'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎205] (238/1024)

Chap. III. ofMonfieur Tavernier. v 2
the young Prince was recommended to his care, and in regard he had promis’d
'and fworn, he was fo far from falfifying hli truft, that he would maintain his
pofleffion to the lad gafp. ^
This generous refolution of the Kan broke the young Lords defign upon
the Kings perfon. However the Sultanefs being not ignorant of the train that
was laid for the young King, and againil the repofeof the Kingdom, thought
it her wifeft way to prevent the blow, and to rid her felf of fuch perfons as
had confpifd the death of the King. The Kan's two other-Sons took part with
him they call’d their elder Brother. And as for the Kan himfelf, though he
were upright in his Loyalty, yet his power, his wealth, his reputation among
theSouldiery, and the affe&ion that the people bare him, concurr’d together not
only to render him fufpe&ed, but guilty. The Sultanefs and the Athemadoukt
took counfel together, which way to divert the ftorm that threaten’d the Kings
head, to whom they reprefented, that he was not fafe in hss own perfon fo
long as Iman^Kouli Kan and his three eldeft Sons liv’d. The King eafily be
liev’d them, and refolv’d to be rid both of Father and Sons together, but
the difficulty was to get ’em to Court, wherein opportunity it felf aftiited
them. For at tha|i time Amurath the Great Turk^ at the head of a vaft Ar- '
my, was already advanc’d within^gfie Confines of had tak’n Erivan^ and
had ruin’d Taurli. Upon the fim news of this march, the King fends for all
thtKans and Governours to attend his perfon, with all the Forces under their
command. Among the reft, the Kan oi Schiras receiv’d the fame orders ; who
thereupon affembl’d all his Troops, both Horfe and Foot, who were not only -
the moft numerous, but the beft difciplin’d and ftouteft Soufdiers of all PeYpa.
As he was upon his march to Casbin with his three Sons, the eldeft having
well cdnftder’d of affairs i Sir, faid he, We are making bafi to the King, to the
end otir heads may the foonerfall at our feet. Perhaps my Son y reply 5 d the Kan y
thou maifi fpeal^the truth ') but to this day I never was a Rebel againfl the King,
I have done whatever he commanded, and whatever may happen 1 will obey him
till death. The Kan arriving at Ca'sbin, was by the King welcom’d with great de-
monftration of joy. Some days after, he took a general Mufter, and then
made a great" Feaft which lifted three day, to which all the great Lords and
Kans that were at Casbin were call’d. The three Sons of Iman-Kouli-Kan .were
of the number*, but the Father excus’d himfelf, as well by reafon of his age,
as alfo reprefenting to his Maj&fy, that it better befitted him to employ his
time in taking care of his affairs, and in praying for his Majeftyi however
if it were his Majefties exprefs command, he would not fail to obey s to which
the King return’d for anfwer, that the Kan of Schiras was at his liberty to do
as he nought fit. The third day of the Feaft the King rofe from his Seat,
and going out of the Hall, without fpeaking a word to any perfon, went into
a Room hard by. Half an hour after, three fturdy rifolute Fellows witfi fome
other Pvagamuffii^atfendants, entring the Hall with their Scimeters drawn, feiz’d
upon the /Gfl/^iree Sons, and cut off their heads. They were put. into a
Gold Bafon, and prefented to the King *, who commanded the Fellows to carry
them to their Father, and as fodn as he had feen them, to take off his head
to make the fourth. The Affaflinates found him at his prayers s but being in
terrupted to fee the heads of his three Sons, he defir’d leave only to conclude,
which having done, with a countenance undifturb’d, and without any other
words or expreftions in his mouth than What is ufually faid among the Per-
fans. Let the King^s will be done, he fubmitted to a death which he might have eafily
avoided. The four heads were brought 'back to the King, to be fent into
the Haram to his Mother. So foon as he had taken off the heads of the
Lather and the three Sons, the King difpatch’d away certain Chappars or Courricrs,
with order to the Lieutenant of the Kan, to put to death all the reft of the Chil
dren. The command was obey’d, and they were ail put to death, but only two
that were at Nurfe whom their Nurfes fo well conceal’d, that never any tidings;
could be heard either of the Nurfes or of the Children.
After the death of Iman-Kouli-Kan, the Province of Schiras, with its de?
pendances, has been govern’d by a Vizir, who agrees with the King what
Rent to pay him yearly. In the years i66<y and 1666, the Vizir gave him fifty
B b 2 r thou-,