.
thousand years. They don’t want to agree with us…
Peter the Great smiled at the naive words of Ismayil bey and said nothing.
Addition:
On June 24 in 1724 as a result of the efforts of the ambassador of Russia in istanbul, Nepluyev and the ambas- sador of France, Markiz de Bonak, a treaty was signed between the Ottomans and Russia about the division of the north and west parts of the state of Safavids. According to that treaty a straight line from the place where Kur and Araz joined till Hamadan, from the south part of Dagestan including the east part of Shamakhy were considered the borders of Russia and the Ottomans. According to the document, the Ottoman and Russia empires would recognize Tahmasb Mirza as the Shah. If the Shah recognized that treaty, they would assist him in restoring orders in the state of the Safavids.
But Tahmasb Shah didn’t accept such a shameful treaty and the conditions shown there. That was why under the leadership of Ahmad pasha, the Ottomans firstly occupied Khoy, then Hamadan, then Nakhchivan and Irevan. The Ottomans who were not able to conquer Tabriz entered Ganja. Tahmasib Shah returned to Ardabil when the second attack on Tabriz was successful.
“…I knew that the situation was worse. My beauti ful Azerbaijan was conquered by the Russians and the Ottof mans; there began a revolt in the empire which had been left to us like a heritage. Now the ruler of each city behaved like the Shah. Be fore my eyes I was losing my country. “What must be done?” – That question always made me think. It was necessary to put an end to this lack of overall control. In order to join Azerbaijan and other lands in unity Tahmasb Shah made more efforts, but there was no result.
I made up my mind that it was necessary to create a strong army. Firstly, in Kalat I gathered one group of troopers about two thousand, consisting of the Avshars. I began to teach them the tactics of fighting, the ways to go forward, to retreat. To my mind, I achieved my purpose. Within a short time, I was able to create a group of regulated troopers. It stimul ated me to other great fights. Kalat was between the trenches like hills and valleys. It was my first fortress. It was necessary to test the fighting ability of the group by leaving Kalat. We attacked Khorasan. The fighters exactly fulfilled all my orders. We plundered Khorasan and returned Kalat with much plunder. At that time, Melik Mahmud Sistani didn’t miss the chance because of lack of control in the country. He occupied Meshed and declared him self an in de pend ent ruler.
Tahmasb Shah couldn’t get back Isfahan from Ashraf khan. Though he attacked the city with Fatali khan, Ashraf khan made them retreat.
One day a man by the name of Nasir agha came to me. He was originally Kurd. After greeting me he explained the purpose of his coming:
– Nader khan, I have come to you like a representative.
– Please, I am listening!
– It is necessary the Kurds and the Avshars are combined and become one troop or if they remain separate Melik Mahmud will make us surrender…
He was speaking wisely. I didn’t hide my thoughts and said:
– Nasir agha, I also think like you… – If there is no uniting they will kill not only us but also they will destroy our motherland…
He was glad to hear my words as if he didn’t expect me answering thus.
– It is right, Nader khan! In such troubled days we must unite. We discussed this and then decided that you must be the warlord of our fighters.
I thought for a while.
– Aren’t you mistaken in choosing me? – I asked in order to make sure.
– I think that we are not mistaken. Firstly, within a short time you will be able to introduce proper order between the fighters. Secondly, your name, bravery and courage are spoken by all the people.
I didn’t want to arrive at a decision in a hurry:
– Nasir agha, I may accept your proposal. In that case your group must obey my orders without reserve and must fulfill my orders unconditionally.
He didn’t think long:
– It will be how you said, if God pleases!
I agreed with Nasir agha, but I felt that he wanted to say something more. After some hesitation, he said:
– In order to do away with Melik Mahmud we have one mea sure.
– Please, Nasir agha, what did you decide?
Nasir agha made me take an oath on Imam Rza not to speak to anybody about his words.
– You know that the Kurds also serve to Melik Mahmud in his palace. We are obliged to be near him. After a week a traditional horse-race will begin in Meshed. In this horse-race both Melik Mahmud and you also will take part as before. If in that race you pull the horse of Melik Mahmud by the bridle, it will be a sign to us and we shall attack and kill him…
It wasn’t a bad idea. I agreed with Nasir agha about it. But I didn’t trust him much. In such kind of days any betrayal could be expected from men. In an underhand way, I learned that during the execution of Melik Mahmud they wouldn’t miss the chance to hurt me and to do away with me. I didn’t refuse taking part in the horse-race. But I behaved as though I couldn’t pull the bridle. So, the horse-race finished, Melik Mahmud didn’t doubt. Then I knew that Melik Mahmud was aware of that plan and together his with two courtiers they had a plan of their own. I took those courtiers to hunting and asked them to tell me all what they knew.
One of the courtiers said to me that the idea had been decided by Melik Mahmud himself as he wanted to do away with me in that way.
– Why? – My relations with Melik Mahmud aren’t bad.
– Melik Mahmud isn’t afraid of Tahmasb Shah but you. By removing you he will get rid of his most dangerous enemy.
– Was Nasir agha aware of what you told me about?
– No, we showed ourselves to Nasir agha as though we were dissatisfied with Melik Mahmud and we would be able to make him believe us.
I killed the courtiers of Melik Mahmud and sent their heads to him…
…In 1725 near Khabushan the troops of Melik Mahmud and my troops came face to face. By fighting, I made him to retreat to Meshed. It was impossible to continue that fight till the end, because we needed cannons to encircle the city. I didn’t have cannons at that time. I made up my mind that instead of blockading Meshed it was better to take control of the stocks in the province of Daragoz who were enemies to me. I did what I thought. In that way the number of my fighters reached six thousand.
Tahmasb Shah sent his warlord Rzaqulu khan to Meshed to Melik Mahmud. There I was ready to combine with the troops of the Shah.The ill-wishers near Rzaqulu khan whispered in his ears that: “If the victory is gained, it will be the victory of Nader” – and in that way they laid obstacles in the way of combining the troops.
One day a group of horsemen under the headship of the Shah’s Vizier Hasanali bey came to meet me. Though I didn’t know Hasanali bey very well, his herald who had come before Hasanali bey had informed me about him. I welcomed him at the gates built near Khabushan and told him: “You are welcome!” As soon as he got off the horse he said in a lively voice:
– It is better to hear about a brave man than to see him.
I said modestly:
– I shall be a brave man when together with the Shah I shall bring into unity the lands left us from our forefathers like a heritage. Now I am busy only with small tasks.
– What are you saying? Your fame is spread from Azerbaijan to Baghdad.
– I wish you also to be famous, Hasanali bey!
– Thanks!