Muhammed Feridun 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 mans 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 Mîrza 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. Another was Haider, whose mother was Paiendeh Sultan Begum, the daughter of Sultan Abusaîd 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 Shia. 3 If the Tabriz man, this would be about 290 pounds. 4 A son of Badîa-ez-zemân Mirza. 5 This is the Kilât in Khorasan, famous as the birth-place of Nâdir Shah. 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 Kandahar, 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. Hussain Mirza. Hussain Another was Ibrâhim Hussain Mirza, whose talents were thought respectable. He Ibrahim was eternally drinking the wine of Heri to excess, and died of hard drinking in his Mirza. father's lifetime. 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, who sain Mirza, was a concubine. and Muhammed Kasim 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. 2 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 5 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 Khorasan, and whose transactions in Khorasan, 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. 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.' 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, did not leave her litter nor take to horse. This vas reported to the Mirza, who thereupon divorced her, and married her youngest sister, Paiendeh Sultan Begum. After the Uzbeks took Khorasân, 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 Chekman was fought between Sultan Hussain Mirza, and Sultan Mahmûd Mirza, who was the son of Sultan Abusaîd Mirza, and the brother of Sheher-bànu Begum. Sultan Hussain Mirza took her, and being passionately fond of her, raised her from the rank of concubine to that of Begum. She finally managed him entirely according to her will and pleasure. It was by her intrigues that Muhammed Momin Mirza1 was put to death. She was the chief cause of the rebellions of Sultan Hussain Mirza's sons. She regarded herself as a personage of profound sense, but was in truth a foolish, talkative woman She was, besides, heretical in her religious opinions. She had two sons, Shah Gherîb Mirza and Mozaffer Hussain Mirza. Another of his wives was Apâk Begum, by whom he had neither son nor daughter. Apâk Begum. 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. Mingeli-bi Another of them was Mengeli-bi Aghâcheh, who was an Uzbek, and one of Sheherbânu 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. Another of them was Papa Aghâcheh, the foster-sister of Apâk Begum. The Mirza Papa Aghâhaving seen and liked her, took her; and she was the mother of five sons and four cheh. daughters, as has been mentioned. 2 Aghácheh. Another was Begi Sultan Aghâchech, by whom he had neither son nor daughter. Begi Sultan He had many other concubinés 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 5 4 Muham With regard to his Amîrs, one of them was Muhammed Berendûk Birlâs, who was His Amirs. 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 Birlás. 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 Badîa-ez-zemân Mirza, the eldest son of Sultan Hussain Mirza. 2 Badia-ez-zemân Mirza, Shah Gherîb Mirza, and Mozaffer Hussain Mirza. 3 This prince was in Baber's service in India. In the margin of the Tuzuk is the following note,-Muhammed Feridûn ben Muhammed Keli Khan ben Mirza Ali ben Berendûk Birlâs.-Leyden. Mozaffer Ali Shir ing the top of Hindû-kûsh, they sent back the Mirza in the handsomest manner to Kâbul; while they themselves proceeded on to Khorasân to Sultan Hussain Mirza, who gave them the most favourable reception. Muhammed Berendûk Beg was a very prudent and wise man, and incomparably the first in distinction at the court of Heri. He was extremely fond of his hawks, insomuch, that if he at any time learned that one of his hawks was dead or lost, he used to take the name of one of his sons, and say, "Had such a son died, or such an one broken his neck, I would have thought nothing of it in comparison with the death or loss of such a hawk." Another of his Amîrs was Mozaffer Birlâs, who attended him in all his wars. I know not in what manner he contrived to ingratiate himself so much with the Mirza, but that prince loaded him with favours. Such was the Mirza's familiarity with him, that in his first campaigns they entered into an agreement, that whatsoever country should be conquered, four parts should belong to the Mirza and two to him. A strange agreement! How could it possibly answer for a monarch to adopt a servant as the partner of his sovereignty? Such an agreement could never have answered even with his own brother or son. How could it succeed with one of his Amîrs or Captains? After he had mounted the throne he became ashamed of this compact, but to no purpose. This wrong-headed man, singularly distinguished as he had been by the Mirza's favour, only presumed the more on it, and behaved factiously. The Mirza, not being able to retain him within the limits of his duty, is said finally to have poisoned him. The omniscient God knows with truth what befell him. Another of them was Ali Shîr Beg Nawâi, who was not so much his Amîr as his friend. In their youth they had been schoolfellows, and were extremely intimate. I know not for what offence he was driven from Heri by Sultan Abusaîd Mirza; but he went to Samarkand, where he remained for several years, and was protected and patronised by Ahmed Haji Beg. Ali Shîr Beg was celebrated for the elegance of his manners; and this elegance and polish were ascribed to the conscious pride of high fortune but this was not the case; they were natural to him, and he had precisely the same refined manner when he was in Samarkand. Indeed, Ali Shîr Beg was an incomparable person. From the time that poetry was first written in the Tûrki language, no man has written so much and so well. He composed six mesnevis in verse, five in imitation of the Khamsah' (of Nizâmi), and one in imitation of the Mantik-ut-teir2 (the Speech of the Birds). This last he called Lissân-ut-teir (the Tongue of the Birds). He also composed four diwâns of ghazels (or odes), entitled, The Singularities of Infancy, The Wonders of Youth, The Marvels of Manhood, and The Benefits of Age.3 He likewise composed several other works, which are of a lower class and inferior in merit to these. Of that number is an imitation of the Epistles of 1 The Khamsah, or Five Poems of Nizâmi, are the Mokhzin-e-asrâr, or Magazine of Secrets; Khusrou-Shirin, the Loves of Khosrou and Shirîn; Leili-Mejnun, the Loves of Leili and Mejnun; Sekander-nameh, the Alexandriad ; and the Khirid-nameh, Aristotle's Instructions to Alexander. Some copies have the Heft-Paiker, or Seven Statues, instead of the Khirid-nameh. Nizami, who was one of the most eminent poets of Persia, died about A.D. 1180. 2 The Mantik-ut-teir was written by the celebrated Sheik Ferîd-ed-dîn Atâr, better known in Europe as the author of a Pend-nâmeh. 3 Gherâib-û-Sigher, Newader-û-Shehâb, Bedaia-ul-Waset, and Fewaid-ul-Keber. |