ART. XXVII.-Biographical Sketch of his late Royal Highness ABBAS MIRZA, Prince Royal of Persia, Hon. M.R.A.S., &c. &c.

*

AMONGST the crowned heads and princes of royal blood in Asia who have taken an interest in the welfare of the Royal Asiatic Society, we have to name the Shah of Persia, and his second son, the Prince Royal, ABBAS MIRZA. The latter is lost to his country and to us; and the untimely termination of his career is both a matter of public concern, and has especial claims on the notice and sympathy of the Society, from the peculiar relation in which his Royal Highness stood with respect to it.

In the ardent pursuit of his views of public administration, and thwarted, perhaps, in the prosecution of his schemes for the total subjugation of Khorasan, and the recovery of the anciently more extended boundary of the empire in the direction of Herát and Kandahár, ABBAS MIRZA unhappily fell a victim to the attack of an epidemic disorder last year, while marching to rejoin his army. The loss of a favourite son, and the disappointment attendant on the annihilation of plans formed to secure the future tranquillity of his kingdom, were almost too much for the exhausted frame and constitution of the Shah, so that the greatest apprehensions were entertained for his safety. His majesty, however, has recovered, and, it is understood, has since named his grandson, Prince MUHAMMED MIRZA, the eldest son of the late Prince Royal, and now about twenty-seven years of age, as his successor to the throne.

ABBAS MIRZA was known to the western world as a prince who laboured to introduce such improvements in his country as might enable the people to emulate, in military prowess and in literary attainments, the present generation in Europe, and who studied, for the advancement of this object, to communicate to them the active habits and superior intelligence of those Europeans who visited the Persian court. Not a little was effected, within the sphere of the prince's direct authority, by slight changes in the national costume.

*We are principally indebted for the materials of this sketch to the kindness of Major Sir Henry Willock, K.L.S., a gentleman who, in his official capacity as British Chargé d'Affaires at the Persian court, had ample opportunities of becoming acquainted with the character and views of the enlightened prince in question.

ED.

The skirt of the garment was shortened; the European shoe was substituted for the Persian slipper; and the hitherto slip-shod shambling citizen of Tabriz, having the better use of his limbs, now stepped with firmness and alacrity, so that a general improvement of gait, as well as a gradual development of increased activity, were the results of an apparently trifling alteration. All travellers, indeed, have been struck by the manliness of a native of Azerbaiján of the present day, when contrasted with the effeminacy, and proneness to luxury and sensuality, of the modern youth of Shiráz and the southern provinces. Of the prince's own costume, the distinguishing characteristic was simplicity; and thus the broad cloth of Europe, and the cotton fabric (kedek) of Persia, supplanted the brocades and silk stuffs which were formerly in use.

But the spirit of improvement set on foot by the Prince Royal produced a marked and beneficial change in the habits and manners in general of those subject to his authority; while the capital of the province of which he was governor might, in comparison with other parts of Persia, be considered as Europe in Asia.

How far the introduction of the European system of military tactics has proved beneficial to Persia, it is not our province to inquire; but it may be stated, that whether good or bad, it was the work of ABBAS MIRZA. It undoubtedly made the government formidable to Turks, Arabs, Afgháns, and Uzbeks; but the calamitous result of two successive struggles against the hardy troops of Russia, may lead to the inference that a more efficient resistance might have been made by an adherence to the peculiar mode of warfare for which Persia was anciently celebrated.

In the prosecution of the same enlightened views, ABBAS MIRZA sent some young men to be educated in England, and it was his wish that they should translate such works from the English into the Persian language, as were fitted to improve the knowledge and direct the taste of their countrymen. In connexion with this subject it may also be mentioned, that he established a printing-press at Tabriz, and the Society is in possession of works* executed at this establishment which, for beauty of type, far exceed any thing that has been yet produced either in Europe or India, if we except the specimens recently pub

* Muharrik al Kulúb; or, Discourses on the Martyrdom of some of the principal Muhammedan Saints; a work compiled in the reign of KARÍM KHÁN, by MULLÁ MAHDÍ, of Narágh, at the request of ABDUL RIZÁ KHÁN, of Káshán: and Husainiyah, a work written by MULLA IBRAHIM, in the time of HARUN-AR-RASHID. For both these works the Society is indebted to the attention of SIR HENRY WILLOCK.-ED.

lished by the Native Education Society at Bombay,* which nearly equal in excellence the finest manuscripts; and the latter, it should be remarked, are not printed, but lithographed.

ABBAS MIRZA was remarkable for the comeliness of his person and the elegance of his address. His command of language and power of pleasing were conspicuous, and rendered his conversation fascinating; it may, indeed, be said, that no person ever left his royal highness's presence without being strongly impressed with his superior talent and cultivated taste.

In his public character as a governor he was mild, open to appeal, and the injured never sued in vain for redress. He afforded the greatest encouragement to commerce; merchants of respectability were not denied access to him, and all private property was respected. His confidence in the individual respectability and probity of Englishmen was unbounded, and he preferred their services to those of natives of other countries. Of the many European adventurers who entered his employment, none left him dissatisfied; and he never failed to adhere to his engagements even with those who had not fulfilled the expectations to which their pretensions had given rise, while in his private pecuniary transactions he was strictly just and honest. His character altogether, indeed, had so much of the ancient principles of truth, simplicity, and general interest for the welfare of his country in its composition, that, since the history of almost every age shews us, more or less, how the energies of one man who is supreme may impel, and even seem to inspire the faculties of the nation he governs, it was not difficult to fancy in ABBAS MIRZA the individual whose powerful and liberal mind was to create a new epoch in the destinies of his future kingdom towards which his views were so elevated and expanded; while he contemplated the higher range in civilisation attained by the nations of Europe with a rare disposition of candour and liberality; no petty jealousy for a moment clouded his brow when conversing on such subjects, but a noble emulation to tread the same glorious path seemed the pervading feeling of his heart.+

It is unnecessary to touch on the failings of this prince, for though many blemishes obscured the bright points of his character, yet, making due allowances for the deficiencies of an Asiatic education, and the baneful influence of that flattery and adulation which corrupt and

* The Anwári Sohailí of HUSAIN Váiz KásHIFf, folio, published in 1828; and the History of the rise and progress of the Muhammedan power in India, by Mu. HAMMED KASIM FERISHTA, in two vols. folio, published in 1833. A translation of the latter work was published in 1829, by Colonel BRIGGS.

+ See Sir ROBERT KER PORTER's Travels.

enervate the mind of a Shahzadeh from his cradle, we shall find occasion rather to be surprised at the many transcendent qualities displayed in one subjected to such disadvantages, than disappointed in being forced to acknowledge that there was much in the character of ABBAS MIRZA which would not bear the test of strict examination and display. It is in itself no slight praise to say, that his royal highness was far superior to all his countrymen in endowments and intelligence. He is supposed to have been about forty-eight years of age at the time of his decease.

ART. XXVIII.-Biographical Sketches of the Mogul Emperor JEHÁNGIR; his Sons Sultán KHURRAM and Sultán PARVíz; his Grandson Sultán SHUJÁ; and the principal Personages of his Court, by Major CHARLES STEWART, M.R.A.S.; intended as an Explanation of a valuable original Painting in Water Colours, presented by that Gentleman to the Royal Asiatic Society, and now deposited in its Museum.

THIS very curious and highly-finished painting represents the court of the Emperor JEHÁNGÍR at Agra, apparently at night. The name of the artist does not appear on the picture; but as the emperor's grandson, Sultán SHUJÁ, who is here portrayed as a boy of about nine years of age, was twenty-four years old when appointed to the government of Bengal in A.D. 1639, the date of the painting may be assumed to be about A.D. 1625.

In the autobiography of JEHANGÍR, of which a translation by Major DAVID PRICE, M.R.A.S., was published by the Oriental Translation Fund, the emperor mentions a painter named ABD-AS-SAMAD, who, it is not improbable, may have been the artist to whom we are indebted for this record. Sir THOMAS ROE mentions the skill of the portrait-painters attached to the court of JEHÁNGÍR, where he was sent as ambassador from England in 1614-15.

The painting was brought to England in the year 1775 by Colonel ALEXANDER CHAMPION, who commanded the Bengal army against the Rohillas in the preceding year.

We now proceed to notice the individuals whose portraits are to be found in this performance. And first :

THE EMPEROR JEHÁNGÍR SEATED ON a GOLDEN THRONE.

This personage, whose title signifies "conqueror of the world," was the son of the celebrated AKBAR, and great grandson of BÁBer,

the conqueror of India. In his autobiographical memoirs, translated by Major DAVID PRICE, M.R.A.S., he informs us that he ascended the throne of Hindústán in the month of October 1605, at the age of thirty-eight, and that he was called MUHAMMED SELÍM, in honour of a celebrated saint of that name, for whose disciples he ever retained the highest respect; he also describes his throne and crown, both of which were of immense value. His dominions, consisting of twentytwo provinces, extended from Kandahár, on the north-west, to the south-east point of Bengal, producing a revenue of nearly 50,000,000 sterling.

The first political event of his reign was the rebellion of his eldest son KHUSRAU, whose mother was sister of the celebrated Hindú prince RÁJÁ MAN SIN'HA, and whose wife was daughter of KHÁN A'zım, the vizír. This rebellion terminated in the capture of the prince, and the annihilation of many of his followers.*

The next event we shall relate, is the emperor's marriage with the celebrated NUR JEHAN (light of the world). This event, which is detailed at full length in many publications,† is briefly as follows:

KHUAJA GHAIAS‡-AD-DÍN, a Tátár, resolved to seek his fortune in India, and while crossing the desert with his wife, a female child was born, and brought to Lahore where AKBAR then held his court. The KHUAJA being a man of address and good education, soon obtained employment; and his daughter being well brought up, was at an early age named MIHR AL NISA (the sun of women), and betrothed to her countryman ALÍ KULí, entitled the Lion Slayer (SHírAFGAN); but having been seen at a royal entertainment by Prince SELÍM, the latter fell desperately in love with her. The marriage, however, took place; and the husband was appointed to the command of Bardawán, a district of Bengal.

It is said that soon after the succession of JEHANGÍR he caused his rival to be murdered. If such were the case, he was probably conscience-struck; for although the lady was brought to court, he did not see her for a considerable time. At length he visited her, and was so much captivated, that he gave immediate orders for a splendid marriage to take place.

He says in his memoirs: "When SHÍR AFGAN was killed, I sent for the Kází, and contracted a regular marriage with her, assigning for her dowry the sum of eighty lacs of gold mohrs. I presented her,

* See Dow's History of Hindostan, vol. iii. p. 3.

+ Vide Dow's Hindostan; the History of Bengal; and the Edinburgh Cabinet Library, vol. vi.

Dow's editor, by way of softening this name, has changed it to Aias.