‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎267v] (541/722)

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fmlitia is stated to exceed one hundred and fifty thousand men. They
provide their own clothing' and arms. The former is the common dress of
the country to which they belong ; the latter usually consist of a match
lock, sabre, and dagger. The militia has no further discipline than that of
obeying their own officers; and neither the men of this class, nor the irregu
lar horse, will submit to be commanded by any but those of their own body
whom they deem their superiors.
“ Before the reign of Shah Abbas the Great, the only army of Persia was
the irregular horse and the common infantry or militia of the country.
That monarch, with the desire of opposing the Turkish janizaries, and from
a wish to check the overgrown power of the khans, or chiefs of tribes
formed a corps of twelve thousand infantry and a rude park of artillery.
He also raised a body of twelve thousand horse, which were commanded by
the favourite officers of court. Through the aid of this force of infantry
and cavalry, who were indiscriminately formed from men of military tribes
and Georgian slaves, and who were entirely dependent upon the monarch,
Abbas and his immediate successors were able to keep in check, and ultimately
to destroy, the power of the great khans, or chiefs of military tribes, whose
followers had before constituted the whole force of the kingdom, and who
Were first reduced to thirty thousand men, and ultimately so broken and
discouraged, that they ceased to be formidable, either to the monarch of the
country or his enemies. The spirit and strength of this branch of the army
of Persia has been revived by those scenes of turbulence and war with which
that country has been afflicted during the last century ; and the army of
Agha Muhammad Khan consisted of irregular horse and infantry, a few
unwieldy pieces of cannon, and a number of camel swivels. But Fateh All
Shah, with a view of opposing the Russians and of strengthening his inter
nal government, formed a body of regular infantry and artillery, amount
ing to twenty thousand men; and part of this new body of troops, who
were trained by English officers, were clothed, armed, and paid by gov
ernment, and established on a footing quite distinct from the militia of the
country.
“ There is no subject of such essential importance to any country as the
constitution of that army which is to preserve its national independence.
It appears evident that the military force cf a kingdom must be of a
character congenial with that of the government; or it cannot be efficient
for its defence. . A barbarous despotism is always in danger of perishing
by the means by which it was created and is supported, and the very
violence which it must use to preserve its existence has the effect of keep
ing its subjects in a rude state ; for they will neither labour to produce
that which force may wrest from them, nor abandon any of those defences
which their personal habits, their social union, or their local situation, afford
them as a shield against the violence of tyrannical powers. In civilised
communities military tribes cannot be allowed to exist, as they are consti
tuted upon principles at variance with such an order of society. In such,
therefore, the army of the state is indiscriminately formed from all ranks of
its subjects ; and the force of example, and the severity of discipline, supply
the want of those habits and sentiments which give energy and force to the
warlike inhabitants of a ruder government. But it is one consequence of
this condition, that a nation almost entirely entrusts its safety to its army.
If that be conquered, it falls ; for the remainder of the people cannot
become soldiers in a day, and they are from their occupations and peaceable
habits incapable of that irregular but effective resistance, which a population