Page:Historyofpersiaf00watsrich.djvu/75

to own allegiance to the head of the family alone. Aga Mahomed was thus enabled to advance with an overwhelming force to Ispahan, from which city Jafer once more fled to Sheeraz. When Aga Mahomed, after having passed some time in arranging the administration at the capital, at length followed his enemy to Sheeraz he found that place impregnable; and, failing in all his attempts to reduce it, he returned to Ispahan. Jafer in the following spring directed his efforts to the acquisition of the city of Yezd. This object was not effected, and during the months that it occupied his arms his enemy had time to establish his authority over all the North of Persia. Jafer next sent his son, Lutf'ali, to subdue the Germiseer, and that gallant youth after a siege of three months took the almost impregnable citadel of Lar, from whence he passed into Kerman. At the same time Jafer himself was making a final effort to reestablish the Zend domination over the Northern part of Persia. Having taken Yezdikhast, Abada, and Koomeshah, he saw the way open to Ispahan, which city was evacuated by the brother of Aga Mahomed. But Jafer only regained this capital to abandon it for the third time on account of a rumour of the advance of a Kajar army, and on his return to Sheeraz he was assassinated in the month of January, 1789. The murderers of Jafer usurped the inheritance of his son, and Lutf'ali was obliged to flee from his own army and to take refuge with the Arab chief of Abooshehr, a place which is better known under the abbreviated name of Bushire. There this young hero raised an army with which he speedily marched to Sheeraz, where, after having defeated the force sent against him, he ascended