TEHERAN. 
235 
civil title, and Khan is a military one. The title of Khan is creative, 
but not hereditary: the sons of Khans are called Aga or Esquire, 
which is a Tartar title, and more common to Turkey than to Persia. 
The creation of Khan is attended with few ceremonies, and those very 
simple. The King sends a kalaat or dress of honour to the person so 
created, and on his investiture the King gives him a firman announcing 
to all persons that the bearer of it is forthwith a Khan; and this firman 
is worn three days on the top of the turban. Any person who derides 
this patent or who refuses to call the bearer of it by his title, is liable 
to the penalty of death. 
The title of Mirza does not hinder the possessor from receiving that 
of Khan also; and then the name runs, for example, thus, Mirza 
Hossein Ali Khan. 
The different ranks of civil governors are—1st. The Beglerheg , who 
generally resides in the large cities, and controuls the province around: 
2d. The Hakim ; and 3d. the Thaubet, who severally govern a city or a 
town: 4th. The Kelounter , who, besides the real governor, resides in 
every city, town and village, and superintends the collection of the 
tribute: 5th. The Ket Khoda , who is the chief of a village: 6th. The 
Pak-kar, who is servant or Hommes d’Affaires to the Ket Khoda , and who 
transacts the business with the Rayat or peasant. The Pak-kar accounts 
with the Ket Khoda , and he again with the Kelounter. 
The Kelounter is a man of consequence wherever he presides; he is 
an officer of the crown, and once a-year appears before the Royal pre¬ 
sence, an honour which is not permitted to the Ket Khoda. He also 
receives wages from the King's treasury, which the Ket Khoda does not. 
The Kelounter is the medium through which the wishes and wants of 
the people are made known to the King: he is their chief and repre¬ 
sentative on all occasions, and brings forward the complaints of the 
Rayat s, whenever they feel oppressed. He also knows the riches of 
every Rayat , and his means of rendering the annual tribute: he there¬ 
fore regulates the quota that every man must pay; and if his seal be 
not affixed to the documents which the Rayat brings forward in the 
h h 2 
