[ 148 ] 



territories of the Turanian sovereign, and defeated him in a great 

 battle, from which he with difficulty escaped alive, Rostam, for 

 this and other services, was made governor of Zablestan, which, in- 

 cluding both Cabul and Gazna, cities situated close on the borders 

 of India, and intimately connected with it by commerce, rendered 

 him necessarily attentive to what was transacting in that region, 

 and eventually caused it to become the theatre of many of the ex- 

 ploits of that celebrated warrior. The death of Caicobad opened a 

 new field for the hostile efforts of Afrasiab against Iran, and he ac- 

 cordingly once more commenced them with such signal success, as, 

 in a battle fought in Mazenderan with Cai-Caus, his successor, to 

 take that king prisoner ; but this intelligence having reached the 

 ears of Rostam, he immediately entered Turkestan with a vast army, 

 wasted all before him with fire and sword, and swore that he 

 would lay the whole realm in desolation, if Afrasiab hesitated imme- 

 diately to liberate his imprisoned master. The outcries and distress 

 of the terrified inhabitants, who were on the point of rising in general 

 rebellion, had the effect of inducing Afrasiab to set the king of 

 Persia at liberty, after he had solemnly promised to recal the terri- 

 ble Rostam, on whom, in reward, Cai-Caus bestowed his own sister 

 in marriage ; and, that so great a genius in military affairs might not 

 remain unemployed, he sent him, with armies proportionably power- 

 ful, to conquer Egypt, Arabia, Syria, and all Asia Minor, which he 

 successfully accomplished. The Persian empire now approached 

 to the zenith of its glory, and the mighty Shahinshah only wanted the 

 addition of the empires of Turan and India to be the master of Asia. 

 The same Rostam , if in this period of Persian history we are not 

 hurried away by Oriental writers into the region of fable, under the 

 succeeding reign accomplished that desired event also. That reign, 

 however, was the reign of Cai-Khosru, or the great Cyrus ; the 

 reign of enterprize and of glory, when Wisdom planned and Valour 



