‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎302v] (611/722)

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that for the future he would only hold the post of commander-in chief, and
that Mirza Agha Khan was appointed to the vacant post of prime minister.
The queen-mother, however, who was the bitterest enemy of the deposed
minister, and Mfrza Agha Khan were determined on the destruction of
Mirza Taki Khan ; and circumstances soon enabled them to carry out their
hostile design.
Meantime the Shah xvas by no means ill disposed towards his brother-
in-law, although he had dismissed him from the post of minister. Ac
cordingly the Shah appointed Mirza Taki to be governor of Kashan.
Unfortunately the ruin of Mirza Taki Khan was brought about by foreign
interference. Prince Dolgorouky, the Russian representative, was not well
disposed towards the new minister, Mirza Agha Khan ; and he accordingly
sent the members of his mission, together with his Cossack guard, to the
house of the deposed minister, and declared that Mirza Taki Khan was
under the protection of Russia. The Shah was much irritated at this
insulting interference, and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the
Russians; and ordered Mirza Taki Khan to retire in disgrace to Kashan.
Prince Dolgorouky complied, but referred the matter to St. Petersburg;
and after a few weeks openly boasted that he expected to receive a reply
very shortly which would settle the fate of Mirza Taki Khan.
The Shah was now fearful, lest Russia should call upon him to give a
guarantee that Mirza Taki Khan should not be injured; and to escape this
interference, he gave orders for the secret execution of the fallen minister.
The matter was rendered doubly painful by the fact that the wife of Mirza
Taki Khan was the sister of the Shah, and devotedly attached to her
husband. For two months the pair were permitted to live at the palace of
din; but every day Mirza Taki Khan was required to show himself to his
guards. At Hrst his wife used to accompany him on these occasions; but
finding that it was a mere matter of form, she soon ceased to appear. On
the 9th January 1852, the guards called for the ex-minister as usual; and
then seized and gagged him, and carried him into an adjoining room, when
ceitain veins were opened, and he was allowed to bleed slowly to death in
gread agony. Meantime his young wife was told that her husband had
received a dress-of-honour, and had gone to his bath preparatory to putting
it on.. \\ hen she ascertained the deception, her husband was dead. The
Shah is said to have been subsequently seized with remorse; and betrothed
the^two infant daughters of the murdered man to two of his own sons.
hrom the fall of Zanjan, at the end of 1850, till the middle of 1852
httle was heard of the disciples of the Bab. In August 1852, however,
four Babi conspirators fell upon the Shah whilst he was riding in the
neighbouthocd of iihran, and attempted to assassinate him. The royal
attendants immediately came to the rescue. One BaM was slain on the
spot, two were captured, and the fourth escaped down a well. Further
conspirators were discovered, and ten persons were put to death in cruel
or mes. i umerous other executions followed; the victims in everv case
io using to renounce their faith in the Bab, although offered their lives on
the simple condition of reciting the Moslem creed.
Aitoi this the mpture between Russia and the Western powers began to
assume a giave character ; and the Russian government endeavoured to
in uce the Shah to cooperate in the war against Turkey, on the promise
that the Czar would relinquish his claim to the balance due to Russia under
ie xea y o iuikmanchai, and would supply money and stores in the case