The news of the massacre of the Persians at the sacred city of Kerbela by the Wahabi Arabs,[1] recalled the king to Tehran. The Shah at first proposed to march with his army to avenge this wanton proceeding, but reflecting on the grave import of invading the Sultan's dominions, he contented himself with despatching a special envoy to the Pasha of Baghdad, who promised to exterminate the whole nation of Wahab. The Shah's presence was then called for at Astrabad, to put down the incursions of the Turkoman tribes of the Attreck and the Goorgan districts. These he completely defeated, after which exploit he returned to Tehran. In this year[2] also the Affghans of Seistan invaded the province of Kerman from Bem and Nermansheer.
In the meantime, one of the king's officers had been left before the walls of Meshed, with a corps of observation. This general, seeing that Nadir Meerza was not delivered over to him as had been stipulated, called upon the Shah to furnish him with reinforcements
- ↑ For an account of the events that led to the attack on Kerbela by the Wahabis, see Palgrave's Journey in Central and Eastern Arabia. Vol. ii. pp. 41-43.
"A fanatic of Ghilan offered himself for the work of blood. He received suitable instructions in Tehran, whence he journeyed to Meshed Hoseyn, the authentic Mecca of Shiya'ee devotion. There he procured a written pardon for all past and future sins, and a title-deed duly signed and sealed, assuring him the eternal joys of paradise, should he rid the earth of the Nejdean tyrant (’Abd-el-'Azeez).... He one day took his stand in the ranks of evening prayer immediately behind 'Abd-el-'Azeez, went through the first two reka'as of Islamitic devotion, and, at the third, while the Sultan of Nejed was bowed in prostrate adoration, plunged his sharp Khorassan dagger in his body.... These events took place, so far as my informants could supply a date, about 1805 or 1806.... 'Abd-Allah marched northward against Meshed Hoseyn or Kerbelah, the main object of his hatred. Here the impetuosity of his onset overcame all resistance; the town was stormed, and a promiscuous massacre of garrison and inhabitants appeased the manes of 'Abd-el-'Azeez.'
- ↑ A.D. 1803.
