Page 10 - Journal of the Cenral Asian Society (1960)

SOME KAIII.V T14AVULI.KUS IX AND THE l'KKKIAN OUI.K .HI
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upholder of the title of Kuglish gentleman ; wo must return to notice contains bailor lighting material than Persia ; only loaders, skilled in
war and trusted by their men, aro required. Men with the instinci
:h'; 'ortunes of the younger brother, Robert Sherlcy, who had been left
and capacity for leadership and war abound, and only need training
along with several others with Shah Abbas at Isfahan. The Shah was
true to his word, and treated them all with extreme kindness and and equipment to be as formidable a force as exists in Asia.
liberality. They devoted all their energies to the organization of the Robert Shcrley’s conduct was fully appreciated. The Shah gratified
him “ uot in titles of honour and honourable employments alone, hut
Persian army, with 6uch success that, as Purchas observes, “ The
mightic Ottoman, terror of the Christian World, quaketh of a Sherley in rewards, This man's bread is baked for six he years being the formal
words of his Royall Charter to him."* He also gave him in marriage
fever and gives hopes of approaching fates. The prevailing Persian
hath learned Sherleian arts of war, and he which before kuew not a daughter of a Circassian chief named Ismail Khanza, relative of
the use of ordnance hath now 500 pieces of brasse, and 60,000 I his own wife. This lady, who was a Christian and bore the name of
musketiers; so that they which at hand with the sword were before Theresa,! was an excellent and faithful wife and bore him a child, to
dreadfuli to the Turkes, now also in remoter biowes and sulfurian arts which Shah Abbas, though a Mohamedan, was godfather. The child
» * did not survive, but a second son was born in London in 1611, to
are growne terrible.
Shah Abbas attacked and defeated the Turks in 1603 near Tabriz. whom the Queen and the Prince of Wales stood sponsors, the boy being
Robert Sherley was Topchi Ba-shi, or Master-General of the Ordnance, 1 christened Henry, after his royal godfather.
and “ so valiantly besterred himself that the Persians gave him a Sir Robert Sherley died in 1627 at Qazvin, and, according to
crown of laurel for the victory; for being armed and made ready for Herbert, “ Wanting a fitter place of burial wo laid him under the
the fight, taking a pole-axe in his hand, he himself gave first such threshold of his own door, without further noise or ceremony.” Sir
an honourable attempt, and so amazed and repulsed the enemie, that Dodmore Cotton, a second Ambassador, followed him to the grave
his soldiers, imitating his courage, put all the foes to the edge of the within the year. Sir Robert’s wife, Theresa, ultimately found her way
sword.” to Rome and there ended her life in a convent.
A second campaign followed in 1605, and the Turks were agaiu The inimitable Sir Thomas Herbert, who accompanied the Ambas­
defeated with immense loss, *25,545 heads being laid at the feet of the sador, Sir Dodmore Cotton, wrote, on his return from India, a book;
Shah after the action, in which Robert Sherley again rendered good : which, for literary charm, shrewd observation and amusing candour,
service in the field, receiving three wounds “ as a triple testimonie has no equal in its period. On his return to Eugland, Herbert rejoined
of his love and service to Christendom. . . . Catching a strong stall the Court of Charles I. and was in attendance on his royal master
and pulling down his beaver, and putting spurs to his horse, he duriug his last days, accompanying him to the very sc a llo Id. Doubt- .
furiously rushed upon the enemy, his soldiers followed with such less he solaced that unfortunate monarch’s last hours with tales of
desperate resolution that the Turks were amazed at his valour, for he things he had seen and doue in Persia and Arabia.
ran without stop through the troops, and like a lion, massacred whom
he met.” In 16 L4, D. Garcias de Siivat Figueroa was despatched by King
Two hundred years later a military mission accompanied Sir John ; Philip HI. of Spaiu,“Sonof Bloody Mary’s not inconsolable widower,”
Malcolm to Persia to assist in organizing the Persian army, and com­ as Ambassador to the Court of Shah Abbas ; his “ Commentaries ” have
manded uuits for several years. Officers of this mission, notable among been preserved, and are of great interest. They were fully described
whom were Major (afterwards Sir Henry) Rawlinson, formed a not less by Mr. Wratislaw in a most eutertaining article £ in Blackwood.
high opiniou of the Persian fighting men than did the Sherley brothers ; Another notable traveller of the seventeenth century is Pietro della
their opinions have been confirmed in ample measure by those British Valle. He passed down the Gulf on his way to Loudon after extensive
officers who commanded the South Persian Rides during and after the travels in Persia and Mesopotamia, recording his experiences as he
Great War, and my own opinion is that no country in the Middle East f went in a series of letters which have lost none of their charm with the

■* Calcutta Review, March, 1856. Rev. John Cartwright, who was in Persia * Turchas, vol. ii., p. 1806.
whilst Robert Sherley was there, and published an account of his voyage under 1 See “ Friendship's Offering,” edited by Robert Uervcy, London, 18*26,
the title of “The Preachers Travels,” speaks of the Persian troops as very p. 253, for an article on this subject by .ratio Porter, sister of Sir U. Ivor Porter.
superior to the Turks, and ‘* by good right very highly to be esteemed. For the See also “These wore Muses,” Mona Wilson, 11)21, for a sketch of her life.
Turkish horseman is not to be compared with the Persian man-at-arms, who J “A Relation of Souic Ycarcs Travailc." London, 1634.
comes into the field armed with a strong cuirasse, a sure headpiece, and a good § “ Diary of an Kmbassy." Wratislaw, Blackwood's Maytuinr. October,
target ” shield). 19*24.

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