Chap. Ill of Moftfieur Tavernier. 



the young Prince was recommended to his care, and in . regard he had pro- 

 mised and fworn, he was fb far from falfifying his truft, that he would main- 

 tain his pofieffion to the laft gafp. 



This generous refolution of the Kan broke the young Lords defign upon 

 the Kings perfon. However the Sultane/s being not ignorant of the train that 

 was laid for the young King, and againlt the repofe of the Kingdom, thought 

 it her wifeft way to prevent the blow, and to rid her (elf of fuch perfons as 

 had confpir'd the death of the King. The Kan's two other Sons took part with 

 him they call'd their elder Brother. And as for the Kan. himfelf, though he 

 were upright in his Loyalty, yet his power,-, his wealth, his reputation among 

 the Souldiery, and the affection that the people bare him, concurr'd together not 

 only to render him fufpected, but guilty. The Sultanefs and the Athemadoulet - 

 took counfel together, which way to divert the ftorm that threaten'd the Kings 

 head, to whom they reprefented, that he was not fafe in his own perfon fb 

 Jong as Iman-Kcidi-Kan and his three eldeft Sons liv'd. The King eafily be- 

 liev'd them, and relblv'd to be rid both of Father and Sons together ; but 

 the difficulty was to get 'em to Court, wherein opportunity it lèlf afTifted 

 them. For at that time Amurath the Great Turl^ at the head of a vaft Ar- 

 my, was already advanc'd within the Confines of Perfia, had tak'n Envan, and 

 had ruin'd Tauns. Upon the firft news of this march, the King fends for all 

 the Kans and Governours to attend his perfon, with all the Forces under their 

 command. Among the reft, the Kan of Schiras receiv'd the fame orders j who 

 thereupon aflembl'd all his Troops, both Horfe and Foot, who were not only 

 the molt numerous, but the belt difciplin'd and ftouteft Souldiers of all Perfia. 

 As he was upon his march to Casé to with his three Sons, the eldeft having 

 well confider'd of affairs j Sir, faid he, We are making hafi to the King, to the 

 end our heads may the fooner fall at our feet. Perhaps my Son, reply'd the Kan t 

 thou maifl fpeak^ the truth • but to this day I never was a Rebel, again ft the- King, 

 I have done whatever he commanded , and whatever may happ'n I will obey him 

 till death. The Kan arriving at Casbin, was by the King welcom'd with great de- 

 monftrations of joy. Some days after, he took a general Mufter, and then 

 made a great Feaft which lafted three days, to which all the great Lords and 

 Kans that were at Casbin were call'd. The three Sons of Iman-Kouli-Kan were 

 of the number ; but the Father excus'd himfelf, as well by reafon of his age, 

 as alfb reprefenting to his Majefty, that it better befitted him to employ his 

 time in taking care of his affaires, and in praying for his. Majefty } however 

 if it were his Ma je (ties exprefs command, he would not fail to obey ; to which 

 the King return'd for anfwer, that the Kan of Schiras was at his liberty to do 

 as he thought fit. The third day of the Feaft the King rofe from his Seat, 

 and going out of the Hall, without fpeaking a word to any perfon, went into 

 a Room hard by. Half an hour after, three fturdy réfolute Fellows with fome 

 other Ragamuffin attendants, entring the Hall with their Scimeters drawn, feiz'd 

 upon the Karis three Sons, and cut off their heads. They were put into a 

 Gold Bafon, and prefented to the King j who commanded the Fellows to carry 

 them to their Father, and as foon as he had feen them, to take off his head 

 to make the fourth. The AfTafiinates found him at his prayers ; but being in- 

 terrupted to fee the heads of his three Sons, he defir'd leave only to conclude, 

 which having done, with a countenance undifturb'd , and without any other 

 Words of exprefhons in his mouth than what is ufually faid among the Per- 

 ftansy Let the Kings will be done fat fubmitted to à death which he might have eafily 

 avoided. The four heads were brought back to the King, to be fent into 

 the Ha-fam to his Mother. So foon as he had taken off the heads of the 

 Father and the three Sons, the King difpatch'd away certain Chappars or Cour- 

 riers, with order to the Lieutenant of the Kan, to put to death all the reft of 

 the Children. The command was obey'd, and they were, all put to death, but, 

 only two that were at Nurfe, whom their Nurfes fo well conceal'd, that never 

 any tidings could be heard either of the Nurfes or of the Children. 



After the death of Iman-Kouli-Kan, the Province of Schiras, with its de- 

 | pendances , has been govern'd by a Vifctr- , who agrees with the King what 

 Rent to pay him yearly. In the years i66y and 1666, the Viùr gave him fifty 



B b z thoa- 



