Nader Shah. Historical novel. Yunus Oghuz
to attack Khabushan?
– We have no other way-out. In order to overcome our other enemies we must reconcile with the Shah without fail; but after demonstrating our power. If we don’t do it like this the Shah will make Melik Mahmud be on his side too.
– If our way out is this, I agree with you!
After some days, I encircled Khabushan and made the troops of the Shah retreat. When the troops of the Shah were defeated, I was able to make him believe that I wasn’t against him. I told him that my only wish was to reinstate our state as previously; to unite it. The Shah agreed with my thoughts, because then he was in my hand. If I didn’t kill him, it meant that the courtiers had told him a lie. We returned to Meshed in order to celebrate Novruz holiday together. After that time, in two years I suppressed a number of revolts in the east, south and in the centre of the country and tamed the rulers who didn’t obey. It appeared that I spent the two years on horseback. I didn’t think about sleeping or resting. Wherever they revolted, I was there. Whenever they didn’t obey the Shah or me I used to reach there in time. I even forgot my famlly. Durlng that time, my children who were given birth by my second wife were being brought up. They were still living in Kalat. The name of one of my sons was Nasrullah, the name of other one was Imamqulu…
From the author:
Though Nader khan was illiterate, he was born for war and he was a genius of military affairs. Many modern historians liken him to the great Alexander, at times to Napoleon, at times to Emir Timur and they are not mis-aken. Within some years he freed the occupied territories and he united the new lands into the state. It testified that he was a great military strategist. His ability was inborn. He was res- o-utely sure that in order to set up a mobilized army the fighters had to be trained seriously with military instructions, and he always toiled in that direction. Like a strategist Nader Shah was superior to all the warlords who were against him. Before the battle he always attended to all the small details and niceties and only then carried out the battles.
One of his successful tactics was carefully attacking the enemy with troopers from the unexpected place. His infantry fighters were very disciplined and they were not weaker than the yanichers of the Ottomans.
During the battles, if the enemy made his groups retreat a little Nader khan then used to enter that group, kill the sotnick, military leader personally and appoint another one to the post. That was why his fighters never retreated if they weren’t ordered.
Nader khan skillfully used the spare troops too. The main point was that he could easily sense the weak point ofthe enemy, and if it needed, he could send spare troops there.
The name of Nader khan is also connected with the development ofheavy artillery.
His military qualities increased after he became the Shah.
He was also born as a nice organizer and an instructor. After his personal efforts, he who wasn’t a fighter could be turned into a skilful fighter. One of his superior qualities was that he paid attention to stiffening the spirit among the fight ers.
To control the army spread all over the country, and to make them obey his orders show his ability to organize.
Nader Shah had a wonderful memory. In a big troop he knew the officers name by name. Also he remembered exactly when and to which private fighter he had awarded a medal or had them punished.
He could turn the mass of disorderly and uncontrollable fighters into a great and mighty army in Asia.
CHAPTER V
After Mahmud’s declaring himself Shah in Isfahan, Sultan Husain’s sister Fatime Sultan Beyim, his daughter Rize Beyim couldn’t leave the palace. In the harem chaos reigned. The sister and daughter of the Shah knew well that if Mahmud learned that some relatives of the Shah were in the harem, he would deal with them. In the worst case Mahmud Shah could give those women into the hands of his soldiers. It was tantamount to death. To protect the honor and dignity of the women, daughters and close women relatives of the rulers of Safavid was considered as the main duty. It was impossible in some cases. During the wars and captivtty, there were some enemies who didn’t consider the sacred laws. Safavids’ girls and women were aware that their lives did not belong to them. They were like hostages kept in the palace to be relatives with emirs, khans, Sultans, Shahs or to get their confidence and loyalty. In fact, they were pleased with such a kind of life in the palace. At times one of those girls loved somebody or fell in love with somebody. In that case, if the young man was from the upper class, a ceremony of engagement would be held there at that time. If the young boy was from the lower class they used to execute him by throttling, or they forced the girl either to poison herself or to hang herself in order that the other girls might learn a lesson.
In the palace, everything had to be for the state.
…The destinies of Fatime Sultan Beyim and Rize Beyim were as though they lived in darkness. There was no other way. They had to obey the unwritten laws of the palacesuicide! It was necessary without fail. The fami ly of Safavid could not be humiliated!
After Sultan Husain put the Shah’s crown on Mahmud’s head, the girls were trying to ignore that disgrace. In fact, Sultan Husain had to care about the women and girls in the palace. Before Isfahan was encircled he could have sent them to somewhere out of danger. But he did nothing. After some time Mahmud Shah came to the palace and lived there. The girls went to their cells. The nurse whom they used to call “aunt” was near them. The aunt thought about a way to save the girls but she had been able to do nothing. The glasses of poison on the niche were before their eyes. Though the girls were young, they were ready to drink poison. They knew what invading and plundering of the city meant.
Rize Beyim said to the nurse-maid in tears:
– My aunt, prepare the poison, we have to be ready for it in time. Our Shah had to take care of it beforehand.
Fatime Sultan Beyim raised her hands:
– My God, isn’t there any way-out for us? Why are we suffering in distress?
Though the heart of the aunt was bleeding, she showed herself reserved in order to quieten the girls:
– Don’t shed tears, girls! I beseech you! It was fated thus! What can we do?
Rize Beyim who had already accepted the miserable situation said, sobbing:
– My aunt, how is death? After drinking that poison will death come early, will we suffer from pains?
The aunt could no longer restrain the tears. Instead of answering Rize Beyim’s questions she cried bitterly. The girls also joined her and began to shed tears. The aunt tried to pull herself together:
– I beseech you, the death isn’t painful. Death is more durable than the real life.
Fatime Sultan Beyim:
– My aunt, shall we live there like in this life?
– No, I beseech you! There, for God all people are equal. There isn’t poor or rich.
Rize Beyim:
– My aunt, shall we see there one another?
The aunt wiped the tears of her eyes:
– If God wishes, we shall see one another, my dears!
Fatime Sultan Beyim:
– My aunt, shall we be in paradise or in hell?
The aunt understood that the girls were ready to commit sui cide:
– Why to hell, my dears! You are as sini ess as ba t bies. You are sinless at the God. He who made you suffer from distress will have to answer to the unseen God. The God will punish him.
The aunt wanted to speak much about the great God, about the divine myst erious stories in order to calm the girls. Suddenly she