Nader Shah. Historical novel. Yunus Oghuz
shouted together.
The aunt thought for a while:
– In order to escape you must refuse to be the daughter of Shah, – she said.
Fatime Sultan Beyim couldn’t be patient:
– My aunt, speak frankly, what must we do?
– You must be forbearing.
The girls shouted together:
– We can be forbearing, aunt!
– Are you ready to be house-maids in the palace? You must be servants during the time Mahmud is the Shah.
Rize Beyim fussed a bit and became downcast:
– My aunt, we can’t work like house-maids. How shall we be house-maids?
The aunt began to speak more passionately in order to enthuse the girls and make them stop committing suicide.
– You can learn, girls, I shall be near you too. I may tell them that you have come new to the palace and you are learning what to do. The day will come; somebody will help us escape us from Mahmud’s hands. We must bear while we must endure.
Fatime Sultan Beyim:
– Don’t they know that there is no house-maid dressed like us?
– They know, I be s eech you, they know! Be fore they come we may change our clothes and sit in one of the cells for servants.
Rize Beyim was frightened a bit:
– My aunt, I am frightened…
– Don’t be afraid, I beseech you, don’t fear! I shall always be near you!
The sisters began to think and then they began to stare at the carpets of Tabriz spread on the floor:
– What can we do if we haven’t any way-out? It is better to be a servant than to be disgraced!
After half an hour, the aunt changed their clothes so that nobody could think that they were the daughters of the Shah; even if their mother saw them she also wouldn’t know them. The aunt gathered all the servants who couldn’t escape and gave them strict tasks:
– Girls, you must endure! Mahmud has conquered only Tabriz. Shahzade Tahmasb will return back after gathering troops and will take Isfahan back. If they don’t give us the sack we shall have to work here. These girls are the new servants. The name of one of them is Jamile; the other girl’s name is Chichek.
Thus, Fatime Sultan Beyim was known as Jamile and Rize Beyim was known as Chichek.
When Mahmud entered the palace as the Shah he didn’t change the servants of Safavid on purpose. He would be pleased if the servants who served the Shahs of Safavid served him. He ordered that the servants, house-maids and man servants of Sultan Husain remain his servants, house-maids and man servants and nobody must hurt, damage or be unfair to them. How could the miserable girls know that they would serve for about seven years, firstly to Mahmud Shah, then Ashraf Shah? Their secrets would be let out only after Nader khan’s occupation of Isfahan.
Afterwards I learned that Ashraf had conflicts with the ruler of Baghdad, Ahmet pasha, and he made the Afghans withdraw troops. Ahmet pasha who was inspired from the victory (maybe he did it willingly) wrote a letter to Ashraf and informed him that the Afghans didn’t real-ze what the actual state affairs were, because they were considered “wild stock”. For that reason, he explained in his letter that he would come to Isfahan and would reinstate the power of Sultan Husain. Ashraf Shah immediately wrote a letter and sent to Isfahan to chop off Sultan Husain’s head and send it to Ahmet pasha. The order was carried out at once.
I had already a regular army of twenty five thousand. Wherever I stretched out my finger, the troop occupied that place. Instead of heavy cannons, I constructed small whirling cannons on the camels in order to be quick. In one word, all was ready to occupy the capital. Before all of the preparation it was essential to infuse courage and experience in the army. I could achieve it within a short period. I sent persons to the cities which were conquered by the Afghans and spread a rumor that Tahmasb Shah and Nader khan were coming to those cities. Ashraf who heard that news in Isfahan sent groups to those cites in order to strengthen them. In this way, by sitting in Meshed we weakened the main forces in Isfahan. Before mov-ng towards Isfahan I had a talk with Tahmasb Shah in Meshed. I felt sure about our victory which was why I asked the Shah with what prize he would reward me.
Firstly, Tahmasb Shah thanked me:
– Nader khan, -he said. We have achieved much success after combining our forces. Our force has been increased; some of the cities are under my control. Before us there is a probl em of honor, that is to say, to occupy the capital of Safavids. Will we be able to occupy Isfahan?
I said with assurance:
– Yes, Your Majesty! Isfahan will be occupied in no less than one year.
When the Shah heard my words his eyes shone:
– If it is thus, what do you want?
I didn’t hesitate:
– Your Majesty, for my service I want you to give Khorasan, Kirman and Mazandaran to my ascendancy and property.
The Shah thought a little and then asked surprisingly:
– Isn’t it a lot, Nader khan?
– It isn’t enough yet, Your Majesty!
– Isn’t enough?!
– Yes, Your Majesty!
Tahmasb Shah said in surprise:
– Make yourself clear, Nader khan!
– Your Majesty, are you pleased with the present army that I have set up?
– I am pleased, it is a disciplined army, they fultill their orders without question, and they are ready to sacrifice themselves…
– Do you want the troop trice more than that army?
– Who wouldn’t wish to have such kind of disciplined troops, Nader khan?
I felt that I was able to make the Shah believe me.
– For that reason I want Mazandaran, Khorasan and Kirman. In those cities, I shall also set up spare military units, because in any battle, somebody dies or is wounded. I need spare forces in order to replace the dead or wounded ones. Then…
Tahmasb Shah interrupted:
– What.then?
In fact, I didn’t want to tell him that secret, but I told him:
– Then. Your Majesty, in order to prepare the spare army money won’t be spent from the Shah’s treasury. All the expenses will be paid on account of the provi nces that you gave me. To my mind, the Shah didn’t realize the main essence of my words, but knowing that there won’t be the expenses he said:
– You made me believe, Nader khan!
– Your Majesty, it isn’t all!
Tahmasb Shah asked anxiously:
– Which other provinces do you want?
– I don’t want any provinces, Your Majesty!
– But what do you want?
– Your Majesty, I want to say that after suppress- ing the disturbance within the country we have important affairs before us.
– What affairs are left?
Your Majesty, half of Azerbaijan has been invaded by the Ottomans and the Russians. Apart from those invading groups they have also a reguiar army. Starting from today we must prepare to free those places.
The Shah stood at the window Crossing his arms on his chest and thought for a while:
– You are right, Nader khan! –