J.C.1725 having broken out about his body, covered him Heg.1137, & 1138. with a leprofy almost all over. Afchraf fucceeds the ufurp. him put to death. Meanwhile Shah Thamas, who had found refources among his father's fubjects, who had revolted against the tyranny of the Afghvans, advanced into Irac with eighteen thousand men. The Afghvans, affembled, refolved to oppofe a crowned head to this lawful prince who claimed the heritage of his ancestors. They chose this er, and has fame Afchraf, Mir Mamout's lieutenant, whom the tyrant had a second time fent out of the way through jealousy, and whom he still kept in prifon at the time when he was elected king of Perfia. Without doubt it was impoffible to be more ferocious than. Mir Mamout; but his fucceffor could add ingratitude and perfidy to it. After having caused his wretched predeceffor to be maffacred, whofe rage was arrived at fuch a pitch that he tore his own flesh wherever he could bring his teeth, Aschraf condemned those to the fame lot who had procured him the authority; but he had the addrefs to go first and offer the crown to Shah Huffein, whom he called the lawful fovereign, without doubt to get rid of him, if the unfortunate prince had accepted what was his right. The old king, taught by misfortune, contented himself with afking the new monarch to grant him protection for himself and children, whom he had faved, at the expence of his blood, from the frenzy of his predeceffor. In order to obtain this favor, Shah Huffein was again obliged obliged to fign his renunciation of the throne and J.C.1725. Heg.1137, fubmiffion to king Afchraf, of which he gave the & 1138. example to his ancient fubjects. The tyrant He puts thofe to wife who to the throne. caused this act to be read aloud in the fame affembly, where he condemned twenty Perfian lords death likeand twenty Afghvans to death, who had been the raised him firft to declare him fucceffor to Mir Mamout. We cannot conjecture the pretext of this new maffacre, fince Afchraf himself had caufed his predeceffor to be put to death; but his intention was to fill the treasury with the riches of these profcribed perfons, and to free himself from those who might give him umbrage. A more dangerous one exifted than all the reft, and whom it would not have been prudent to attack openly. defires a with Shah he endea Shah Thamas was encamped at thirty miles from Ifpahan: he received reinforcements every day, and longed to revenge his family and country. Afchraf had caused sometime before a piopofal to be made to Shah Huffein's fon, to restore Aschraf him the throne of his ancestors, when himself, conference perfecuted by Mir Mamout, was meditating to Thamas, throw off the yoke that oppreffed him. As foon in which as he was king, he fent an ambaffador to Shah yours to furprise Thamas to tell him, that it was only on the refu- him. fal of his father that he had afcended the throne of Ifpahan, which he had accepted with no other defign than to fecure it for him Shah Thamas. He propofed an interview to him, in order to put an end in concert to the misfortunes of Perfia, and fettle at the fame time the rights of the Afghvans O02 VOL. IV. and Heg.1137, & 1138. J.C. 1725 and thofe of the house of the fophi. He like wife fent circular letters to the feveral towns which held out for the prince, in order to affure the commanders, that the Afghvans would not commit any act of hoftility before the conference proposed with Shah Thamas. These pacific appearances deceived the fophi's fon, whom Afchraf's ambaffador found encamped near Cafbin. This prince appointed a plain betwen Com and Theran for the place of the interview, and sent word to the ufurper, that he would be there attended by three thousand men only, which would be fufficient for his escort, fince he, Afchraf, had promised not to bring more troops with him. Some Perfians at the court of the tyrant, by a remaining refpect for the blood of their ancient mafter, wrote to Shah Thamas to persuade him not to make any agreement, nor even to accept of any interview, with a barbarian, who joined perfidy to cruelty. These letters were intercepted and their authors put to death. Meanwhile Shah Thamas advanced with confidence towards the fnare that was laid for him. The plain which he had appointed for the interview was furrounded with woods, in which the tyrant had en-ambushed twelve thousand men befides the escort agreed on. Aslan, Shah Thamas's lieutenant, greatly attached to his master, and whofe affection rendered him fufpicious, would fain advance at the head of the greatest part of the escort, leaving the prince at about two miles be Heg.1137, ged to flee, hind with a hundred men only. A young Per- J.C. 1725. fian, fuperbly mounted and covered with rich & 138. armour, appeared to be Shah Thamas, as Aflan had expected. Immediately Afchraf's troops came out of their ambush, and the three thousand Perfians were on the point of being furrounded, when Aflan Shah Thafent off a meffenger full speed to his mafter, to mas, obli warn him of his danger. This prince fled into is feparated the mountains of Mafanderan, where he remained army, concealed, because Afchraf, after having cut his foon dif efcort to pieces, made a march forward, which separated Shah Thamas from his army. These troops were foon difperfed, and the lawful fovereign found himself constrained to hide his existence from enemies who fought to put him to death. from his which is perfed. Such was the ftate of Perfia, when the treaty Divifion of was concluded between Ruffia and the Porte by Perka the arrival of Mr. Romenzof, envoy extraordinary from the czar for the ratification, and commiffioner for the limits that were to be marked out. The difcontent which Shah Thamas had fhewn at this treaty, excufed the Turks from affifting him as they had offered. They faw themselves mafters of Georgia, almost all Armenia, and the government of Hamadan. The czar poffeffed all the west coast of the Cafpian sea, Korazan, Kerman and Candahar; the governments of Ifpahan and Chiraz were under the fceptre of Aschraf. The empire of the fophis no longer confifted but of Adirbijan, Mafanderan, and fome parts of Irac; and the people of thefe provinces were faith ful J.C.1725. ful only to the fhadow of their lawful fovereign, Heg.1137, Succefs of in the part Afchraf. & 1138. whom they no longer faw. The citizens of Tauris defended their town three weeks without the afthe Turks fiftance of any regular troops against a hundred ufurped by and ten thousand Turks commanded by the bafhaw of Van. This town, which is one of the largest in Perfia, was badly fortified. The valour of the befieged ferved only to make them lofe more people. Forty thousand men, among whom there was not a fingle foldier, perished in arms. This conqueft coft the vanquisher very dear; he was killed the day the place was reduced. His kiaia, who had the glory to make the capitulation, took Gangea a few days after, a town richer, but worfe fortified, than Tauris. The bashaw of Bagdad, on whom the command of the army devolved, advanced towards the capital. He had taken several small places by affault, which drew him. He fends nearer Ifpahan. Afchraf, frighted at the fuccefs toConftan- of the Ottoman arms, fent an ambaffador to the tinople. Porte, whofe arrival flattered the prefumption of the monarch and of his vizier. Both thought the Perfian ambaffador was going to humble his pride at the foot of the throne of Conftantinople, and to acknowledge himself a vaffal tributary and removeable at pleasure, as the khan of the Tartars, and as every Sunnite Muffulman ought to be, under the protection and fceptre of the commander of the Faithful. But when they learned that Afchraf meant to treat with the emperor of the Ottomans on an equality, the divan would an embaffy not |