OF THE ILLUSTRIOUS LINEAGE OF THE KAJARS, AND THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THAT NOBLE TRIBE.

THE information derived from the careful perusal of Biography and History, and the Traditions handed down from the successive generations of the Turkomans of Kipchak,* acquaint us, that the noble tribe of the Kajars, forming a part of the body of the Eel and Alous in the regions of Turkistan, had long spent their lives happily, passing the summers amongst the pasturages of the mountains, and descending in the winter to the southern plains of those delightful countries. The commencement of their power begins with a family of five brothers, who were uniformly ambitious of greatness and elevation, and who attained celebrity in battles and daring exploits. On account of their

* The words printed in Italics are referred to and explained in the Notes, in the Appendix.

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inbred valour and innate magnanimity, every one, without premeditation, exclaimed, agreeably to the purport of this tetrastich:

"We Five Brothers spring from one root:

"We are the five fingers in the hand of Fortune: "When erect, we form the standards of victory;

"When collected, we inflict blows on the faces of our enemies."

The eldest brother was named Kajar Khan; and his tribe, the Kajar Khani; just as the Seljuk Turks are called Seljuki, after the name of Seljuk Beg; and the Oguz Khan are called the Oguz Khani: so (the tribes of) Jengheez Khan and Jagt'ai are called the Jengheez Khani and the Jagtayi; the Begdali Khan, the Begdali; and the Afshars are so named after Afshar Khan, the fourth son of Oguz Khan. At the period of Oguz Khan's invasion from Turkistan, for the purpose of subduing Persia, this tribe served under his orders, and formed part of his army; so that, in the course of time, their abode, and summer and winter cantonments, were fixed in the districts of Diarbekr and Erlát. On the return of Oguz into Turkistan, this tribe, in consequence of the connexions and relations which they had formed,,turned their views to a residence in these regions; and, for successive generations, maintained themselves there by heroism and magnanimity, and continued unshaken in authority and dominion. In the reign of Sultan Hasan Beg, the Turkoman, they proceeded from Diarbekr to Azarbaijan. During his reign, and the reigns of Sultan Yakub and Alwand Mirza, their nobles and chieftains were Governors in most of the cities of Azarba'ijan, Irak, and Fars. When the power

came to Shah Ismail of the Sefavi Dynasty, his great Dignitaries were mostly taken from this distinguished tribe of the Kajars. On the decease of Shah Ismail, when his successor Shah Tahmasp Sefavi was fixed on the throne, the distinctions of heroism and dignity were, according to former precedents, conferred on this illustrious tribe; so that on every side, in all the realms of Iran, they enjoyed the supreme dignity, and were held in honour for their authority and equitable government. When the succession fell to Shah Abbas, he, becoming alarmed at their numbers and eminence, broke up the compact mass of their population into several divisions. Under the pretence "that this tribe is "celebrated for bravery and intrepidity, and justly "famed for energy in defensive war," he removed a numerous body to Shahijahan, and placed them opposite the Uzbegs: another body of them was settled in Ganja and Irevan, and commanded to defend the countries bordering on Room: he fixed. another body at Asterabad, opposite to the Turkomans, and charged them with the defence of the passes of Asterabad.

The royal genealogy of the sovereign, the Subduer of the Universe, is traced to Ka-An-Lu, the son of Jengheez Khan. The Prince's family is styled Ka-An-Lu; as one of his ancestors had received in marriage the daughter of Kaan, son of Jengheez Khan: for this reason they were called Ka-An-Lu.

At the termination of the Sefavi Dynasty, when Mahmud the Afghan, having invaded the country from Kandahar, besieged Shah Sultan Husain in Isfahan, and closely blockaded the Shah and his

army, Faty Aly Khan Kajar, the illustrious greatgrandfather of our present victorious sovereign, being joined by a great number of the nobles, exerted himself to succour Shah Sultan Husain; and proceeded from Asterabad to Isfahan, for the purpose of attacking and driving off the Afghans. He several times attacked the Afghans with great resolution on which occasion the King's Ministers, inspired by an evil policy, thus represented to the Shah:-"Those brave Kajars are a warlike and "lion-like race: Faty Aly Khan has also entered "into the lists of those hostile to the throne, and "has unfurled the banners of supremacy in the "field of Fortune: in consequence of this fortitude, they have been always distinguished by favours " and royal munificence: it will therefore be here"after a difficult matter to keep them in proper "restraint."

Shah Sultan Husain, whose days were now blackened by misfortune, and whose future fate the hand of Calamity had overspread with gloom, approved of the calumnies uttered by these infatuated advisers, and manifested neither interest nor esteem in the proceedings of the Kajars; therefore the noble Faty Aly Khan, being both insulted and afflicted, returned from Isfahan to Asterabad. In a short time after, Mahmud the Afghan took Isfahan, and exhibited scenes of boundless slaughter, captivity, and plunder: he also martyred Shah Sultan Husain. Before the capture and devastation of Isfahan, the infatuated and ignorant Ministers thought it advisable that Shah Tahmasp, son to Shah Sultan Husain, should depart from Isfahan, as by