'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎574] (641/714)

574
PERSIA
dreadful to the Turks, now also in remoter blowes and sulfurian arts
are growne terrible. 1
Pietro della Valle, who was in Persia at the time, speaks of the
newly enrolled infantry as fusiliers, owning their origin to Sir
Anthony Sherley, recruited from the lower orders of the country,
and receiving their pay quarterly from the king. He describes
them as a very useful body, 20,000 strong, and adds that 'in the
beginning they were on the foot, but were afterwards mounted and
armed with matchlocks and a fork to fire from.' From another
source we learn that after Sir Anthony's departure Robert was
made ' Master General against the Turks ;' and that upon his
return to Persia from a mission to the European powers in 1612,
he brought with him from England ' Captain Thomas Powel of
Hertfordshire, who was Colonel of 700 horse under the Persian/
It is interesting at this early date to read of English officers in
the service of the Shah ; and to know that English counsels were
responsible for the earliest modern reform in the military organi
sation of Persia.
Nevertheless, throughout this and the succeeding century, the
Persian army retained for the most part its original and almost
Decline immemorial organisation as a loose collection of irregular
under the cava l r y contingents. Even under Shah Abbas, when the
kingf army WaS at its best ' tliere P revaile(i the most complete
ignorance of scientific warfare, and battles were little else
than desultory cavalry engagements on a large scale. In the
campaign against Ormuz, which the Persians waged in conjunction
with the English in 1622, the latter were amazed at the ignorance
and backwardness of their allies. 2 Chardin says that, at the death
of Shah Abbas, the effective strength of the army was 150,000
(50,000 Royal troops and 70,000 Provincial troops); Pietro
della A alle says it consisted of 97,000 cavalry; but Herbert,
though he advances larger nominal totals, also supplies a becoming
corrective.
1 Purchas' Pilgrims, vol. ii. p. 1806.
Edward Monoxe, the agent of the East India Company at Ormuz, wrote as
follows (Purchas Pilgrims, vol. ii. lib. x. cap. 9) : ' The Persians are ignorant of
the art of warre, for they entred without feare or wit, and lost with shame what
they might have maintayned with honour. Other defects 1 observed in the very
sinewes of warre, such that I cannot but wonder that one of the Wonders of our
Age, Sha Abas, should send over an Armie so weakly provided of money, amies,,
munition, ships, and all necessary furniture.'