Page 551 - PERSIAN 5 1905_1911

POLITICAL RESIDENCY FOR' 1910. 55
the sub-tribes, owning allegiance to him, and the Chiefs of the Bajulwand
took sides with the Governor-General, while the Sarura-us-Sultaneh, with his
sub-tribes and the remaining Lur Chiefs joined Nazar Ali Khan, Fath-us-
Sultan.
With these allies the Governor-General continued his efforts to coerce the
Lur tribes into paying their taxes, with but little success however. Early in
the autumn, the Governor-General made a false move, which resulted in his
downfall and nearly cost him his life. Having, by treachery, captured Latif
Khan, Sarum-us-Sultaneh, he put him to death, and thereby alienated the sym­
pathies of even those Lur Chiefs who were supporting him, for the reason that
Latif Khan was an influential man .and nearly related to many of the Lur
Chiefs. The Lurs on hearing of Latif Khan’s death, rose against the Gover­
nor-General, who finding himself without any support, had to flee for his life
from Burujird. Before getting clear of his province he was attacked and
looted of all his property by his assailants, narrowly escaping with his life.
The year closed with the appointment of the Amir Afgham, Hissam-ul-
Mulk, Hamadani, to be Governor-General of Luristan.
The internal history of the tribes throughout the year has been one of
raids, bloodshed, and disorder.
Among other events of importance during the period under review, may
be mentioned the appointment of Mirza Ali Akbar as Secret Service Agent
for the Ahwaz Consulate in Burujird early in the spring, while about the
same time a similar post was created by the Russian Government and a man,
by name Assadullah Mirza, was installed. This Assadullah Mirza has shown
great activity since his appointment in ingratiating himself with the Lur
Chiefs, and is credited with intriguing with Latif Khan, Sarum-us-Sultaneh
(mentioned supra), a man of reactionary tendencies, with the object of stirring
up trouble and so affording the Russians a pretext for introducing Russian
troops into Luristan.
Towards the end of the summer the Singer’s Agency, which had been
open in Burujird for about a year, was closed.
Throughout the year Constitutionalism has been at a very low ebb in
Luristan; in the month of January a monthly paper the “ Joza” was started
in Burujird, the tone of which was strongly anti-medjliss, which it held up to
ridicule and abused in no measured or “drawing room ” terms. In the sum­
mer, a special delegate having arrived from Tehran, various Anjumans were
nominally opened, but shortly after even the name of them ceased to exist,
owing to opposition on the part of the Lur Chiefs and lack of funds, and
throughout the remainder of the year, the Lurs, unhampered by Constitu­
tional Institutions, have continued to indulge in their favourite occupation of
looting and robbing each other and all who may fall into their clutches.
Internal Relations.—The year under review has proved no exception to
former years, and the history of Bakh-
Bakbtiara.
tiari internal relations is one long
sequence of bickerings, quarrels, and intrigue of either individual members
or all the members collectively of one family against those of the rival family.
Subsequent on the quarrels there have been the usual rapprochements, which
are of as much value as, and which will only last just as long as did the ones
which preceded them.
Throughout the year under review the Ilkhaniship has been filled by
Nejaf Kulli Khan, Sarasam-us-Sultaneh, while the Ilbegiship has been in the
hands of Ghulam Hussein Khan, Sardar Muhtesham. Owin-\ however to
their continual absence in Tehran from the Bakhtiari country, Their posts as
executives of the tribes, have been filled by various of the lesser Chiefs Early
in January Ghulam Ali Khan, Hissam-us-Sultaneh, and Habibullah Khan
(son of tne late Sardar Assad) proceeded to Gotwand and Abbed to represent
the execuim Chiefs in those places, followed by Lutf Ali Khan JE-
Muffakham, and Yussuf Khan, Amir-i-Mujahid, who took up the posts of
Acting Ubegi and Acting Ilkhani at Malamir in the end of January.^