‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎76r] (156/722)

105
f ea ^
^ w,; s
1UD
Khan brcame prime favourite of Nadir’s, and served him devotedly. He
followed him through all his campaigns, and was rewarded after his acees- *
sion to the Persian throne by the governorship of Herat, and subse
quently of other provinces of Persia. He was killed at the siege of
Bukhara some years later. His nephew Behbud Khan, who commanded
]"" e, »KS»
^rtjlijkL;
some of Nadir’s troops in Bukhara, returned as governor of Ab-i-Yard, and
was witness to the destruction of all the flourishing towns of the Atak
during the times of anarchy in Khurasan that attended the wars of the
le animals. Ijl
f ise(i ' K
e j. T ^peadan;-
^ Aeas
ntberai^lf,;,
Wcpopolait,;
ir f andaian:
s force D^ii,
ad np^r^
Aier pojn^
nade in Jls;
ortheru y^
frunithe fe
a fells lfj[
can nsmiffti
a f in taeir p:p
)« eoastattlr'
walls, ante
Zand and the Kajar. He was himself slain by a Turkman arrow. Unable
without aid to withstand the constant attacks of their Turkman neigh
bours, the settled population of the Atak retired, after severe loss, to the
highlands. Agha Muhamad Khan, son of Behbud Khan, who succeeded
to the governorship, occupied the valley of Daraghaz ; having, as Khurasan
was practically independent, no title but that of the strongest. Pie and his
family have since maintained themselves by the sword alone ; for the sup
port of their suzerains, the Shahs of Persia, was always wanting when
most required. Had they been dependent on it, they would most assuredly
have been driven back to the barren mountains behind them ; while, but for
their own sturdy resistance, their seat would have been occupied bv one or
the other of their neighbours and enemies, the chiefs of Kalat, Radkan,
and Kuehan. The chiefs of the latter place, in fact, regard the petty chief-
ship on their border as in some sort dependent on them—an assumption that
would long ago, if not vigorously resisted, have ended in complete subjec
tion. The following note of the descendants of Agha Muhamad Khan, who
held the chiefship, will show how chequered have been their fortunes, and
how varied their relations with the sovereigns of Persia:—
Agha Muhamad Khan.
all faii*i
binthefe
the Kiichai r
etl constaar
Lutf AH Khan
(in high favour with Agha Muhamad Khan, Kajar, Governor of Mashhad)
Beglar Khan
(formed an alliance with Kurd chiefs in rebellion against the Kajars, and was subsequent
ly a prime favourite of Abbas Mirza).
nds free ofr
in the slap
elates tletK
central gois
the M
or thedefeji!
! the!traiit;h
en wonH » :
lowever, 1®
f the offi®*
1
1 1 . , . 1 ,
Arslan Agha Abas Kuli Khan.* Suliman Khan
(Ruled for 22 years in peace)
Daulat Murad Khan J
'deprived of chiefship.)
Bahadur Khan
(deprived of chiefship).
I , 1 ,
Sayyad Ali Khan. Muhamad Ali Khan. Saadat Kuli Khan
(died in prison at Tabriz).
^hazisj^K’
r Shah, a f
i to Persia c
it Dara^-
eoantrT^
4 ami hr -
npationa
j-Vani ^
Alla yak Khan
( present Khan).
* Abbas Kuli Khan, known as the deli or madman, has a curious history.
His life passed in chronic rebellion, and he was reduced only by a large force
with a number of guns. He was subsequently imprisoned at Tabriz, from
which place he escaped and joined the “ Salar,” who was in rebellion at
Mashhad. Obtaining a pardon by timely submission, he returned to his
chiefship, and distinguished himself by the most reckless bravery at the
capture of Marv by the Persians. He was governor of Marv for some
14