‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎290v] (587/722)

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Whilst Agha Muhammad Khan was thus engaged in Khurasan, he projected
'the conquest of Bukhara, which was at that time ruled by a mendicant
priest, named Begi Jan, who had ascended the throne under the title of
Shah Murad. The road to Bukhara, however, lay through the Afghan
province of Balkh; and accordingly Agha Muhammad Khan applied to
Zaman Shah for the cession of Balkh. Zaman Shah is said to have agreed
to the cession; but before the measure could be carried out, Agha Muhammad
Khan was recalled to Tihran by news of Russian aggression in Georgia.
The progress of affairs in that direction was indeed alarming. The Empress
Catherine, in her wrath at the excesses committed in Georgia, had declared
war against Persia, and General Zuboff had recovered possession of Georgia.
Agha Muhammad Khan threatened vengeance; but appears to have hesitated
to bring his irregular forces against the cannon and discipline of Russia.
On reaching Tihran he found that some Russian sailors had been taken
prisoners and brought to the capital in chains ; and he wreaked his imme
diate fury upon these men by ordering them to be strangled. But he
postponed military operations until the ensuing year. Meantime Catherine
the Second ended her extraordinary career on the 9th November 1796 ; and
the first act of her son and successor, the Emperor Paul, was to recall the
Russian army under Count Zuboff.
Early in 1797 Agha Muhammad Khan set out on an expedition against
Georgia. He crossed the river Araxes and captured Slndiah, when his
career was brought suddenly to a close, he being murdered by two of his
servants.
The natural heir of Agha Muhammad Khan was a nephew named Fateh
AK Shah; and during the latter years of the late reign Fateh AH Shah
had been treated as heir-apparent to the throne. Scarcely, however, was it
known that Agha Muhammad Khan was dead than seven rival claimants
appeared in arms, including not only members of his own family, but
representatives of the fallen dynasties of the Zands and Safavians. These
insurrections were ultimately repressed; and one only calls for a passing
notice, namely, that of Nadir Mirza in Khurasan.
Nadir Muza was the son of Shah Rukh, and, consequently, the great-
grandson of Nadir Shah. This prince had left Khurasan during the
invasion of Agha Muhammad Khan ; but on hearing that the Shah was dead,
he returned to Khurasan and assembled an army. Fateh AH Shall now
advanced in person into Khurasan, and enforced the obedience of the chiefs
on his way; but on reaching Mashhad, all the holy men of the city came
out and implored him to respect the sanctity of the shrine of Imam Raza.
At the same time, Nadir Mirza tendered his submissien to the Shah.
Accordingly the refractory prince was pardoned, and entrusted with the
government of the province. Nadir Mirza also gave his daughter in mar
riage to one of the generals of the Kajar; and sent his brother Abbas to
reside at Tihran, as a hostage for his future good behaviour.
At tliis juncture the attention of the British government was drawn after
a. long interval to Persian affairs. Tippu Sultan of Mysore had been
intriguing with Zaman Shah of Afghanistan; and the latter sovereign was
making preparations for an invasion of Hindustan. Some alarm was felt,
both at Bombay and Calcutta, at the prospect of an invasion of Afghans;
for, whilst their ferocity and treachery were tolerably well known, their
strength was much exaggerated; and undue stress was laid upon the crush
ing 1 defeat which Ahmad Shah Abdali had inflicted upon the Mahrattas