son of Ali Murad attempted to force an entrance both into Mazenderan and into Gilan, but was unsuccessful in both cases and was constrained to retire upon Tehran for the winter. Ali Murad in the meantime succeeded in persuading the governor of Gilan to desert the cause of the Kajars, and Aga Mahomed's next efforts were directed to punishing his unstable adherent. The town of Resht was taken by him and the governor's palace reduced to ashes, but that functionary himself had time to escape by sea. In the following year[1] the troops of Ali Murad succeeded in penetrating into Mazenderan and in compelling Aga Mahomed to shut himself up in the city of Astrabad, in which he had collected his treasures. It seemed as if he would be soon reduced to the last extremities when a sudden change of fortune once more set him at liberty. A mutiny occurred in the invading army, and the son of Ali Murad, in order to save his life, retreated to Tehran, while his disbanded troops set out for Ispahan. Ali Murad left his son Sheikh Veis Khan at Tehran and marched with another army to overtake and punish the insurgents, and to encounter his half brother, Jafer, who had revolted; but the severity of the weather during this march was more than he could support, and he expired before the army reached Ispahan. After this event that city once again became the scene of the wildest anarchy. The soldiers who had quitted their ranks at Astrabad plundered the capital at their discretion, and the troops who had been under the immediate command of Ali Murad found themselves at his death without a leader. The governor of Ispahan attempted by largesses to win the support of
- ↑ 1784.
