‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎119v] (243/722)

192
for provisions in the camp of the besiegers,—who, worn down by want
and sickness, began to desert in all directions. The troops in Astarabad
aided by the citizens and encouraged by the wretched state of their enemies ,
made a general sally; nor did they find it difficult to overcome men already
subdued by disease and famine. They made a general slaughter of 6,000.
Only one was spared to convey the intelligence to Shaikh Waiz Khan
who fled with precipitation to Tihran, where he found his father in the
last stage of dropsy. This, added to his misfortune at Astarabad, and the
intelligence he had received of his cause that Jafar Khan, whom he had
entrusted with a command in Armenia, had rebelled, made him resolve
on retreating towards Isfahan ; but he expired before he reached that capital.
“ The troubles that followed that event in Ears were most favourable for
Agha Muhammad, who not only regained Mazandaran, but also took Tihran
and made it the capital of his government.
“Jafar Khan, who had succeeded AH Murad at Isfahan, sent no less
than four armies against Agha Muhammad, who successively defeated them
and pursued his last victory so well, that he got possession of Kashan.
Jafar Khan was so terrified at this success, that he precipitately abandoned
Isfahan, and fled, with a few followers, to Shiraz, leaving behind him almost
all his property. Agha Muhammad took instant advantage of this pusilla
nimous conduct, and in two days made himself master of Isfahan, which was
left totally defenceless. Jafar Khan established himself at Shiraz. Agha
Muhammad for the present contented himself with settling the country
round Isfahan, in which city he left a governor and returned to his own
capita], Tihran.
“ This year, 17138 A.D., was not more distinguished by Agha Muhammad’s
success against his enemies than by his cruelties to his friends, and parti
cularly to his own family, The moment his power seemed fixed, he began
to show his real character, which he had before carefully disguised.
He seized and put out the eyes of his brother Mustafa Kuln His
brother Pfrza (?) died in an attempt to escape. Murtaza KuK Khan, another
brother, fled to the Empress Catherine, by whom he was honorably received;
and he was treated with distinction by the Russians till he died. Of the
nobles who were put to death, the chief was AH Khan Khamsah; and
Khiisru Khan, Ardalani, despoiled of all his property, died in extreme misery.
“ In the year 1789 A.D., Agha Muhammad, who now governed all
Mazandaran, Irak, and part of Armenia, advanced against Shiraz; but when
within two days’ march of that city, retreated without effecting anything
of importance.
“ I n fh© same year, and soon after his retreat, Jafar Khan was put to
death by the former governor of Shiraz, Saiyid Murad Khan; and the latter
was in a short period deposed by Lutf AH Khan, the son of Jafar. Agha
Muhammad, hearing of these dissensions, hastened again to Shiraz. Lutf
AH assembled a small force and went to meet him, but was defeated, and
obliged to find his safety within the walls of the town. Agha Muhammad
continued before Shiraz forty days; but finding all his exertions inefficient,
he retreated to lihran, where he employed himself in plans for subieeting
the whole of Armenia.
“ In the succeeding year, 1790 A.D., fortune obtained for Agha Mu
hammad what he had in vain endeavoured to accomplish. Lutf AH Khan,
the young prince of Persia, though gallant and generous, was suspicious,
headstrong, and violent, and had in a few months disgusted all the nobles
about him; and none more than Haji Ibrahim, his Vazir—a man of the