Ispahan, and in the following spring advanced again to meet Azad.
A pitched battle took place between them, in which the army of
Karīm was defeated. He retreated to the capital, closely pressed
by the foe. Thence he continued his way to Shirāz, but Azad was
still upon his traces. He then threw himself upon the mercy of
the Arabs of the Garmsir or hot country, near the Persian Gulf, to
whom the name of the Afghans was hateful, and who rose in a body
to turn upon Azad. Karīm, by their aid, once more repaired his
losses and advanced on Ispahan, while Muhammad Hasan with
fifty thousand men was coming from the opposite direction, ready
to encounter either the Afghan or the Zend. The Afghan did not
await his coming, but retired to his government of Tabriz.
“The Zend issued from Ispahan, and was a second time defeated in a pitched battle by the Kajar. Karīm took refuge behind the walls of Shirāz and all the efforts of the enemy to dislodge him were ineffectual. Muhammad Hasan Khan in the following year turned his attention to Adarbaijan. Azad was no longer in a position to oppose him in the field, and he in turn became master of every place of importance in the province, while Azad had to seek assistance in vain—first from the pasha of Baghdad, and then from his former enemy, the tsar of Georgia. Next year the conquering Kajar returned to Shirāz to make an end of the only rival who now stood in his way. On his side were 80,000 men, commanded by a general who had twice defeated the Zend chief on an equal field. Karīm was still obliged to take shelter in Shirāz, and to employ artifice in order to supply the place of the force in which he was deficient. Nor were his efforts in this respect unattended with success: seduced by his gold, many of the troops of the Kajar began to desert their banners. In the meantime the neighbourhood of Shirāz was laid waste, so as to destroy the source from which Muhammad Hasan drew his provisions; by degrees his army vanished, and he had finally to retreat with rapidity to Ispahan with the few men that remained to him. Finding his position there to be untenable, he retreated still farther to the country of his own tribe, while his rival advanced to Ispahan, where he received the submission of nearly all the chief cities of Persia. The ablest of Karīm’s officers, Shaikh ʽAli, was sent in pursuit of the Kajar chief. The fidelity of the commander to whom that chieftain had confided the care of the pass leading into Mazandarān, was corrupted; and, as no further retreat was open to him, he found himself under the necessity of fighting. The combat which ensued resulted in his complete defeat, although he presented to his followers an example of the most determined valour. While attempting to effect his escape he was recognized by the chief of the other branch of the Kajar tribe, who had deserted his cause, and who had a blood-feud with him, in pursuance of which he now put him to death.
“For nineteen years after this event Karīm Khan ruled with the title of wakil, or regent, over the whole of Persia, excepting the province of Khurāsān. He made Shirāz the seat of his government, and by means of his brothers put down every attempt which was made to subvert his authority. The rule of the great Zend chief was just and mild, and he is on the Karīm Khan. whole, considering his education and the circumstances under which he was placed, one of the most faultless characters to be met with in Persian history.”
Karim Khan died at his capital in 1779 in the twentieth year of his reign, and, it is said, in the eightieth of his age. He built the great bazaar of Shiraz, had a tomb constructed over the remains of Hafiz, and repaired the “turbat” at the grave of Saʽdi, outside the walls. He encouraged commerce and agriculture, gave much attention to the shores of the Persian Gulf, and carefully studied the welfare of the Armenian community settled in his dominions. In his time the British factory was removed from Bander Abbasi to Bushire.
On Karim’s death a new period of anarchy supervened. His brother, Zaki, a cruel and vindictive chief who, when governor of Isfahan, had revolted against Karim, assumed the government. At the same time he proclaimed Abu ʽl-Fatḥ Khan, second son of the deceased monarch, and his brother Mahommed ʽAli, joint-successors to the throne. The Zeki. seizure of the citadel at Shiraz by the adherents of the former, among whom were the more influential of the Zends, may have induced him to adopt this measure as one of prudent conciliation. But the garrison held out, and, to avoid a protracted siege, he had recourse to treachery. The suspicious nobles were solemnly adjured to trust themselves to his keeping, under promise of forgiveness. They believed his professions, tendered their submission, and were cruelly butchered. Zaki did not long enjoy the fruits of his perfidious dealing. The death of Karim Khan had raised two formidable adversaries to mar his peace.
Aga Mahommed, son of Mahommed Ḥasan, the Kajar chief of Astarabad, a prisoner at large in Shiraz, was in the environs of that city awaiting intelligence of the old king’s decease, and, hearing it, instantly escaped to Mazandaran, there to gather his tribesmen together and compete for the crown of Persia. Taken prisoner by Nadir and barbarously mutilated by ʽAdil Shah, he had afterwards found means to rejoin his people, but had surrendered himself to Karim Khan when his father was killed in battle. On the other hand, Sadik, brother to Zaki, who had won considerable and deserved repute by the capture of Basra from the Turkish governor, abandoned his hold of the conquered town on hearing of the death of Karim, and appeared with his army before Shiraz. To provide against the intended action of the first, Zaki detached his nephew, ʽAli Murad, at the head of his best troops to proceed with all speed to the north; and, as to the second, the seizure of such families of Sadik’s followers as were then within the walls of the town, and other violent measures, struck such dismay into the hearts of the besieging soldiers that they dispersed and abandoned their leader to his fate. From Kermān, however, where he found an asylum, the latter addressed an urgent appeal for assistance to ʽAli Murad. This chief, encamped at Teherān when the communication reached him, submitted the matter to his men, who decided against Zaki, but put forward their own captain as the only master they would acknowledge. ʽAli Murad, leaving the pursuit of Aga Mahommed, then returned to Isfahan, where he was received with satisfaction, on the declaration that his one object was to restore to his lawful inheritance the eldest son of Karim Khan, whom Zaki had set aside in favour of a younger brother. The sequel is full of dramatic interest. Zaki, enraged at his nephew’s desertion, marched out of Shiraz towards Isfahan. On his way he came to the town of Yezdikhast, where he demanded a sum of money from the inhabitants, claiming it as part of secreted revenue; the demand was refused, and eighteen of the head men were thrown down the precipice beneath his window; a “saiyid,” or holy man, was the next victim, and his wife and daughter were to be given over to the soldiery, when a suddenly-formed conspiracy took effect, and Zaki’s own life was taken in retribution for his guilt (1779).
When intelligence of these events reached Kermān, Sadik Khan hastened to Shiraz, proclaimed himself king in place of Abu ʽl-Fatḥ Khan, whom he declared incompetent to reign, and put out the eyes of the young prince. He despatched his son Jiʽafir to assume the government of Isfahan, and watch the movements of ʽAli Murad, ʽAli Murad. who appears to have been then absent from that city; and he gave a younger son, ʽAli Naki, command of an army in the field. The campaign ended in the capture of Shiraz and assumption of sovereignty by ʽAli Murad, who caused Sadik Khan to be put to death.
From this period up to the accession of Aga Mahommed Khan the summarized history of Markham will supply the principal facts required.
ʽAli Murad reigned over Persia until 1785, and carried on a successful war with Aga Mahommed in Mazandaran, defeating him in several engagements, and occupying Teherān and Sari. He died on his way from the former place to Isfahan, and was succeeded by Jiʽafir, son of Sadik,[1] who reigned at Shiraz, assisted in the government by an able but unprincipled “kalantar,” or head magistrate, named Hajji Ibrahim. This ruler was poisoned by the agency of conspirators, one of whom, Saiyid Murad succeeded to the throne. Hajji Ibrahim, however, contriving to maintain the loyalty of the citizens towards the Zend reigning family, the usurper Lutf ʽAli Khan. was killed, and Lutf ʽAli Khan, son of Jiʽafir, proclaimed king. He had hastened to Shiraz on hearing of his father’s death and received a warm welcome from the inhabitants. Hajji Ibrahim became his chief adviser, and a new minister was found for him in Mirza Ḥosain Shirazi. At the time of his accession Lutf ʽAli Khan was only in his twentieth year, very handsome, tall, graceful, and an excellent horseman. While differing widely in character, he was a worthy successor of Karīm Khan, the great founder of the Zend dynasty. Lutf ʽAli Khan had not been many months on the throne when Aga Mahommed advanced to attack him, and invested the city of Shiraz, but retreated soon afterwards to Teherān, which he had made the capital of his dominions. The young king then enjoyed a short period of peace.
- ↑ A five days’ usurpation of Bakir Khan, governor of Isfahan, is not taken into account.
