THE REVOLT OF HOSEIN QOLI QAJAR, 1769-1777

Shohei KOMAKI*

Preface:

There have been an increasing number of studies concerning Iranian history of the Qajar period (1796-1925) during the past few years. Most of them, however, are concentrated upon the latter half of the , that is, after the mid-nineteenth century. Those dealing with the first half of the period, though not many in number, focus mainly on the diplomatic relations with European countries, and hence there still remain many basic problems to be solved, as for example concerning the state structure and ruling system of the . Regarding the establishment of the dynasty also we are uncertain. In 1779, Aqa Mohammad Khan, the founder of the dynasty, escaped from , the capital of the , where he had been confined for about eighteen years. He then returned to his hometown Astarabad (today's Gorgan), and unified the whole of within a period of about seventeen years. By what means did he gather the necessary forces in Astarabad? Aside from the fact that there existed power struggles within the Zand dynasty, what were the many factors that aided him in so successfully carrying out unifying operations? Questions such as these are yet to find an answer. Studies on the Zand period conducted by Roschanzamir,(1) Rajabi(2) and Perry,(3) refer to actions conducted by the on the eve of the establishment of their dynasty, but only in relation to either Karim Khan Zand or the Zand government. The research conducted by Hambly,(4) which happens to be one of the few studies specifically referring to Aqa Mohammad Khan, deals mainly with his personal character and his struggle with the Zand dynasty, with little reference to the means by which he acquired power. On the other hand, however, there do exist quite a few novels and biographies about him, as for example the biography of Pakra-

* Lecturer, Sophia University.

Vol. XXV 1989 119 van,(5) which is comparatively faithful to history. Needless to say, however, the use of such material as reference demands a lot of caution on our part. An examination of the circumstances that led to the establishment of the Qajar dynasty, necessitates that we move back at least to the first half of the eighteenth century. Since there already exist studies on that period concerning Nader and Karim Khan, this paper will focus upon the revolt conducted shortly before the establishment of the Qajar dynasty by the brother of Aqa Mohammad Khan, namely, Hosein Qoli Khan. An attempt will be made to analyze the development of the revolt, and its relationship to the establishment of the Qajar dynasty. The sources used and their corresponding abbreviations are as follows:

GG: Mohammad Sadeq Musavi Nami, Tarikh-e Giti Gosha, edited by Sa'id Nafisi, , Eqbal, 1318. GM: Mirza Abu al-Hasan Ghaffari Kashani, Golshan-eMorad, British Library Ms, Or. 3592. MN: Mohammad Hasan Khan E'temad al-Saltaneh, Tarikh-e Montazem-e Naseri, vol. 2, edited by Mohammad Esma'il Razvani, Tehran, Donya- ye Ketab, 1364. NT: Mirza Mohammad Taqi Lesan al-Molk Sepehr, Nasekh al-Tavarikh, vol. 1, edited by Mohammad Baqer Behbudi, Tehran, Eslamiyyeh, 1353. RSN: Reza Qoli Khan Hedayat, Tarikh-e Rouzat al-Safa-ye Naseri, vol. 9, Tehran, Khayyam, 1339. RT: Mohammad Hashem Asef Rostam al-Hokma, Rostam al-Tavarikh, edited by Mohammad Monshi, Tehran, Amir-e Kabir, 13522. TM: Mohammad b. Mohammad Taqi al-Saru'i Tarikh-e Mohammadi, British Library MS, Add. 27243. Of the seven sources listed above, GG and GM were produced during the period just prior to the revolt.(6) Though they were presented to the monarchs of the Zand dynasty, it is important to note that the challenge of Aqa Mohammad Khan against the Zand dynasty had already begun at the time they were written. The other five sources were all written during the Qajar period, and among them NT and RSN may be viewed as "official histories" of that period, while TM was written around 1796 or 1797.(7) While making use of these sources written during the Qajar period, one needs

120 ORIENT THE REVOLT OF HOSEIN QOLI KHAN QAJAR, 1769-1777 to bear in mind the fact that all the Qajar following the second, namely, Fath 'Ali Shah, were direct descendants of Hosein Qoli Khan. In other words, referring to these Persian sources in relation to the revolt demands our thorough attention.

I. The Settlement after the Death of Mohammad Hasan Khan

During the 1750's, Mohammad Hasan Khan Qoyunlu who was one of the leaders of the Ashaqebash, who constituted one of the Qajar tribal unions, attempted to exert his authority over the area extending from Astarabad to central Iran, and expanded his sphere of influence in order that he may by a single decisive action overwhelm Karim Khan Zand, by surrounding Shiraz. However, after the betrayal of his followers such as Hosein Khan Develu of the Yukharibash which happened to be another Qajar union, Mohammad Hasan Khan was attacked by the Zand army, and in February of 1759 he died in battle near Ashraf (today's Behshahr).(8) According to sources of the Qajar period, Mohammad Hasan Khan had nine sons and two daughters (NT 28-29, RSN 77-78). The eldest son, Aqa Mohammad Khan (born in 1741), fled to the Yamuts, who happened to be one of the Turkmen tribes and long-time allies of Mohammad Hasan Khan. Nevertheless, Aqa Mohammad Khan along with his brothers was captured by the Zand army two years later. It was Karim Khan who decided what should be done with each of the brothers. Two of them, namely, Morteza Qoli Khan and Mostafa Qoli Khan were held in Astarabad, because their mother happened to be a sister of Hosein Khan who was then the governor (beglarbegi) of Astarabad. One of the nine sons, that is 'Abbas Qoli Khan had already died at an early age in Tehran, and of the remaining six, Aqa Mohammad Khan was sent to Shiraz while the other five were sent to Qazvin (GG 170, GM 174, NT 29).(9) In Shiraz, Aqa Mohammad Khan was held under the protection of Karim Khan. Karim Khan treated this eldest son of his former enemy generously, permit- ting him to stay with his own children and also to listen in while national affairs were being discussed. He was even permitted to wander around by himself, provided he did not stray too far away from Shiraz.(10) While he was certainly a captive, yet he was never under lock and key. One can guess at several reasons for Karim Khan's generosity towards Aqa Mohammad Khan, one

Vol. XXV 1989 121 of which was probably the situation around Astarabad at that time. It is believed that even after the death of Mohammad Hasan Khan, the Ashaqebash and his other supporters still remained in the region. Since Astarabad was an important fortress against the invasion of Turkmen from the northeast, Karim Khan was anxious to prevent disorder in this region at any cost, and con- sequently treated Aqa Mohammad Khan well, his motive being to conciliate the Ashaqebash. Let us now proceed to investigate the situation concerning the settlement in Astarabad and Mazandaran after the battle, both of which areas had been within the sphere of Mohammad Hasan Khan's influence. In Astarabad, Hosein Khan of the Yukharibash was appointed governor (beglarbegi) after the death of Mohammad Hasan Khan. He was the direct cause of the death of Mohammad Hasan Khan, owing to his having betrayed him by siding with the Zands. He however died of an illness soon after as- suming the post, and was succeeded by his younger brother Hasan Khan Develu. Mohammad Khan Savadkuhi the governor (hakem) in Mazandaran had also betrayed Mohammad Hasan Khan and guided the Zand army in its invasion of Astarabad, in acknowledgment of which he received the title of "Khan", and the post of "hakem". He moved the official residence from Sari to Barforush (today's Babol) in the west, possibly with the intention of keeping away as much as possible from Astarabad.(11) Thus Astarabad, the former headquarters of Mohammad Hasan Khan, was held by Hasan Khan of the Yukharibash, while Mazandaran which was also formerly under his control was now ruled by Mohammad Khan Savadkuhi. It is important to bear in mind the fact that these two leaders were deeply responsible for the death of Mohammad Hasan Khan.

II. Hosein Qoli Khan's Dispatch to

Though it is not too clear as to when the incident occurred,(12) Hosein Qoli Khan who was born around 1750 or 1751 and who was in Qazvin, visited his elder brother in Shiraz and stayed there. Then in 1768 or 1769, Karim Khan appointed him as hakem of Damghan and ordered him there in February 1769 (RSN 86). The first thing Hosein Qoli Khan did upon arrival in Damghan was to marry Mahd 'Oliya, the daughter of the local 'Ezz al-Dinlu family.(13) Probably soon after that he set out upon the conquest of the nearby areas,

122 ORIENT THE REVOLT OF HOSEIN QOLI KHAN QAJAR, 1769-1777 namely, Astarabad and Mazandaran. Questions remain concerning the reasons for Karim Khan's dispatch of Hosein Qoli Khan to Damghan. Though separated by steep mountains, Damghan and Astarabad are only about eighty kilometers apart, and Karim Khan was in all probability aware of the fact that sending the son of Moham- mad Hasan Khan to a place such as this, would give rise to the critical situation that subsequently developed there. According to GG 170, however, the motive in sending him there was merely to appease Aqa Mohammad Khan. It is true that in 1769, Karim Khan sent a punitive force to subdue an individual named Mir Mohanna in Bandar Rig, facing the Persian Gulf (GG 161-166). However, with the exception of Khorasan, he had already conquered the whole of Iran by then.(14) Hence, if Karim Khan simply intended to appease Aqa Mohammad Khan, he could have sent Hosein Qoli Khan to some other place rather than Damghan where he was likely to cause trouble. Concerning this point, RSN 86 states as follows: Karim Khan Vakil, a pious and merciful ruler, consulted with Aqa Mohammad Khan regarding the subduction of Hasan Khan the beglar- begi of Astarabad, and (in accordance with his advice) appointed Hosein Qoli Khan to the post of hakem of Damghan and subsequently ordered him there.(15)

According to this explanation, Hosein Qoli Khan was sent to Damghan to restrain Hasan Khan who displayed signs of disobedience. Hasan Khan was Hosein Qoli Khan's sworn enemy, and besides, the movements of the Turkmen are believed to have affected Hasan Khan's actions in Astarabad. Owing to the scarcity of sources concerning the Turkmen of this period, many points are as yet unclarified. However, according to Rabino who tra- velled around the in 1909, it appears that the were still continuously invading Mazandaran. Mohammad Khan Savadkuhi, "by order of Karim Khan, built a rampart east of Kulbad (sic), from the mountain to the sea, as a protection against the Turcomans..."(16) On the other hand, the Ashaqebash had been on good terms with the Turkmen Yamuts since the early eighteenth century, and that was the reason for the family of Mohammad Hasan Khan taking refuge with the Yamuts after his death. Also, it is assumed that other Turkmen tribes such as the Goklens, also sided with Mohammad Hasan Khan at the height of his prosperity. Turkmen, however, though con-

Vol. XXV 1989 123 stituting a major part of Mohammad Hasan Khan's army, nevertheless parted with the Qajars after his death. Judging by the fact as will be seen later that Hosein Qoli Khan was quite enthusiastic about subduing the Turkmen including the Goklens, one gathers that the Turkmen were acting on their own, and may perhaps have been collaborating with the Yukharibash, who were the rulers of Astarabad at that time. Thus it appears likely that Karim Khan sent Hosein Qoli Khan of the Ashaqebash to Damghan in order to restrain the Turkmen, with whom Hosein Qoli Khan had a close relationship.

III. The Process of the Revolt

Hosein Qoli Khan set out upon the conquest of Astarabad and Mazan- daran, soon after his arrival in Damghan. According to RSN which contains most of the information regarding his activities, his mode of operation may be divided into the following twenty-four stages:(17)

1. He captured Fath 'Ali Khan Develu and Jan Mohammad Khan Develu at Namakeh. 2. He subdued the Qajar, Torkmen, Katul, and Hajjilar tribes of the districts of Fenderesk and Kabudjameh. 3. He built a fortress in Ramiyan and returned to Damghan. 4. He sent troops to attack Hasan Khan, driving him to Mazandaran. 5. Hasan Khan and Mohammad Khan requested Karim Khan to send troops to help them. 6. He fled to the Gorgan plain after the attack by Zaki Khan Zand. 7. He invaded Akarka'i where Hasan Khan was taking refuge and killed him. 8. He overthrew Feghan 'Ali Khan Yukharibash (a former follwer of Moham- mad Hasan Khan) at Fujerd. 9. He captured and executed Majnun Kohsari in Kohsar. 10. Owing to the appearance of Barz Allah Khan Zand who was sent at the request of Mohammad Khan, he retreated temporarily to the Gorgan plain. 11. He took Sari and captured 'Ali Asghar Beg, the nephew of Mohammad Khan. 12. He captured Mohammad Khan at Rostamabad and executed him at Bar- forush.

124 ORIENT THE REVOLT OF HOSEIN QOLI KHAN QAJAR, 1769-1777

13. Khan the son of Mohammad Khan entered Mazandaran with 'Ali Mohammad Khan Zand. The Zand army advances to Astarabad. 14. He overthrew Mahmud Qiyanlu at Qal'e-ye Mahmud and returned to

Figures indicate pages. Those in parentheses show articles that differ from the RSN or that refer to the same matter briefly.

Vol. XXV 1989 125 Damghan (1773/4). 15. He overthrew Emam Virdi Aqa-ye Qajar at Dorud in Sadan Rastaq district (summer of 1774). 16. He captured and executed Naqd 'Ali Khan and others of the Katul tribe. 17. He overthrew Mahdi Aqa Develu (the younger brother of Hasan Khan) at Siyahtalu. 18. He attacked Mahdi Khan the governor of Mazandaran and the son of Mohammad Khan at Barforush and made him surrender. 19. He fled to Jajorm because Zaki Khan Zand sent troops to Mazandaran. 20. He won the battle against the Goklens who had invaded Jajorm. 21. He sent his eldest son Fath 'Ali Khan to Shiraz. 22. Fath 'Ali Khan captured Mirza 'Ali Khan Develu in Astarabad (March 1775). 23. He won the battle against Qader Khan 'Arab (Bani 'Amer) at Bastam and plundered Shahrud. 24. He was assassinated at Sorkhe-Dasht in the Fenderesk district on his way back to Ramiyan.

The list above compares with the explanation regarding each of the twenty-four aforesaid items in the seven Persian sources (including the RSN) which contain information regarding Hosein Qoli Khan's revolt. The descrip- tions however differ greatly, and the gap between the sources of the Zand period (the GG and GM) and the RSN in particular is rather wide. We proceed hen- ceforth to examine 1-10, 14-17, and 19-23, which are referred to in the RSN but not in the GG or GM.(18) 11-13 and 18, which GG and GM also refer to, all deal with Hosein Qoli Khan's struggle against and victory over Mohammad Khan and his successor Mahdi Khan in Mazandaran. In other words, if we were to depend only upon the GG and GM, we would have to conclude that the activities of Hosein Qoli Khan were restricted only to Mazandaran. But judging from the geographical situation around Damghan, Astarabad, and Mazandaran, and also from the fact that Astarabad was the headquarters of the Qajars, it is difficult to conclude that he would be satisfied with simply conquering Mazandaran. Furthermore, for Hosein Qoli Khan, his hatred against Hasan Khan and the Yukharibash was stronger than that against Mohammad Khan. Considering 1-10 and 14-17 which are not mentioned in GG or GM, as

126 ORIENT THE REVOLT OF HOSEIN QOLI KHAN QAJAR, 1769-1777 shown in Map 2, they all deal with struggles over Astarabad.(19) Moreover, they deal not only with Hosein Qoli Khan's fight against and victory over Hasan Khan and his forces (1, 4, 7, 17) but also with the overthrow of the Yukharibash (8, 14, 15) and the conquest of the Turkmen (2, 16). Judging from the circum- stances, it appears quite natural on the whole for Hosein Qoli Khan to place more importance upon the conquest of Astarabad rather than Mazandaran, as is shown in the RSN. The process of Hosein Qoli Khan's actions can be summarized as follows: He first set out upon the conquest of Astarabad by attempting to subdue the Yukharibash who were his sworn enemies, and the disobedient Turkmen. He fled temporarily when Zaki Khan and his army came to attack him under orders from Karim Khan. After the Zand army withdrew he started the con- quest of Astarabad again. He finally killed Hasan Khan who was responsible for his father's death, and then advanced to Mazandaran and killed Mohammad Khan. However, he was forced to retreat to Ramiyan which constituted his subquarters, on account of the Zand invasion. When the Zand army left, he led his army to Astarabad, killing the remainder of his antagonists. He then forced the surrender of Mahdi Khan and thus gained control over Mazandaran. Two possible reasons arise for the lack of articles concerning Hosein Qoli Khan's conquest of Astarabad in the GG and GM. It is possible that the writers deliberately tried to play down the significance of his activities in order to preserve Karim Khan's dignity. Since it was Karim Khan himself who sent Hosein Qoli Khan to Damghan in the first place, the failure of his two attem- pts to subdue him (three, if 19 also were to be included) might have been for him a source of acute embarrassment. It is possible also that in the 1780's when these two sources were written, Aqa Mohammad Khan was endeavoring to extend his influence from Astarabad to central Iran, in confrontation with the Zand dynasty.(20) Let us now proceed to examine other points that the GG and GM do not refer to, namely, 19-23 on the list. Among them, 19, 20, and 23 explain how Hosein Qoli Khan expanded his sphere of influence to areas outside Astarabad and Mazandaran, such as Jajorm (about 200 kilometers east of Astarabad) and Bastam (about seventy kilometers northeast of Damghan). Also, MN 1177 and RSN 107 indicate that Allahyar Khan Qoliji, the hakem of Sabzevar was obedi- ent to Hosein Qoli Khan, a fact that indicated the expansion of Hosein Qoli Khan's influence even as far as Sabzevar (about a hundred and thirty kilo-

Vol. XXV 1989 127 meters southeast of Jajorm). Besides, certain sources reveal that Prince Nasrollah Mirza of the Afshar dynasty in Khorasan visited Hosein Qoli Khan in Jajorm, proposing united operations between them in an effort to unify the whole country, or in other words to overthrow the Zand dynasty (NT 32, RSN 105-106, TM 22b). Ac- cording to NT 32, Hosein Qoli Khan reacted negatively to this proposal saying, "Joint rule is like two swords in one sheath or two lions in one den. It never works." This statement seems to suggest that his final objective was the over- throw of the Zand dynasty. Furthermore, the very fact that the Afshar side proposed such a plan indicates a strong fear on their part concerning the expan- sion of the Zand forces. The Zands, on the other hand, considered their relation- ship with the Afshar dynasty a delicate one, and even Karim Khan did not attempt to invade Khorasan.(21) 21 and 22 are articles concerning Fath 'Ali Khan (born in 1769 or 1770, RSN 87), the eldest son of Hosein Qoli Khan. According to 21, Hosein Qoli Khan at the request of his brother Aqa Mohammad Khan, sent his son to Shiraz, as proof that he had no intention of revolting against Karim Khan. Fath 'Ali Khan was received warmly and permitted to depart safely within two months.(22) Karim Khan is even said to have given him Damghan as an eternal fief (soyurghal-e abadi) prior to his departure from Shiraz. 22 states that Mirza 'Ali Khan competed with Hosein Qoli Khan by creating some agitation among the Goklens, and that Fath 'Ali Khan's army advanced from Damghan to Astarabad and captured him. On hearing this, Hosein Qoli Khan hurried to Astarabad, and faced the hostile reaction of the Astarabad people. He was consequently forced to withdraw to Ramiyan, while Fath ' Ali Khan withdrew to Damghan, and as a result Mirza 'Ali Khan is said to have regained his post. However, the credibility of this article is in question, since Fath 'Ali Khan was only about six years old in 1775. It appears more reasonable to assume that these actions were carried out by the remaining forces of Hosein Qoli Khan in Damghan. In any case, Hosein Qoli Khan did wield great power at one stage, to the extent that he almost controlled Astarabad and Mazandaran. There are two reasons as to why the Zand army withdrew before subduing him completely. First of all Karim Khan felt safe as long as he held Hosein Qoli Khan's brothers captive. The second reason involves the domestic situation. Although Karim Khan controlled almost the whole of Iran except Khorasan by 1765, there still

128 ORIENT THE REVOLT OF HOSEIN QOLI KHAN QAJAR, 1769-1777

existed certain Arabian tribal forces in the Gulf area who opposed the Zand dynasty. Therefore, Karim Khan could not afford the use of all his forces in order to subdue Hosein Qoli Khan. Especially since after 1775 the majority of the Zand forces were engaged in the operation of surrounding , Karim Khan could not help but divert lesser attention to northern Iran. Nonetheless however, according to RSN 111 and TM 24b, Hosein Qoli Khan was assassinated on March 22, 1777 (Safar 12, AH 1191) when he was camping in the Fenderesk district on his way back to Ramiyan. The assassi- nation was planned by the Yukharibash and the Turkmen, both of whom regarded him with hostility.(23) He was twenty-seven years old at the time of his death.

IV. The Situation after the Revolt

Immediately after Hosein Qoli Khan was assassinated, his half brothers, namely Morteza Qoli Khan and Mostafa Qoli Khan who had supported him in the revolt, protected his family and carried his body to Astarabad where he was buried. Believing that the assassination had been planned by Mirza 'Ali Khan the beglarbegi of Astarabad, they killed him and returned to their base at Noukandeh (RSN 114-115). The sphere of influence that had been occupied by Hosein Qoli Khan was now in the hands of his two half-brothers, particularly Morteza Qoli Khan who was believed to have been the older of the two.(24) On the other side however, Aqa Mohammad Khan in Shiraz was in an awkward position during his brother's revolt. According to RT 353, Aqa Mohammad Khan, on hearing the news of his brother's rebellion, took refuge (elteja) at the Shah Cheragh shrine with food enough to last for about a year. Karim Khan nevertheless let him out saying that he personally bore no res- ponsibility.(25) Aqa Mohammad Khan is said to have written several letters to his younger brother in order to induce him to change his mind, and it is reported that he even defended Hosein Qoli Khan's overthrow of Mahdi Aqa (item 17) by telling the infuriated Karim Khan, "A child (whose father was killed) needs revenge. The aim of my brother is not to conquer the country. Fighting the one who killed his own father does not mean disobeying this government (that is, the Zand dynasty)." (RSN 102-103) Karim Khan sent for Aqa Mohammad Khan's four brothers in Qazvin just

Vol. XXV 1989 129 before or after Hosein Qoli Khan's assassination (RSN 116), probably with the intention of avoiding other revolts like the one of Hosein Qoli Khan's, and apart from this he also adopted a stricter attitude towards Aqa Mohammad Khan (RSN 116-117). Thus after the revolt the Zand government maintained a stricter watch over the captives. This was one of the major reasons for Aqa Mohammad Khan's escape from Shiraz and return to Astarabad, after Karim Khan's death due to illness in 1779. Hosein Qoli Khan overthrew the Yukharibash leaders who were responsible for his father's death, and placed Astarabad and Mazandaran his father's former domain under control. However, just when he had built a solid foundation of power he met with an unexpected death, and what he had achieved was handed over to his half brother Morteza Qoli Khan. Nevertheless it is probable too that Astarabad and Mazandaran were virtually no longer under Zand control by that time. On the other hand, Aqa Mohammad Khan who had escaped from Shiraz after Karim Khan's death, went back to Astarabad in 1779 with only a few followers. He then competed with Morteza Qoli Khan and won the territory captured by Hosein Qoli Khan. Of course it is probable that the Yukharibash and Turkmen forces which were hostile to Hosein Qoli Khan, rose up again after his assassination. However, even the RSN which describes Hosein Qoli Khan's activities in detail, says little about Aqa Mohammad Khan's conquest of Astarabad and Mazandaran, except for the struggle with Morteza Qoli Khan. One gets the impression that the control of the Qajars (Ashagebash) over those two areas was so complete, that no explanation whatever was needed. If this be the case, then Hosein Qoli Khan did play a significant role in the establishment of the Qajar dynasty by Aqa Mohammad Khan.

Footnotes

(1) M. Roschanzamir, Die Zand-Dynastie, Hamburg, 1970. (2) Parviz Rajabi, Karim Khan Zand va Zaman-e u, Tehran, 25352. (3) J. R. Perry, Karim Khan Zand-a , 1747-1779, Chicago and London, 1979. (4) G. R. G. Hambly, "Aqa Mohammad Khan and the establishment of the Qajar dynas- ty", Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society, 50-2, 1963, pp. 161-174. (5) E. Pakravan, Agha Mohammad Ghajar, Teheran, 1953 (in French). (6) Perry, op. cit., pp. 303-305. (7) C. H. Rieu, Catalogue of the Persian Manuscripts in the British Museum, vol. 1, London, 1879, p. 199, C. A. Storey, -A Bio-bibliographical Survey, vol. 1, London, 1927, repr., 1970, p. 332, Russian translation and enlargement; Ю.Э. ърегель (перевод),

130 ORIENT THE REVOLT OF HOSEIN QOLI KHAN QAJAR, 1769-1777

Персｕ∂скaя Лｕмерамура-Бｕo-бｕбпｕозрафｕческｕｕ Обзор, ч. II, Москва, 1972, стр. 940 -941. (8) Shohei Komaki, "On the process of the establishment of the Zand dynasty in 18th century Iran", The Journal of Sophia Asian Studies, 5, 1987, (in Japanese, pp. 37-40. (9) MN 1166 and RSN 77-78 state that Aqa Mohammad Khan and Hosein Qoli Khan were sent to Shiraz while the other four were sent to Qazvin. According to TM 18a, all six were sent to Shiraz. There is no other source to rely on with regard to this point. Descriptions in GG and GM match, and these two sources having been presented to the monarchs of the Zand dynasty who were supposed to have known the situation well, we shall rely upon them. (10) Sa'id Nafisi, Tarikh-e Ejtema'i va Siyasi-ye Iran dar Doure-ye Qajariyyeh, vol. 1, Tehran, 2nd. ed., n. d., p. 46. (11) H. L. Rabino di Borgomale, Mazandaran and Astarabad, E. J. W. Gibb Memorial, n. s. 7, London, 1928, p. 63. (12) NT 29 is the only source that refers to Hosein Qoli Khan's visit to Shiraz. It says, "After he grew older, Hosein Qoli Khan wished to meet his brother and went to Shiraz." There is no indication of time. (13) Their eldest son was Fath 'Ali Khan who later became the second Qajar Shah. (14) Komaki, op. cit., p. 42. (15) Words in parentheses are added by Komaki. (16) Rabino di Borgomale, op. cit., p. 63. (17) In RSN, "Develu" is written as "Davalu". Here I write "Develu" as is written in most other sources. (18) According to the explanation on item 6 in the sources written during the Zand period, Hosein Qoli Khan was driven to the Gorgan plain or to the Turkmen by Zaki Khan (according to GG) or 'Ali Mohammad Khan (according to GM) who had been sent by Karim Khan after Mohammad Khan was executed (item 12). This may be included in 13. Thus the GG and GM differ very much from the RSN on this point. Also, with regard to 19, the only explanation is that Karim Khan sent Mohammad 'Ali Khan (in GG) or Zaki Khan (in GM). Therefore we would like to include both these items in our analysis. (19) Though item 7 describes the incident that occurred at Akarka'i in Mazandaran, it was a matter that was deeply connected with the Astarabad region, because Hasan Khan the governor of Astarabad took refuge at Akarka'i and was killed there by Hosein Qoli Khan. So we include item 7 with the matter connected with Astarabad. (20) Perry who has conducted a detailed biographical research on Karim Khan, is still very cautious about using sources written during the Qajar period. However, he has referred to 1, 6, 7, 8, and 10, and has described how Hosein Qoli Khan conquered Astarabad and Mazan- daran (Perry, op. cit., pp. 140-143). (21) Komaki, op. cit., p. 44. (22) Fath 'Ali Shah is said to have spoken later of how Karim Khan had treated him with hospitality in his childhood (Perry, op. cit., p. 147). According to RSN 108, Karim Khan allowed Fath 'Ali Khan to play with his eldest son, Abu al-Fath Khan, who was about the same age (qarib al-senn). However, since Abu al-Fath Khan was born in 1755 or 1756, it must have been Lotf 'Ali Khan (who later became the last Zand monarch) who was born in 1769 (ibid). (23) It is written in NT 32-33 that the Yukharibash who feared Hosein Qoli Khan, instigated several Yamut followers of Hosein Qoli Khan to assassinate him. In GG 174 and GM 203, it is stated that he was killed in Astarabad. According to RSN 144 there is a view that he was killed in 1784 or 1785. This is obviously wrong, considering what happened later. (24) In NT 33-34, it is stated that Morteza Qoli Khan following Karim Khan's orders, protected the family of Hosein Qoli Khan, and that he married Mahd 'Oliya, his brother's wife and brought up his nephews.

Vol. XXV 1989 131 (25) According to RT 359, Aqa Mohammad Khan took refuge in Shah Cheragh shrine also when his brother captured Mahdi Khan of Mazandaran (item 18). He is said to have left the shrine within two or three days, after being persuaded by Karim Khan. Similar articles are found also on MN 1176 and RSN 105.

Map 1, Iran in 18th century The area inside the square is enlarged in Map 2.

132 Vol. XXV 1989 THE REVOLT OF HOSEIN QOLI KHAN QAJAR, 1769-1777

Vol. XXV 1989 133