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4 Part I.
latter was killod. Nadir then proceodcd to invest Baghdad; but as his presence
was required urgontly elsewhere, ho agreed to the terms proposed by the Pasha
of Baghdad, nnmoly, that Turkey and Persia should repossess tho countries
that had belonged to them on tho reign of Shah Sultan Hussain bol'oro tho
Afghan invasion. As theso torms wero not accepted by the Porto, Nadir
hastened to occupy Armenia and Gorgia and defeated the Turks in the battle
of Baghvand near Erivan. “This victory” writes Malcolm “was followed by tho
submission of tho cities of Gunjali and Teflis-; and tlioso of Kars aUd Erivan,
with all former possessions of the Porsians in that quarter, wero soon after
wards coded to him by tho polioy of tho Ottoman Court; who taught by mis-
• Appendix No. 2 (Peril*) Ailehuon't Treatitt fortunO, WerO glad to Conclude a pea00*
1832), voiumo x. 0n the basis, which had boon beforo set
tled by tho Pashaf of Baghdad.” This was in the year 173G.
11. The East Indian Company’s faotories in Porsia and at Basrah wore at
this time in great straits on account of tho wars between Persia and Turkey.
The Agency at Gombroon was in great danger of being embroiled on tho war
by being forced to assist Nadir with the Company’s ships and tho President
and Council at Bombay was proparod, in order to avoid worse evils, to sell
ships to him, though tho Company’s policy was to make every endeavour to
prevent their being embroiled in tho troubles, (Bombay Govornmont’s Reso
lution dated 22nd October 1735. Selections, No, XXXV1I1).
12. Persia was soon again engaged in a war with Turkey and in 1744,
t Turkish Arabia prieit, 1016-1846, paragraph 67. “ The Persians laid + siege to Basrah with
stcieetion from state Papvt lsvo-isoo, Xo XLV. 12,000 men which continued from 28th
August to 27th November, when it was raised by Shaw Nadir’s orders, and tho
army with their artillery marched away tho 6th December”. Nadir Shah
marched to the north and gained a great battle near Eriven. A peace was
then (in 17*6) concluded between Persia and Turkey. It was agreed
that prisoners on both sides should ho released; that the Persian pilgrims
going to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina should be protected; and
that the whole of the provinces of Irak and Azerbijan should remain with Persia
except an inconsiderable territory that had belonged to the Turkish Govern
ment on the time of Shah Ismail, the first of tho Suffavin Kings. The treaty
of 1746 is printed as Appendix No. 3 Persia of Ailchinson’s Treaties, Volume
X. In 1747 another troaty was concluded between the two powers, by which
certain parts of Irak and Azerbaijan were ceded by Persia to Turkey. (See
Appendix No. 4 Persia of the same book.)
13. We find from a letter^ of the Agent at Gombroon, dated 7th June 1749,
that Ibrahim Shah, a nephew of Nadir
\Turkish Arabia Prteii, 1646*1848, paragraph 72.
Shah, who bad proclaimed himself Shah,
was then making preparations for a war with Turkey. Ibrahim Shah was,
however, murdered soon after, and the projected war came to nothing.
14. The next great war (1775-79) with Turkey—was carried by Karim
Khan. The principal causes alleged by him for declaring the war were (1) the
levy of taxes by Omar, the Pasha of Baghdad, on Persian pilgrims to Kerbella
and Najaf, and (2) Omar was also accused of having aided the Imam of Maskat,
and thus prevented the Persians from subduing the province of Oman. The
bead of Omar was demanded by Karim Khan and refused by tho Porte.
Saduk Khan, Karim Khan’s brother, was then despatched with a force of 60,000
to Basrah, wliioli proceeded along the coast, while a fleet of 30 vessels sailed
from Bushire and Bunder Rig to assist the land operations. The inefficient
Turkish fleet offered weak resistenco to the Persian ships, and the whole Persian
Army was allowed to cross the river to the Basrah side with little opposition.
Basrah was invested by the Persian Army on the 7th April 1775 and was sur-
rendered by tho Turks to the Persians on 16th April 1676. Saduk Khan treated
the conquered city with great consideration and did everything to reconcile
the inhabitants. Great preparations were made by the Turks to retake Basra
and invade Persia. But the war died a natural death on the death of Karim
Khan in 1779, and Basrah was thereupon abandoned by Saduk Khan, (see