4 accomplished nothing worthy of his dignity in these two or three enterprizes, and returned baffled. At another time, he engaged and defeated in the Auleng-Nîshîn his son Badîa-ez-zemân Mirza, who had advanced, accompanied by Shah Shujâ Beg, the son of Zûlnûn Beg. On this occasion a singular coincidence occurred. Sultan Hussain Mirza, having divided his army, had sent the main body towards Asterâbâd. On the very day of the battle, the army that had been dispatched against Asterâbâd returned and joined him: and the very same day, Sultan Masaûd Mirza, from whom Hissâr had been wrested by Baiesangher Mirza, made his appearance from another quarter, and also joined Sultan Hussain Mirza. nions. His kingdom was that of Khorasân, which on the east has Balkh, on the west Bos- His domitam and Damghân, on the north Khwarizm, and on the south Khandahâr and Sîstân. After the fine city of Heri fell into his hands, his whole time was devoted, night and day, to revelry and enjoyment; and there was not one of his servants or dependents, who, in like manner, did not give himself up to pleasure and riot. The cares of ambition and the necessary toils of military discipline were consequently neglected. Hence, down to the time of his death, his dominions and servants went on diminishing, without getting any corresponding increase. dren. Mirza. He had fourteen sons and eleven daughters who lived. The eldest of his sons was His chilBadîa-ez-zemân Mirza, whose mother was the daughter of Senjer Mirza of Merv. Badia-ezAnother was Shah Gherîb Mirza. Although his form was not prepossessing, he zeman had a fine genius; and though his constitution was feeble, he had a powerful style. Gherîb He assumed the poetical name of Ghûrbi, and composed a diwân. He wrote verses Mirza. both in Persic and Tûrki. The following is his : I had a passing glance of a fairy face, and became inflamed to madness with her love; Sultan Hussain Mirza gave Shah Gherîb the government of Heri for some time. He Another was Muzaffer Hussain Mirza, who was the favourite son of Sultan Hussain Muzaffer Hussain Mirza, although there was nothing in his manners or conduct to justify such marked Mirza. favour. In consequence of the decided partiality which he showed to this son, several of the others were induced to revolt. Khadîjeh Begum, who had been a concubine of Sultan Abusaîd Mirza's, was the mother of the two last-mentioned Mirzas. She had likewise a daughter by the Mirza, named Ak Begum.1 2 Another of his sons was Abul Hassan Mirza. Another was Kepek Mirza, as he was Abul Has. generally called, but his name was Muhammed Mokhsin Mirza. The mother of these san and Керек two was Latifeh Sultan Aghâcheh. Mirzas. Another was Abu Terâb Mirza, who in early life was highly extolled for his rapid Abu Terab acquirements. When his father's illness increased and became extreme, having heard Mirza. something to alarm him, he went to Irâk, accompanied by his younger brother, Muhammed Hussain Mirza. He there renounced the profession of arms, and betook himself to that of a dervîsh. I never heard of him afterwards. He had one son, Sohrâb Muhammed Feridun Mirza. Haider Mirza. Muhammed Mirza. Mirza, who was in my service when I defeated Khamzeh Sultan, Mehedi Sultan, and the other Sultans, and took Hissâr. This young man was blind of one eye. He was singularly ill-favoured, and his manners corresponded with his looks. Having been guilty of something extremely reprehensible, he found it impossible to remain in my employment, and repaired to Asterâbâd, where Najem Sâni inflicted on him condign punishment for his misdeeds. Another son was Muhammed Hussain Mirza. He and Shah Ismâel1 were once imprisoned in the same place in Irâk, at which time he became one of Shah Ismâel's disciples, and from that period was a rank heretic. Although his father, his elder brother, and his younger brothers, were all orthodox Sûnnis, he continued a blind and confirmed Rafzi (heretic) till his death in Asterâbâd. His character stood high as a brave and courageous warrior; but I never heard any of his exploits that deserve to be recorded. He had a genius for poetry; the following is his : : (Persian.)—In the pursuit of what game dost thou range thus dust-defiled? From the ardours of whose warm heart art thou thus bathed in perspiration? Another was Feridûn Hussain Mirza. He was a powerful archer, and an excellent marksman. They say that his gûrdehieh (or double-stringed bow) required forty mans3 weight to make the ears meet. He was himself a man of bravery, but not fortunate in battle. He was beat wherever he engaged. At Rebât-e-Dodez, Feridûn Hussain Mirza, and his younger brother Ebn Hussain Mirza, engaged Taimur Sultan and Ubeid Sultan, and were defeated. On that occasion, Feridûn Hussain Mirza distinguished himself by his strenuous exertions. At Damghân, Feridûn Hussain Mirza and Muhammed Zemân Mirza fell into the hands of Sheibâk Khan. He killed neither of them, but set them at liberty. Afterwards, when Shah Muhammed Diwaneh fortified Kilât for a siege, he repaired thither; and when the Uzbeks took Kilât, was made prisoner, and put to death. These three last-mentioned princes were all by Mingeli-bi Aghâcheh, an Uzbek concubine of the Mirza's. 5 Another was Haider, whose mother was Paiendeh Sultan Begum, the daughter of Sultan Abusaid Mirza. In his father's lifetime he for some time enjoyed the government of Meshhid and Balkh. At the siege of Hissâr, Sultan Hussain Mirza betrothed this son to the daughter of Sultan Mahmûd Mirza by Khanzâdeh Begum, concluded a peace, and raised the siege of Hissâr. By her he had one daughter, called Shâd Begum, who lived to grow up.' She latterly came to Kâbul, and was given to Aadel Sultan. Haider Mirza also departed this life before his father. Another was Muhammed Maasûm Mirza, to whom Kandahâr was given by his father, Sultan Hussain Mirza. On that occasion a daughter of Ulugh Beg Mirza was betrothed to this son. After she was brought to Heri he made a grand festival, and 1 Shah Ismael was the founder of the Sefvi dynasty in Persia. He was a rigid Shîa, and a man of great learning and piety. ? That is, he became a Shîa. 3 If the Tabriz man, this would be about 290 pounds. A son of Badia-ez-zemân Mirza. 5 This is the Kilât in Khorasan, famous as the birth-place of Nâdir Shah. 1 erected a magnificent pavilion for the occasion. Though he bestowed Kandahâr on this prince, yet everything that was done, be it black or be it white, was done by Shah Beg Arghûn; the Mirza had neither power nor influence in the matter; for which reason he would not continue at Kandahâr, but returned to Khorasân, where he died in his father's lifetime. Another was Farekh Hussain Mirza, who did not reach any great age, and did not Farekh survive his younger brother Ibrâhim Hussain Mirza. Another was Ibrâhim Hussain Mirza, whose talents were thought respectable. was eternally drinking the wine of Heri to excess, and died of hard drinking in father's lifetime. Hussain Mirza. Hussain sain Mirza, who and Mu hammed Kâsim He Ibrahim his Mirza. Another was Ebn Hussain Mirza, who, with Muhammed Kâsim Mirza, will be Ebn Husmentioned in the sequel. The mother of these five Mirzas was Papa Aghâcheh, was a concubine. His eldest daughter was Sultanim Begum, who had no brother or sister of the full Mirza. blood. Her mother, Juli Begum, was the daughter of one of the Begs of the Azaks. Sultanim Sultanim Begum was very eloquent and ingenious, but her remarks in conversation Begum. were frequently rude and ill-timed. Her elder brother gave her in marriage to Sultan Weis Mirza, the son of Miângi Baikra Mirza, by whom she had one son and one daughter. This daughter was given to Isan Kûli Sultan, the younger brother of Dilbars Sultan, one of the Shâbân Sultans. Sultan Muhammed Mirza, on whom I have conferred the government of Kanûj, is the son of this marriage. Sultanim Begum set out along with her grandson for Hindostân, but expired at Nilâb on the journey. Her attendants returned back with her remains, while her grandson continued his route and joined me. Again, by Paiendeh Sultan Begum, Sultan Hussain Mirza had four daughters. The eldest of them was Ak Begum, who was married to Muhammed Kâsim Arlat, the Ak Begum. grandson of Begah Begum, Baber Mirza's younger sister. By him she had one daughter, named Karakûz Begum, (the black-eyed princess,) who was married to Nâsir Mirza. The second of the daughters was Kechek Begum. Sultan Masaûd Mirza Kechek Begum. was extremely attached to her, but whatever efforts he made, Paiendeh Sultan Begum, having an aversion to him, would not consent to the match. She was afterwards married to Mûlla Khwâjeh, who was of the family of Syed Ata. The third sister, Begah BeBegah Begum, and the fourth, Agha Begum, were given to Baber Mirza,3 and Sultan gum, and Murâd Mirza, the sons of his younger sister Rabîat Sultan Begum. By Mangeli-bi Aghâcheh he had two daughters; the elder was given to Syed Abdalla Mirza, who was descended of the Syeds of Andekhûd, and the grandson, by a daughter, of Baikra Mirza. She had one son named Syed Berkeh. When I took Samarkand, he came and entered my service. He afterwards went to Urgenj, and aspired to the sovereignty. The Kezelbashes slew him in Asterâbâd. The name of 1 Châr-tâk. 2 Probably Baber Mirza, the grandson of Shahrokh Mirza, who was for several years King of Khorasân, and whose transactions in Khorasân, Persia, and Mâweralnaher, make a great figure in the history of the times. This able prince died in 1457. 3 This is evidently a different Baber Mirza from the one last-mentioned. 4 In Khwârizm. 5 The Kezelbashes, or red bonnets, are the Persians, so called from a red cap worn by their soldiers. Agha Be. gum. Fatimah Sultan. Sultan Aisha His wives and concu bines. Begah Sultan Begum. Juli Begum. Sheherbânu Begum. Paiendeh Sultan Begum. Khadijeh Begum. the other daughter was Fatimah Sultan. She was married to Yâdgâr Muhammed Mirza, who was of the line of Taimur Beg. By Papa Aghâcheh he had three daughters. The eldest was Sultan Nizâd Begum. Sultan Hussain Mirza gave her in marriage to Sekander Mirza, the younger son of his elder brother. The second daughter was Begum Sultan, who was bestowed on Sultan Masaûd Mirza, after the loss of his eyesight. By him she had one son and one daughter. The daughter was taken charge of, and brought up by Apâk Begum, one of Sultan Hussain Mirza's ladies. She came to Kâbul from Heri, and Apâk married her to Syed Mirza. After the Uzbeks had put to death Masaûd Sultan, Begum Sultan set out with her son, for Mekka. I have received information that she and her son are now in Mekka. The third daughter was married to one of the Syeds of Andekhûd, well known under the name of Syed Mirza. He had one other daughter, called Aisha Sultan, by a concubine. Her mother was Zobeidah Aghâcheh, the grand-daughter of Hussain Sheikh Taimur, of the race of the Shâbân Sultans. This daughter was given in marriage to Kâsim Sultan. By him she had one son, Kâsim Hussain, who came to Hindostân, entered into my service, and was in the holy war against Rana Sanka. I gave him the government of Bedâûn. After Kâsim Sultan, she married Buran Sultan, one of his relations, by whom she had another son named Abdallah Sultan, who is at present in my service, and although young, acquits himself very respectably. The first wife whom he married was Begah Sultan Begum, the daughter of Senjer Mirza of Merv. By her he had Badîa-ez-zeman Mirza. She was extremely crosstempered, and fretted Sultan Hussain Mirza beyond endurance, till the Mirza, driven to extremities by her insufferable humour, divorced her. What could he do? The Mirza was in the right; (Persian.)-A bad wife in a good man's house, Even in this world, makes a hell on earth.1 May the Almighty remove such a visitation from every good Moslem; and God grant that such a thing as an ill-tempered, cross-grained wife, be not left in the world! Another of his wives was Juli Begum, the daughter of one of the chiefs of the Azâks, by whom he had Sultanim Begum. Another was Sheher-bânu Begum, the daughter of Sultan Abusaîd Mirza, whom he married after he ascended the throne. At the battle of Chekmân, when all the Mirza's ladies descended from their litters and mounted on horseback, this princess, relying on her younger brother,2 did not leave her litter nor take to horse. This was reported to the Mirza, who thereupon divorced her, and married her youngest sister, Paiendeh Sultan Begum. After the Uzbeks took Khorasan, Paiendeh Sultan Begum went to Irâk, where she died in distress. Another was Khadîjeh Begum, who had been a concubine of Sultan Abusaîd Mirza, and born him one daughter, who was named Ak Begum (or the Fair Lady). After the defeat of Sultan Abusaîd Mirza in Irâk, this lady came to Heri, where 1 From the Gulistan of Sadi. 2 The battle of Chekmân was fought between Sultan Hussain Mirza, and Sultan Mahmud Mirza, who was the son of Sultan Abusaîd Mirza, and the brother of Sheher-bânu Begum. Sultan Hussain Mirza took her, and being passionately fond of her, raised her from Begum. Another of his wives was Apâk Begum, by whom he had neither son nor daughter. Apâk Papa Aghâcheh, who was so much attached to her, was her foster sister; having no children herself, she brought up the sons of Papa Aghâcheh as her own. She attended the Mirza with very tender care during his illnesses; indeed, no lady of his family equalled her in dutiful attentions. The year that I came to Hindustân she arrived from Heri. I showed her all the respect and kindness in my power. While I was besieging Chanderi, I learned that, at Kâbul, she had departed to the mercy of God. Of Sultan Hussain Mirza's concubines, one was Latîf Sultan, by whom he had Abul His concuHassan Mirza, and Kepek Mirza. bines. Latif Sul Mingeli-bi Another of them was Mengeli-bi Aghâcheh, who was an Uzbek, and one of Sheher- tan bânu Begum's people. She was the mother of Abu Terâb Mirza, of Muhammed Hus- Aghâcheh. sain Mirza, and of Feridûn Mirza. She had also two daughters. cheh. Another of them was Papa Aghâcheh, the foster-sister of Apâk Begum. The Mirza Papa Aghȧhaving seen and liked her, took her; and she was the mother of five sons and four daughters, as has been mentioned. 2 Another was Begi Sultan Aghâchech, by whom he had neither son nor daughter. He had many other concubines and women: those whom I have mentioned were the most eminent of his wives and concubines. There was no prince of his time who could be compared to Sultan Hussain Mirza in power, nor any city of Islâm like Heri ; yet it is remarkable, that of his fourteen sons, only three were legitimate. The consequences of vice and debauchery manifested their baleful influence on himself, his sons, his tribes, and hordes (ils and ulûses). It was one of the judgments which they drew down, that, of so large a family, in seven or eight years, not a trace or vestige remained, except only Muhammed Zeman Mirza.3 4 Begi Sultan Muham With regard to his Amîrs, one of them was Muhammed Berendûk Birlâs, who was His Amîrs. descended of Jâkû Birlâs; his genealogy runs thus:-Muhammed Berendûk, the son med Berenof Jehân-shah, the son of Jâkû Birlâs. He was first a Beg in the service of Baber dûk Birlas. Mirza, and was afterwards in high favour with Sultan Abusaîd Mirza, who gave Kâbul to him and Jehangîr Birlâs, and appointed him governor to his son Ulugh Beg Mirza.“ After the death of Sultan Abusaîd Mirza, Ulugh Beg Mirza formed designs to rid himself of the two Birlâs; but they, having discovered his plans, placed him under custody, moved away with their ils and ulûses, and marched for Kundez. On reach 1 This young prince was the son of Badia-ez-zemân Mirza, the eldest son of Sultan Hussain Mirza. 2 Badîa-ez-zemân Mirza, Shah Gherîb Mirza, and Mozaffer Hussain Mirza. 3 This prince was in Baber's service in India. 4 In the margin of the Tuzuk is the following note,-Muhammed Feridûn ben Muhammed Keli Khan ben Mirza Ali ben Berendûk Birlas.-Leyden. |