Page 243 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

THE ENGLISH IN THE PERSIAN GULF 243

possessions in the Cape Verde Islands and the West Indies,
had conducted an unofficial mission to the Shah with a
view of enlisting the Shah’s co-operation with the Christian
princes against the Turk. Anthony’s self-imposed mis­
sion had ended in failure, and he had returned to Europe
in the earliest years of the seventeenth century, leaving
his brother behind in the Shah’s service. Robert Shirley
was a man of resource, and soon won his way to favour by
the measures he introduced for the reorganization of the
Persian army on European lines. In 1607 he had practi­
cally adopted a Persian domicile by marrying the daughter
of a Circassian noble who was one of the Shah’s principal
officers. Henceforward his interests were closely identified
with those of his adopted country.
In 1608 Robert Shirley was employed by the Shah on a
diplomatic mission to the Court of King James. His
appearance in London in Persian costume with his wife
; also wearing Oriental dress, created a mild sensation. He
had a friendly reception at Court, which is the more sur­
prising as Anthony Shirley had given an immense deal of
trouble by his unauthorized diplomatic exercises, and the
name of Shirley consequently was one which had no very
pleasing sound in official ears at the period. Not only was
i
* the King very gracious to him, but Prince Henry paid him
1
special honour by standing godfather to the son born to the
: ambassador during his sojourn in England.
After a prolonged stay in his native country, Shirley
I returned to Persia in 1615, only to receive from his royal ! :
i patron instructions for a fresh mission to Europe—to
Portugal and Spain in the first instance and later to Eng­
1 land. For nearly thirteen years he represented the Shah
in Europe, and he then set his face once more towards

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