44 
E. E. Oliver —The Safari Dynasty of Persia. 
[No. 2, 
Khurasan was practically independent all through his reign. Two 
powerful Qazalbasli chiefs, ’All Quli and Murshid Quli Khan nominally 
protected ’Abbas, but were really rival powers. Ultimately they fell 
out, fought, and Murshid was victorious. On Hamzah’s death he 
marched with ’Abbas to Qazwin which the two took possession of with¬ 
out opposition ; Muhammad simply disappearing from the scene, deserted 
by every one. “ His inefficiency,” says Malcolm, “ was so marked, he 
was probably permitted to die a natural death.” At any rate he drops 
out of history. 
’Abbas the First 994—1037 H. 
’Abbas was now strong enough to get rid of Murshid Quli Khan, 
which he did in the usual way, by slaying him, and taking full power 
into his own hands. Almost as soon as he had left Hirat, the Uzbaks 
beseiged it, and though in 995 H. he marched to its relief, he had to 
return to his capital without effecting his purpose ; for he had to 
hurry back to Georgia where the ’Usmanlis threatened him. All 
through the history of the time difficulties with the Turks in the west 
were invariably echoed by the Uzbaks in the east, and vice versa. 
The marching and countermarching must have occupied most of the 
ruler’s time. ’Abdu-llah Khan,* the Shaibani, no sooner heard of Western 
difficulties, than he moved on the sacred city of Mashhad, entrusting the 
command of his army to ’Abdu-l-Mumin Khau,f then governor of 
JBalkh. ’Abdu-l-Mumin was a thorough savage, and when in 996 H. the 
holy city of the Shi’ahs fell into his hands, it was literally given over 
to the furies. The Uzbaks spared neither age nor sex. The sacred shrine 
of Imam Raza, the richest and most celebrated in Persia, was deluged 
with the blood of philosophers and peasants, children and old men. 
Massive gold and silver candelabra, jewelled armour, priceless copies 
of the Quran, and precious relics of every description, the accumulated 
offerings of pious pilgrims for three centuries, were remorselessly 
pillaged. Even the ashes of the dead were not spared, Tahmasp’s 
Throi igl. t! io Shuibuni lino back Through tho Ashtvilkhdn lino buck to Juji. 
to Jtiji. 
I 
Iukandar 9(58— 9D1. \ rir Mulmmnuul. 
I __ 
I I 
* 'Abdu-llAh, 9i>l—lour,. Znlmi Klntnmn nmrrion - Jtfn. 
f ’Abdu-l-Mumin, 100G. 
