortifications made at " bagdat, fince the provifional treaty of peace, concluded three years " before, fliould be demolifhed; and that the Persian caravans fhould " have every where a free pafTage in the dominions of the ottoman " empire." Thefe demands appearing capricious as well as infolent, the Turk- ish minifters, though they dreaded a war with Persia, feemed by no means difpofed to comply with them -, on the contrary, they declared that the grand fignior would make a peace with the emperor of the romans, and the emprefs of russia, and engage in a frefh war with Persia, rather than fubmit to fuch diflionourable conditions. What added to the di- ilrels oi the port, was the rebellion of sare ben oglou in natolia. Nadir might flatter himfelf into a belief of felling his friendflfip for fome very valuable confideration j but his intereft was to keep the TURKS deeply engaged in a war with russia 3 that fo he might find them the * This country was formerly part of Mesopotamia, and tht antient boundary of the kingdom ©f ASSY RIA. 1 Chap. XXIV. NAr)IR SHAH. 1S3 the more weakened, when he fliould return to fill up the meafure of his i739« victories over them. Nadir alfo fent an embafTador to the court of st. petfrsburg, with which he had a more natural intereft : that court was alio very lenlible how little his frienddiip was to be depended on j however, it was fonie fatisfadlion that he was very far from having entered into any clofe con- nection with the TURKS, tho' he was not engaged in a war with them. CHAP. XXIV. Nadir gives his fohUers a gratuity. Contribution of K\JDin brought to DEHLiE. SiRBULLiND KHAN appointed chief colleBor of the contribu- tion. His declaration to nizam al muluck. Barbarous treatment of the INDIANS in colleSling the contributions. The value of the treafure colleBed, TE return now to india, to fee how the mighty ravagcr con- 'V dudted himfelf after fpilling fo much innocent blood: we fhall iind that his avarice was in no refpeds inferior to his cruelty. Thefc indeed are vices twin-born from the regions of darknefs, and increafe in malignity in proportion to the power by which they are fupported. Nadir being now mafter of vafl treafures, paid his army their arrears % and in order to encourage them to bring in their plunder, he added a o-ratuity alfo. Thefe payments were made in his own coin, which was flruck upon this occafion, with this infer iption : " Nadir the mafter of fortune, and the king of kings, is the mofl " povv^erful prince of the earth." The reverfe was : " May God perpetuate his reign." The « Twelve months pay for 140,000 men, at the ordinary computation is 3,400,000 /. but it is probable that the riches he found at cabul, enabled him to pay his army on the occafion of his taking thut place j and confequently he did not difburfe near fo large a fum on this occafion. ib4 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. ^719' '^^^^ ^^^^^ bulinefs was the coUedion of thofe vafl Turns, which na- dir exadttd of the great moghol and his fubjeds. T^.hmas khan had been charged to watch over the condud: of saadit khan. This INDIAN general ' had accepted the commiflion of compelling his country- men to deliver up their riches, agreeably to the refpedtive quotas to be levied on them : upon his deceafe, his nephew, mahommed khan, was called upon to deliver in an account of all his uncle's eifedls, which amounted to a million fterling ^ Great part of this was brought from his government, under an efcort of a thoufand Persian horfe : but the fum was two hundred and fifty thoufand pounds fliort of what saadit KHAN had engaged to pay. Sirbullind khan, already mentioned as the perfon by whofe inter- ceflion the maflacre was ftopt in his quarter, though poor, was much re* fpeded : the corruptions of the court had not tainted his integrity. Na- dir excufed him from paying any tax himfelf, as knowing his inability j but thefe very reafons rendered him worthy of the greatell truft j hence he was appointed to colled: from other people the free gift ^, and contri^ bution ''. His age and infirmities in fome meafure obflruded his vigi- lance : nadir therefore acquainted him, that if he meant to avoid the weight of his anger, he would do well to exert himfelf Two hundred foldiers were afiigned him as a guard in the execution of this office. He was alfo charged to oblige all perfons in public employment ', to produce all the horfes, camels, and elephants, belonging to the crown, that pro- per choice might be made of them for the ufe of the Persian army. This khan faw to what extremities he mufl reduce the people in the execution of this dangerous commiflion : it is fome confolation however to honeft men under fuch circumllances, that they may alleviate a mif- fortune, and execute their charge with humanity j when a perfon of a different charader would aggravate the evil, and render it flill a heavier weight to the calamitous. SiR- • I ufe the terras general and lord as words that are familiar and einphatical, and convey, I think-, t Aronger idea than the Indian names. It may however be proper to remark, that kabob or WAV OB is the ordinary title given the omras or indian lords who arc governors; naib fig- nihcs a deputy or viceroy, fuch as saadit khan we may fuppofe was in audih. ' Eighty lacks of rupees, or one million fterling. The fum promifed was a crorc or loo lacks, cqu;il to 1,250,000/. g Thi* they call the pej sue us h, > xhii is called tUfl bsatra, or forced contribution. * MAN»u*yA*s, Chap. XXIV. NADIR SHAH. i8^ SiRBULLiND KHAN faw to what extremities he muft reduce the inha- 1739. bitants in the execution of this dangerous commifTion, but there was no remedy j t.£Hmas khan and mustapha khan ^ prefTed him to enter upon the office affigned him. This old man, in the fulnefs of his heart, addreffing himfelf to nizam al muluck, who was then prefent, fpoke to this effed : *' I have long forefeen the misfortune which has over- " taken us ; I often reprefented to the emperor the danger of an eafy " fecurity, and defired him to fend a trufty embaflador with large pre- " fents into Persia, to divert the llorm which was breaking out on that " fide. We might have appeafed the refentment of the shah, and lived " with him in friendfhip : but the courtiers would not lillen to my ad- " vice } they imagined that what I faid was only with a view to fome pri- " vate intereft -, and whilfl they ncgleded to fecond my counfel, they pro- " pofed no kind of expedient to avert the impending danger: at length, ** we fee to what a calamitous IfTue things are reduced. For my own *' part, had I been polTelTed of money, I would have fent it all to kan- *' dahar, rather than have given any provocation to the shah to have ** made fo extraordinary an expedition. However, we have now no re- " medy j we muft raife the iramenfe fum of twenty crores ^ if the money *' is to be found, which God only can tell whether it be poflible to raife " under the prefent diftreiled condition of the capital." Nizam al muluck made no reply to this fpeech. In whatever degree he was anfwerable for the misfortune, he faw too plainly the miflake he had committed, as the fum demanded of himfelf was no lefs than one crore and a half"'. He, together with the vizir and devran khan, had received one crore", which had been ilTued out of the royal treafury for the military chert, when they marched againfl the Persians : of the two former nadir demanded an account of this fum 5 he alfo ordered them to fend to their refpedive ^ This was the man to whom I was under fuch fingular obligations in the camp of nadir shah in MARCH 1744. ' Twenty five millions of pounds. This was the fum which nizam AL MULUCK after the battle of karnal had agreed to pay the shah, exclufive of the jewels, gold, plate, and other rich goods belonging to the emperor and the lords of his court. "* 1,870.000/. ■ 1,250,000 /. Vol. IV A a ,86 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. *739' refpedive governments for all the treafure, belonging either to them- felves or the crown. Nizam al muluck reprefented, that when he left deccan, he efla- bliilieJ his fon as his deputy, giving him poflelTion of all his effeds ^ that all the world knew his fon had refufed to deliver up his govern- ment, and was no longer in his power ; that nadir himfelf was only- capable of reducing him and the rebellious princes of deccan. This anfwer, which was in fome degree true, ferved to divert the SHAH from purfuing a point in its nature hardly pradicable. It was very plain he thought it unlafe to penetrate deeper into the country, left he- ihould never get out of it again. Kummir o'din khan, the vizir, was treated with greater feverity. He endeavoured to elude the payment of the large contribution demanded of him j nadir therefore caufed him to be expofcd openly to the fun, which is reckoned a punifhment contu- melious as well as painful, and in that country dangerous to the health. At length, he extorted from him a whole crore of rupees ^^ befides a great value in precious ftones and elephants. His fecretary, who was alfo a man of fortune, was taxed in a large fum, and delivered tosiRBULLiND KHAN, in order to be tortured if he did not pay it 3 however, he pre- vented this perfecution by a dofe of poifon. A fum of money was now ifTued out of the treafury for the charge of fifty horfemen, who were ordered to march to bengal, with dirediiona. to the governor to fend feven crores of rupees p. The vakeel ^ of that, kingdom, who was then prefent at dehlie, laid that fo much money would load a ftring of waggons to reach from thence to the capital.. Being feverely beaten for his farcafm, he went home, and revenged him- fclf by taking poifon together with his whole family. The INDIANS of diftindtion feem to have a great fenfibility of fuch in- dignities. The gentler treatment to which they had been accuftomed,, gave »»2 50,000 /. J> 8,750,000 /. I never heard that he received any money from thence^ the' the province was a' armed. The riches of deh 1. ie fcemed to fill up the meafure of his avarice,. t»cat aii; was. ' The lieutenant governor. Chap. XXIV. NADIR SHAH. iS-. gave them very different impreffions from what the Persians received 1739, in the Hke circumflances. It is not eafy to conceive with what rigor thefe contributions were levied j and what numbers deftroyed themfelves with their own hands, to be dehvered from the tortures and punifliments with which they were threatened. No barbarities were left unpradifed : the tax impofed was flridly exacted, tho' in the computation of the refpedive abilities of the inhabitants, numerous miftakes were made ; befides, as there were no purchafers of their eitedis, except the Persians, hardly a quarter of their value was paid. The confequence of this was, that many left their effcCis and their families at the mercy of the Persians, and made their efcape to acbar abad. Here the governor received them, determined to refift any of the flying parties who fhould appear in his diftrid ; for which purpofe he appointed fix thoufand horfe to protedl thofe who fled to him for fhelter. Mean while all the inhabitants of any confideration were obliged to declare under their hand-writing, what money and effeds they were pof- fefl^ed of J that if it fhould be afterwards found they had concealed any thing, they might be punifhed with the utmofl: feverityj and in this pro- cefs a fufpicion was often deemed a proof. The commiflioners appointed for the colledion fat every day, from fun-rife till evening, during which time there was very little refped fhewn to perfons. At length, about the middle of april, the fum of four crores '' was extorted from the merchants and common people. In the royal treafuries w^ere found three crores ' of money j but in the in- ward vaults, which had been fhut during many reigns, they difcovered a much larger value '. Nor muft we forget to mention the peacock throne, which was rich in jewels, and valued at a prodigious fum. The whole of the treafure amafled upon this occafion, is efl:imated as follows : A a 2 Jewels ' 5,000,000/. * 3,750,000/. * The different relations we have had of this extraordinary rapine, are for the moft part upon the ntarvelous ; and feveral writers have fuffered" ^ their imaginations to travel much fafter than their judgment. The moil: probable account values thefe i^S 1739- THE HISTORY OF Crores, 25 I Jewels taken from the greaI' moghol and the indian lords The peacock throne, with nine others, -j alfo feveral weapons and utenfils all J. garniflied with precious ilones — J Gold and filver plate, and money, which NADIR melted down into large ingots To thefe we may add the rich manufac- tures of many kinds Cannon, warlike flores, furniture, and other valuable commodities 9 — b manufac- } 4 — Part IV. /. 31,250,000 1 1,250,000 37,500,000 2,500,000 5,000,000 CHAP. XXV. Nadir marries his fecond fo?i to the niece 0/^ mahommed shah. The prcfents he makes to that prince afid the Indian lords. The great MOGHOL'i cejjion of all the country on the weft of the indus. Nadir'j advice to that prince. He begins his march from dehlie, and mufters his army. Value of the damage done the Indians. WHILST nadir was thus glutting himfelf with treafures, he affeded to eftablifh a lafling friendfliip with the great mo- ghol. With this view he demanded cambarche, the niece of that prince, in marriage for his fecond fon nesr ali myrza. Their nup- tials were accordingly confummated on the 27th of march, with fome appearances of that fatisfa(5lion which fuch alliances generally create in the tht{c riches at feventy miilions fterling. I could never come to the bottom of the matter in per- f lA. The PtRsiANs talked only of heaps of trcafure, and thoufands of camels, and mules loaded with gold and filver and precious ftones. Mr. frazer's account, which I adopt, makes it feventy crores, which fcems to be the highcft calculation that the nature of the thing will warrant ; this is e<^ual to eighty (even millions five hundred thoufand pounds of our money. Of this fum, thirty fcvcn millions five hundred thoufand pounds is computed in gold and filrer. Chap. XXV. NADIR SHAH. 189 the families of princes. Mahommed shah was in no circumftances to 1739. make his niece prefents fuitable to his own rank, or her condition ; how- ever, he fent her fifty thoufand rupees in money ", and as much in jewels. Nadir himfclf added to thefe the value of five hundred thou- fand rupees in jewels ^. . It might be prefumed that this alliance was calculated for political ends, either to preferve his authority over the Indians, or to retain fome part of his conqueft by right of dowry to the young princefs : but this was not the cafe. Nadir knew that he could not fupport his fovereignty over fo vaft a country, and govern a people fo different in manners, tho' of a genius milder and more tradable than the Persians ^, by any au- thority but what was derived from the fword. So far then as fuch au- thority could be extended, he might reafonably hope to fupport his con- quefl, and farther than this, alliances by marriage could be of no fignifi- cation. Befides, the marriages of mahommedan princes, who take feveral wives, ought to be confidered in a different light from thofe of chriftian kings j tho' it is a means fometimes ufed among them, as well as chriilians, to confolidate their friendfliips. Perhaps nadir took this occafion to make the firfl: mention of his defire that the province of cabul, with all the country on the weflern banks of the indus, from the fort of attok, fliould be yielded to him. And what difficulty could the trembling monarch of hindostan make, to abandon his right to thofe provinces, whilft he found himfelf in the hands of a conqueror, who confidered it as an a(^ of clemency to grant him even his life ? During thefe tranfadions In dehlie, the Persians marauded for thirty or forty miles round the capital, plundering the villages, laying wafie the fields, and killing the inhabitants who refifted. Numbers of thefe were left without any provender for their cattle, which added greatly to their difirefs. Nadir, " 6,250/. ^ Five lacks, or 62,^00/. * The Persians are polite and gentle in their deportment, and fubmiffive to their fuperiors ; but their tafte for arms, and their repugnance to be ruled by a tyrant and ufurper, has been proved fuflicicntly. ipo THE HISTORY OF Fart IV. i7'^o. Nadir, who was determined that due obedience (liould be paid to all his decrees, remembred that which related to the conformity of the SCHIAS and sunnis. The faft and repentance, in commemoration of the death of imam hassan, and imam hussein^ falling out in the month of MARCH, he caufed it to be proclaimed, that no perfon wha-tever, either of his own army, o*r of the fubjedts of the great moghol, fhould prefume to mention the words TAziA^or matim \ This however did not hinder, but that fome of his own foldiers, in the camp without the city, beat their breafts, and made lamentations according to their former cuftom j^for which they were feverely puniflied. The fcene was now drawing near a clofe: the grandeur of a great prince and a conqueror called on nadir for fome adts of generofity. Thofe INDIAN lords, who had been employed in ufmg their influence and authority to colled: the vaft treafures he had amalTed, were intitled to fome regard, tho' it were but a mark of honour. For thefe, forty-two prefents ^ were provided, confifting each of three, four, or five pieces of gold or filver fluffs, according to their refpedive ranks. Thofe appointed for nizam al mulucx, sirbullind khan, the great vizir, kummir o'din khan "^ and mahommed khan bun- gush, y The two fons of A LI often mentioned. * Signifies mourning. » Death. •* Tiiefe are called khalaet, which properly fignifies perfefl or accompliflied ; a robe of honour given by the king. See Vol. III. page 43. •= Signifies the moon of religion. They tell a remarkable ftory of this perfon, with relation to his fon bedreduin khan, who difappeared at KARNAL, and it was reafonable to prefume fell in the field of battle. Soon after this time, the Rajah of perver met a young man in the habit of a dervish, whom he took to be bedreddin KHAN, whofe perfon was well known to him. The rajah having a great friendlhip for the vizir, fent an exprefs to court, to inform that minillcr of the joyful news that hit. fon was found. In the mtan while, the young man was received by the rajah with the utmoft politenefs and affec^tion, and cloath- €d in the richeft manner, agreeable to his fuppofcd quality. The vizir was tranfportcd with joy at the news, and received the compliments of Jiis friends upon this happy occr.fion. Orders were dif- patchcd immediately to the rajah, to fend the fuppofed fon to court ; a rich palankin was prepared, and mounted on an elephant, and the young man was conveyed with great pomp by five hundred horfc as far as acbaraead, where he was received with great marks of diftinflion by the foldiers and domcflics, whom the vizir had fent to meet him. From thence he was coududted to the capi- tal I he young man was no fooner arrived there, than the vizir received him with open arms, and Incd over him the tears of joy and paternal affedion : the referablance was fo great, that the vizir 1 entertained Chap. XXV. NADIR SHAH. ,^x ©usH, an INDIAN general, who had alio been of great fervice to the i^-:®, PERSIAN monarch, were much more confiderable, confiding of three rich veftments, a turbant, with a Persian fabre and knife, the handles of which were mounted with gold, and enameled. This ceremony was performed on the fiiil of may, and all the qmras were ordered to at- tend at the general divan, where mahommed'shaiI their own fovereign was present : they were alfo entertained with the morning's repafl '^. Upon this occafion, the great moghol himfelf received marks of the friendfliip of the pe.rsian monarch, viz. a crown, a bracelet ^ a fillet ^, and a girdle richly fet with jewels. To thefe were added an en- amelled dagger 2, and two fwords, the handles of which were fet with jewels. Nadir shah with his own hand placed the crown on the GREAT moghgl's head, as if he meant to lignify, that to his arm the INDIAN monarch was indebted for his dominions. He alfo declared with an imperious air, which at once argued his contempt of the in- 3DIANS, and the moil lofty conceit of his own power, that if the lords of the court were omiiilve in their duty, he would call them to fevere ac- count J that they ought to confider him always as near, fince he could be with them in forty days from kandahar. Whether entertained not the lead jealoufy, but imagined his fuppofed fon jefted, when he declared in the fame manner he had done to the rajah, that he was not eedreddin khan. The delufion was carried fo far, that he was introduced to the harram, and prefented to his iuppofed mother. His countenance, his ftature, his voice, and air, perfuaded this lady alfo that he was her fon ; but as he ftill perfifted that he was not,, her curiofity induced her to examine his body, as eedreddin khan had a mark in a particular place. What pen can defcribe her forrow and confufion, when flie dif- eovered that he v/as not her fon ! The indignity of a ftranger being brought to her apartment a-^J-gra- vated the misfortune ; whilll the young man complained of their incredulity, by compeUing him to fubrait to fuch an- extrenrity. Under thefe circumftances, the vizir offered to adopt him as his fon, and by that means at once wipe off the (tain, and enjoy fome part of the pleafures of a father, in the fociety of one who fo much referabled his real fon. But neither was this pradicable, for the true father of this young man, who thought he had loft him, was no fooner informed of the adven- ture, than he reclaimed his fon, with the joy that is natural to a tender parent. "^ This we may call either breakfaft or dinner, as their cultom is not to eat till about J i o'clock, after which the PERSIANS only cat once n:ore in the day. See Vol. I. page 229. ^ Which the INDIANS call BAzouBUND. f This they call a siRPEACH, which is wore round the turbant : perfons of great diftindion generally have them fet with precious ftones. & Wiiich the INDIANS call cuttarri. 1^2 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 17^9. Whether any particular ceremony was pertbrmed upon the moghol's yielding up the Indian dominions which nadir claimed, does not ap- pear J but this feems to be the proper place to mention the extraordinary cellion made to the Persian king, which was as follows : *' May God perpetuate the reign of nadir shah, who is exalted as ^* Saturn'', in glory like mars', in pomp like Alexander'', fove- *' reign of the kings of the earth ; the fhadow of the Almighty, and *' the refuge of islam \ whofe court is the heavens "". " The minifters " of the fultan, who is merciful, and the emperor, *' who is augult, formerly fent embafladors to us to treat of certain de- " mands, with which it was our purpofe to comply. The embaflador " MAHOMMED KHAN TURKUMAN, not long fincc arrived here from " KANDAHAR to remind us thereof; but our minifters 'having delayed " the embalTador, and poftponed anfwering the letters of his fublime " majefty, it at length produced fuch a mifunderftanding between us, " that his victorious army came into hindostan. We encountered in " the fields of karnal, where victory arofe in the eaft of his unde- " -clining fortune. " As his fublime majefty is mighty as jumsheid ^ the greatefl of the " turkumans, and the fource of goodnefs as well as valour 3 relying •' on '' Saturn is 87,000 miles diftant from the earth ; hence, the' it appears fo fmall, aftronomers mention it as twenty times the diameter of the earth. The ring, which furrounds his middle like an arch, contains forty-five diameters of the earth. How docs the mind labour to reach the vaft expanfe ; yet is not this more to infinite fpace than a moment to eternity ! » There is alfo a comparifon made with mars, viz, " impetuous as the god of war :" but this feems to be drop- ping the figure with regard to mars as a planet. Being placed between jupiter and the sun, it might imply power and glory. It is true, a more apt meaning might have been cloaked, if the INDIAN or PERSIAN afttologcrs agreed with thofe of Europe, with regard to the appearances of MARS, with a ruddy troubled light, fuppofed to be encompaiTed with a cloudy atmofphcre ; jf- they had dared under the notion of a panegyric to tell a bold truth. k Some writers have tranflated this, " the fecond Alexander;" and from thence make many remarks on the fuppofed model which nadir followed, though his motives fecm to have been very difixrent from that of the GRECIAN hero. ' By this it meant the true faith. »> It is hard to fay which of thefe three compliments is the greateft bombaft, or the moft ill applied. •» As they often ufe the third pcrfon plural ; when they fpcak of princes, they alfo cxpvefs an awful re- fpcft, not by afcribing their adions to their minifters, but fubllituting the inftrument for the agent. * This was one of the antient kings of per si a, remarkable for great power. Chap. XXV. NADIR SHAH. ,93 *' oil his honour, we had the iatisfadion of an interview, and enjoyed lyin. " the unmixed delights of his heavenly company. After this we came *' together to shajehanabadp, where all the jewels and treafures of the ''^ emperors of hindostan ^ were prefented to him : and, in compliance *' with our requeft, his fublime majefly was gracioufly pleafed to accept " of fome of them. " Bat in regard to the illuftrious family of jurghin "", and the honour *' he profefles for the original tree of turkan \ out of the greatnefs of " his foul, and the overflowings of his humanity, he has been pleafed *' to reflore to us the crown and gem of hindostan. *' In confideration of this a6t of generofity, which no father has ever *' fliewn to a fon, nor any brother to a brother, we make over to him " all the countries to the weft of the river attok ', and of that of " sciND ", and nala sunkra "^j which is a branch of the scind. That *' is to fay, peishor with its territories j the principality of cabul and '^' GAZNA, HAzARijAT, the mountainous refidences of the Afghans, " with the caftles of buckhor, sunkor "^^ and khoudabad j the palTes, " territories, and abodes of the tchoukis and ballouches, with the " whole province of tata : alfo the caftle of ram ; the towns of ** CHUN, suMAWALi, and KETRA, with all the caftles, towns, ports, " villages, and open country, from the iirft rife of the river attok, " with all the country comprehended within its branches, till it empties " itfelf into the fea at nala sunkra. " Thefe we freely give up to the dominion of the powerful fovereign " of PERSIA, and from hence forward our officers and fubjeds fliall *' evacuate the fame, and refign the property and government to the per- " SIAN p Dehlie. ^ India. ' This word is fomctimes wrote gourg an ; but they both equally allude to temur beg or Tamerlane, of whom the indian emperors are deicsnded. s This alio I underftand to allude tOTAMERLANE. 'I have already obferved that this is part of the fNDUs. " Part of the country on the weft of the indus often goes under this denomination, as well as the indus itfelf. * This is fometimes called nale sengure, -which feems to be the ifland between the indus and what de lisle calls the river dimtaue. " This is fometimes wrote £EKir. Vol. IV. B b 194 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 1739. " SI AN king, to be difpofed of at his pleafure. We renounce all our *' right to command, controul, or colled: revenues, in any of thofe do- " minions. But the caftle and town of lohre bender, with all the *' country to the eaftward of the river attok, and of the^waters of the ** sciND, and nala sunkra, iliall, as before, belong to the empire of " HiNDOSTAN. Dated at shajehanabad the fourth of mohirrim, " 1152"." This acquifition of dominion was an objedl of no lefs confequence, than all the treafures of which nadir robbed the moghol, particularly the province of peishor; if we may judge from the great revenues which he drew from that conquefl : nor was there any other danger of his loling it, than what naturally arofe from the circumflances of his own govern- ment. The feat of the Persian empire, which he had eftabliflied in KFioRASAN, was alfo calculated for the fupport of his conqueft, had pro- vidence permitted him to effcablifli by the arts of peace, what he had thus acquired by the fword. But as the great aioghol became a prey to nadir by the fault of too great gentlcnefs ; fo nadir's excefs of fe- verity neceflarily rendered him odious, and confequently haflened his fall with a more prodigious ruin. Nadir had now returned the Indian diadem to the legal polTefTor, feemingly with a much greater indifference, than Alexander reftored to poRus, the kingdom which he had conquered from him, with an ad- ditional territory. Mahommed shah was not indeed an objed of jea- loufy, as he feemed no ways inclined to war, or to commence any future contefl : whereas porus fignalized himfelf in military atchiev- ments. Alexander indeed abandoned india entirely , probably becaufe he could not keep it, and therefore can claim the lefs merit : nadir re- tained a confiderable fliare of his conqueft, on a prefumption that he could keep it. Shall we fay that honour or generofity was concerned in either cafe ? Little more than what arifes from the virtue which is paffive, becaufe there is no temptation or inclination to offend. Nadir y DeHLIE, the 2d of APRIL, 1739. Chap. XXV. NADIR SHAH. j,^^ Nadir being now prepared to march back into his own country, 17-^9. took occafion to give a lefTon of advice to the great moghol j and under the cloak of friendlLip, to recommend fuch a condud as tended moll; to the fecurity of the new conquefl:, which had been juft yielded to him. It 1^ faid he fpoke to this efFecfi; *' You ought by all means to " take poiTeffion of the lands affigned for the fupport of your governors * " and pay each of them their appointments with ready money out of *' your treafuries. Let none of them keep any forces of their own : vou ** will then have the lefs occafion for a numerous {landing army ; how- *' ever, you ought to fupport a body of fixty thoufand choice cavalry, *' at the annual expence of fixty rupees ^ each. Every ten men ought to ^' have one corporal ^, every ten corporals one captain *=, and every ten cap- ^^ tains one commander of a thoufand''. Acquaint yourfelf with the coun- " try, family, and name of all your officers, with their refpedive merits and '^ inclinations. Never fuffer either them or the common foldiers to be idle *^ or inactive. When occafion requires, detach a fufficient number of your '' troops under the command of a brave, faithful, and experienced offi- *' cer ; but when he has executed his bufmefs, recall him. By this " means you will have the lefs to fear, with regard to the confequences *^ of too great a power. " As to the great officers of your court, be careful in your choice of " them, and do not prefer thofe who are artful, ambitious, or felf- " interefted. Were I to chufe them, they would fhew you very lit- *' tie refped in my abfence; but you may depend, if any of them ^' prove rebellious, I will fend to chaflife them. If necefTary, I can be *^ with you myfelf in forty days from kandahar% and never reckon " me far off." This advice feemed to be in fome meafure agreeable to nadir's own maxims of government ; tho' the frontiers which he had to guard required B b 2 fo ' Thefe are called jaguirs, or lands appointed for payment of the fallarles of the refpeclive go- vernors, which naturally gives them a kind of fovereignty, by coUefting the taxes, and converting them to their own ufe. The advice here feems to be very juft. • Sixty rupees, or 7 /. los. is but 30 crowns of persia, whereas nadir's foldiers coft him iqo crowns, including officers. But fffrvitude is cheaper in INDIA. " Deh-bashi. *= Sudival. '' Hazarri, n^metiaies called mimbashi. • The dillance is computed between 7 and 800 miles. J9d THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 710. fo many forces, that he was often obliged to employ fuch commanders as- he had foon reafon to diftruft. He recommended to sirbullind khan^, NIZAM AL MULUCK, and Other omras belonging to the court of MAHOMMED SHAH, to be fliithful to their mafter j telling them, that a religious adherence to their duty to their own fovereign, would be their bed fecurity againit his refentmcnt. The 4th of MAY he iillied out orders for his army to march, and procla- mation was made, that no fubjed: of mahommed shah fhould prefume, under pain of death, to conceal any one belonging to his army. He alfo o-;ive orders, that none of his officers or foldiers fliould carry with them any male or female flaves, except fuch as had been bought with money, and with the public confent of the parties j and that, even women law- fully married to them, fliould not be taken away without their confent. Some of the officers ufed the moft gentle entreaties, but none of the In- dian women could be entirely prevailed on to leave their country ; na- dir therefore obliged thefe officers to fend back the few women who had accompanied them out of the city. This rigor feemed to arife either from the regard which he always fhewed to the freedom of that fex, as far as mahommedan principles allow ; or from a fear left thefe wO' men fhould be a means of fupporting a correfpondence with the Indians, not confiftent with his fyflem of politics. As foon as he arrived at the gardens of shalimar, he ordered a mufter of his army. Four hundred men being miffing, flricfl fearch was made after them > of thefe, fixty were found and brought to the camp. As a proof of the feverity of his difcipline, he caufed their heads to be cut off inflantly upon the field. This induced the Indians out of pure mercy to conceal the other deferters. Nadir carried with him a hundred and thirty writers, among whom were feveral who underflood the finances of the empire, of which he was parti- cularly defirous of acquiring an entire knowledge. lie alfo obliged three hundred mafons and builders, two hundred fmiths, two hundred carpenters, and one hundred flone- cutters, to engage in his fervice, in order to go into PERSIA. Chap. XXV. NADIR SHAH. ,97 PERSIA. His intentions were to build a city after the model of deklie a draught of which he carried with him. This new city was propofed to be called nadir a bad ^ j which at the fame time that it tranfmitted his own name to poflerity, might remain a monument of his. conqueft ia INDIA, and of his vi<5tory obtained over the great moghol. He allow- ed thefe artiiicers large pay, and provided them with horles and other neceilaries for their journey : he alfo agreed, that after the expiration of three years, they fliould be at liberty to return home. However this defign might flatter his vanity, it was never carried into execution : part of thefe INDIANS deferted before they reached lahor, and the continual wars in which he was afterwards engaged diverted the thought of this proje(fl, after his return into Persia, Befides the jewels, gold, filver, and other valuables already n^ntloned, he took with him near three hundred ^ elephants, ten thoufand horfes, and as many camels, of which many were loaded with fpoil. Moft of the gold and filver was melted into large ingots, and flung over the backs of camels,, horfes and mules. If we reckon one half part of the thirty crores " already mentioned to be in gold, and the other in filver, ac- cording to the ordinary computation of loads, even for common journies in PERSi-A, would require five thoufand feven hundred camels, and two thou- fand and fifty horfes and mules '\ The manufactures, furniture, and war- like weapons, it may be prefumed, would require a much greater number. It is computed that the houfes and goods deflroyed by fire, and the fields which were laid wafle, amounted to near twenty crores ^ j we may therefore reckon upon the whole, that this Persian ravager fpoiled the INDIANS of above one hundred and twenty millions of pounds. As *' The city of nadir. s Some accounts fay he took a thoufand elephants, which feems to be much too great a number to have been collefled, or to be of any ufe. Tliefe animals indeed carfy large burthens ; but except it be for artillery and fuch like ufes, camels, horfes, and mules, anfwer the purpofe better. This is a long-lived animal, and yet I could never hear that there were fuch numbers in persia j the number in the camp did not reach to thirty, and thofe which NADIR fent into turkey and Russia did not exceed twenty. *" 37,500,0007. * This review of the matter would tempt one to believe that the treafure was not of fuch impor- tance, though we may prefume that it was a larger fum than ever was colleflcd in one treafary : nor is it of confeciuence, Unce whatever it was, it is diffipated. ^ 2^ooO;,oooA 739- 739. ,98 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. As to the number of fouls who were plunged into eternity upon this unhappy occafion, they are not reckoned lefs than two hundred thoufand j of whom fell between lahor and karnal, in the battle, and a few days afterwards, forty thoufaiid j in the mailacre one hundred and ten thoufand ; in the villages, and thofe who died by famine, fifty thoufand. We will now leave the Indians to repair by Induftry and commerce, the havock created by their avaricious enemy, and follow nadir in his march. CHAP. XXVI. Nadir continues his march from the gardens of shalimar. An inflance of his vanity and avarice. His cruelty toiimrds numbers of the peafants. Contribution of lahor. His paffage over the chantrou ob/iru&ed. He returns back towards lahor. Confederacy of the Afghans and INDIANS to oppofe his pajfage through the defies. He feizes the plunder belonging to his own foldiers. His march to peishor. Khudayar khan refufes to acknowledge the fovereignty of nadir, and is reduced. Nadir purfues his march to kandahar. He fends his treafures to KiCLAT, and conquers khieva ^;z^ Bokhara. TH E necefiary difpofitions being made, on the fixth of may nadir purfued his march from the gardens of shalIxMar, dired- ing his courfe to the plains of karnal, where the Indians firfl owned him as their conqueror. According to the ordinary confequence of vaft pofieflions, the precautions he took, feemed to argue a greater in- quietude for the prefervation, than he had (hewn folicitude for the ac- quifition, of his riches. ■ When he arrived on the plains of karnal, he fent for the chief* of the town of that name, and commanded him to build a village on the fpot he had incamped, and to call it by the name of fateh abad"': for this purpofe, it is faid, he gave him five thoufand rupees. It is not im- probable, that an inclination to continue the memory of his vidtory, might induce \ Zemidar. *" Signifies the habitation of viftory. 4 Ckp. XXVI. NADIR SHAH. y^.. I; VAct him to be at this expence ; but this fam of 600/. is fo very in- 1779. contiderible, that it plainly proves how flrong the paffion of aval ice be- came in his breaft amidft Inch vail riches. A.^ i-be dvnav 7/as marching, the peafants watched their opportunities to plii'.^^cr (-•■: kill the foldiers, who were fent out to provide necellu-ies • they alio pillaged the exterior parts of the camp in the night, infomuch that the PERSIANS ioil abovb a thoufand camels, horfes, and mules, be-- fore thev reached xaniseer. The shah, enraged at, this behaviour, gave order? for plundering that town, and putting the inhabitants to the fword. Other towns and villages fufFered the fame fate : By this flep he intended to terrify the people into compliance, fmce he could not by any other means engage them to fupply his army. A-^ ZEKARiAH KHAN, the govcmor of LAHOR, had made his fubmif- fions u J ADiR, when he paffed through the province of penjab in his ^/ny to DEHLiE; it was apprehended that the inhabitants had nothing to fear: but as foon as the khan heard of the mafTacre at dehlie, and of the feverity with which the contributions had been exadled in that city, he forefaw the florm that was gathering. Refolving therefore not to be taken at a difadvantage, he fummoned all the merchants, money- changers ", and wealthy inhabitants, to bring in their quotas towards raifmg a crore of rupees °. This fum was deemed the utmoft which they could pay. Nadir was rK) fooner arrived at the gardens of shalimar, than he difpatched abdui. baki khan, with a confiderable body of troops, to demand a large contribution of lahor ; and having palled through ser- HiND, he was drawing near to the capital of the province, when zeka- riah khan went out to meet him. The crore of rupees was prefented, with the ftrongeH: proteflation that this fum was the utmoft which the city could raife ; that if it was his pleafure to pillage or to flaughter the inhabitants, they were unable to refift his forces, and therefore refigned to whatever fliould be determined. Abdul baki khan had orders to demand ■ St-RAts. * 1,250,000/. 200 THE HISTORY OF Part lA^ 1739, demand a larger fum ; but tins juil: reprefentation being made to the SHAH, the crore of rupees was accepted, and the Persian army continued their march. When they arrived on the banks of the chantrou, the bridge of boats prepared for their paliage had been carried away by a fudden fweUing of the waters i nadir therefore direded his march back, and entered the -province of penjab. A body of horfe was difpatched to lahor the ■capital, to demand provifions. The inhabitants, who had hardly reco- vered from their dread of fire and fword, at the late approach of the PERSIAN army, and were impoveriflied by the contributions they had paid, now thought only of faving their lives by flight. Zekariah khan was no fooner informed of the pannic with which the people were ilruck, than he went and threw himfelf at nadir's feet, and begged that he would not approach nearer the city, engaging at the fame time that the bridge fliould be repaired without delay : it was accordingly per- formed, and the army pafTed over. Nadir then directed his courfe towards rehnas, a fortified city on the eaflern banks of the indus near suvat, a branch of that river. Thence advancing to attok, he attempted to pafs the indus, into the dominions which had been lately yielded up to him. Here the want of a fufficient number of boats to form the bridge obliged him to halt : and this delay afforded time to the Afghans and the Indians, who inhabited the weflern fide of the river, to take up arms. The vaft booty which the Persians had amafi^ed, was a temptation not to be refilled j and they feemed refolved to try their fortune, if by uniting their forces they could feize fome part of the plunder. What their efibrts would have produced, had they been carried into execution, it is not cafy to determine. The Persian king certainly thought himfelf in danger, and chofe rather to negotiate for a free paf- fage, than run a hazard where there was nothing to gain. The confide- ration of a vafl treafure, had rendered the fierce and intrepid nadir, ^'autious and circumfped:. His mind, ever fertile in expedients, now 7 fuggeflcd Chap. XXIV. NADIR SHAH fuggefted to him to write to nacir khan, the late governor of cabul, whom he had left at peishor, commanding him in the moft exprefs terms to ufe his intereft to difperfe the tribes, who were aflembled in the mountains. The khan immediately fent for the chiefs of this confe- deracy, and perfuaded them to decline their enterprize, for which, ac- cording to his inftrudions, he engaged to give them ten lacks of rupees p. However large this fum might appear upon another occafion, it was an objed: of very little confideration compared with the bulk of nadir's treafure j he therefore remitted this fum without delay, and purchafed a free palTage *'. In the mean time the bridge was preparing for his pafTage over the INDUS, when meifengers arrived from the court of the great moghol, requefting in behalf of that prince the redemption of two rich feather- jewels, belonging to 'the head-drefs of the fultana. Upon this, orders were given for fearching the royal treafury, but no fuch jewels could be found. It was reafonable to prefume that they had been brought away from the INDIAN court, and of courfe they muft be in the poffelTion of fome officer or foldier in the army. This fuggefted to nadir fufficient reafon to challenge all precious ftones as his property ; accordingly he ordered flri(ft fearch to be made, and that all Ihouid be brought into the treafury under penalty of death. Numbers of the foldiers, whofe paffion for gain was not perhaps inferior to that of their general, enraged to fee the fruits of fo long and perilous a march raviflied from them, threw them into the iN- Dus • and others concealed them in the earth : infomuch, that altho' great quantities were coUedted, this extraordinary refolution it is believed coft fome millions of crowns value to Persia. The jewels, plundered both by the private men and officers, muft have been very confiderable : the prefents and bribes which they received, amounted to a great fum, parti- cularly on the unhappy occaiion of the malTacre of dehlie, when many of the INDIAN lords and perfons of diftindion faved their lives by the mere force of their great riches. A great part of this, efpecially jewels which ? 125,000 /. "■ It is faid that other inhabitants of the mountains afcerN\ards made the fame demand, wJiich lie refused to comply with. Vol. IV. Co 1739- 202 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. 1739« which could be cafily concealed, was not till then brought into the royal treafury '. The quantity of precious rtones, delivered up to nadir upon this occafion, amounted to a great value j but neither of the jewels in queflion appeared till a confiderable time after, when one of them was found among the fequeftered effedts of a general officer, who was put to death -, the other never appeared. It is amazing to confider the afcendency which nadir had acquired over his army, and that fuch a ftep as this did not produce a revolt '3 but his addrefs in fowing the feeds of jealoufy and diftruft among them was fuch, that they were afraid of each other ; and this ever proved his beft fecu- rity. Numbers of them might now be more inclined to defert, than to give up their valuable plunder j yet the circumftances they were in, with regard to an enemy's country, was an infuperable obflacle to their taking fuch a ftep. After paffing the indus, he direded his march to peishor, where he halted for fome days : he left a Persian general, with a confiderable body of forces, but confirmed nacir khan in the government of that province, and conferred feveral honours on him, in acknowledgment of his great fervices. From thence, continuing his rout towards cabul, he detached abdul baki khan, with five thoufand horfe, to receive ho- mage from KHUDAYAR KHAN, govcrnor of PEKiER *. This khan had refufed to pay homage to nadir, now fovereign of that country; and coUedted a confiderable body of forces to oppofe the Persian army. Finding that his late mafter the great moghol had not been able to fupport him, he refolved to try if he could obtain an independent fove- reignty. Abdul » See Vol. I. page 255. for the quantity of large ftones on horfe furniture. ' I was tolfi in PERSIA, that he took from the foldicrs all their juoney alfo, except one hundred crowns ; fome accounts mention two hundred and fifty crowns ; but I have fome difiiculty in believing either. As to jewels, they would be fubjcd to difcovery in the fale of them, which would not have been the cafe with money. ' This country is tu the fouth of cabul on the indus, bordering upon ML" ltan : I do not find it laid down by de lisle. There are feveral forts and ftrong places in it, fuch as LouHiRi, sEKitR, and tikier. The people of this country are partly MAUOMMEDANi, and par:ly I'ACA'is. Chap. XXVL NADIR SHAH. ^ 20; Abdul baki khan foon arrived on the frontiers of this country, ly^n. but was in no fituation to reduce khudayar khan by force. He therefore fent to acquaint this Indian lord of his arrival, and at the fame time to advife him to make a ready fubmiffion. This offer beino- reje(fled with contempt, abdul baki informed the shah of the cir- cumftances which he was in. Nadir being now near kandahar, fent his treafures and heavy baggage under a numerous convoy into that ftrong fortrefs, and then diredled his courfe fouth eaft through the country of HAZARijAT. Khudayar khan was no fooner informed of the march of the PERSIAN army, than he burnt a foreft, laid wafte the open coun- try, and ufed his endeavours to poifon the water. This proceeding caufed a new alarm in the moghol's territories : nadir was no fooner informed of the defperate meafures which this INDIAN lord had taken to fupport himfelf, than he fent iiis commands to ZEKARIAH KHAN, the govemor of LAHOR, and alfo to his fon haiat ULLA KHAN, govcmor of MULTAN, to repair to his camp immediately, and to furnifh his army with provifions. How great foever their reluc- tance, neceffity obliged them to pay a ready obedience to the fummons. Zekariah KHAN was reputed an able politician : and this tafk now re- quired tha exercife of his abilities ; lince he had not only to provide the PERSIAN army with provifions, but alfo to obtain the fubmiffion of KHUDAYAR KHAN. The latter offered to make fuch prefents as his circumftances permitted, with condition that the Persian army would purfue their rout to kandahar, without making any irruption into his territories 3 otherwife he perfifled in his defiance. This was a language to which the viiSorious king of Persia was not accuftomed^ he therefore ordered 2:ekariah khan to bring to him thofe chiefs of the country who had fubmitted, as hoflages for the good behaviour of their people ; and at the fame time to condudt his army by a rout, where they might be properly fupport^d, in order to compel KHUDAYAR KHAN to furrcndcr. C c 2 As 204 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. jyiq. As foon as nadir arrived in the neighbourhood of khudaabad ", the INDIAN chief retired with his riches to emir-kiout, a ftrong fort on the oppofite fide of the river hest-nud. Zekariah khan renewed his entreaties in terms fo perfuafive, that at length afTurance being fent that nadir would pardon what was paft, and accept a moderate prefent, KHUpAYAR khan confented to fend his fon, and to make his fubmiffion. This young lord was very kindly received, and entertained in a famp- tuous manner, together with all his numerous attendance. In the mean while, nadir ordered fome parties of his troops to take polTefTion of the boats in which the Indians came, and by favour of the night to repafs the river. This was performed fo well, that the Indians who guarded the fort of emir-kiout, taking them for the retinue of their khan's fon, fuffered the Persians to enter, and take pofleffion of it. The khan had time to make his efcape, but at length thought proper to ca- pitulate, and give up all his riches. The news of this affair having reached the moghol's court, a report prevailed, as if the infatiable avarice of nadir was bringing him a fecond time into the Indian territories j thefe appreheniions alarmed the whole country, and occalioned a great confternation. Several of the princes ^ who commanded in the mountains, formed a confederacy to oppofe liis paffage ; and his not invading their dominions, was imputed to the great preparations made to oppofe him. It is very hard to believe, that a canine appetite for gold fliould fo fir efface all fcntiments of honour and clemency in the mind of nadir, as to induce him to commit fo flagrant a violation of the treaty lately con- cluded with the moghol, aiid to obliterate the remembrance of his being a king, by an ad fo unwortiiy. The power derived from force only, can be no fecurity, when princes throw off even the malk of juflice, and as it were declare war againft the rational fpecies. Whatever fufpi- cion he might lie under on this occafion, he gave great proofs of cfteem for " We arc left entirely to foek for this city ; the country to the weft of the indus, towards the INDIAN fea, fccms to be very li.tle known to the map-makers. ^ Rajahs. Chap. XXV. NADIR SHAH. 205 for ZEKARIAH KHAN, by making him feveral prefents, and fending him 1739. to DEHLiE with a number of fine horfes for mahommed shah. The INDIANS were foon after delivered from their fears, by the joyful news that the Persian army was paft kandahar. We have already obferved, that whilft nadir was in kandahar, his fon, RizA KOULi MYRZA, had made an incurfion as far as balkh, which fubmitted to him j but he was not able to fubdue the ousbeg TARTARS of KHiEVA and BOKHARA ^ who, during the troubles in the PERSIAN empire, had made frequent inroads into khorasan, and car- ried many thoufands of the inhabitants into flavery. Thefe people are remarkable for their vivacity and love of liberty. As they are for the mofl part of the fed of the sunnis, they hate the Persians ; but the difference in religion has not occafioned fuch frequent contefls, as their neighbourhood and ftrong propenfity to rapine. Khorasan had often fuffered by their depredations, nor had they been intirely quiet durino- the abfence of the Persian army in india. Nadir had fome time be- fore fent embaffadors to the khan of khieva, demanding the perisans, numbers of whom were detained in flavery in that country. But thefe tartars were intoxicated with their former fuccefs, and havine en- joyed an uninterrupted fecurity for many years, feemed to have loft all fenfe of danger. Contrary to the laws of nations, which even in this country are deemed facred, with refped to the reprefentatives of kings, they put the Persian embalTadors to death; only one, the leaft con- fiderable in rank, was fent back to his mafter without his nofe and cars. Such a proceeding could not but incenfe the impetuous nadir, and draw on the fire of his refentment. The occafion was now favourable for the redudlion of thefe people. Nadir having detached a large body of his troops from kandahar to K.£LAT with his treafures, took the rout through the kingdom of BALKH, He pafled the river a mo, and arrived m the neighbourhood of BOKHARA about the beginning of October, w^ith an army of near fifty thoufand ^ Some antiquaries are of opinion, that thefe people are the defcendant? of the tribe o^f Israel, whOin SALAMAZAR, king of ASS Y R I A, fciit intO MEDIA. 2o6 THE HISTORY OF Part IV; 1739. thoufand men. I'he ousbeg tartars who inhabit this city and its diftricl, fubmitted to him immediately. He fet at Hberty the persian.s who had been detained in captivity, and iniifted about twelve thoufand of the inhabitants who were fit to bear arms 3 thefe ousbegs being efteem- ed the befl Ibldiers in tartary". In confequence of the ready fubmiffion of the khan of this country, nadir inverted him with the government of all the territories of Bokhara to the north of the amo, and alfo made very valuable prefents to him and his dependents. The KHAN of KHiEVA had taken the field with about twenty thoufand men. He had hardly ever feen a more formidable army, and flattered himfelf with fuccefs : but as foon as he heard of the fuperior numbers of the PERSIANS, and that nadir himfelf was at their head, he retired with precipitation towards his capital. The Persian king being in- fc^-med of the fituation of the enemy, made fuch forced marches, that the ousbegs were obliged to flop at shanka^. Here the khan made a brave refiflance, but was at length obliged to furrender. Nadir chal- lenged him with the murder of his embalTadors : he excufed himfelf, al- ledging that it was done by the ousbegs without his knowledge. To this the PERSIAN king replied ; " If you have not abilities to govern the " few fubjedls who inhabit your territories, you do not deferve to live -, " and for the affront fliewn me in the murder of my embafladors, you ** have no title to die like men ; you fliall die like dogs." He then or- dered the executioners to cut the throat of the khan and about thirty of his chief attendants; a puni(hment efteemed the moft ignominious among the PERSIANS. Upon the news of the flite of this khan, all the towns and villages furrendered except the capital. The inhabitants of khieva fliut their gates againft the conqueror, re- folving to oppofe him to the laft extremity. Several of them, who were apprehenfive of the confequences of fo rafh an enterprize, attempted to leave the town, and were put to death as defertcrs. The number of their Persian Haves was fo great, that fome were cruelly put to death in cold blood, merely out of fear of their rifing, and the reil were im- prifoned. >' A city abont half a day's journey to the caftward of khieva. Chap. XXVI. NADIR SHAH. 207 prifoned. The 8th of November nadir shah incamped on the eaft 1739, iide of KHiEVA : he fent feveral meffages and demanded a parley, but the ousBEGs abfolutely refufed to grant it. The Persian army therefore invefled the city, and planted eighteen cannon, and lixteen mortars % at different places. They alfo raifed machines of wood, from whence they could fee over the walls : and after throwing up a breafl-work, to guard themfeves from the enemy's fmall fhot, they attacked the town. Thefe TARTARS were yet pofleffed of a few field-pieces, which they had taken from the unfortunate prince beckawitz^. On the 14th the shah or- dered the town to be battered in breach \ The engineers did their part fo well, that the inhabitants foon became fenfible of their rafhnefs. Several breaches being now made, and the ditch almoft filled, nadir gave orders for florming : upon this the ousbegs furrendered at difcre- tion. An inventory was taken of every thing in the city j and all the foreigners ' were ordered to appear before the shah. The 28th of NOVEMBER NADIR marchcd from khieva, taking with him near twenty thoufand Persians who had been in captivity, with eight thoufand ousbegs as recruits. He left a governor of his own appointing, attended ' Whether thefe had been carried into India is not faid ; it may be rather prefumed they were brought from thence, as they had the conveniency of elephants, which bear very great burthens. It has been often faid that nadir carried heavy cannon with him into india, by breaking them into pieces, and cafting them a-frefh when he had occafion for them ; but this account favours too much of the marvellous. Befides thefe, the Persians had many iield-pieces, and very long fv.ivcl guns. The lall were fixed on pack-faddles, and carried by camels ; thefe carried cartridge-ihot to a great diftance, and made great havock ; I have already mentioned them under the name of liar- quebuffes. See Vol. III. page 107. ^ See account of this expedition, Vol.1, page 189. ^ Mr. THOMSON and Mr. hggg, mentioned inVol. I. page 345, 346. were in the town during this fiege, and weighed one of thefe balls ; but I am inclined to think they were £red from mortars. ^ Among thefe were the two English travellers above-mentioned. Nadir, shah enquired of them what their bufinefs was. Being informed they were merchants, he told them they were at , liberty to trade through all his dominions j and if any wrong was done them, and they were not re- dreffed by his officers, they fhould apply to him ; they were then difmifffd, and a pafiport was given them. Thefe perfons reported, that many, even of the meaner foldiers in the persia;^ arm.y, had cloaths of rich filk, and plenty of indian money. The reader will obfcrve that the journal of thefe travellers, as mentioned in Vol, I. page 345, is faid to have been in 1740, but it OMght to be 1739. o 2o8 THE HISTORY, OF Part IV. ^719' ^"^"^^^ "^^y ^y ^ ^'^^^ PERSIANS, as if be was fure of the obedience of thefe TARTARS, or thought them not worth an army to keep them in awe. CHAP. XXVII. returns to Persia. Riza kouli myrza murders shah T/Ehaias makes afi attempt againft his father's life. ConduSl of ^mhw to- ■ wards his [on. He arrives in the neighbourhood of Isfahan. NADIR having now conquered all his enemies on the eartern fron- tiers of his dominions, prepared to return into Persia. His chief concern was the fecurity of his vaft treafure ; he therefore marched to K.-ELAT, which is a few days journey to the fouthward of mesched. Here he eflabliflied a fufficient guard of his bed troops, and conferred the command on a brother of lutf ali khan. It has been already remarked, that the iirft year of nadir's abfence had given his fon riza kouli myrza fuch a tafte of power, that he exerted it in the moft wanton manner on feveral occaiions, to opprefs the people, and to indulge his avarice ^, We have alfo taken notice that his father, upon being informed of thefe arbitrary proceedings, thought proper to reftrain his authority. The beginning of this year a report prevailed at Isfahan, that the Persian army had been defeated in In- dia, and that nadir shah was flain. His fon riza kouli mvrza re- ceived this account with a feeming fatisfadion. In a real or affeded per- fuafion that it was true, he in fome meafure aflumed the regal authoritv. He began, by caufing the unfortunate shah t.eHxVIas to be put to death together with all his family, who were prifoners at sebsawar. The circumftances of the tragical end of this prince, feem to prove that nadir was not diffatisfied with this adion, and would hardly have called * Amongotherparticularsit is related of him. tliat in a vifit he received from the Armenian patriarch, he demanded of this pried his cap and croficr, which were fet with precious Hones, al- Icdging that he had occafion for them, for his father's government, and the uk of his army. Chap. XXVII. NADIR SHAH. 209 called his fon to any fevere account for it, had not the motive been an 1739. impatient defire of wearing the diadem himfelf. The perfon, employed in this regicide, was mahommed hussein KHAN ^ He had been remarkably adlive in feizing this unfortunate prince 3 and it is probable he was now fearful, that if nadir had met with any misfortune, t^hmas would be reftored again to the throne of his anceftors. The murder was faid to have been committed after this manner : mahommed hussein khan, under the pretence of friend- fliip, reprefented to t^ehmas that his life was threatened, and therefore advifed him to retire either into turkey or Russia, and that himfelf would facilitate his efcape. As foon as this prince was in his polTeffion, he reproached him with cowardice, told him he was unworthy to wear a crown, and at the fame time gave a fignal to his groom ^ to kill him. Thus fell the lafl: of the defcendants of the famous ismael seffie, whofe race had filled the throne of Persia for near two hundred and fifty years. It has been feen how remarkable this prince was for a feries of misfortunes, during the lall: feventeen years. Providence feemed to have often interpofed for his deliverance i and tho' neither his refolution nor abilities were extraordinary, yet in a lefs corrupt flate he might have rendered his fubje6ls happy, and by fupporting his family, prevented that efFufion of blood which has exhaufted Persia of its inhabitants, if not totally fubverted that antient monarchy. Nadir, though returning in triumph, loaded with fpoil, was now to fuffer one of the bitterefl calamities. As if Providence had ordained it as a puniiliment for his enormous offences, his eldefi: fon riza kouli MYRZA, for whom he had a paternal tendernefs, formed a confederacy with a few other perfons, to deprive his father of his life. For this purpofe he employed a certain Afghan foldier to fi^oot the king, as he was returning from k^lat. It « This is the fame perfon with whom I had fuch particular conneflioiis at astrabad. ^ The perfon who was put to death in the rebellion of astrabad. See Vol. I. pape zoo. Vol. IV. D d 2,10 THE HISTORY OF Part IV. yyo. It ^^'^^ ^^^^ already explained, in what manner the Persian kings travel upon common occafions, detached from their army. The shah. was i^rrived in a narrow pafs covered with wood, in the mountains which fcparate the provinces of khorasan and astrabad ^, having with him only his women and eunuchs: here it was the intrepid Afghan dug a pit to conceal himfclf, from whence he might take his aim with the greater exadtnefs. He fired his piece, and the bullet pafied under nadir's rii^ht arm, and (liot him in the left hand : the horfe alfo being wound- ed in the neck, through pain or furprize fell. The Afghan was pre- paring to illue from the wood, and finifh his bufinefs with his fabre ; but the eunuchs, drawing their fabres to protefl their mafter, rendered the accomplifliment of his purpofc impra6licable. A confiderable reward was immediately offered for apprehending the aiTiffin, and a promife of pardon if he would difcover himfelf Many of the inhabitants of the mountains were brought before the shah : fome of them had offered fums of money to the fcldiers to excufe their appearance. This was urged as a proof of their guilt, but nadir commandsd that they fhould be releafed, with this refle The dlfcovcry of this aflaflin was not made till ;.bove a year after- wards, when NADIR recolJe<5\ing a ceitain man who had often difliiiguiflicd himfelf in the field of battle, enquired after him ; and being informed that this man had abfented himfelf at fuch a time, it itnmcdiately occurred to him that he mud certainly be the perfon who had (hot at him. The shah therefore ordered that the man fhould be fought for, and brought before him. He was accord- ingly found in kandahar, and conduced to the camp, where he confefTed the fadt. Nadir faid »o h=m, " You arc a very brave fellow ; but to prevent your taking fuch good aire, you muft lofe V your eycj." Chap. XXVir. N A D I R ' S H A H. ^it " you owe me In thefe feveral relations. Reflea: on the fmall acknow- i7'>9, *' ledgments which I require of you. You are in my power, but I ** would not have you perilli. Live, be happy, and a king, whenever " providence fhall take me from the earth." He employed feveral of his principal officers to perfuade his fon to repentance, but riza kouli was inflexible, and obftinately perfifled that he had done no wrong in attempting his father's life. He told him to his face, " You are a tyrant, " and ought to die. 1 know the moft you can do is to kill me." The afBided nadir between rage and tendernefs faid, " No : I will not take " your life, but I will make you an example to all the princes of the " earth 3 I will cut out your eyes." Riza kouli, with a fiercenefs pe- culiar to himfelf, replied, " Cut them out, and put them into .... '." Neceffity thus obliged nadir to deprive his darling fon of his fight, and himfelf of all hopes of making him his heir. The genius and in- trepidity of this young man had filled nadir with fanguine expeda- tions of continuing the diadem in his family, which indeed could hard- ly be expedled by a fuccefTor of lefs refolution than himfelf. Some days after this event, nadir commanded that his fon fliould be brought be- fore him, and he enquired of him, yet with a mixture of paternal tender* nefs, concerning his health. The fon, flill repugnant to every fentiment of filial afFedion, and not rendered lefs daring by his diflrefs, replied, *' You have not blinded me fo much as you have blinded all Persia : " what the confequence mufl be, time will difcover." It is remarka- ble, that NADIR never after permitted his fon to have any women, nor would he truft him in any place but under his own eye. In FEBRUARY thIs year, the shah arrived with his army in the neigh- bourhood of ISFAHAN. The fatisfadion which the Persians felt upon his return, arofe chiefly from the hopes that his immenfe riches, the fruits of a three years campaign, would free them from the heavy bur- then of fupporting a numerous army : how ill grounded their expedia^ tions were, we (hall foon have occafion to relate. D d 2 PART * It mull be obferved, that the indecent mention of a woman of honour and diflinction, is no lefs difrefpeflful in persia, thaii in the polite parts of Europe i confequently it ii ;he highcll indignity to mention in grofs terms the favourite wife of a king. [ 212 ] PART V. FROM THE Return of NADIR SHAH to ISFAHAN FROM HIS INDIAN EXPEDITION IN 1 740, TILL He was assassinated in 1747. CHAP. XXVIII. RefleSfions on the 'uanity of military exploits. Nadir fends a pompom embajjy to Russia, and another to turkey. Circumjlances of the turks. Nadir'j demands on them. His war with the Arabians. His conduSi towards the Armenian patriarch. His projeSl of introducing a new religion into Persia. He orders a tranfatlon of the evangelills. Com- parlfon of his character ^ and that of hK^KR^ formerly emperor of indi a. 1740- ^TP^"^^^ afflidion which nadir muft naturally have felt from the I misfortune which happened to his darling fon, gave place in -^ fome mcafure to the gratification of his vanity. It is reafon- able to prefume from the genius of this man, that more than half tlie joy of his triumphs would have been loft, but for the refledtion of the figure he fliould make in the efteem of other princes. Adions, truly heroic, like thofc of the deity, whofe beneficence we lliould ftrive to imitate, derive no real excellence from applaufe, being 2 in Chap. XXVIII. NADIR SHAH. 213 in themfelves invariably good. The natural greatnefs and reditude of the foul can never be exprefled in adions deftrudive to mankind : and what for the mofl part are pompous triumphs, or the fpoils of plundered pro- vinces, but fo many monuments of cruelty, ambition, or avarice ? yet when our condud will not bear the teft of reafon, our paffions prompt us to feek a vain applaufe, and ftill we glory. What refledions nadir might now make upon himfelf, are not ob- jeds of our inflrudion fo much, as thofe which we ought to make on him. As to his immenfe treafures, they ferved for little more than to enlarge his defire to fupport his tyrannical power, by the mere notion of his wealth ; and to render Persia more emphatically miferable. But notwithftanding his extreme avarice, he fent a magnificent embafiy with prefents of great value to the Russian court, and another to the grand fignior. The embalTadors to the Russian emprefs were saidar khan '', and HUSSEIN KHAN, with a rctinuc of two thoufand perfons, who convoyed ten elephants with feveral jewels and other rich prefents. Saidar khan died at kislar, but hussein proceeded to astrachan, where he was required to ftop, till proper orders were fent from court for his enter- tainment. Such embaffies gratify the pride of thofe princes by whom they are fent, but create a vaft expence^ to thofe who are to receive them. It was not till the end of October '" the next year, that the embalTador made his public entry into st. Petersburg, which was in feveral refpeds magnificent, tho' part of the Persian retinue made but a mean appearance. The court was not wanting in fhewing this Persian mini- fler ^ This is die perfoii mentioned in the NctC; page 4, who died at kislar. He was an old man, and reputed very brave, and a lover of jufticx, but otherwife not tender of fpilling blood. I was told the following circumftance f oncerning hiin ; he was once obferving that he wanted fomething to try his fabre ; upon which a very old man in the company, acknowledging that he had lived long enough, oftered his neck : saidar took him at his word, and ilruck off his head, '■ h was faid, that this embaffador made a demand of no lefs tiian 200 fheep, 2000 pounds of rice, and other provifions in proportion for his daily fupport. *" The policy of princes in that part of the world, efpecially when things are in a precarious flate, is often the caufe of thefe delays : feme time had been fpent in the adjuitment of the ceremonials, and in making provifion for fo numerous a retinue ; for not Icfs than t\ Jve or fifteen hundred perfons attended this embaffador to s t. PETERSBURG. 1740. 214 THE HISTORY OF Part V. i-.^o. ftei' all the honour due to his rank. His bufinefs was to acquaint the ibvereign of Russia, of the great feats of his mafler in the conqucft of INDIA, and of the immenfe fpoil which he had brought from thence ; a fpecimen of which he prefented to the Russian emprefs, in the ele- phants", jewels, and other valuables with which he was charged; that his niafter had ahb reflored the Indian monarch to his dominions, and row offered his friendfhip to the fovereign of Russia, with whom he was willing to enter into a defenlive and offenfive alliance". We have already mentioned, that during his abfence in the late expe- dition, he fent embaffadors to the grand fignior, demanding a pafTport to travel through the ottoman empire to aiecca. The Turkish mini- Ary confidered this requeft as capricious, fince it could never be pre- fumed that fuch confent would be granted ; and if he meant to take the liberty of making that pilgrimage with an army ; it would rather be with a view to plunder the place of its immenfe riches, than to offer "lip his prayers of thankfgiving for his fucceffes in india. The turks were indeed afraid that he meant to feed his infatiable avarice with this precious morfel. What added to their terror, was the confideration of the extraordinary interpofition of providence in the peace which he had made with them, in confequence whereof he had employed iiis forces in Co diflant a country, and was coming home loaded with the fpoils of INDIA. It could hardly be expelled that his military genius would fuffer him to be long idle : and looking on themfelves almoft as the only power againil: whom he could turn his arms, they concluded a peace with the RUSSIANS and imperialists, and made great preparations for marching an army into asia. Some time after nadir fent an envoy to acquaint the port, that not- withftanding they refufed him a paffage to mlcca, it was his intention to •* There are feveral of thcfe yet remaining in st. Petersburg, wluch, tho' entirely ufelefs, are -fupported for curiofity, and the honour of the fovereign. The ordinary food of thefe animals was rice, meal, and fuch like; but the Russians have very judicioufiy taught tliem to eat hay. ° It was (aid this embafTador demanded fhip-carpcnters, which the ruSji an s refufed, objcfling that they had none exxept foreigners, who were engaged to fcrve them for a certain lime, but that they fcad no power to fend them out of their country. The profecution of the defign which n adj r had formed of building fhips on the Caspian fea, was the taufc of the early ruin of our Caspian trade. Chap. XXVIIL NADIR SHAH. 21^ to live in frlendfhlp with the grand fignior. The new cmbaflador, whom 1740. he charged with his compliments to the ottoman emperor, carried feverai rich jewels, nine elephants, and a great number of camels, as a prefent : and according to the dignity he aiTumed, and the fplendor of' eaflern monarchs, his retinue was compofed of near two thoufand per- fons. As their motions were flow, they did not arrive till the begin- ning of the next year. The grand vizir received this embafTador with the utmofl: demonflration of efleem ; however, when the purport of his- commiffion was demanded, he feemed to be offended, declaring that he would com.municate it only to the grand fignior in perfon. The- TURKs foon found that nadir was no lefs. arrogant in his propofals of the terms of friendfhip, than oflentatious of his riches, as appeared t by the prodigality of his prefentsv under thefe circumftances they were, induced to watch the embaflador as a fecret enemy. Nadir again renewed his claim to all the provinces and cities whicli in antient times belonged to the crown of Persia 5 and infifted that the TURKS ought to pay the expence of the late war, or yield fome pro- vinces as an equivalent. Thefe demands appeared to the turks imperious and exorbitant, and they concluded that the shah of Persia meant only to find a pretext to break with them. As the late wars had exhaufted their treafuries, and the army was in arrears, orders were fent to the BASHAS in alLtheir refpedive governments, to collesft the taxes, and re-- mit them immediately to court, . In the mean while nai>ir employed himfelf in reducing the Ara- bian rebels P, who had revolted during his abfence : the ousbegs of- ICHIEVA had alfo taken up arms, and deftroyed the Persian khan, who had been appointed their governor, together v/ith all the native fubjecls • of PERSIA, whom nadir had left in that city. The aral tartars- made inroads, and involved, that country in great diftradion, fotnat- all communication was cut oflF, and preparations were made to attack them afrefli. For this purpofe nadir marched with a numerous., body of forces to t^hiran, in order, to defend the province of kho^ « . R-ASAN5 y rThe H0UL2S. 2i6 THE HISTORY OF Part V. 1740. RASAN, ill cafe It fl:iould be invaded, or to lend detachments againft the OUSBEGS "-. We have already fcen in what manner he aifled as to the affair of re- ligion. Tlic beginning of this year, a difpute happened between the ARMENIAN patriarch, and fome romlsh millionarics. The matter be- ing necelfarily referred to nadiu, he iincd the patriarch twenty-four thouUnd crowns, alledging that priefts had no occafion for riches ; that they only ferved to perplex the mind, and take it off from purfuits of a religious nature -, but as to himfelf, the fupport of his army rendered money very necelTary. It will not appear a fubjccl: of furprize, that a prince who had the cou- rage to appropriate to himfelf by an arbitrary a(5l all the revenues of the clergy of the national religion, fhould tax the chief of his fubjeds of a dif- ferent perfuafion. We find him indeed often aiming to confound the dillinctions of the religions already profelTed by his people, as if he meant to introduce one of his own contriving. About this time he ordered a lumptuous maufoleum to be built at mesched, in which he propofed to have his body laid : towards this no coft was fpared ; the jafper tomb in which tamerlane was laid at balkh *■ was brought from thence at a great charge j however, as it did not fuit the place, he returned it to its antient manfion. It is remarkable that this maufoleum was eredcd intirely by chriftians j at the fame time as he caufed an Armenian church to be built by his mahommedan fubjeds. To attempt any defperate invafion of the liberties of mankind, no method feems to be more effedual than that of depreciatino- or fub- verting the ertabliflied religion of a country \ The fubjccT: of religion will ever be of the higheH: moment to mankind j fince it is only another word to exprefs the belief of the being of a God, and the immortality of the foul J but at the fame time that it has taken root in the hearts, and "1 It may be prefumed that he fent frc(h forces againfl thcfe tart a r?, for he had a free com- munication with tiicm in 1744, and was fupplicd with recruits from khieva and Bokhara. ' It 15 thought by fonie that the remains of this tartar hero were depofitcd at samarcand, vvjiich might be tlie cafe originally, ;ind upon tlie decay of that place the tomb be brought to balkh.' • VViih fome exceptions however. The people of great Britain owe their liberty, in a great mcau.re, to the rcformauon. Chap. XX VIII. N A D I R S PI A H. 217 and influences the condud of one part of mankind, it has ferved as a political engine, or the inflrument of temporal advantages to thofe who are vulgarly fald to have no religion. Persia was once chofea as a more peculiar fcene, vt^here the Almighty manlfefted his power In a very Jingular manner ; but many ages have paft fince the fubftance of re- ligion feems to have been changed for the fhadow. We find, however, a remarkable aptitude in the Persians to the belief of things relatino- to a future ftate. Nadir took frequent occafion to mention the feats of ali in terms of contempt 3 arraigning his condud, as a foldier, for leading his army Into the deferts of Arabia, where numbers periflied for want of water. *' And why," fays he, addreffing himfelf to the people, " inftead of praying to ali " do you not call on God. ' " In his religious fchenies he appeared to have a complicated motive : he fought to amufe his people, and at the fame time to increafe his fame, by eflablidiing a new faith, after the manner of his predecefibrs. As he had deflroyed the seffie family, which had been eftabllfhed on the throne of Persia on a principle of piety and faith ^ fo he feemed defirous to be the original of a new race of kings, on the bafis of new tenets in religion. This motive was fo pecu- liarly adapted to the genius of the Persians, that we may naturally con- clude he expeded to derive from hence a fecurity to himfelf and his family. Towards the clofe of this year, he caufed a tranflation of the four evangellils to be made into persic. It feemed, however, from the man- ner in which he conducted this bufinefs, to be more the effect of caprice, than of any fteady and confiflent plan. The affair was put under the diredlon of myrza mehtie, a man of fome learning, who being vefted with a proper authority for the purpofe, fummoned feveral Armenian bifliops and priefts, together with divers mllTionaries of the romish church, and Persian :mullahs, to meet him at Isfahan. As to the latter, ' Allah is the name they give the deity. It is remarkable, that the tartars when they be- lieve thennre'ivcs to be dying, repeat this word, " allaii, al:-ah," continually, as their only invo- cation, till they wafte ihcir fpirit?, and expire. VoL.IV. Ee 740. 2i8 THE HISTORY OF Part V. 174^* latter, they could not be gainers j fince the change, if any took place, was to be in prejudice of mahommedanis;\i. Befides, nadir's condu6t towards them had been fevere to an extreme, and unprecedented ; many of them therefore gave myrza mehtie large bribes to excufe their ap- pearance. Among the chriftians fummoncd on this occalion, only one romish priefl:, born in Persia, was a fufficient mafler of the language, to enter upon a work of fo critical a nature. As to the Armenians, tho' they are born fubjec^ts to Persia, and intermixed with, the inhabitants, yet there are very few of them who underftand the language fundamentally. It was natural to exped:, that myrza mehtie and the Persian mullahs, would be more follicitous hov/ to pleafe nadir, and fupport the credit of mahommedanism, than to divefl: themfelves of prejudices, and be- come mafters of fo important a fubjed. This tranflation was drelled up with all the glofles which the fables and perplexities of the khoran could warrant; their chief guide was an antient Arabic and Persian tranfla- tion. Father des vignes, a French miffionary, was alfo employed in this work, in which he made ufe of the vulgate edition. They were but (ix months in compleating this tranflation, and tranfcribing feveral fair copies of it. 1741. In MAY following, myrza mehtie, with the Persian mullahs, and fome of the chriflian priefts, fet out from Isfahan for the Persian court, which was then held in the incampment near t/i-lfiiran. Nadir received them with fome marks of civility, and liad a curfory view of the perfor- mance. Some part of it was read to him ; on which occafion lie made feveral ludicrous remarks on the myflerious part of the chrifl:ian religion ; 'at the fame time he laughed at the jews, and turned mahommed and ali equally into ridicule. Under fuch circumflance*, it was impoflible this performance fliould produce any good cfFe(5l. He obferved that tlie evangelifls did not agree in their accounts, more than the mahommedan and chriflian pricfls j tlicrefore he mull remain under the fime ditficulty that he was in before : that out of both, if it pleafed God to give him hcalihj he would engage to make a religion much better than any which had Chap. XXVIII. NADIRSHAH. 219 had been yet pradifed by mankind ; with feveral other vague reflexions 1741. of the hke nature. He then difmiiTed thefe church-men and tranflators with feme fmall prefents, not equal in vakie to the expence of their journey. It feems as if nadir had his religion to feek^ but this projedl, under the prefent ftate of affairs, and confidering the paffion he had for military atchievements, was very ridiculous, and by no means agreeable to that ferioufnefs with which oriental princes are generally incHned to treat this important fubjedl. What exalted notions ought not the contemplation of the chriftian religion to infpire in us, when we obferve the cruelty and extravagant principles of government, which generally prevail at the courts of MAHOxMMEDAN princcs ! In how lliining a light do thofe appear, wdiofe hearts are warmed with a generous defire of acting up to the dig- nity peculiar to the chriilian religion ! Nor ought it to be objected, that avarice and ambition have often involved the chriHian world in diftrefs ; when we have fuch irrefiflible proof of thofe proceedings being diame- trically oppofite to the principles of chriftianity. To fet the different charaders of two eaflern princes In contraft with each ' other, we fliali in the note here fubjoined give a letter,wrote by jilal o'din' MAHOMMED AKBAR, Cmperor of HINDOSTAN, tO the king of PORTUGAL, in 1582. This letter" feems to exhibit a remarkable proof, how the fame freedom * The aggrandizer of religion ; a title which he prefixed to his name when he mounted the throne. ^ " GLORY eternal to the true king,whofe dominions are fafe from decay, and whofe kingdom " is everlafling. The extent of the heavens, and the boundaries of the earth, are but minute parts of *' his creation ; and infinite fpace but a fmall point of his produ(5lions *. He has regulated the order *' of the univerfe, and the government of the fons of ad am, by the underllanding of kings, who *' exercife juftice. By his decrees, the ties of love, and bonds of aiFeftion, are fattened; and he has *• implanted in the various beings and creatures of his workmanftiip, the paflion of inclination and ** union, with a mutual tendency to fociety : and praifes without end are due to the fouls of prophets " and apoftles, who walked in the paths of righteoufnefs, and diredted the way to obtain everlafting *' felicity. " Thofe who have improved their underftahdings, and ftudied the laws of nature, know, that ** this terreflrial world, is but a mirror of the fpiritual one ; and that nothing is more defireable than ** love, or more facred than friendfhip, inafmuch as the ceconomy and good order of the world is *' owing to iafledlion, and the harmony of minds. For wherever the fun of love fhincth on the E e 2 " heart, * The MAHOMMEDANs, according to the ftile of the eaflern languages, of which cur fcriptures are in moft parts a remarkable fpecimen, begin their letters, and moft of their other writings, with the praifes of God. 220 THE HISTORY OF Part V. J 74 1, freedom of fcntiment may operate either on the virtuous or on the vicious fide. The emperor akbar, tho' not fo great a warrior, had as hberal a mind, '* heart, it clears the foul from the darknefs of mortality. How ought thefe qualities to be diligently " fought by princes, whofe friendly correfpondence is the caufe of happinefs to the world, and to " the ini>abitants thereof ! For this reafon it has been my conllant and earncft endeavour, to ftrengthen *' the ties of friendfhip, and the bonds of union, among the creatures of the Almighty ; efpecially *' ajnong kings, whom God by his favour has (o highly exalted, and fo peculiarly diflinguifhed from " the rcit of mankind. " Your royal majefty, who is endowed with intelledlual knowledge, and fupports the ordinances *' of JESUS, Hands in no need of praife or defcription. Our neighbourhood * with your renowned •' majelly, renders our friendfhip and alliance indifpenfably neceffary ; but as a perfonal conference is " not pradicable, the want thereof muft be fupplied by embaihcs, and mutual correfpondcncies, that — ^fi-'airs, and the defires of our hearts, may be manifefted to each other. " Your majefty know?, that philofophers and divines, in all nations, and in all ages, conccrnin'^ " the vifible r.nd intelleiflual worlJ, agree, that the former ought not to be of any confidcration *• compared with the latter : yet even the wife men of thefe times, and the great ones of all nations, *' labour and. toil to acquire the periihing things of this vifionary ftate ; and confume the greateil " part of their lives, and their choiceft hours, in procuring material delights, being fwallowed up, ** and diffolved in fieeting pleafures, and tranfitory joys. Notwithftanding thefe obllrudions, and ♦• the extenfive bufmefs of my government, the moft high God, through his eternal favour and per- " petual grace, has inclined my heart always to feek him. And as he has fubje(5led the dominions " of many powerful princes to me, I endeavour to govern them with under/landing. All my fub- " jefts are happy ; for his will, and my duty to him, is the end of all my defires and aflions. " Mankind are for the moft part chained with the bonds of fafhion and conftraint, regarding the ** cuftoms of their forefathers, or their cotemporaries and relations ; and without examining the ar- " gaments or reafons for it, give an implicit aflent to that Veligion in which they have been brought " up : thus depriving themfelves of the means of difcovering the truth, which is the bufinefs and " end of reafon. For my own part, I fometimes converfe with the learned of all religions f , and " profit by their refped^ive difcourfes. But as the veil of language interpofes, it is expedient that '• you fend unto me fuch a perfon as can diftindlly relate and explain his faith. It has already reached " my fortunate cars, that the heavenly books J, the Pentateuch, the Pfalms, and Gofpels, are tran- " flated into arabic and persic. Should a tranflation of thefe, or any other books of general ** afe and advantage, be procurable in your country, let them be fent to mc. " For a further confirmation of our friendfliip, and to fecure the foundation of affe^ion and unity, " I have fent my trudy friend, the learned and honourable seyd mazuffer, whom I have parti- *' cularly favoured and diflinguifhed : he will pcrfonally communicate to you fcveral matters, in which " you may confide. Always keep open the doors of cmbafTy and correfpondence; and peace be to ** him who follows the guide. Written in the month ridbi aval 990 ||." • Alludes to the polTefnons which the Portuguese had at th.it lime in india. f He was fond of the ■ RACHMiKs or INDIAN pricfts, for which abdallah khan, chief of the tartars at that time, complaineiJ much in his letters to him. J Among thtfc are reckoned the fcriptures of the chrillians by fome mahom- MFDA.Ns, who objc£t only that we have corrupted the gofpcl j whilft others pretend, that when the khoran wa» krcught en ihe earth, the gefpel was taken into heaven. || Armi 1 jSz, Chap. XXIX. NADIR SHAH. 221 mind, as nadir smah. If we may believe this letter was didated by 1741. the heart, how different were the objects that engaged their attention! The one confulted the arts of peace to render his fubjeds happy ^ the other delighted only in war 5 and we fee what calamities attended it. CHAP. XXIX. Revolt of the mvntisiks from the Turkish government. Short defcriptiun of them and their country. 'The city oj bassora under alarm from the ARABS. Condu^ of ACHMED BASH A. Bassora threatened with a fege by the Persians. Nadir marches againji the lesgees j and meets with fever al repulfes in dagistan. The Russians alarmed at his approach. The lesgees defire the protedlion of Russia. The Persians make war with the ARABIANS, and are rcpuljed. Difrefs of Persia. Da?7gerous fituation of the turks. They reduce the Arabian rebels. Great pre- parations in persia for a war. IN the beginning of this year, the muntisiks, with fome other tribes of ARABIANS, wlio had lately been under achmed basha, threw off the TURKISH yoke. Thefe people generally encamp during the fummer feafon in the diftrid of bassora. The Euphrates, which waters this country, renders it very agreeable, at the fame time that grain, vegetables, and pafturage, are in great abundance. It is remarkable that this, as well as the other tribes of the Arabians, appear to be a very different people in the field, from what they are in great cities. When they are alTociated with the neighbouring nations, they are gentle and polite ; but when they take the field, the frefh air infplres them with different fentiments, and their expertnefs in the ufe of the lance and fabre, renders them fierce and intrepid. Their fkill in horfemanfhip, and their capa- city of bearing the heat of their burning plains, gives them alfo a fn- periority over their enemies ; hence every petty chief in his own diflrid confiders himfelf as a fovereign prince, and as fuch exads cufloms from all palTengers. Their 222 THE HISTORY OF Part V. 1 741: Their condu(5l in this refpcdt has often occafioned their being confider- cd in no better light than robbers, though many of them are hofpitablc and generous, as well as brave and fober. Towards thofe who afk their protcdion they are remarkably difintcrefted : numbers of them are di- AinguiHied for their vivacity and penetration j they have alfo a repu- tation for poetry and aflrology. They generally marry within their own tribe : their women are very chafle ; indeed they make it death to be otherwife ; and there are feveral inftances of fathers killing their own daughters for incontinence j yet for robbery or murder in the field they fcldom puniili. The different tribes are often at war with each other, and the pillage acquired by this means is looked upon as an honourable pcfl'effion. When they plunder caravans travelling through their terri- tories, they confider it as reprifals on the turks and Persians, who often make inroads into their country, and carry away their corn and their flocks. In this part of Arabia, anciently called cald.£a ^\ is fel- dom feen either cloud or mill. The jurifdidion of achmed bash a had extended as far as the Per- sian gulph, and included bassora. The ottoman court being now jealous of ACHMED, this government was abridged, and confined to that of BAGDATj the revenues of the basha were confequently decreafcd one thoufand purfes ", which rendered him indifferent in regard to the pre- fervation of bassora. This city had been for fome time under alarms, the :muntisiks threatening to pillage it ; which indeed was praftica- ble, had they made the attempt, the inhabitants being unprovided for a fiege. The commander exerted himfelf to put the place in a pofture of defence, and at the fame time wrote to achmed basha to come or fend troops to his affiftance. The basha was then upon an expedition againrt: the KOURDS BiLBAZ. As foon as he heard of the revolt of thefe Ara- bians, he returned to bagdat, and after collecting a body of forty thou- fand men, he marched to the relief of bassora. To all human appearance achmed might have deftroyed thefe ara- eiansj but after fome light fkirmiflies he returned to bagdat. He had artfully " This is the country bordering on the government of bacuad northward from bassora. * Garrouches or purfes, each of 500 dollars, at 4;. are C(]^ual to 10,000/. Chap. XXIX. NADIR SHAH. 223 artfully fown diviiions among the chiefs ^ of the arabs, particularly the 1741. MUNTisiKS and benilames ; by this means he became their arbitrator, and turned the fcale, infomuch that he appointed and depofed their chiefs as he found it moft for his Intereft : this was the reafon for his declin- ing to fight them. Befides, he thought It neceflary to return Immediately to his government ; for he forefaw, that nadir shan would attack the TURKS; and if he engaged himfelf at the head of an army out of his jurlfdidllon, the port might probably Infift on his taking the command agalnft the Persians, to which he was not the leaft inclined. He knew that by fuch means he fhould put himfelf In the power of the grand iignlor, whofe good-will he had fome reafon to fufpedt -, or at leaft that he fhould engage with an enemy, agalnft whom he apprehended he fliould make the beft defence within his walls. In the mean while the arabain houles continued to adl vigorouflv agalnft the Persians, who could not fupport the war againft them for want of {hips. Thefe people made feveral defcents on the Persian coaft, and carried off great numbers into flavery. The end of this year, na.dir fent an officer to require the delivery of his fubjedls in bas- soRA, which was threatened with a fiege by the Persians; whilft the coldnefs of achmed bash a towards the Turkish Intereft, rendered him fufpedted of holding a correfpondence with the Persian king, and gave great occafion of alarm at Constantinople. There is a proverbial faying among the Persians, " If any Persian " king is a fool, let him march againft the lesgees 3" by which is plainly underftood, that however potent an army may be, the fituatlon of the mountains of dagistan is fuch, and the people are fo brave, that the fuccefs of an expedition againft them muft be very precarious. Nadir, whom no Persian king exceeded in vanity or ambition, deter- mined to try his fortune againft them. They had given him great of- fence upon feveral occafions, particularly by that incurfion during his abfence in india, in which his brother ibraaim khan was flain ; nor was shirvan ever free from their inroads ; fo that great part of that 2 province y Theic they call chejks. 224 THE HISTORY OF PaitV. I-' 4. 1, province was rendered defolate. The end of this year nadir marched at the head of thirty five thouiand men into shirvan, and from thence diredled his courfe into the mountains of the lesgees. In order to faci- litate his progrefs, he caufcd vafl quantities of wood to be hewn down on both fides the road, defigning to fruftrate any attempt which thefe TARTARS might make to lie in ambufcade. In this he feemed alfo to have a further view. Tne attack which his fon had lately made on his life in the flreights of astrabad, rendered him the more circumfpedt -, nor was he ignorant that the lesgees are as crafty as they are brave ^. 1742. About the beginning of this year he entered dagistan. Here he found a very different people from the Indians, whom he had fo lately conquered. Inftead of marching through open and fertile plains, in- habited by a ri-h and effeminate people, he was to climb up miountains, in many places inacceiiibie, and which in general ferved as a natural bul- wark to thofe valHes, where only he could expert to find provifions. Thefe were defended by a fiout hardy people, whofe love of liberty had through ages rendered them invincible : and if he could penetrate through the defiles into thefe vallies, his enemies might flill ta\e fhelter in their mountains, and render all his attempts abortive. Tlie terror of his arms had however induced fome of them in the fouthern parts to fend hoftages, and make their fubmiffion. Of thefe he removed a confidcrable number into khorasan, as well to people that province, as to prevent their future irruptions into the Persian domi- nions. This ilep ferved only to irritate the other lesgees. Nadir having left one of his generals with a body of eight thoufand men at a pafs, which commands an entrance into the mountains, he marched for- ward in puifuit of the caracaita^ lesgees : thefe having retired, and drawn him deep into their country, alarmed the inhabitants of the hills. After uniting fome confiderable bodies of their forces, they came down during the night, and put his whole army into the utmoft confufion. They even attacked the royal tent, took away fome of nadir's treafiire, and fcvcral of hio women. ]n * See Vol. I, page 372 to 37-. » This word %t ifies black villagers. Thefe .-ire cflcciiicd fume of the braved people among the LEscEtii. * Chap. XXIX. NADIR SHAH. 225 In the mean while, the Persian general, who was left with eight 1-^42. thoufand men to fecure the communication with shirvan, was alfo at- tacked with great fury, The lesgees furprized this body of troops'', and having the advantage of a wood and rifing ground, tliey made great havock among the Persians, before the latter were able to repulfe them. After many fruitlefs attempts, nadir found his army in great diftrefs for provifions. Shirvan had been impoverilhed to an extreme degree, fo as not to be able to fupply him, nor was the communication open for caravans ; he therefore direded his courfe to derbend, the inhabitants of which foon felt the fatal effeds of his neighbourhood. Here he began to be extremely fenfible of the great ufe of iLips, by means of which he might receive a fupply of provifions from the fouthern coaft of the CASPIAN SEA. This circumftauce calls to mind a memorable tranfadion of this year% with relation to the condud: of john elton, the English fador, whofe injudicious engagement gave fo great offence to the Rus- sian court; and fo fatal a wound to our Caspian commerce : but there has been already too much faid on this fubjed, to need any further obfervation. This mighty conqueror was now brought fo low, that the remains of his fliattered forces, reduced to twenty thoufand men, mufl have deferted or totally periflied, had they not been fupplied by the Russians. Every part of the world furnilhes us with inftances, of the love of gain carrying private men beyond the bounds prefcribed by laws. I never could con- ceive, that NADIR entertained the leafl: thought of invading the Russian dominions, but it was fufficient matter of alarm that he attempted to fubdue the lesgees ; therefore orders v^^ere fent from court, that no provi- fions iLould be conveyed as merchandize to the Persian army. However, the traders of astr achan had affurance of fo vaft a profit, that they could not refifl the temptation, as 1 have already explained ^ : but derbend not- withfianding ' A FRENCH miflionary who was pvefent in the persiav camp upon this occafion, informed me of feveral particulars of the great bravery of the Persian?. "^ We find eltom was at nadir's camp. See Vol I. page 153. «■ Vol. I. page 127. Vol. IV. F f 226 THE HISTORY OF Part V. 1742. withftanding fufFered fuch diftrefs, tliat a great part of the inhabitants periilied by famine. The long continuance of the Persian army on the Russian frontiers, created a fufpicion at the court of st. Petersburg, that nadir would make pretenfions to kislar, as being built on the Persian territories. This is certain, that he took great offence at the condud of a Russian officer towards fome of his troops, who approached too near to that fort J but for this, fatisfadtion was made him by the court. Though the temptation of gain had thus engaged the Russian merchants to fupply the PERSIANS, yet the court of st. Petersburg was fo far alarmed at their approach, that great magazines were ordered to be formed in as- trachan. This city was alfo put in a ftate of defence, and a body of troops, to the number of twenty thoufand, under the command of £:eneral tarakanoff, were ordered to file off towards kislar. The LESGEES had intimated their defire of putting themfelves under the protection of Russia, from the time of nadir's firfl invading their country ; and it certainly was the intereft of that empire to fupport the independency of thofe brave mountaineers, who form fo fafe a barrier againil the Persians. The arrival of the Russian Tl'oops contributed to defeat nadir's defigns, fo that he found himfelf obliged to abandon an enterprize to which his fkill and fortune were not equal. As foon as the Russian general arrived in the neighbourhood of da- GJSTAN, the LESGEES made application to him j and from an apprehen- fjon of the danger they might be expofed to, in cafe nadir was deter- mined to profecute his delign of reducing them, they wrote to this com- mander as follows : *' Mojl honoured and mofl accompli p^ed general and commander in chiej\ . *' Our mofl humble petition confifts in this ; all the inhabitants of *' dagistan having been informed that you are arrived near the fron- " tiers of kislar with an imperial army, and that your intention is to '* defend and protect the fubjedts of her imperial majefly in andrewska, *' KOSLKOFF, and baxan , as alfo all the chiefs and rulers of the ftates ^ I *' bordering Chap. XXIX. NADIR SHAH. 227 " bordering on the dominions of her imperial majefty : after longing 1742. " expe(5tations of your arrival, we have fent our deputies in the name " of the whole nation to defire your interceffion, that her imperial ma- *' jefty may receive us under her puifFant protedion, and permit us to ** be iier flaves. We are determined to hold the golden border of her *' imperial robes, and in fpite of all the evils that may threaten us, we " will not be dragged from them, nor feek any other protection, nor ** acknowledge any other fovereign than God and her imperial majefly. " We hereby make a folemn oath of allegiance to her imperial ma^ " jefty, whom we moft humbly implore to prote(5t us againft our ene- *' mies, and in her exalted clemency to give a favourable anfwer to our *' petition. And that her puilTant majefty may know in what num- *' bers our troops confift, we fend you a lift as follows : *' AcHMED KHAN the ousMAi has - - 12,000 men *' The tribe ^ of APARz _ . _ 13,000 " ACHMED KHAN lord ^ of SCHUNKETIN - 2,700 ** In the diftrid:s of KANSCHUKUL - - - 8,000 " In ABY - - - " - 5,000 " In ABUGAL and kalacksky - - - 7,000 " In CARACK 2 - - - - 7^5^^ " In the diftrids of kusti 500. In kly 2,500 - 3,000 '< In GEDAT 4.000. In KiNTODE 1000 > and in KU-7 ^ > 6,000 ** RADA 1000 - - - - \ 66,200 h'> Thefe people, known to the world, but particularly to the Persians, for their bravery and fteady love of liberty, now defended themfelves againft the conqueror of india, the moft powerful of all the monarchs of the ^aft. Nadir faw, though too late, that he had committed a very falic Ff2 ^eP' • HORDA ' Beg. s Thefe I prefume are the caracaita, who diftrefled MADiR^s army fo much. ^ This number feems greatly to exceed what thefe people have been generally thought able to bring into the field, the' the feveral divifions of them may have eAlily created miftakes as to their flrength. 228 THE HISTORY OF Part V. 1742. ftep ; nor could he retire, without weakening his intereft in Persia, and his reputation in general. He was fenfible moreover that thefe very LESGEES would be encouraged by his retreat, to infult all the frontier country, and treat the Persians in thofe parts as a conquered people, unlefs he employed a more numerous body of forces to guard shirvan, than confided with his other defigns. However, of the two evils, it feemed the greatefl to wafle his time and dcflroy his troops, when he might employ them ufefuUy in other Important projeds. From this time we find nadir fecretly difgufted with the Russian court J however, after his return into persia he fent for the minifler of her imperial majefly who attended the army, and told him, " that he was ** furprized it ever fiiould be imagined he intended to invade the Russian *' dominions : that it was true he had not been treated with refped:, " RUSSIA having failed to fend a folemn embafly to congratulate him on *' his exaltation to the throne of persia ; but as he underflood there *' had been great changes at ST. Petersburg, he excufed that forma- ** lity :" at the fame time he delired the minifter to difpatch a courier to his court to inform the emprefs, " that he was intirely difpofed to *' fupport the peace and good underflanding which fubfifted between the '' two empires." Durinp- the courfe of this unfortunate expedition in the north, affairs in the fouth feemed to prefage as little felicity to persia. Taghi khan who commanded in shirass, was fent by the king into the country of NiMROuz', in quality of general and admiral, with orders to build fhips at bender ebou chehre. This khan was no fooner arrived upon the coaft; than he demanded of the French, the dutch, and other Euro- pean nations, fliips and fliip- builders: and at length, either by money or forcible meafures, he obtained a fleet of Hiips. One great inftance of nadir's cruelty exercifed towards the people at this time, was that of obliging them to cut timber in mazanderan '*, and tranfport it to ben- der ABASSi. In a flrait line, this is Cix hundred and fixty miles, and if we ' I find moft of the maps wliich have fallen under my infpcftion, are very deficient with regard to thefe places. The arabs inhabit the north coaft of the Persian gulf, and part of tlit- ban'^s of ihjc -. lORis a.-id EUPHRATE;, bcfidcs thtif proper country of ARAUiA. '' Sec Vol. I. page 22-., Chap. XXIX. NADIR SHAH. 229 we confider the circuit they muft take to render the road pradicable, we 1 742, muft calculate at leaft one third more : fo that it was very plain from this proceeding, that he did not fo much confider how things were to be done, as that his commands fliould be executed at all events. Great quantity of timber was cut on this occafion ; but it was tranfported no farther than the diftridt of verameh, where it probably remains to this day. The ARABIAN IMAM or chief of MESCAT being depofed, fled with his family and treafures on board his fhips then in the port, and failed to KHURFEKiAN \ wherc he landed. From thence he proceeded to julfar, where was taghi khan with the Persian forces. His intention was to put himfelf under the protedlion of the Persians, on condition they would aflift him to recover his dominions from his rebellious fubjeds. This defign being difcovered, feveral of his followers abandoned him, and carried the vefTels again to mescat. This incident was attended with the jundion of the houles and mescats. The new chief of the latter being informed that taghi khan, at the inftigation of the depo- fed iMAxM, intended to dired all his force againft that city, retired with his troops to matra, a place a league diflant. Mescat being thus aban- doned, the PERSIANS entered it without any precaution : and the Arabians taking advantage of the falfe fecurity of their enemies, furprized and put them to the fword. The mescats were alfo vidorious at fea. While NADIR was thus engaged in war by land and fea, and at the fame time forming a great army with defign to ad againft the turks, Persia groaned under the burthen of infupportable taxes, The treafures of india ferved only to increafe themifery of the people, by affording them a fre- quent and melancholy fubjed of refledion on the avarice of their king. Notwithflanding the vafl projeds which nadir had formed, and the nu- merous forces he was preparing, in order to carry his defigns into execution, he had not yet touched his indian treafures, fince they were depofited at K.fXAT. What could be the effed of fuch a condud ? Exorbitant taxes, exaded with all the aggravating circumflances which inhumanity can fug- ged, drove thoufands to defpair. Whole villages and towns retired into the 2 mounfeainsj ^Tliis place is on the fouthern coaft of the per3ia:j gulf. 230 THE HISTORY OF v Part V, 174.2. uiountains, to avoid the barbarous treatment ilaewn them by the shah's colkdlors. Crowds of the people fled into the northern parts of india, where their king had fo lately triumphed -, and great numbers puc them- felves under tlie protection of the turks. On the fouthern coafl fome fled into Arabia j and not a few took every opportunity of tranfporting themfelves by fca into the moghol's empire. In the heart of Persia things took the fiime courfe. The Armenians and others, who were equally dillreiled by exactions, left their habitations under the pretence of commerce or religious pilgrimages 3 infomuch that the rahdars ' were ordered to examine palTports. The freedom of egrefs, which ufed to pre- vail, was much interrupted, on this occafion, orders being given to the da- ROUGAS *", and alfo to the rahdars of great cities, not to let any one pafs near the frontiers without paflports. As thefe were refponfible if any perfon miffed them, they were very vigilant in their duty. The Per- sians ufually travel with their women, and all the furniture necefTary to life ; under thefe circumflances it was very difficult for them to efcape, had they been fure of bread in foreign climates. This was one great reafon why julfa " was not totally abandoned by the ARMENIANS. The government of Isfahan, which is reckoned twenty-four leagues long, and as many broad, comprehends the diflridts of TCHI, marbin, kieraridge, kahab, baraan, perhavar, elkhan, and roundester. Some of thefe were formerly well peopled -, but now they exhibited only a dreary wafle, moft of the inhabitants being fled or difperfed : numbers had taken a precarious refuge in the mountains of LORisTAN J their lands were left untilled, and their houfes mouldered into ruins. In fliort, all the diflrefTes of an unfuccefsful war, or the in- vaflon of a barbarous enemy, could not plunge the people into greater mifery than the victories of their tyrannical king, who feemed more fol- licitous to humble his own fubjeds, than his enemies. This ' Rahdar is the term given to thofe who arc fixed at certain pods in the highways, either to ex- amine paflcngcrs, or receive toll. According to an antient cftablilhmcnt, they are obl'ged to fupport a ccftain n imbcr of men, to patrol and keep the road clear ; and upon this account are entitled to a ta^ upon all caravans of merchandize, as well as paficngers. ■" Lieutenant of the police. ■ The fuburb of Isfahan. Chap. XXIX. NADIR SHAH. 231 This condud was not Ms owing to the little love he bore to the per- 1742, siANS, than to his apprehenfions of their feditious fpirit, which he dreaded more than the armies of the Indians, turks, or tartars. If he could have cut the Persians ofF at one ftroke, as caligul a wilhed in regard to the ROMANS, it is not unreafonable to believe that nadir would have re- joiced to have done it ; had it been poffible to re-people the country from any other quarter. Every circumftance of his condud feemed to prove this J fince without altering his meafures, which gave fuch high provoca- tion to rebellion, his chaftifements were fo extreme, that he was not fa- tisfied without killing or putting out the eyes of all ° the people, who appeared in arms againft him. During the courfe of this year, the port was agitated with variety of fears, in regard to the ai-mies of Persia. The name of nadir had fpread fuch a terror on the minds of the turks fix years before, as this period of time had not fubdued. The revolt of the Arabians, who often blockaded bassora, was a farther circumftance of alarm, left thefe people fhould join their enemy, for as fuch they conlidered nadir shah, though he had not yet declared himfelf. The conferences held at erzeroum in January produced no efFe(5l. Nadir had ordered his fon with a body of iifty thoufand men to remain in and about hamadan, where he caufed a great quantity of artillery to be caft. Tiie turks therefore thought it necellary to keep a numerous body of troops in the confines of bagdat; but the hopes of accommo- dation ftill continuing, the grand fignior fent mukiff effendi into da- gist an, where he defired an audience. Nadir declined entering into this bufinefs, but promifed the Turkish minifter to give him an anfwer on the phins of mogan. After his expedition againft the lesgees, he explained himfelf in fom^e meafure, by requiring the reflitution of all the provinces in Armenia, asia minor, and Georgia 5 which were for- merly conquered by tamerlaxe. The Turks were fo alarmed at this declaration, that befidcs the great army which was affembled near bag^ DAT, another was ordered to meet on the banks of the Euphrates near erzeroum. Towards ° Vol.1, page 315. 232 THE HISTORY OF Part V. ^-42. Towardi) the clofc of the year, nadir wrote a letter to the grand fig- nior, couched iu general terms, in which he cxprefled an inclination to cultivate a good underftanding with the port. He alfo wrote to the BASH A of BAG DAT, making propofals of accommodation in terms^ as if the two powers had already been engaged in a war. Thefe fteps were confidered in no other light, than as a defign to lull the court into an eafy fecurity ; and by no means relieved the inquietude of the fultan and his miniilers. The SWEDES having declared war the middle of this year againft tht RUSSIANS, they made great follicitations at the ottoman court, to en- gage the TURKS to break with their enemies, in order to create a power- tul diverfion in favour of Sweden. The turks, however, faw the danger on the fide of Persia too well, to be drawn into any fuch fnare ; efpecially as they had fo lately accommodated their differences ; nor did that mofl remarkable revolution which happened in Russia at the clofc of the lall year, occalion any change in the meafures of the port. What ferved to fupport the fpirits of the grand fignior, was the re- dudion of the zu-beit and mudans, two ti'ibes of Arabians, vvho had revolted. Achmed basha finding that thefe people had offered to put themfelves under the protection of nadir shah, fentsuLiMAN, his lieutenant p, with a confiderable body of forces, who defeated thofe ARABIANS, and returned home with a rich booty. The turks have often occafion to ufe feverity on thefe people, who are naturally turbu- lent and inconftant. To keep them poor therefore has generally been the beft expedient to keep them humble. The fucceffes which suli- MAN had obtained, were likely to anfwer a double purpofe, by awing thefe tribes, and by intimidating others. The TURKS were alfo relieved from their anxiety, with regard to the defigns which the Persians might have formed againft bassora. Na- dir had caufed feverai magazines of provilions to be colle(5ted on the frontiers of that diftrid; but in September he ordered them to be fold. This ' K.IAYA or KlilAYA. aiap. XXX. ' NADIR SHAH. 2^ This was a circumflance happy to this city and its neighbourhood in 1742, two refpeds. The war with the Arabians had occafioned a Icarcity while ACHMED BASHA not chuiing to truft to the profeffions ot' his friend nadir, had amalled great quantities of provifions in thofe parts, and fent them to bagdat. This fupply was therefore the more wel- come toBAssoRA, where the fwelling of the Euphrates had occafioned an inundation, which produced an epidemical diforder. We have lately feen an inflance of the force of gain, with regard to the RUSSIANS : the love of it often triumphs over every other confider- ation. The turks reaped fome benefit from buying of thefe provi- fions ; but at the fame time they fold great numbers of horfes in kour- DisTAN, and other places in the ottoman dominions, to the Persians. A courfe of uninterrupted campaigns had fo far ruined the Persian ca- valry, that they could not have continued the war againft the turks, without thefe fuccours : notwithftanding which the avarice of the bash as and governors induced them to connive at the pradice, infomuch that this year above fixty thoufand horfes, befides a great number of camels and mules, were fold by the turks and Arabians for the ufe of na- dir's army. CHAP. XXX. Nadir 'i proje£fs to dijirefs the turks. Critical circumflance of achmed, BASHA but this had little or no effecfl. The continuation of thefe hoftilities kept deerbend almdfb in as great diflrefs as when nadir left it. All the males who were above fixteen, were obliged to bear arms, and the young women above fourteen, were given as wives to the new recruits, by an arbitrary ad of the governor ; whilfl the fcarcity was fo great, that numbers died for want. 1744. The beginning of this year the pretender saun marched into shirvan, at the head of an army moflly compofed of lesgees. They were pil- laging at large, when a body of two thoufand Persians in nadir's in- tereft, endeavoured to ftop their progrefs, but were intirely routed. The whole province being thus threatened with defolation, nadir fent his fon nesr ali myrza at the head of twenty five thoufand men. The LESGEES, in conjundion with great numbers of people of the province, made an obftinate refinance ; but after much bloodflied they were defeated near the conflux of the kura and aras. It was here nadir was chofen king ; and on the fame fpot, where the people had given fuch proof of their weakncfs and corruption, was now ercdled a monument of their mifery and dilhxfs. Nadir caufed a pyramid of human heads' to be built in token of his vidory, and to deter the few remaining inhabi- tants from any future rebellion. Saun fled with feventy men only, but was foon taken. The shah ordered his fon to cut out one of the eyes of this rebel, and that he lliould be then fent to the ottoman court, with this mellage ; *' That '- NADIR difdained to take the life of fo ddpicable a wretch, though " the ' It was not uncommon for the Persians to cut off the legs of the lesgees, or to cut out their eyes, with this cruel taunt, that they might then make the beft of their way home, y See Vol. I. page 388. Chap. XXXr. NADIR SHAH. 243 " the grand fignior had efpoufed his caufe, as a defceiidaat of the family 174.4.. " of the SEFFIES ^" The confequence of this rebellion was the ruin of almoil the whole province of shirvan. In the mean while, the revolt of taghi khan became a very ferious affair -, he was one of the lafl of the antient Per- sian nobility, and tho' he had been unfortunate in his naval war againfl the ARABS, he had the reputation of an able flatefman and a gallant officer ; qualities which rendered him fo much the greater objed: of jealoufy. Nadir detached a body of eighteen thoufand ' men to shi- RASS, under fome of his moft experienced generals. This was a force fo much fuperior to that of taghi khan, that being in no capacity to meet them in the field, he fhut himfelf up in the city. We have already feen, to what deplorable circumftances the city of SHiRASS, the capital of farsistan, was reduced in 1724, and again in 1729 : it was now once more doomed to be a fccne of diftrefs and flaugh- ter. Taghi khan defended the city for fome weeks, but at length it was taken by ftorm : the inhabitants were puniflied with the utmofl fe- verityj and a great part of their effedts were pillaged, under the pre- tence of fequeftration, for the ufe of the king. Mofl of thofc who had been in arms were put to the fword, or deprived of fight. Ta.ghi KHAN, attended by a party of his friends, fled in the difguife of fhepherds, but were foon difcovered by the treachery of their own fervants. He was brouo-ht to Isfahan with his favourite wife, and about forty of his neareft relations and dependents. This lady was violated before her hufband's face by a common foldier; which was the highefl indignity that could be offered to this nobleman, and contrary to nadir's ufual regard to women. His relations and friends were put to death ; and himfelf, after being deprived of one of his eyes, was caftrated. Stridt orders were given, that all poffible care fliould be taken, that the operation Ihould not affecft his life. It was faid, that H h 2 NADIR ^ It was remarkaWe, that saun was thus fuffercd to efcape for the feconu time. He was a rank prcdeftinarian, and concluded that he was yet referved for feme extraordinary even:. » The twenty -five thoufand men, mentioned in Vol. I. page 24. part of them I imagine were fent againft the other rebels in that neighbourhood. ^44 THE HISTORY OF Part V. 1^44- NADIR had mride an. oath'' never to put taghi khan to death; and was therefore wanton in his cruelty, without touching the Hfe of this lord. It is probable, that the shah, thought hirei an honeft man, and a more able general, than many belonging to his array j and as he had given hiiu his life, expeded from him the greater marks of fidelity. Upon what other principle can we reconcile nadir's condud ; who, after thus gratifying his refentment, gave this khan the government of CABUL ? What particular circumftances might induce him to take fo extraordinary a refolution, my authorities do not mention : it feems to be an e/Te6t of that caprice and whim, which we find upon many occafions, as if he aiteded to cftablifli a rule of conduct, contrary to the funda- mental principles which common experience has taug^ht mankind '. CHAP. XXXII. Rebellion of astrabad. English merchants plundered. Nadir returns from TURKEY hito PERSIA. Report cone e riling bis abdication. Di/lrefs of PERSIA. 'The TURKS make great preparations for war. Nadir marches into the Turkish dominions. Battle fought near eriyan. The TURKS defeated, THE flames of civil war now fpread themfclves like a torrent. In JANUARY this year, the khajars of astrabad alfo threw off the yoke, and chofc mahommed hassan "^ as their leader. After joining a body of TURKUMAN tartars their neighbours, they took the capital of *• It feems as if oaths were deemed very facred things among the mahommed ans, and that the vilcll of men were not vile enough to difregard their engagement?, to which they call the Almighty to witnefs. ' Mr. otier mentions, that taghi khan no fooncr arrived at cauul, than be rebelled; but I never heard that cauul did rebel till after the dca'Ji of nauir shah, or juft before, when thamaras khan commanded the Persian forces on the indian fide. It is true, that many events have happened, which for want of corrcfpondcnce, and from the wild difordtis cf a coaniry rent v.ith civil wars, have never reached euro Pi-. I have already obfervcd, that for my own part I adopt only wiat l have particular reafon to believe is true, and thole events uhuh appear but imperfeclly rcl.ted, with regard to circumllanccs, the reader will afcribe to the manner in which they have been handed to us. '' The Ton of fate v ali khan, mtatioi'.cd in page 1 8 . Chap. XXXII. NADIR SHAH. 245 of the province, feized the sham's treaJflire, and- plundered a valuable ca- 1744. ravan belonging to the British Russia ccnnpar.v, who were at this time attempting to open a new trade over the Caspian fea to mesched, now confidei-ed as the capital of the empire. There cannot be a greater demondration of the fatal cffsOis of a tyran- nical government, than the cxtrea^e ralbnefs of the inhabitants of this province. M'ahommed ha^ssan had held a correfpondence with saun, and acknowledged him as fovereign. He propofed, that whilft saun was conquering on the weflern coafl, he would reduce the fouthern parts bor- dering on the CASPIAN fca. It was with difficulty he raifed a little army of three thoufand men j and saun, tho' he headed fixteen thoufand, was not able to fupport himfelf againft the numerous forces of nadir ; yet the temptation of plundering the treafure and caravan, drew the infatuated followers of hassan into deilrudion. The minute circumftances of this rebellion are related in my firft volume ^ I have therefore only to add, that this army oi k-hajars and turkumans were in the following month defeated by fifteen hundred of the shah's troops from khorasan j and by their lofs In battle, executions, and fequellrations, the whole province was ruined. From this time nadir took the refolution of fending a body of forces, and to build a fort on the eaflern coaU of the Caspian, with a view to awe the turkumans s but the want of water in their defert prevented the execution ^ Whether reafons of policy, or any other motive prevailed, nadir cer- tainly gave frequent proof of his regard to equity ; and thi^re is a judice due to the worft of men. That which was (hewn on this occafion to the FRifisH merchants, ought to be reme[nbred ; for he caufed the v/hole amount of their lofs to be paid to their fadors. The fortune of this eaflern fpoiler Teemed now to decline very faft : and the general defedlion of the Persians rendered the profpect of his future reign very gloomy. The flames of rebellion, which thus broke out in fo many different quarters, reduced hirri for the prefent to the neceffity of abandoning his defigns againft the turks ; and in the month of march this years, he returned into, the plains of hamadan. It e Chapters XXX. XLII. XLVI. f See Vo'.. I. page 321. e See Vol. I. page 243, 244. 246 THE HISTORY OF Part V. jyA±. ^^ ^s not faid whether nadir had any children by the aunt of shah T.-EHMAS J but his unfortunate fon riza kouli mvrza, to whom a fifter of that prince had been given in marriage, had a fon by her, whofe name was SHAHROKH, now about ten years of age. It was fuggefted that NADIR defigned to abdicate the regal power in favour of shahrokh, as being Uneally defcended on the mother's fide from the seffie family,, and that himfelf would retire to k/elat to end his days in repofe. This opinion feemed to arife rather from the confufed ftatc of affairs, than from the probability that nadir really meant to abdicate the crown, or that he could confiftently with his own fafety give up the command of his army. Nor was it probable that shahrokh, who was born in fuch diftraded times, whofe father had been deprived of fight for rebellion againft his own parent, and whofe mother had poifoned herfelf, to avoid the cruel death of fevcral of her relations, who were ripped up ; it is not, I fay, probable, that fuch a perfon, however entitled by birth, fhould ever arrive at a quiet poffellion of the regal dignity. Under fuch diftradion of the ftate, and the jealoufy of the ufurper, to name a fucceflbr would have been to dethrone himfelf in his own ap- prehenfion. Every thoughtful man forefivv s vvhat confufion mufl ne- celTarily follow the death of nadir, although this event was fo much defired by the people. It was moft natural to imagine, that as nadir had put out the eyes of his eldeft fon riza kouli myrza, the fecond fon NEZR ALi AiYRZA, fhould be confider'd as the prefumptive heir of the PERSIAN diadem. This prince however gave no marks of a fpirit equal to fo dangerous a charge. Ali kouli khan, the fon of Ibra- him khan'', was therefore confidered as the perfon moft probable to fuc- ceed. This opinion was favoured by his being made governor of kho- rasan, and by a certain popularity of condudl, not fuch as gave um- brage at this time, but tending to make impreflions of his gencrofity. I 8 I have often difcourfcd on the fubjeft with the French jefuits in ghilan, \vho foretold a great part of the caiami'ies, which have fince happened, as a natural confequence of that dcfperate ftatc to which PEAS I A was reduced. " Ibrahim khan, nadir's eldeft brother, the fame perfon who was killed by the lesgees. It was faid that nadir did declare ali kouli khan his fuccefibr; but the authority is the more to be doubted, as the thing appears inconfiftent, whilft neer ALI KvRzA had fo great a ihare in the command of the army. Chap. XXXII. NADIR SHAH. 247 I have related In what mifery ' Persia was involved by nadir's ava- 1744. rice, joined to a reftlefs fpirit of conqueft, and a fear of difbanding his army. In the moft civilized countries we often find, that after a long feries of war peace is attended Vi^ith many evil effedls, efpecially from the lawlefs condudl of thofe who want fkill, induftry, or honefty to get their bread. But in a country fo loft to a fenfe of moral duties, and fo impatient un- der the yoke of an ufurper, nadir's foldiers would have been the firft to rebel, as foon as they fliould be difcharged. They already curfed him, not in their hearts only, but with their tongues j declaring, that he had no fenfe of humanity, and therefore his talents as a foldier could never render him worthy to reign over them : befides, the native Persians in his army were much inferior to the number of the tartars, and con- fequently the former confider'd themfelves as ading under the influence of men whom they defpifed. The people in general, grown defperate by feeing their fubftance torn from them, were kept from rebellion no longer than they were awed by a military force. Yet they were re- duced to fo hard a dilemma, as to tremble at the profped of a change. Such was the fituation of Persia in the middle of this year, when nothing could give a ftronger proof how much mankind are fcourges to themfelves in confequence of their own villainy, than that a people who had been regardlefs of their lawful king, now groaned under the tyranny of an ufurper who trod on their necks with fuch boundlefs cruelty. Nor was it lefs amazing how a country almoft deferted, could find pro- vifions to fupply an army. It is eafy to imagine the fatisfidion which the port received at the rebellions in Persia: this made a difcovery of the real weaknefs of their enemy. They were ftill alarmed on account of achmed basha : the reludance he had fliewn to ad: againft the Persians, by which he deiigned to maintain himfelf the better in his government, was conftrued by his enemies at court as a defertion of his mafter's caufe J and confequently that he meant at leaft to ered an independent fovereignty. TIic .'^ Vol. I, {a^e 230, 2 248 THE HISTORY OF Part V. 1744. The TUliKS, harraflcd with war for Co many years, grew clamorous, and a change in the miniftry was threatened. Their fears perpetually reprelented nadir shah as ddtroying their armies, and laying wallc their country, without a profpeft of peace. The court endeavoured by all polTible means to foothe the people : it was even declared that a peace was concluded witJi pkjisia, by the interpofition of achmed basha. The defign of this was to remove the fufpicions which were entertained of this basha, and at the fame time to give the people hopes of repofc. The court however had experienced fuch caprice, inconftancy, and want of faith in nadir, that they could make no dependance on any treaty with him, but fuch as was made fword in hand. Many projedts were . formed to bring vail armies into the field : it was even propoled to cm- bark fome bodies of the crim tartars on the black sea, and land them at trebisonde ; and to bring troops from egypt, and land them at alexanpretta, to endeavour by this means to cover their dominions in the antient Mesopotamia. In fhort, all poflible expedients were tried to fet bounds to fo dangerous a neighbour, whofe fortune had prevailed over the numerous rebellions raifed againfl him. In JULY NADIR marched back again into the Turkish dominions, feemingly with a view to fupport his troops in the enemy's country, which he could no longer do in his own. All the frontier of the Turkish do- minions had been i'o long a prey to great armies, that they were be- come wafte. In the mean while, the taxes drawn from his people be- ing infufficient for the current fervice, he was obliged to have recourfe to his INDIAN trcafure, but in fuch fmall proportions, as afforded very little relief to the people. Nadir remained fome time between casbin and hamadan, with an army of thirty thoufand men ; with thefe he awed his fubjedts, particularly the inhabitants of the coaft of the Caspian, who were in general ripe for a revolt. In this fituation he could alfo fupport a cor- refpondence with his armies on the fide of india, and v^ith that body of forces which he had left near kerkoud. In the mean time he I expeded Chap. XXXII. NADIR SHAH. 249 expected to be joined by his forces which had been fent to the fouth jjaa againft shirass, and the neighbouring country. Towards the clofe of this year, an adion happened between the Per- sians and TURKS near cars; but as it was by no means decifive, it ferved for little more than to fupport the fpirit of animofity, and prevent that peace which the Turkish miniftry fo anxioully fought : at leaft we do not find that the Persians were driven out of the Turkish dominions, nor that cars was taken, agreeable to the common reports of that time. The TURKS however maintained their ground with fuch refolution, as rendered all the attempts of the enemy abortive. The PERSIAN army palTed the winter near their ov^m frontiers. Nadir fcemed to think it neceflary to keep himfclf in readinefs againft the in- teftine commotions of his own country, and at the fame time to watch the motions of the turks, who were refolved to make their greatefl efforts the next campaign. Near the end of this year, achmed khan, a Persian general, fled to CONSTANTINOPLE from the tyranny of his mafter. The turks received him with diffidence, left his pretended flight fliould be one of thofe ftratagems which their artful enemy nadir had fo often played againft them. The khan however gave them fuch convincing proofs of the real caufe of his abandoning his late mafter, that he was received into the confidence of the Turkish minifters. He flattered them into a be- lief, that if they would exert themfelves, and fend a large army into the field, the Persians, being once intimidated, would defert in whole fqua- drons. This opinion was founded on his knowledge of the great dif- affedtion of many of the officers and foldiers in the Persian army. The LESGEEs, remembering their defeat in shirvan the beginning of laft year, were anxious to fee their haughty enemy humbled to the duft. For this purpofe they fent two embaflTadors to Constantinople, offering to affift the TURKS with a body of men, in confideration of a certain fum of money. They reprefented at the fame time, how bravely they had defended their liberty againft the ufurper nadir, and that they ftill per- VoL. IV. I i fifled 250 THE HISTORY OF Part V. 1744, fifted in their refolution of defending tliemfclves. It had not been the cuftom of the lesgees for feme ages to leave their mountains to engage in the fervice of any foreign prince, nor have they often marched farther than SHIRVAN and Georgia to fight their own battles; but their prefent circumftances induced them to make this offer, to engage in the TURKISH fervice, as the swiss do in that of France. The port received thefe embafTadors v^^ith great marks of diftindtion, and gave them very fair promifes ; but we do not find that they were fo fiitisfadory to the crafty lesgees, as to engage them to fend any fuccours to join the ottoman army : indeed it was not without the ut- mofl dIfHculty the grand fignior could raife money to pay his national troops. 1745. This year began with preparations for the mofl powerful army which had yet appeared in the field againft the Persians, towards which ser- viA, BOSNIA, and Romania, all contributed their quotas. This nume- rous army was to be aifembled at cars, in order to open the campaign by the firft of april. The turks feemed thus determined to make the mofl vigorous efforts, and free themfelves from the dread of their enemy j which could not be done by keeping within their walls. This tafk was the more difficult, as a continued feries of ill fortune had in- timidated the OTTOMAN forces; neither were the European troops in the leaft difpofed to pafs over into a si a, as it had generally proved their grave. In the mean while, the fupprcflion of the rebellions of shirvan, SHiRASs, and astrabad, had humbled the PERiiANs : though, groan- ing under a tyrannical government, they were in no condition to with-hold their obedience. Nadir being fatisfied that he had nothing to fear from his own people for the prefent, left his fon nesr ali myrza with a body of thirty thoufand men on the frontiers of Persia, and marched his army the beginning of this year into Georgia, where he found it mofl eafy to fupport thtm, without any danger of moleflation. This flep gave t!)CTUjiKS feme fatisfadlion, as it enabled them to form tlicir army; and Chap. XXXir. NADIR 3 HAH. 2^1 and afforded a temporary relief to thofe towns, againft which they ap- 1745. prehsnded the Persian king would turn his arms. If the TURKS were ambitious of ftriking a decifive blow, nadir alfo behaved as if he meant to bring the war to an iffue at one battle j for he took no meafures to obflrucft the jundion of the ottoman forces. About the middle of may he fent orders to his fon to advance towards ERivAN, and near the end of July both the Persian armies arrived in the neighbourhood of that city. Two years thus paffed in rumours of war, and perpetual apprehen- flons of battles, without any blow being ftruck worthy of hiftorical re- cord : at length the fatal day arrived. The turks, having had fo long a time to compleat their army, their forces were more numerous than in any of the former campaigns againft the Persians : the seraskier, MAHOMMED BASHA, was at the head of a hundred thoufand men. As foon as he heard of the motions of the Persians, he left erzeroum, and advanced to cars, where he joined abdallah kouproli : the army under this basha "confifted of thirty thoufand men. The jundlion of thefe forces, fupported by a numerous train of artillery, flattered the TURKS into a belief, that it was now their turn to triumph over an enemy who had been fo long an object of their terror. Mahommed basha direcfted his courfe towards erivan, &nd during his march, he drove feveral parties, confifting of four or five thoufand Persians, from their entrenchments and advanced pods. Nadir shah was encamped with fifcy thoufand men about ten leagues from erivan, and his fon, nezr ali myrza, with thirty thoufand, was advanced near the fame diflance. The van guard of the latter being met by the turks, a Ikirmifh enfued, and the Persians immediately re- treated to join the main army commanded by the shah himfelf. Upon this, nadir began to move, and fent a body of his forces to attack the TURKS in the rear, which was executed according to his intention. Be- ing arrived within two leagues of the enemy's camp, he pitched his tents on a rifing ground, neareft that body of the turks commanded by ab- dallah basha. The main body of the ottoman army v/as encamped I i 2 advan* 252 THE HISTORY OF Part V. 1745. advantageoufly, and defended by entrenchments, and a numerous ar- tillery. Mahommed basha had made fome marches to meet the kini-.sar : nor will thefe make up the compo- iuion, till we add the avarice of a vespasian ; and b'end them all with an ijnpolilbed brutal temper, fuch as mean educations are apt to exhibit, when poffcffcd of great power. » The minuteft circumflances relating to thofe, who have been the ob- jects of our aflonifliment, afford fatisfadion to the mind. I will there- fore mention fuch particulars, relating to nadir kouli, as have reached my knowledge, and which did not occur, or could not be fo properly inferted, in the body of this hiftorical account. Thofe, to whom his perfon was familiarly known, agree that his countenance was expreffive rather of an ingenuous mind, than a cruel difpofition. He was an af- shar, as already mentioned j and his face was rounder, and his nofe lefs inclined to the roman, than the Persians generally are. His hair was black J his eyes large and expreffive ^ his forehead high; and his 2 complexion Chap. XXXV. NADIR SHAH. 267 complexion fwarthy. His body was robuft ^ and his ftature about fix feet : his (houlders were round ". His whole countenance and perfon were awful, particularly when he fpoke. His voice was fo ftrong and fonorous, as to be audible to an incredible diftance j and the effedt it had upon his own foldiers, as well as an enemy, when he gave his commands in the field of battle, proved one great ftep to his advancement to the regal power. His corporal ftrength was not lefs inftrumental to his fortune. The extreme indulgence which had been fliewn him by nature in the vigour of his conftitution, received an accumulated force by the habit of his life. The battle-ax is one of the moft antient weapons among the orientals, but it had been for fome years much negleded in Persia ; nadir re- flored the ufe of it in a more particular manner : it was his favourite weapon, infomuch that before he afTumed the diadem, he was generally ftiled the ax-khan. Afterwards he was often feen with a battle-ax in his hand, playing with it in his tent of audience. His blows with this weapon carried with them inevitable death, of which he gave many proofs. His memory was as remarkable, as his perfed knowledge of the genius and temper of the Persians. He could at all times eafily recoiled the names, perfons, and charadters, of all thofe with-whom he had any con- nexion ''. He had ftudied the flate of the finances, and knew the particu- lar revenues of every province : but he was fo great a mafter of the art of ways and means, that he over-fhot his mark, and by his opprejflions quite deftroyed his own end. As he had no turn to contemplation, his fpirits were free and untlred by any reflexions but what immediately arofe from L 1 2 his " The ORIENTAL people generally are round-fliouldercd, arifing from their manner of fitting, and this occalions there being very little of majefly in their gait. ^"^ What is related of him con- cerning liis dictating to fcveral fecretaries at the fame time, I apprehend arofe from the notion that jL'Lius c.^sAR did this. I will not difpute the abilities of either the roman or the Persian hero; but as the letters of the latter are contained in few words, the matter being given in general terms, the fecretary performs ilie office, and then reads the letter. And here it may be obferved, that there have been fome ii./tai.ces of their reading differently from what they wrote, which has been the occafion of great vilianies and perplexities. 268 THE CHARACTEP. OF Part VI. his employments in the field. He was far advanced in life before he had learnt to read ; nor did any part of his knowledge depend the leaft on books. His prefence of mind was very remarkable"; and hisrefolutions were almoft as quick as his thoughts : hence he did many things extra- vagant and abfurd. At one part of his life he drank freely of wine and brandy, but after- wards abftained from the latter entirely, and ufed the former in fuch a proportion only, as gave the greater energy to his thoughts, and fup- ported the activity and ftrength of his body. The ufe of wine is con- trary to the MAHOMMEDAN law, but his example recommended it to his foldiers. He ufed to feed liberally upon a fimple diet ; yet he would march a whole day upon the ilrength of a few parched peafe, which it is common for the Persians to carry in their pockets. His drefs was not remarkable ^ his mind feemed to be fuperior to ex- ternal pomp or luxurious foftnefs. His pride was in precious flones y, with which his diadem was adorned, and he wore feveral in his turbant alfo. He was often {ecn with a large faphire in his hand, with which he ufed to amufe himfelf in his tent. It was faid, that he always wore a coat of mail of chain-work under liis cloaths : this is not improbable, confidering the knowledge he had of the refentment of the people to- wards him. He affeded to go thinly clad, and recommended this ex- ample to his foldiers. It is re.ifonable to believe, that mens pafiions are ilrong in proportion to what is generally underftood by ftrength of mind, and in fome mea- fure connected with the appetite. Where religion and the cuflom of a country .fubfcril/C to any favourite inclination, it would be furprizing, if a man poflelfed of a boundkfs power, did not give as boundlefs a . fcope to fuch inclination. Nadir- was remarkable for his love of wo- men. It was faid, that fome years before his death, a virgin was brought to his bed every night : thefe are ftories however which are ri- diculous. He contented himfelf latterly with thirty- three women ' ; fome " See page 71. y I have already had occafion to mention the horfc-furniture?, Vol. I. page 2(;5. ^ Thcfe had about the fame number of female fervants and at- tcrit!ant«, wluth confliiuted the number mentioned in Vol. J. page z^f). Ghap. XXXV. NADIR SHAH. 269 fome of whom long retained a place in his fiivour. In his wars in tur- key, he often carried his feraglio with him. His detefbation of fodomy was extreme : but though he had frequent occafions of making examples of the pra(5lifers of that fin, yet I never heard that he interfered but once ; and then he caufed the malefacSlor's eyes to be put out, his ears, his nofe, and his lips to be cut off: un- der thefe miferable circumftances, this man put himfelf to death. In what manner the Persians formerly regarded this iin, appears from the condu(5t of shah seffie towards a youth, who, in refifling this atrocious crime, flabbed his own mafter, a khan of great diiiincftion, for which the shah condemned him to be torn to pieces by dogs. The fame fortitude which induced this youth to deliver himfelf by fuch de- fperate means, fupported him to the laft 5 and he died with the utmofl bravery. As to cruelty, it at length became a kind of diver hon to nadir ; this was chiefly excited by avarice, and jealoufy of his own fecurity, as well as a habit of infenfibility. 1 never indeed heard that he put any man to death, in cold blood, with his own hands, after his advancement to the diadem : this is more than can be faid of fome of their former princes, who lawfully poilefled the regal dignity ; for the Persian kings through many ages have been remarkable for great inhumanity. How very different are the chriflian and mahommedan princes ? The former, who under- iland their dignity, never appear in cafes of executions^ 3 the Utter de- light to be prefent, being otherwife diffident that their orders will not be performed. Nadix^ faw the executions of all t])ofe who were put to death in his cam.p^, nor ever appeared in the leafc diilurbed. When mens crimes become various and complicated, r>nd the judge blends his private pallions or refentments with the exercife of i"/;s office, in what an extremity of mifery mufl a nation be involved, where j jflice is thus ad- 3 miniilered ? ^ The late king of Portugal was indeed carried away with falfe notions of religion, fo as to be prefent, incog, at the burning of the jews. ^ The persjan judges, either civil or military, -vlio fit on caufes, are obh'ged to be prefent at the execution of their own fentence.? ; when it does not extend, to death, they mitigate or increafe as they think proper. 270 THE CHARACTER OF Part VI. miniftered ? Some inftances of nadir's cruelty were the efFeds of policy. Upon occafion of his memorable exploit of driving the Afghans out of PERSIA', when he entered Isfahan in triumph, one of his foldicrs violated the wife of a Persian of diftindiion. The man complained to nadir, that he could not live after fo great an indignity ^ " No," fays nadir, " I think you cannot," and immediately ordered him to be flrangled. He then explained to his officers the reafon of his conducfl in thefe terms, " I make no doubt but you will confider me as very cruel, for " taking this man at his word ; but what can I do in fuch times as thefc ? " A vidtorious army cannot always be reftrained. Had I redrefled this *' man's wrongs, I fliould have a hundred fuch complaints made to me, " and my time would be taken up in chaftifmg my foldiers, inflcad of " employing them to conquer the enemies of our country." However, he altered his rule of condud: in this particular, of which I have related fome inftances. He often fuffered feveral to pafs with impunity, though he knew they gave him no lefs harfh an appellation than villain 3 but towards thofe who exercifed their wit in keener fatyr, he was inexorable. It is a com- pliment amongft the Persians, to fay upon the entrance of a gucfl, ** Your place was very void '^." In the maufoleum which nadir caufed to be built at mesched, for his reception af^er deSth, fomebody wrote on the walls in very pathetic terms j " Oh! nadir, how full of thy " renown is every corner of the earth ! Thy name indeed.is very great ; " but thy place here is very void." Severe inquifition was made for the author of this writing ; it was concluded to be done by fome man of letters J and many mullahs were brought to a trial: to compel them to a difcovery, fome were whipt to fuch an extremity, that they expired under the lafli. In allufion to nadir's exaltation, a certain perfon obferved of a foun- tain in ISFAHAN, that the higher the water was thrown up, the greater was the velocity of its falh Nadir never wanted the bafe inftruments of tyranny to acquaint him of the minutefl adtions j and this man grati- fied his wit at no lefs an expence than his life. None * In 1729. "• This anfwers to, Your company was much wanted. Chap. XXXV. NADIR SHAH. 271 None of their former kings ever inflidted punifliments in a greater variety, or with circumftances more whimlical and extravagant, than NADIR. Two perfons of diftindion wrote to him feveral times, com- plaining of each other : at length they were both fent for to the camp. It is probable he knew the characters of thefe men j but without enter- ing into the merits of either of their complaints, he pronounced them both rafcals 3 " And fmce," fays he, " you are fo fond of troubling me *' with your epiftles, I will fpoil your fportj" accordingly he ordered the eyes of both of them to be put out. His wantonnefs in cruelty was not lefs apparent, in the inftance I have mentioned of the dancer % Another time he ordered a man's teeth to be pulled out, for no other reafon than their being buck-teeth. The flory of his caufmg shave rdi BEG to be beaten, in order that he might remember the charge which was given him ^ had humour and judgment mixed with barbarity. He treated common men and delinquents of the higheft rank without much diftindion of perfons. It was no unufual fight in the chancery, to fee thofe who had been the day before baftinadoed almoft to death, whofe eyes had been put out, or their nofe cut off, yet brought before him to be further queftioned. Upon thefe cccafions they have often funk down thro' pain or want of reft : and thefe miferable objeds hitve been alfo obliged to travel with the camp. When nadir fent for any perfon, if he did not inftantly come, the meffengers drove him with blows ; and thofe who have made any fliort delay, to fini(h their prayers S or to perform any other weighty bufinefs, have been often baftinadoed. The avarice of this tyrant was no lefs remarkable than his cruelty. It was his cuftom, according to the pradlice of former kings, to fend for the governors of the provinces, however remote from his camp, to ap- pear before him every new-year's-day. His intention in this very fre- quently was to muia them, or put them to death. His ordinary me- thod was to interrogate them concerning the ftate and condition of the province, ^ Vol. I. page 256. f Vol. I. page 219. « The mahomwedans are much drifter in this refpe '\ than the chriftians. £72 THE CHARACTER OF Part VL province, and of their own behaviour in particular. From thence he proceeded to trifling and fuperfluous queftions, concluding that he fup- poied they had defrauded him of large funis. " How much," favs he, *' of my money have you eaten ^ ; and in whofe hands is it Iod{2:ed ? " Thefe queftions were ordinarily followed by the baftinado, to induce •them to condemn themfelves, or to accufe other people of being depo- fitaries of confiderable fums. It frequently happened that thefe perfons, either to avoid the pain of corporal punifliments, or with the hopes of being reftored to their governments, have given in a fictitious lift of pci^ fons as their debtors, with the fums due from each, and alfo of effedts depofited in their hands. They even took this occafion to gratify their private refentments, by mentioning thofe as their debtors, who had given them any offence. The confequence of thefe declarations was the iftliino- a decree, ordering the colledion of fuch fums and cffeds by the fevereft executions of military law, without any liberty of appeal previous to the payment. If thefe pretended debtors, after a fevere beating were found incapable of payment, orders were often given to colled fuch fums from the province. The governors were frequently guilty of enormous extor- tions and cruelties, without giving a true account of what they had thus unjuftly colle(5ted ; yet the complaints of the people feldom obtained them any relief; for the elders or principal perfons of the provinces, who were generally called on to appear as witneftcs againft their governors, were often compelled to make good their allegations, by paying the de- ficiency of the shah's demands, after the fequeftration of the governor's eficds. He carried the matter fo far that upon a certain occafion, when lie found himfelf diftrefied how to anfwer one who had vindicated his tondud:, he faid to him, " You rafcal, did not you drink cold water' ?" It docs not appear, from any circumftance of the firft ftnge of this man's life, that his temper was avaricious. It is natural to believe, that he thought nothing could fecure his ufurpation better than the poverty of the people, as the moft eftedual means of preventing their rebellions, or of rendering them abortive. This is the beft argument that can be brought *> The ordinary term in PERsr a for embezzlement. » This Is an infiance of fuch flagrant lyraiiiiy, as haruly comji within die Imucs of belie/, )et I have been aiiured that it k really trJ'e. Chap. XXXV, NADIR SHAH. 273 brought in extenuation of that crime, which at length became the great moving principle to drown Persia in blood. Poverty without doubt was a great difcouragement, and often proved a bar to the fuccefs of their attempts againft him. But what can we fay of his unjufl and cruel treatment of private perfons, merely for the fake of what they poilelTed j where there was not the leafl reafon to fufped; their loyalty ? In 1740, feveral diftrids in ghilan were ordered to equip foldiers for the fervice of the crown, and to be anfwerable in the penalty of one thoufand crowns ^ for each deferter. This proved a fource of oppref- fion J for thefe recruits were generally ill paid, and ill treated in the army, that they might be tempted to defert ; and the payment of the penalty was always rigoroufly exacted of the fecurities. When he found himfelf bound in honour to difapprove of the be- haviour of his governors, of whofe unjuft condudl all poffible evidence had been given, his decrees for reflitution to the complainants were generally exprefled in fuch ambiguous terms, as rendered the application for juftice vexatious, and the ilTue of them oftentimes unfuccefsful. Sen- fible of his predominant vice, his greatefl officers greedily amafTed riches, as the fared means of their prefervation ; though it frequently happened, thofe very riches were the caufe of their deftrudion. Having been often challenged to anfwer for their corruption, feveral of the mofl conlidera- ble amongft them, at length refolved to keep a regular account of all prefents they received, that in cafe of need they might produce it : but flill it was a misfortune to polTefs any money; for nadir feldom thought he had got their all. Shew and equipage is a favourite paffion among the PERSIANS, yet I obferved the governors who came to anfwer for their condud, and other great officers, chofe to walk on foot in the camp, rather than appear in any circumftances of affluence. As to the officers of inferior rank, they imagined their fecurity confifled in re- fufing prefents. Avarice, ^ 250/. Vol. IV. M m 274 THE CHARACTER OF Part VI. Avarice, the peculiar weaknefs of old age, increafed on nadir with his years : yet his rapacioufnefs might not be entirely an effedl of this pafTion. If we confider the vafl cxpence of his army ; the impofiibility of raifmg taxes upon his people, in the latter part of his reign j and that his fafety depended on the military power with which he was furround- ed ; his INDIAN treafure, though reputed very large, was not fufficient to check his apprehenfions of want. At length he gave a ftanding order to his minifters, not to prefent any petitions to him that were re- pugnant to the intereft of the crown "" j by which was plainly meant, that he would do no other ad: of juflice in money affairs^ than the bare payment of his army. The feizure he made on his own foldiers, on the banks of the indu?, is as diftinguiflicd a proof of his avarice, as of his refolution. From that time he laid claim to all diamonds and jewels of value, that were expo- fed to fale in his dominions i alledging, that he had been defrauded of them, on the occafion of his Indian conqueft j or that they were ftolen out of his jewel-houfe. He has more than once punifhed offenders of this fort with baftonading, and even with death j and, in thefe cafes, befide the lofs of the precious ftones, he inflicted a muld of equal value. Jealoufy and diftrufl:, in all their horrid forms, will ever wait in the chambers of tyrants, and torment them " before their time." Nadir's great officers were fo fenfible of this, that they were afraid to converfe even with Grangers, except when they were upon duty in their tribunals. Neither did they dare to vifit each other in their tents, except in the day- time ', " This is a common notion in arbitrary countries, where the prince and his fubjefts are often con- fidered in fo different a 1 ght, that many adls of juftice are omitted, out of a religious regard to the intereft of the crown, as they are pleafed to call it. Perhaps it is from the fame notion, that ivcn in fo polite and free a country as great dritain, the debts of a deceafcd prince are paid very late, and fomttimes not at all. This conduft feems to be void of ccconomy, if net of juftice. If it is underftood as a condition, that when a prince dies, -the tradefman muft lofe his money, them ought at leall to be fome method in payments whilft he lives ; and, in the mean while, the. prince muU pay dear for all that Ik confumcs that is bought on truft. 4 Chap. XXXV. NADIR SHAH. 275 time ; and that only in the prefence of their fervants, or other witnelTes, left a fufpicion (hould be conceived of their caballing againft him ". He made no fcruple of telling the people that he was apprized of their dif- affedion, but that he neither regarded it nor them. An arrow was fliot once into his quarters with a libel, accufing him of tyranny and irreli- gion ; demanding of him if he was a devil or god ; a tyrant, a kino-, or a prophet ? That if he was a god, they would fupplicate his mercy to avert their punifhment j if a king, they intreated him to {hew clemency; if a prophet, to produce his million ? To this paper nadir made a very difpaffionate anfwer : " I am neither god nor devil, tyrant nor prophet; *' but I am one fent from God, to punifli an iniquitous generation of " men." This anfwer was written, and copies of it annexed to the libel, and placed in the mofi: confplcuous part of the camp : a promife of pardon was alfo made to the author, if he would difcover himfelf ; and a confiderable reward to any perfon who fhould difcover him. Much may be alledged for the fufpicious turn which he took; for the PERSIANS are as gentle, foft, and perfualive in their manners, as they are full of cunning and deceit. They are polite, and affedt condefcen- fion to ftrangers or guefts ; but where they have any power or authority, their deportment is feliifh, haughty, and infolent : to this we may add a ftrong propenlity ° to rebellion. From his earlieft life nadir had an experimental knowledge of them, in all their feveral ranks and condi- tions ; and feemed now to have adopted as an invariable maxim, that they could be ruled only with a rod of iron. Thus feveral caufes con- curred to cherifh a cruel, jealous difpoiition. As he mounted the throne by means of the corruption and immorality of the people, policy ftill re- quired him to fow the feeds of a jealous enmity among the principal per- fons under his command. How dreadful the fituation of a tyrannical king, when the very union of his fubjedts is the greateft objedt of his terror ; and their mu- tual hatred and difgufl effential to his fupport ! Religion was flill the M m 2 cloak " See Vol. I, page 189. ^ Though this may not be the proper charafleriftic of the people, yet it feems to be an efFeft of their prefent immorality, as well as rsientment of tyranny. 276 THE CHARACTER OF Part VI. clcak to foment animofities. The Persians profelled a veneration for ALi, and their expounders of the khoran j whilft the tartars, and other nations, of which his army was chiefly compofed, were of the kS, of the suNNis. Nadir ranked himfelf ftridly with neither p, but was equally attentive to gratify both, whenever the occafion required. His o-reateft fupport arofe from the multitude of his fpies and emilfaries, de- tached into every part of the empire. His public officers and private a«-ents, growing fufpicious of each other, were equally impatient of giving the firft information, of any fecret dcfign, or even difaffedion, in pre- judice to their mafler. Thus the nearefl relations and moft intimate friends, often entertained a jealoufy of each other. Thofe who had any honefty in their nature, might be fometimes tempted for their oaths fake, and to prevent <"He effafion of blood, to give intelligence j the envious and revengeful to gratify their private paflions ; his mercenaries for their intereft : and almoft in general were they defirous of fliaring the fpcils of ruined provinces j thus tearing out the entrails of their common pa- rent, and rendering themfelves inftrumental to their own deftrudion. Every focial virtue was negleded j common faith and common honefty were little more among them, than bare names. Under thefe circum- flances, how could they be delivered from the power of one tyrant, with- out falling into the hands of another ? "Whilfl nadir's glory was ripening, it was his policy to make great profcfiions of eftecm to thofe whofe fervices lie flood in need of j but afterwards he acted on the wretched maxim, that a king has no friend or relation. Gratitude confequently could not appear as a princely virtue, nor have any feat in his breaft j on the contrary, he fcemed diffident, that thofe who were capable of a zealous concern for his interelf from a principle of alfcdion, might on the fame principle be partial to others alfo, if his condud fliould render him ungrateful to them. This feemed to be the general rule he obferved, with fome few exceptions ; fince we find that the vigilance and moderation of mustapha khan and cos- si m KHAN, the only two perfons whofe condud I ever heard com- mended, fupported themj and we muft amidfl all his crimes do nadir the >* We liavc already explained his polticial inclination to the fcft of the sunn is. Chap. XXXV. NADIR SHAH. 2^7 the juftice to remember, that he cheriflied thefe men to the laft. This feems to prove how irrefifllble the charms of virtue are -, and that the fubjeds of PERSIA were in general almoft as little deferving mercy, as their king was difpofed to fhew it. But the amiable qualities of the mind being fo rare, they could be no great objeds of his dread : the perfections moft level to his obfervation, and which ftruck moft forci- bly on his mind, were corporal ftrength and valour. Though he often ftood in need of thefe, the perfon who acquired any diftingui(hed re- putation for them., became the objed of his envy, if not of his fear. Of this they told me a remarkable ftory : A certain mim bashi "i had often diftinguifhed himfelf in the field of battle : his fkill in the ufe of the fabre was not lefs extraordinarv than his corporal flrength, and he was at length made a khan. The Per- sians, in their hyperbolical manner of fpeaking, fiy, that this man could cut a mule with a pack-faddle on her back through at one ftroke. It is hardly credible how much the Persians efteem bodily ilrength and military abilities: nadir cafl a jealous eye on this perfon 3 and as if he meant to try his virtue, he gave him the charge of a beautiful girl, to be carried to his brother ibrahim khan. On the way he debauched her 5 and ibrahim difcovering the indignity, fent her back to the king his brother. It is eafy to imagine, that nadir would refent the affront alfo; in fhort; he vowed to flied the blood of the offender. Riza kouli MYRZA, then in high favour v/ith his father, had a very particular re- gard for this officer J he attended the prifoner before the shah's "^ pavilion, pleaded his caufe, and obtained his pardon. Nadir, for the fake of his vow, ordered a bit of the offender's ear to be cut off. This however was but a temporary reprieve : foon after he was fent to burn a Turk- ish village J but before it was poffible for him to arrive there, he was recalled, and queftioned why he had not performed his orders j and after feveral imperious infults, nadir commanded that he fhould be ffrangled. Before the bovs^-flring was thrown about his neck, he made a fign, as if he had fomething of importance to communicate} and, as is ufual in fuch ^ Commander of a thoufand horfe. •■ The circumftances feem to indicate, that this event was a little before he was declared king. 278 THE CHARACTER OF Part VI. fuch cafes, a fufpenfion was permitted. The khan availed himfelf of this interval, to plunge out of the hands of the executioners ; and feizing the fabre of one near him, ruflied forward towards the shah, who rofe from his feat, and retired before his enemy. The attendants near the royal pavilion interpofed, and killed the delinquent, but not before he had (lain three of them. This circumflance was one great caufe, why the people in general, as well as the prifoners, wlio were brought before the SHAH, were kept at a greater diftance than common. The natural pride of the human heart is flattered, when our fuperiors bring themfelves down to our level. The general, who is not over-tender of his perfon, becomes the minion of the common foldiers; but if to cou- rao-e he adds liberality, he fubdues their hearts. Nadir was a mafler of every art of this fort, and in his firfl appearances in life, gained the uni- verfal affedion of the army. He was no fooner vefted with a command, than he became afliduous to ingratiate himfelf with the foldiers, not only by procuring them their pay in due time, but alfo good cloathing at an eafy price, with the addition of occafional gifts. He was not ignorant of the ufe of clemency, in circumflances of great importance. A party of ousBEGS, who had done him fignal fervice in battle, afterwards de- ferted from him : he fent a body of troops, and brought them to his camp as prifoners : they expeded death j but he bid them continue to ferve him faithfully, as they had already done, and made every private man the prefent of fifty crowns, and gave five hundred to each officer. The revolt of foldiers, on whom he mofl depended for the fecurity of his perfon, as well as the advancement of his glory, might have been attended with very dangerous confequences. But he no fooner carried his point, than he adopted new principles. Common prudence indeed obliged him to be watchful of the ceconomy of his army ; yet the meannefs of his education could not be corrected by his advancement to the diadem ; and whilfl jealoufy and diftruft became his conflant companions, cruelty and avarice gained the afccndant over him, in every adtion of the latter part of his life j this appeared in many circumflances, not only towards his army, but to the people in general. No Chap. XXXV. NADIR SHAH. 279 No part of nadir's charader was more diflinguifhed, than that of a general ; he lived in the field in the feveral charadlers of a peafant, a captive, a fervant, a robber, a foldier, a general, and a king. Bred up in all the arts and fubtleties of the tartars, he acquired a great pro- ficiency in the pradical knowledge of robbery. Hence it is eafy to ima- gine, that a perfon of his extraordinary natural talents and perfonal firength, fkould become forward, bold, and enterprizing. Enured to a military life, he acquired a ftrong inclination for that variety which a continued change of place is apt to create. The intrepidity which he poflefied in fo eminent a degree, is a dazling quality among men profeffing arms ; but fuccefs eflabiifhed his character as an able and fortunate general. His perfon and voice were inftrumental to his promotion, but his va- lour was not lefs (o. They feem to have adled reciprocally on each other; and the confcioufnefs of his fuperiority over mofl other men, rendered him dauntlefs to a degree of amazement ; yet were his mo- tions generally direded with great prudence : the fame prefence of mind which affifled him on all emergencies, taught him alfo how to confult his own fafety j for it cannot be imputed entirely to fortune, that he was never wounded. In the height of his grandeur, he would upon any emergency, out-march his baggage, and fuffer any hardfiiip incident to a common foldier. His quicknefs of obfervation where his forces were weakeft, and his prefence of mind in fuccouring them, ever gave him a wonderful fupe- riority over his enemies. His refolution feemed to infpire his people with a determined purpofe to conquer or die; nor did his ofiicers ever behave ill with impunity. In action, he generally tired many horfes, being never long miffing where his prefence was needful. Upon thefe occa- fions he was wont to addrefs his men in fuch familiar terms, as feemed to demonftrate an opinion, that a foldier will not perform his duty well^ when he has no regard for his general. He found it indifpenfably ne- cefiary to keep his army in motion, to prevent thofe confpiracies, for which a great part of his foldiers were always ripe ; by this means alfo, the people in the remote parts of the empire were kept in awe, and he 2go THE CHARACTER OF Part VL he was ready to oppofe the invadon of his neighbours, or to make conquefts. As he enjoyed great health, and was enured to exercife, his adivity was hardly to be exceeded. His mind was ilrongly tinctured with the notion of predeflination, and he became fo much the more dauntlefs by it -, yet we do not find that he fell into the abfurd pra(5tice of deviating from the dictates of common fenfe, with which this erroneous principle fometimes affe6ts its votaries. He feldom placed a confidence that was unneceiTary, or expofcd himfelf to a danger that was avoidable. In the condudl of his wars, he ever preferred ftratagems to force. His marches were always amazingly rapid, and his progrefs fo irregular, and contrary to the ordinary rules of war, that he confounded his enemies. Thus he often defeated their beft laid fchcmes, and attacked them where they were leaft able to defend themfelves. Yet in matters of the greatefl: moment, his refolutions were generally fo quick and furpaffing ordinary apprehenfions, that it feem- ed doubtful whether they were the efFefts of a folid judgment, or a blind temerity. Under the difliculties in which he was often involved, irrelblu- tion feemed to be what he dreaded moil ; nor did he dare to alk advice, left he fhould weaken the fuperiority by which he governed. The neigh- bouring MAHOMMEDAN ftatcs, after fome years knowledge of him, conceived fuch an opinion of his penetration, and fuch a dread from his fortune, as to afcribe to him a kind of preternatural power. The fame notions, among his own people, often led them to betray themfelves, and defert their own caufe. As to reli^^ion, it was uncertain what his notions were : before a battle, it was his conftant cuftom to proflrate himfelf for the fpace of a minute, and make an ejaculatory prayer j this being the chief, if not the fole ad: of religion, of which he gave any demonftration, as the Persians con- fidently relate of him. Never was a man more indefatigable with regard to perfonal application and attendance to every duty of a commander : and it was his practice In the height of fummer, and fometimes at other feafons, to come to his tent of audience early in the morning, often making it a fecond vifit before noon, I and Chap. XXXV. NADIR SHAH. 281 and fpending many hours of the evening in the fame manner. He was punctual in the payment ofhis army, and took a furprizing care that his camp (hould be fupplied with the necelfaries of Hfe j but at the fame time he received great advantages by being the fole vender of cloth, and fome other commodities to his foldiers, conflantly employing a perfon under the denomination of the shah's merchant. Whether it arofe from the fuperiority of his genius that he negleded forms, or from the narrownefs ofhis education that he could not Hil up the charader, he often forgot the dignity of a king. Upon the occafion of his giving a government to a certain perfon, he fpoke to this cffeO: : ^^ Remember that you are not to have any communication with the *' MULLAH' J but I know that you will go to him by nighty and you " will talk of me j he will confefs there is not fuch a king in the world " as I am, but at the fame time he will tell you I am a rafcal ", and *' have no mercy : take heed how you liften to his fuggeflions." Nor was he lefs ingenuous upon many occafions. Having afked if there were any prince on the earth greater than himfelf and the grand fignior ; and being anfwered, that there were not any, he replied, " You are mif- " taken ; the basha of bagdat is greater than either of us 5 for both " of us have been endeavouring to reduce him to our fubjedlion, but his " fortune and condudt have been fuperior to our attempts'''." Many circumftances of the politics of this extraordinary man were un- fathomable, particularly in his punilhing offenders ; petty crimes he often chaflifed with heavy punifhments, whilft offences of the blackefl: dye fometimes pafTed with impunity, or a flight refentment. Even thofe who had been in open rebellion againrt him, he has more than once reinftated in their office, or preferred them to greater dignities, of which TAGHi khan is a remarkable inftance. Thus he feemed inclined to trufl thofe who had been his avowed enemies, rather than fuch as he had not yet proved. In » a certain priefl whom nadir fufpecled of difafFedlion- * He alfo mentioned the room where they would fit, with other circumiUnces. " Kurumsack. '^ As mentioned page 1 10. Vol. IV. N n ^t2 THE CHARACTER OF Part VL In the latter part of his reign he had no counfcllor j and his minifters in moft repute were fo far from heing admitted to any kind of fami- harity, that they dared not enter his tent. When they had bufinefs with him, thev ftood in the open air within the fcmicircle of his attendants, being rarely allowed to fit down. It muft be obferved, that the rank to wliich he promoted them was a reward for their valour, and their knowled^^e of the arts of extortion, not for their wifdom or probity i from whence it naturally followed, that men of the meanell extradioa often pofidled the higheft offices. The ftate of mankind is fo corrupt, that anions even of the brigheft hue frequently endanger the fecurity of the adlor, by the malice, envy, avarice, or ambition of other men. This has been in no country more verified in thefe latter ages, than in Persia. To thofe uncommon talents which nadir pofleffed, had he joined hum.anity and probity of mind, it would be reafonable to think he might have been the in- flrument to prevent the ruin of that unhappy country. But could a man of probity rule over a people, whofe corruption rendered them mature for deflrudion ? Had the people been lefs vicious, the vices of the ufurper could not have been fo deftrudive. In extenuation of nadir's crimes, great as they will ever be acknow- ledged, there was a moral certainty of his becoming a facrifice much fooner, had he been pofTelTed of lefs power. It was with him, as with many great wicked men before him j being advanced in the perilous paths of ambition, he found it dangerous to flop, and impofiible to retreat with fafcty. Sclf-prefervation then called on him to march on, and explore the giddy heights from v/hence he fell, and involved his country in fuch prodigious ruin. We are apt to afcribe even the good ad:ions of wicked men to finifter purpofes. There is no charader without fome fliades and mixtures of virtue. In the beginning of his reign, nadir dif- penfed juflice with an equal hand, and affeded the name of a juft king. Great encouragement was given to appeal to him upon every occafion of the extortion or illegal proceedings of his governors j nor was redrefs to be obtained but from his decrees : fuch was the abominable corruption of Chap. XXXV. NADIR SHAH. 283 of the people. Thus at a time when men of fentiments might have fomc flattering expedations of happy confequences from the victories of thek fovereign, the arts of venaHty prevailed fo much, that even the royal de- crees could not be carried into execution, without bribes and prefents. It is an inconteftable fad, that Persia was indebted to nadir kouli for her deliverance from the yoke of the Afghans : to him {he owed the reftoration of her legal fovereign ; and by his valour and conduct the PERSIAN monarchy recovered, in a little more than eight years, the feveral dominions which had been torn from her during the weak and effeminate reign of shah hussein, and the invafion of the Afghans; but that he adted on juft principles, or pofTelTed fuch abilities as were ne- celTary to fecure all thefe advantages, the fondefl: panegyrifl never will pretend. On the contrary, it feems plain from the iffue, that he was influenced by motives which eclipfe his beft adions, and that he afpired at the fovereignty from his firfl, defeat of the Afghans. Many caufes co-incided to flatter the highefl expedation that could be formed in his breafl; of thefe the great corruption of the people muft have been the chief; whilfl the weaknefs of shah t^hmas opened fuch ^ profped to him of mounting to the fupreme power, as could not be refmed by a man, in whofc mind all moral confiderations g^ve way to his am- bition. N n 2 PART [ 284] PART VII. THE Short and unfortunate reign of A D I L S H A H. CHAP. XXXVI. Ali kouli khan eleBed king of Persia at mesched. He fends hh brother ibrahim myrza to Isfahan j and commits federal cruelties. He folicits the friendJlAp of Russia. The revolt of amur aslan Kh^N i alfo of IBRAHIM MYRZA. The death of zorab khan. Tlje defeat of ad il shah, and his brother ibrahim myrza, 6cc. 3747. « ^ U R O P E fcems to be very imperfedlly acquainted with the con- w^ fequences of the death of the ufarper nadir 3 even the rus- . ^ ^ siANS and the Turks, v/ho are beft fituated to receive informa- tion, have not, I beheve, the moft perfcdl accounts ; and are moreover interefted, either to conceal or mifreprefent thofe which reach them. The fpiUing of nadir's blood has been a frefli fource of calamities to the PERSIANS. I have mentioned fome few particulars, fo far as they relate to our unfortunate trade over the Caspian sea ^ All that I have to add, is a fhort account of fome events which followed the cataflrophe of the ufurper. It has been already obferved, that mustapha khan was on an em- bafly to turkey, when nadir's death happened. Providence feemcd to interpofe for his fecurity, who was one of the very few honcft men in "■ ate Vul. n, pages 87, kc. Chap. XXXVI. THE REIGN OF, 66c. 285 in PERSIA. As he was prevented from being a fpedtator, it is probable 1747. he efcaped being a fharer alfo, in the unhappy fate of his mafter. He was arrived in the Turkish dominions when the news reached him j and he thought it neceilary for his fecurity to proceed with all his re- tinue to CONSTANTINOPLE. In the mean while, the Turkish embaffa- dor, who V7as coming to confirm the peace lately concluded, had the good fortune to reach bagdat with all the valuable prefents which he was carrying to the Persian court. As to knez galitzen, the news of nadir's violent death no fooner arrived at reshd, than he retired to astrachan by fea, as well to inform his court of this extraordinary event, and provide for the fafety of his own perfon, as to receive frefh inilrudlions. Ali kouli khan now made no fecret, that he had been the chief inftigator of the confpiracy againft his u-ncle, and as fuch was confidered as beft entitled to the diadem. As he had been governor of mesched, no officer could boaft of fuperior honours -, and as the nephew of the late tyrant, he had been refpected : but though he was fo nearly related to nadir, he had very little refemblance in his difpofition ; his temper was free, open and generous,, nor was he without the reputation of being a - good foldier. The news of his uncle's death was no fooner brought to him ^, than he came to mesched, where he put on the royal diadem, and took the name of adil shah y, with the feeming applaufe of the inhabitants, and began his reign in a very popular manner. In confideration of the great poverty of the people ; he remitted the taxes over the whole empire, and per- formed other ads of clemency. But at the fame time, according to the execrable policy of mahommedan princes, he imbrued his hands in the blood of his nearefl relations. Nesr ali myrza firft fell a facrifice to his jealoufy, nor did he fpare the blind riza kouli. Different accounts were given of his condu(5t towards shahrokk, the fon of this blind prince, * It is a circumllance net unworthy of remark, that the me-fTenger who was fcnt with n adi r's head to ALI KOULI KHAN, lolt it by the way ; and to fave his credit, produced that of another man.. y The jufc king. I 286 THE REIGN OF Part VII. '747' prin^c^i ^^^ grand-fon ' of NADIR. Whether the real shahrokh fur- vived this event, or not j one under this name, who pretended to be the identical perfon, foon after aflumed the diadem, as we fliall relate. Tho' ALi had the reputation of being humane ; yet his cruelty did not ftop at the deftrudtion of the fons of nadir, for he alfo caufed feveral of his uncle's women, who were with child, to be ripped up. KjelaT) with all the treafure in it being furrendcred up to him, to all appearance the moft prudent ftep which this new king could take, was to march immediately to Isfahan, and carry with him a great part of his riches. Nadir's army being for the moft part difperfed, he could have left a fufficient number of troops on the eaftern frontiers, and then raifing a new army, eftablifh himfelf on the bafis of a military govern- ment, fo elTential to the fupport of his fovereignty. But he was blind to the danger to which he was expofed, and triumphing in a fond fecu- rity from his immenfe riches, abandoned himfelf to his fiivourite grati- fications of women and wine, and fent his brother ibrahim khan, whom we fhall now call ibrahim myrza *, to Isfahan, in order to raife recruits. His next bufinefs was to excufe himfelf for the fhare he had in the murder of his uncle ; and, at the fame time, to make his intentions known to the people, with regard to their future relief from that infup- portable tyranny, which had been exercifed over them ; fo that this event might afford them all the joy and confolation which was natural to cxped from fuch a deliverance. The following decree, which he fent to reshd in the province of GHiLAN, gives us an idea of the flate of affairs a few weeks after nadir's death. " Wherein » According to the accounts we had at that time from bersia, it was doubtful whether the real shahrokh was put to death, or not ; feme report that he was previoufly fent away into fafe cuflody ; others, that he was prefent, but fpared at the inftigation of the prieft, as the only remaining blocd, on the mother's fide, of the seffije family. " As the brotJier of a king, wc now call him myrxa, or prince. Chap. XXXVI. A D I L S H A H. 287 " Wherein stands ** The kingdom of GOD, " SHAH AND SOVEREIGN OF THE EMPIRE, " A SERVANT OF ALI, " A MANDATE V^HICH THE V^HOLE WORLD OBEYS \ " The noble and honourable cheich el islam <=j the kazzi*^; the *^ elders and all fubjeds ^ the poor and opprelTed inhabitants of reshd, " LAHijAN, rancoute, keskar, fumin, shefta, kugdum % and " the places thereunto belonging j to whom the Almighty has granted ** his unutterable mercies; who are aiTured of, and exalted by our in- '* comparable fovereign favour ; (hall know, in what manner the wick- '* ednefs of the barbarous monarch ^ hath prevailed. All nations and " languages, the exalted and the humble, the good and the bad fubjeds " of the empire of iran s, are too well acquainted with his proceedings. *' Their inceflant cries and lamentations have reached even unto the " heavens. By putting out the eyes of the inhabitants, depriving them *' of their lives; and felling the fons and daughters of mufTulmen ; even " the feven celeflial circles '' were moved to compaflion. In a word, the *' extortion of elphs ' and crores ^ has been the caufe of multitudes of " people lofing their fight ^ ; whilll the tyrannical monarch barbaroufly *' eredled lofty towers of human heads through the provinces, exceeding ** all the cruelties of paft ages. At length, our fovereign majefty com- ** manded the moft emitient and high inftruded, mahommed kouli " khan, our KURCHi bashi'", that he fhould prevail on the afshar " guards, to feize and remove the tyrant ; thus performing a fervice " highly beneficial to the public welfare, reftoring reft and tranquillity " to the nation. Mahommed kouli khan did not refufe to obey. *' All ^ This was the infcription on the royal fignet, which they place at the head of the decree. * Chief of religion. Islam we have obfcrved fignifies fafety ; by which is meant the mahomme- DAN religion. ^ Judges. '■' Thefe are diftrifts in and about ghilan. ^Nadir. s Persia. ^ The planets. ' Five hundred thoufand hazardenaer, or i2:;,ooo/. '' Ten elphs, or five millions of crowns, or 1,250,000/. are equal to a crore in india. ' He here quotes a text out of the khoran, which is very obfcurc, and contradidlory. I have heard tliat the number of perfons blinded, was not kfs ♦ban thirty t.houfand ; but this feems to be exaggerated, ""• Vol. IJI. p. 73. 1747- 288 THE REIGN OF Part VIL 174.7, " ^^^ peifons of diilindion, and the whole army near our vI(5lorious and <« fplendent flirrup, were anxious to extirpate the deep-rooted violencee " and oppreflions of this tyrannical king. We therefore marched at the ** head of our forces from ferag and hi- rat, and came with hafle " for that purpofe ; but on our arrival on the borders of terb^dshan, " news came that the afshar guards had already feized the tyrant. In *' tl^ mean while there happened a commotion among the tartars", ** for the fupprefTion of which there was no other remedy than to give *' the tyrant the reward of his adtions. " The fort of k^elat, which the late king had fpent many years " in rendering impregnable, thanks to the Moil High, was in one day " brought under our fubjedtion by segrab beg, whom we fent thither " for that purpofe. " As foon as thefe happy tidings reached our ears, we marched to the " holy city of mesched, where all the minifters, commanding officers, «* and perfons of diftidion prefent, did with one common voice intreat " our majefty to take upon us the government of the empire, to rebuild *' the ruined houfes, and repair the defolations of Persia. They pre- *- fented as their interceflbr the holy faint, who is buried in that city °, " and would not defift from their importunity. «* When we confidered the fad flate of the Persians for feveral years '' paft, who had been obliged not only to deliver up all their fubftance, " but themfelves, and their families, to be llaughtered -", we thought it *' neceflary to fliew our fovereign favour to the opprefTed -, to appeafe " the wrath of heaven ; to fatisfy the creatures of God, and to gain the '■'' love of the people. We have therefore been gracioufly pleafed to order, " and do hereby command, that the new contributions in money % im- " pofed " Ali difguifcs the real faft, but gives fome light in regard to the conteft between the tartars and PERSIANS. He feems to afl'umc the merit ot removing his uncle, but yet to impute the execu- tion to the AK.'HARs, who were .nadir's body-guarJ. " The fepulchre of jma.\i RizA often mentioned. p Here he quotes another text out of the khoran. " You are " all fliephcrds, and every one craves from you ;" by which I fuppofc is meant, tliat in confequencc of an abufed authority, every fubjed was pillaged. ^ Provifions, Sec. were fometimes demanded . Chap. XXXVI. . ADIL SHAH. 289 " poled on fubjeds and flrangers, fliall from henceforward ceafe and be 1 747 " annulled. We likewife difcharge the colledtors "", who are in your " province, and you are to fsnd them to our court. But the money and *' efFecfts belonging to the crown, which are already collefted, fhall be " accounted for \ All the other revenues for this year, as alfo all taxes " for the following two years, we do moft gracioufly forgive, that the " fubjeds of ISLAM, and all other religions, as likewife the Indians " and others, who for fome years have been fubjed; to every kind of " torture and opprelfion, may enjoy an uninterrupted fafety and tran- *' quillity, and follicit the most high for our welfare. " What concerns the fupport of pofl-horfes ', thofe to whom this of- *' fice belongs fliall take proper carej and for the future double the num- *' ber of horfes fhall be kept at each ftage, as was lately ordered j and " the money for maintaining of them fliall be taken out of the treafury " of the province. In cafe of any deficiency, a reprefentation being " made to us, it fhall be fupplied from other treafuries. " For fettling the accounts of this year, two or three writers and ca- " lentars fliall be fent to our high court. And concerning the eflates, " which in the late reign were taken from numbers of the people, we " fliall order an infpedtion to be made, and a circumftantial account " thereof to be fent to us. And that every one may be fatisfied in this " particular, we fhall without delay appoint a proper perfon for that pur- ** pofe. Given in the month of dschemadielsam, ii6o\" Alt having made fome difpofitions for fettling his government, he came with a body of forces to fpend the remainder of the year at the palace of ASHREFF "^j near the midft of the fouth-coafl of the Caspian sea. In that fituation he hoped to fupprefs any infurredion that might arife in the northern provinces, prefuming that his brother ibrahim myrza would proted the fouth, whilfl in cafe of neceflity he might again dired his march ' MoHASiLS. ' The term is, entered in the ca{h-book. ' The reader will ob- ferve in feveral pafTages of thcfe volumes, that the bad conJud of couriers was one of the grievous oppreffions under which persia groaned. " About the beginning of jultj 1747. * See Vol. I. page 293. Vol. IV. O o 290 THE REIGN OF Part VII. ijirl' "^'. 278. his prudence, refolution, and prefence in a£lion, iv. 279, preferred ftratagem to force, iv. 280. made an ejaculatory prayer before a battle, ibid, indefatigable in perfonal application, and the duty of a commander, ibid pundual in paying his army, v. 281, the fole vender of cloth, and fome other commodities, to them, ibid, capricious fometimes, pardoned great offenders, ibid, his behaviour to his minifters, iv. 282. his conduct in the be- ginning of his reign, iv. 283. deli\ered Per- fia from the yoke of the Afghans, ibid, the moti es that influenced his avStions, ibid, reflexions on his tyranny by his nephew Adil Shah, iv. 287, 288. tyrannical go- \errjTient has. reduced Perfia, i-'. 300 Najr N D X. Na2R ullah, defeats the Khan of Hama- daii, iii. 162, 163. pillages feveral parts of Pcrfia, ibid, lent to Farfiftan, iii. 170. makes hinifelt mafter of the towns of that pro- vince, iii. 185. is killed at the fiege of Shi- rafs, ibid, his death and charadler, ibid, his monument eredted by Maghniud, iii. 186. Nesr ali MYRZ.A, Nadir's fecond fon, mar- ries the great Moghol's neice, iv. 188. de- feats the pretender Saun, iv. 242. fails a fa- crifice to Adil Shah, iv. 285. NisLi MAHOMMED AGA envoy from the Grand Signior to Peter the Great, iii. 173. his public entry at Mofco, iii. 174. Nizam al jMULUck, a chief in India, ac- quaints Nadir of the affairs at the Mog- hol's court, iv. 142. an interview between him and Nadir, iv. 168. obliged to raife a large contribution, iv. 185. O OcHus, called Darius Nothus, afcends the throne of Perfia, iii. lO. puts Arfites, and others, to death, ibid, reduces Egypt and Media, ibid, his death, ibid. "OcHUS, Ion of Artaxerxcs II. conceals his father's death, iii. 10. governs ten months in his father's name, iii. 11. makes a de- >cree for declaring himfelf king, ibid go- verns in his own name, ibid, a cruel, but a valiant prince, ibid, recovers Egypt, ibid, fubdues Syria and Cyprus, ibid, flain by Bagoas, ibid. OusBJiGs. Sec tartars. p. Patroka KAMI-, a janifTary, brings about a revolution in Turkey, iv. 44 dethrones the Sultan, iv. 51. advances Mahommed, the Sultan's nephew, to the tlirone, ibid. his behaviour to the new Sultan, iv. 51, 52. his extraordinary adventures, iv. 55, &c. he and other rebels put to death in the Se- raglio, iv. 59. PtisiioR, a city in India, taken by Nadir, iv. 157. the governor won to his intcreft, ibid. Nadir advances thcjice to the Indus, iv. 160. PtNAN'CE, rcligiouo, Maghmud undertakes one, iii. 206. moft fujprifmg and fupcriU- tious, ibid. Persia, its empire founded by Cyrus the Great, iii. i. the fecond of the four mo- narchies, ibid, what occafioned their bein» an eafy conqueft to the Grecians, iii. 12. the monarchy becomes a part of the Grecian empire, ibid, this kingdom rellored by Ar- taxerxes, iii. 13, when conquered by the Saracens, ibid, its tranquillity in the begin- ning of this eighteenth century, iii. 22. the Afghans the authors of its cataflrophe, ibid, the corruptions of the court under Shah Huflcin, iii. 30, 31. the di\ifions and par- ties in Perfia, iii. 31, 32. the indifcrect talk of the Ruffian embaifador made way for the invafion of Perfia, iii, 42. a rebellion raifed by Mir Vais at Kandahar, ibid, a victory ob- tained by the Perfians over the Afghans, iii. 54. the Afghans defeat the Perfians, iii. 56. are defeated by Ezadallah, iii. 66. the Per- fian army marches to fight the Afghans, iii. 103. number of the Perfian army, iii. 1C4. their conduct towards the Armenians of Julfa, iii, 116, 117. the empire rcfigned by Shah Huflein, iii. 144. the northern pro- vinces in Perfia invaded by the Ruffians, iii. 155. maflacres by Maghmud, iii. 159, 160, 161. the advantages the Czar and the Grand Signior made by the troubles of Perfia, iii. 176, 179, 227. a partition of the Perfian 38. his charac- ter, iii. 39. the Ruflians uneafy at the con- quefts made by the Turks in Perfia, iii. 233. Vol IV. the fuccefs of the Ruffian arms there, iii. 233, 234. mifunderftanding between the Ruffians and Turks, iii. 241. an embaffador fent by Kouli Khan to this court, iv. 1 17. conqueft. on the Cafpian coafl delivered up to Perfia, iv. 117. Kouli Khan's conduct towards Ruf- fia, iv. 122. the Ruffians reftore the domi- nions that belonged to the Perfian empire, iv. 124, an embaffador fent to Ruffia by Nadir, iv. 183. one fent with prefents after his re- turn from India, iv. 214. alarmed at Nadir's being on their frontiers, iv. 226. fend an embaffador to Nadir, iv. 257. proceed with great caution in oriental treaties, iv. 293. S. Saadtt khan, taken prifoner, iv. 166. has the charge of the city of Dehlie for Na- dir, iv, 172. defiroys himfelf, iv. 175. Saiid achmedkhan, governor of Kher- man, treacherouily deflroyed by Aflireff, iii. 24. Saleh beg, affaffinates Nadir Shah, iv. 261. Saun, a pretender fent into Perfia, iv. 241. his hiftory and appearance in Perfia, iv. 241. joined by an army of Leigees, ibid, marches into Shirvan, iv. 242, defeated by Nczr Ali Myrza, ibid, one of his eyes cut out, ibid, fent by Nadir with a ineffage to the Ottoman court, ibid. Sal AMIS, the Perfian fleet defeated here, iii. 8. ScHEiCH EiDAR, fets up 3 new religion, iii. 14. murdered by Ruftan, ibid. leaves behind him Ifmael and two other fons, ibid. ScHiAs and sunn IS, two k£ts among the Mahommedans, iv. 129. divide thePerfians and Turks, the former being Schias and the latter Sunnis, ibid, a decree by Nadir to unite thefe two fedls, ibid. Scythians, invade Thrace and plunder the country, iii. 6. Seffie MYRZA, Shah HufTein's fon, a re- port that he efcaped and retired to Turkey, iii. 206. Sepfie kouli khan, made general by the court of Perfia, iii. 65. defeated and cut ofF by the Abdollees, iii. 66. another of that name taken prifoner by the Turks, and cru- elly put to death, iv. 43. T t Sef- N D X. fiEFFiES, the time this family pofiefiTed the throoe, iii. 14. it ended in the pcrfon of Shah Huflein, iii. 146, Shahrokh, grandfon to Nadir, uncertain whether he was a facrifice to Adil Shah's jea- ]oufy, iv. 286. declared king of Perfia, i\'. 298. marches againft the Afghans, iv. 299. obliged to yield to Shah Doub, iv. 300. Shalimar, Nadir muflers his army here, iv, 196, marches thence to Karnai, iv, 198. Sh 1 PS, Nadir attempts to get a fleet of fliips, iv. 228. Shirass, befieged by the Afghans, iii, 185. a fupply intercepted, iii. 188. diftrefl'ed by famine, iii, 188. taken and facked, ibid. again doomed to diftrefs and flaughterj iv, 243- Sir BULLiND khan, an Indian lord of good reputation, iv. 177. obtains the cefTation of theflauahter at Dehlie, ibid, appointed chief collector of the Indian contributions, iv. 184. his declaration to Nizam Al Muluck, iv, 185. Smerdis, the Artaxerxes of the fcrlpture, iifurps the throne, i. 5. fliled the magian, ibid, endeavours to gain the afFedlions of the people, ibid, difcovered as an impoltor, ibid. alTalTinated by the nobility, ibid. ScNPUT, Paniput, and feveral Indian villages plundered by the Perfians, iv. 174. 5oGDiANU3 ufurps the throne of Perfia, iii. 9. furrcnders toOchus, ibid. SuLiMAN, king of Perfia, iii. 21. his health impaired by drunkennefs and women, ibid, under him Perfia began to decline, ibid. SuLiMAN, uncle to Shah Tiehmas, aflumes the diadem, iv, 299. foon becomes a facri- fice, iv, 300. GuLiMAN EfFENDi, fent by theTurks into Perfia, iv. 23. acquaints his court of an ap- proaching change in Perfia, ibid. Sur,iMAN,the lieutenant of Achmed Bafna, defeats the Arabians, iv. 232. returns home with a. rich booty, ibid. Sultan meydan, plains where Nadir calls before him lie chiefs of the Tartars, iv. 261. difclofed a deiign of miiffacring a great part of bis army, ibid, the conference overheard by a Georgian flive, iv. 261. SuNNis, the Grand Signior claims authority over tliis (e', and deviates the Ma- hommedan religion, p. Ifiamboul Effendi, iv. 53, lieutenant of the police in Conflantinople, T. Kwofliciks, i. 86. carriers, r, Jumfliid, iii, 91. an antient kiiig in Perfia, See Giamftiid. Jurghin, iv. 193. alludes to the family of Ta- merlane. K. Kabitkas, i. 345, ii. n. Tartar tents, t« Kadilcfkicr, iv, 55. chief juflice, T. Kaimakan, iv. 45. great ujher of the houfljold^ T. Kapu orafi, iv. 48. the apartment in the ferag- Ho for execution, T. Karboy, i. 154. meafure, p. Kazzi, i. 266. judge, p. Keflii- EXPLANATION OF FOREIGN WORDS. Kefhikehi, i. 249. watch guards p. Kliajars, i. 193. tf«^/V«/ Ba^riam, p. Khalaet, iii- 41. iv. 19O. a robe of honour, p. Khan, i. 193, 2C0. iii. 53. lord or noble. Kliotbah, iii. 57, 254. a prayer for the health of the kingy p. Kiaya, iv. 45, 332. deputy or Ueutenauty T. Kior fiiltan, iii. 185. one eye d lord, -a.. Kirjims, i. i^\. fmall hoati^"^. Kiflar aga, iii. 91, iv. 164. chief of the eu- nuchs., T. Kifveran, iii. 2o8. year of vh'gins, p. Kizil, i. 161. red, p. Kouch kaleffi, iv. 80. bird tower. T, Kou], iv. 2. a fave, T. Koule. i. 120. a meafure, r. Kculler agaffi, i. 251. iii. 84, 2 16. chief of the flaveSi T. Kouruck, iv. 173. attendance who clear the way, p. Kourrol, iv. lb if. van guard, p. Kulams, iii. 103. ixg.flaves, an order of foU diers, p. Kumees, i. 347. mares milk fermented, t. KurchLbachi, iii. 73. general of the houfjold troops, p. Kurumfack, i. 234. a rafcal, p. Kuzzlebafii, iii. 90, 224. an order cffoldiery,^, L. Lack, iv, 155. a hundred thoifand rupees, \. Lats, iv. 62. inhabitants of the coojl of the black fea. Loobkas, i. 57, boats, r. Lotkas, i. 18. inatts, r. M. Magi, iii. 23. See Per fee?. Maimoundgi, iv. 141.