Persian .«-. Travels Book V. 



chap. w. 



Of. what fell out 7noft memorable in the Reign of Sha-Sefl the fir ft . : 

 and particularly of the death of Iman-Kouli-Katf, and his thre\ 

 ■Sons. 



IMdn-Kouli-Kan was the laft Kan Of Schiras 3 whofe Government extended 

 over the Province of Lar, to the Golf of Perfia, under the Reign of Sha- 

 Abbas j ; thefe Kans being the moft potent in all Perfia. Iman-Kouli- 

 Kan was he who in the Reign of Sha- Abbas conquer'd the greateft part of the' 

 Kingdomof Lot, and the Kingdom of Ormus^ with all the Coaft of the Per- 

 fian GcAf, from Cape fafques to Balfara. 

 » This Iman-Kouli-Kan was prodigioufly rich, belov'd and refpe&ed by all the 

 world} befides he was wonderfully- magnificent, his expences almoft equalling: 

 the Kings $ which occafion'd Sha- Abbas, who difcours'd with him one day parti- 

 cularly upon that Subject, to tell him, that he defir'd him to fpend every day 

 one Mammdy Iefs than he, that there might be fbme difference between the, 

 expences of a King and a Kan. : 



*The notyle qualities of this Iman-Kouli-Kan had gain'd the affections of the 

 people 5 for he wais magnificent and liberal j highly recompene'd brave Soldiers 

 and Students j he lov'd Strangers, and had a particular care, to cherHh Arts 

 and Sciences. To which purpofe he built a fair Colledg at Schiras, for the in- 

 ftru&ion of Youth j and feveral Inns, as well in the City as upon the. Road 

 for the benefit of Travellers.- He eaus'd Mountains to be cut thorough to fhor- 

 ten the way 5 and foWd others by Bridges, of fuch an adventqrous Stru&ure, 

 that -it is hard to coTite<Sure how fuch prodigious Arches cou/d be made over 

 fuch va$f Precipices and- Torrents. 



•Now.Smireg'ard Iman-Kouli-Kan was ftrick'n in years, he Teldom ! went to 

 Gourry. *hu0ng rather to Continue in his Government, wliere he was belov'd and 

 reij^fted by all men. -But the King being young, and the Government of rhe 

 Kihgdoin ; in the hands" of the Queen- Mother and the Athema-loulet, who were 

 extreamly yealous of;-the Kan, thofe two perfons link'd together in intereft for 

 the maintenance of the Kings Authority and their own,; fretted , to.. fee the 

 Kan's Court almoft as fplendid as the King? • and that ndthing of the' Reve- 

 nue of Schiras, Lar,Ormus, or any part of the Perfian Coif came to rhe Kings 

 Coffers, as being folely at the difpofal of the Kan-, bet that on the contrary, 

 the King was oblig'd to fend him Money to pay the Army. But that which 

 troubled the Qyeen-Mother moft of all, was the pretention of the X*//s eldelt 

 Son to the Crown, whowas alfo a perfon of a daring and ambitious courage. 

 For the Kings of Perfia efteem it a great Honour to beftow upon any Kan or 

 great Lord, one of their Wives out of their Royal Haram 5 and Sha* Abbas 

 had given to Iman-Kouli-Kan one of his own proper Wives, whom he lov'd 

 extreamly. Tis thought that when (he left the Haram (he was three months 

 gone with Child by 5^-^/^/,_for_fomewhat above.fixjjiojiihs. after .&£. was. 

 be^cte&^ylhe Kan 3 the lay- in oFa Son, of which "the King was the reputed 

 Father, and who being born before Sha-Sefi, pretended a right before him to 

 the Throne. By vertue of this claim, contrary to the will of Sha- Abbas in 

 favour of Sha-Sefi, this ambitious Lord, who only pafs'd for the Kan's eldeik 

 Son, vehemently folficited his Father to feize upon Sha-Sefi, and to make him- 

 felf King, or at leaft to op'n a way for him to the Throne. Now it happened, 

 that one day being a hunting with the young King near Schiras, the impatient 

 young Lord coming to his Father j Sir, faid he, fee now the opportunity that 

 offers you the Throne j fori will go prefentlyand bring you Sha-Seffs head. 

 Birtp&Kan holding his Son by the. Arm, told him, that he would never con- 

 fent tof "Che death of his Kingj protefting to him, rather to dye a thoufand 

 deaths j adding withall, that it was the Kings will to appoint Sha-Sefi to fuc- 

 ceed him, as fceiog the Son of his Son, and confequently his lawful Heir 5 that 



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