CHAPTER XXIX

AMIR NASRULLAH, A BOKHĀRAN NERO

IN writing of the monkish Haydar's successor, Vambéry appositely quotes an old Uighur proverb, "The princes of an age are its mirrors."1 Nasrullah Khan epitomised

the vices which flourished unchecked in Bokhārā. The passion for low intrigue, the lust and cruelty, the selfrighteousness and hypocrisy so often associated with the Mohammedan character, were found in him in their highest development.

As the third son of Haydar, he had small chance of succeeding to the throne; but he kept that goal constantly in view during his father's lifetime, and paved the way thither by pandering to the greed of the military caste. No opportunity was lost of gaining adherents among the Amir's courtiers. Hakim Bi, the Kushbegi, or vezir, and his father-in-law Ayaz Topchi-bashi, who held an important military command, were devoted to his interests.3

On Haydar's death, his eldest son, Husayn Khān, took possession of the citadel of Bokhārā and was proclaimed Amir. He received fervent assurances of loyalty from Nasrullah, who was the while actively plotting

1 History of Bokhara, p. 365. Nasrullah by Sir H. Howorth. pp. 790-809.

2" General of artillery."

A long chapter is devoted to Amir See his History of the Mongols, part ii.

3 Khanikoff, Bokhara, p. 296.

to subvert his authority, and who held a council of war at Karshi, at which Mu'min Beg Dādkhāh, one of Husayn's chief lieutenants, assisted.

At this crisis he learnt that his brother had died suddenly after a reign of barely three months, and took immediate steps to assert his claims.1 He obtained a legal decision in his favour from the chief-justice of Karshi, who also invited the clergy of Samarkand to espouse his cause. In the meantime another brother named 'Omar Khan seized the reins of power at Bokhārā, and sent orders to the governor of Samarkand on no account to surrender his charge. But on Nasrullah's arrival the gates were flung open to him by the influence of the mullas, and he was enthroned on the famous Blue Stone, or Kok-tash, whereon nearly every Amir since Timur's reign had received investiture. Then began a triumphant progress throughout the realm. KattiKurgan, Kerminé, and other cities surrendered to the pretender, who replaced their governors by creatures of his own, and bade the former swell his train. Thus attended, he arrived before Bokhārā and closely invested the city. Starvation soon decimated its swarming population. A pound of meat sold for seven tangas, flour was introduced through Nasrullah's trenches in coffins, and the stench of stagnant water in the irrigation canals grew intolerable. The Kushbegi and his father-in-law Ayaz took advantage of the people's agony to proffer their submission, and undertook to give the signal of capitulation by blowing up an ancient cannon, said to have weighed nearly thirteen tons.3 On hearing the muffled roar of the explosion, Nasrullah immediately at

1 The Kushbegi was vehemently suspected of removing him by poison (Khanikoff, p. 298).

2 About four shillings. $ Khanikoff, p. 301.

tacked the city from two quarters, and entered it in triumph on the 22nd March 1826. 'Omar saved his life by instant flight, but three of his brothers, with many of their adherents, were butchered in cold blood.1

The policy with which Nasrullah inaugurated his reign partook of the ingrained cunning which was his chief characteristic. He seemed to prefer amusements to affairs of state, and thus induced the Kushbegi to believe that his own lease of power would be indefinitely prolonged. Meantime no occasion was lost of strengthening his hold on the lower classes by acts of apparent generosity and justice. The motto on his seal was that adopted by the noble-hearted Timur, whom he affected to regard as his prototype. It was "Truth and Equity"!2 When he felt himself strong enough to throw off the mask, he banished his benefactor to Karshi, and afterwards to Samarkand. Ayaz Topchi - bashi's suspicions were lulled by ardent asseverations of friendship, lest he should make away with the vast possessions which Nasrullah had long marked as his own. He summoned the old man to his presence, gave him a beautiful horse, and aided him to vault into the saddle with his own royal hands." The victim set out for Samarkand, of which he had been appointed governor, in the assurance that he had not participated in his son-in-law's disgrace; but he was soon ordered back to Bokhārā, and thrown into prison with the Kushbegi. To Nasrullah's eternal disgrace, he put both of these early friends to death in the spring of 1840. Then he turned his attention to the military class, which had attained preponderance in an empire won and kept together by the sword. They were butchered in large numbers without any form of trial, or banished to a distance from the capital. The clergy had 2 Wolff, Bokhara, p. 232.

1 Vambéry, p. 366.

* Khanikoff, Bokhara, p. 304.