ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

showed him great attention, and indeed he was deserving of it. The first time that I led my army against Hindustân, I left Syed Yûsef Beg behind in Kâbul, and he departed into the mercy of God that same year.

There was another named Dervîsh Beg, of the race of Aiko Taimur Beg, who was Dervish Beg. a favourite of Taimur Beg's. He was extremely attached to the reverend Khwâjeh Abîd-ûlla, was skilled in the science of music, and a good performer. He had a genius for poetry. When Sultan Ahmed Mirza was routed on the banks of the Chirr, he perished in the river.

med Mazid Terkhân.

Another was Muhammed Mazîd Terkhân, who was brother of the full blood to Der- Muhamvish Muhammed Terkhân, but younger. He was for some years Hâkim or Governor of Turkestân. Sheibâni Khan took Turkestân from him. He had an excellent judgment and understanding, but was impudent and voluptuous. The second and third time that I took Samarkand he came to me, and I gave him a favourable reception. He fell in the battle of Kûl-Malek.

khân.

Bâki Terkhân was another, the son of Abdal Ali Terkhân, and maternal cousin of Bâki Ter.. Sultan Ahmed Mirza. After his father's death he had the government of Bokhâra. In the time of Sultan Ali Mirza, he rose to great consequence, and his retainers amounted to five or six thousand. He was far from being in a proper state of subjection or obedience to Sultan Ali Mirza. He engaged Sheibâni Khan and was defeated at the fort of Dabûsi, when Shiebâni Khan, pursuing his advantage, took Bokhâra. He was very fond of hawking, and is said to have had seven hundred falcons at one time. His manners and habits were such as cannot well be described; he was educated and grew up in the midst of magnificence and state. As his father had conferred benefits on Sheibâni Khan, he went over and joined him; but that ungenerous and ungrateful man showed not the least return of favour or kindness for the good which he had received; and Bâki Terkhâni departed this life in great wretchedness and misery, in the country of Akhsi.

sain Ar

ghûn.

Another was Sultan Hussain Arghûn. As he for some time held the government Sultan Husof Karakûl, he was thence known by the name of Sultan Hussain Karakûli. He was a man of reflection and sound judgment, and was much with me. Another was Kûl Muhammed Baghdâd Kochîn, a man of courage. Abdal Kerîm Ashrat was another; he was an Yûighûr,1 and chamberlain' to Sultan Kochin. Ahmed Mirza. He was a man of generosity and courage.

Kûl Muhammed Baghdad

Abdal Kerîm

Malek Mu

Mirza's attempt on

After the death of Sultan Ahmed Mirza, the Begs, having held a consultation, dis- rim Ashret. patched a messenger over the hills to Sultan Mahmûd Mirza to invite him to join hammed them. Meanwhile Malek Muhammed Mirza, who was the son of Manucheher Mirza, Sultan Abusaîd Mirza's elder brother, having separated from the camp, set out, at- Samarkand. tended by some low desperadoes and adventurers, and repaired to Samarkand for the purpose of asserting his pretensions to the sovereignty; but he could accomplish nothing,

1 The Oighûr, Jughur, or Yâighûr, was a very celebrated Tartar tribe. They had a peculiar alphabet, and were generally chosen as secretaries to the Tartar Princes.

2 Ishik-Agha, Master of Ceremonies.

3 Sultan Mahmûd Mirza was then at Hissâr. The messenger, therefore, was obliged to cross the Karatagh mountains.

Unsuccess and was only the cause of his own destruction, and of the death of several innocent princes.

ful.

Sultan

Mirza's

markand.

Causes of his unpo

pularity.

Sultan Mahmûd Mirza, as soon as he received intelligence of these events, lost no Mahmûd time in repairing to Samarkand, and mounted the throne without any kind of difficulreign in Sa- ty. He soon, however, by some of his proceedings, disgusted both high and low, soldiery and subjects, who began to fall off from him. The first of these offensive acts regarded the Malek Muhammed Mirza, who has been mentioned, who was his uncle's son, and his own son-in-law: he sent to the Gok-serai1 four Mirzas, two of whom he suffered to live, but murdered Malek Muhammed Mirza, and another Mirza. Though Malek Muhammed Mirza was certainly not free from blame, the other prince had been guilty of no kind of fault or crime whatever. Another circumstance which added to his unpopularity was, that though his plan of government and general arrangements were laudable, and though he was naturally just, and qualified to direct the concerns of the revenue, being well versed in the science of arithmetic, yet his temper had something in it tyrannical and profligate. Immediately on his arrival at Samarkand, he began arranging, on a new system, the whole of the regulations of government, including the expenditure and taxes. The dependents of Khwâjeh Abîd-ûlla, who, by their influence, had formerly protected many poor defenceless persons from oppression, and delivered them from difficulties, now on the contrary suffered great hardship themselves, and were exposed to much severity and oppression; nay, this severity and harsh treatment were extended even to the family of the Khwâjeh himself. What added to these evils was, that, as the Prince himself was tyrannical and debauched, his Begs and servants all faithfully imitated his example. The men of Hissâr, and particularly the body of troops that followed Khosrou Shah, were constantly engaged in debauchery and drinking; and to such a length did matters go, that when one of Khosrou Shah's retainers had seized and carried off another man's wife by force, on the husband's coming with a complaint to Khosrou Shah, he received for answer" You have had her for a great many years; it is certainly but fair that he should now have her for a few days." Another circumstance which disgusted the inhabitants was, that none of the townsmen or shop-keepers, and not even the Tûrks and soldiers, could leave their houses, from a dread lest their children should be carried off for catamites. The people of Samarkand, who, for twenty-five years, during the reign of Sultan Ahmed Mirza, had lived in ease and tranquillity, and had seen affairs in general managed according to justice and law, in consequence of the influence enjoyed by the reverend Khwâjeh, were stung to the soul at the prevalence of such unbridled licentiousness and tyranny; and great and small, rich and poor, lifted up their hands to heaven in supplications for redress, and burst out into curses and imprecations on the Mirza's head.

(Persian) Beware of the smoke of internal wounds;

For a wound, though hidden, will at last break out.
Afflict not, if you can, even one heart,

For a single groan is sufficient to confound a world.

1 The Gok-serai, or Green mansion, was the prison of the Princes of the house of Taimur, which when they entered, they were never expected to return. The import of the phrase to send to Gok-serai, is afterwards explained.

From the judgment that attends on such crime, tyranny, and wickedness, he did not reign in Samarkand above five or six months.

EVENTS OF THE YEAR 900.1

of Hassan

THIS year Abdal Kaddûs Beg came to me as ambassador from Sultan Mahmûd Affairs of Mirza, on the occasion of the marriage of his eldest son Sultan Masaûd Mirza to Ak- A. H. 900. Begum, the second daughter of his elder brother Sultan Ahmed Mirza, and brought me a marriage present, consisting of almonds and pistachios of gold and silver. This ambassador, on his arrival, while he openly claimed kindred to Hassan Yâkub, yet secretly pursued the object for which he had come, that of diverting him from his Treasonduty, and of gaining him over to his master's interest, by tempting offers and flattering able views promises. Hassan Yâkub returned him a conciliatory answer, and in reality was gained Yakub; over. When the ceremonial of the congratulations on the marriage was over, the ambassador took leave. In the course of five or six months the manners of Hassan Yâkub were visibly changed; he began to conduct himself with great impropriety to those who were about me; and it was evident, that his ultimate object was to depose me, and to make Jehangir Mirza king in my place. His deportment towards the whole of the Begs and soldiers was so highly reprehensible, that nobody could remain ignorant of the design which he had formed. In consequence of this, Khwâjeh Kazi, Kâsim Kochîn, Ali Dost Taghâi, Uzun Hassan, and several others who were attached to my interests, having met at my grandmother Isan-doulet Begum's, came to the resolution of dismissing Hassan Yâkub, and in that way of putting an end to his treasonable views.

2

There were few of her sex who equalled my grandmother Isan-doulet Begum' in sense and sagacity. She was uncommonly far-sighted and judicious; many affairs and enterprises of importance were conducted by her advice. Hassan Yâkub was at this time in the citadel, and my mother and grandmother in the stone fort. I procceded straight to the citadel, in execution of the plan which had been concerted. Hassan Yâkub, who had mounted and gone a-hunting, on receiving intelligence of what was going forward, posted off for Samarkand. The Begs and others in his in- who is terest were taken prisoners. These were Muhammed Bâkir Beg, Sultan Mahmûd forced to Douladâi, the father of Sultan Muhammed Douladâi, and some others. The greater part of them I allowed to proceed to Samarkand. Kasim Kochîn was appointed Master of the Household, and received the government of Andejân.

3

Hassan Yâkub, after having proceeded as far as Kandbâdâm on his way to Samarkand, a few days after, in pursuance of his treacherous intentions, resolved to make an

1 This year commenced 2d October, A. D. 1494.

2 She was the widow of Yunis Khan, the chief of the Moghuls.

3 That is to say, Prime Minister.

D

flee.

Is slain.

Jany. 1495.

Death of

Sultan

Mahmud
Mirza.

A.D. 1453.

attempt on Akhsi; and, with that view, entered the territory of Khokân.1 On receiving information of this, I dispatched several Begs with a body of troops to fall upon him without loss of time. The Begs having sent on some troops in advance, Hassan Yakub, who received intelligence of the circumstance, fell by night on this advanced guard, which was separated from the main body, surrounded the quarters they had taken up for the night, and attacked them by discharges of arrows; but, having been wounded in the dark in his hinder parts, by an arrow shot by one of his own men, he was unable to retreat, and fell a sacrifice to his own misdeeds :-(Persian verse.)

When thou hast done wrong, hope not to be secure against calamity;

For its appropriate retribution awaits every deed.

This same year I began to abstain from forbidden or dubious meats; and extended my caution to the knife, the spoon, and the table-cloth: I also seldom omitted my midnight prayers.

In the month of the latter Rabia, Sultan Mahmûd Mirza was seized with a violent disorder, and, after an illness of six days, departed this life, in the forty-third year of his age.

He was born in the year 857, and was the third son of Sultan Abusaîd Mirza by the same mother as Sultan Ahmed Mirza. He was of short stature, with little beard, & features. corpulent, and a very rough-hewn man in his appearance.

His person

Manners.

As for his manners and habits, he never neglected his prayers, and his arrangements and regulations were excellent; he was well versed in calculation, and not a single dirhem or dinâr3 of his revenues was expended without his knowledge. He was regular in paying the allowances of his servants; and his banquets, his donatives, the ceremonial of his court, and his entertainment of his dependants, were all excellent in their kind, and were conducted by a fixed rule and method. His dress was elegant, and according to the fashion on the day. He never permitted either the soldiery or people to deviate in the slightest degree from the orders or regulations which he prescribed. In the earlier part of his life he was much devoted to falconry, and kept a number of hawks; and latterly was very fond of hunting the nihilam. He carried his violence and debauchery to a frantic excess; and was constantly drinking wine. He kept a number of catamites; and over the whole extent of his dominions, wherever there was a handsome boy or youth, he used every means to carry him off, in order to gratify his passion. The very sons of his Begs, nay his own foster-brothers, and the

1 Khokan, the Khwäkend of the Arabian geographers, is the modern Kokân, which lies on the road from Khojend to Akhsi.

2 The Musulmans have many observances regarding unlawful meats, and ceremonial defilements. Some of these are not much attended to by soldiers or men in active life.

3 The dirhem and dinar are Persian pieces of money: the former is now of the value of about fivepence halfpenny; the latter of about nine shillings.

4 I do not know what animal the nihilam is. From its name it may perhaps be the Nil-gau. It is said to be the Gawazin kohî.

5 The connexion formed between foster-brothers is always very strong in rude ages. The Tûrks called them Gokultâsh, or heart of stone, to denote their unchangeable attachment. Baber often mentions his Gokultâshes with great affection.

children of his foster-brothers, he made catamites and employed in this way. And such currency did this vile practice gain in his time, that every man had his boy; insomuch, that to keep a catamite was thought to be a creditable thing, and not to have one was regarded as rather an imputation on a man's spirit. As a judgment upon him for his tyranny and depravity, all his sons were cut off in their youth.

He had a turn for versifying, and composed a Diwân; but his poetry is flat and in- His genius. sipid; and it is surely better not to write at all than to write in that style. He was of an unbelieving disposition, and treated Khwâjeh Abîd-ûllah very ill. He was, in short, a man equally devoid of courage and of modesty. He kept about him a number of buffoons and scoundrels, who acted their vile and disgraceful tricks in the face of the court, and even at public audiences. He spoke ill, and his enunciation was often quite unintelligible.

He fought two battles, both of them with Sultan Hussain Mirza; the first at Asterâ- His wars. bâd,' in which he was defeated; the second in the territory of Andekhûd,2 at a place named Chekmân,3 in which likewise he was defeated. He went twice on a religious war against Kâferistân1 on the south of Badakhshân; on which account he used in the Toghra of his Firmâns the style of Sultan Mahmûd Ghâzi. 6

Sultan Abusaîd Mirza bestowed on him Asterâbâd, and, after the unfortunate His domibusiness of Irâk, he repaired to Khorasân. At that crisis Kamber Ali Beg, the Hâkim nions. of Hissâr, who, according to orders which he had received from Sultan Abusaîd Mirza, was conducting the army of Hindustân towards Irâk to the assistance of that prince, had got as far as Khorasân, where he joined Sultan Mahmûd Mirza. The people of Khorasân, immediately on hearing the report of Sultan Hussain Mirza's approach, rose in revolt, and drove Sultan Mahmûd Mirza out of Khorasân; whereupon he repaired to Sultan Ahmed Mirza at Samarkand. A few months after, Syed Beder, Khosrou Shah, and some other officers, under the direction of Ahmed Mushtâk, carried off Sultan Mahmûd Mirza, and fled with him to Hissar, to Kamber Ali Beg. From that time downward, Kohlugha, with all the countries to the south of the hill of Kotin,7 such as Termez, Cheghâniân, Hissar, Khultân, Kûndez, Badakhshân, and the districts as far as the mountain of Hindûkûsh, remained in the possession of Sultan Mahmûd Mirza. On the death of his elder brother Sultan Ahmed Mirza, that prince's territories also fell into his hands.

Sons.

He had five sons and eleven daughters. The eldest of his sons was Sultan Masaûd His family. Mirza, whose mother was Khanzâdeh Begum, a daughter of Mîr Buzûrg of Termez; Sultan another of his sons was Baiesanghar Mirza, whose mother was Pasheh Begum; a third Masaud was Sultan Ali Mirza, whose mother, Zuhreh Beghi Agha, was an Uzbek and a con- Baiesancubine. Another son was Sultan Hussain Mirza, whose mother was Khanzâdeh Be- ghar Mirza.

1 On the south-east corner of the Caspian.

2 Below the hills, west of Balkh 88 miles, towards the Desert.

3 Mr Metcalfe's copy has Chekmân-serûi.

4 The country of the Siahposhes.

"The Toghra is the ornamented preamble of public papers containing the prince's titles, &c.

6 Ghazi means victorious in a holy war.

7 The hill of Kotin seems to be the mountainous country that bounds Karatigîn on the south. Kohlugha, or Kaluga, is the Pass of Derbend (between Hissar and Kesh) where there was probably a fort.

Mirza.

Sultan Ali

Mirza.

Sultan

Hussain

Mirza.

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »