1 Assnsstnation of
2 Nadir Shab, 8th June
3 1747.
4 His body buried in
5 Mashhad.
6 The character of
7 Nada Shah.
8 210 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
9 voluntarily drew back, on hearing the old king’s challenging voice, af which
10 the fiercest of men trembled ; but they soon regained courage, and one of
11 the assassins aimed a blow at the king with a sabre. The king fell, and, on
12 his endeavouring to raise himself, the conspirators rushed on him, and,
13 repeating their blows, destroyed a life which had been devoted to destroying
14 the lives of others. Thus fell, at the age of sixty years, Nédir Shah, the
15 terror of Asia, the pride and deliverer of his country, the restorer of its
16 freedom, and the conqueror of India, who, from an humble station in life,
17 raised himself to a dignity which few monarchs have attained by birth, ‘
18 At daybreak, the Omerahs found the body of Nadir Shah lying headless
19 on the ground. The ladies of the harem had been previously sent off to
20 Keldt, with their effects, under charge of Nasrullah Mirza. An old woman
21 who remained bebind, was seen bewailing over the head of her royal master,
22 which lay at a distance from the trunk, Nine days after the assassination,
23 Ali Kuli Khan ordered the body to be removed to Mashhad, where it was
24 buried in the mausoleum which Nddir Shah had prepared for himself*
25 * Having traced this great Asiatic conqueror to his last resting-place, we give below
26 extracts from an interesting paper written on the personal description and character of that
27 sovereign by an English gentleman t who knew Nadir Shah personally and was his com-
28 panion for years in his exploits. : . “
29 “ Nadir Shah is about fifty-five years old, upwards of six feet high, well-proportioned, of
30 a very robust make and constitution, his complexion sanguine, and inclining to be fat, but
31 the fatigue he undergoes prevents it; he has fine large black eyes and eye-brows ; and, in short,
32 is one of the most comely men [ ever beheld, The injury the sun and weather have done to his
33 complexion only gives him a more manly aspect, His voice is so uncommonly loud and strong
34 that frequently, and without straining 1t, he gives orders to his people at above a hundred
35 yards distance. He drinks wine with moderation, but is extremely addicted to women,
36 in which he affects great variety, and yet never neglects his business on their account;
37 his hours of recreation among the ladies are but few, seldom entering their apartments
38 before eleven or twelve at night, and is up and in public by five in the morning. His dict is
39 is simple, chiefly pi//ao and plain dishes ; and, if public affairs require his attendance, he neg-
40 lects his meals and satisfies his hunger with a fow parched peas (of which he always carrics
41 some in his pockets) and a draught of water. In the camp or in the city, he is almost con-
42 stantly in public, and, if not, he may be sent to, or spoken with, by any person. He musters,
43 pays, and clothes his army himself, and will not suffer any perquisites to be taken from the
44 soldiers by his officers on any pretence whatever. He has monthly accounts transmitted to
45 him of the state of affairs in all parts of his dominions, and holds a correspondence with his
46 several private spies in every place; besides, in every province and city there is a person
47 called Ham Kalam appointed to inspect the governor’s actions and keep a register of them. No
48 affair of any consequence can be transacted, but in the presence of that officer who, besides the
49 accounts the governor is obliged to send monthly, transmits his journal by a separate convey-
50 ance whenever he thinks proper, without permitting the governor to peruse it; he has no
51 settled salary or gratuity for his trouble, but is rewarded or punished just as Nadir Shah finds
52 he deserves. This extraordinary caution, in a great measure, preyents the governor’s oppress-
53 ing the people or entering into conspiracies or rebellions against him. He is extremely gener--
54 ous, particularly to his soldiers, and bountifully rewards allin his service who behaye well.
55 He is at the same time very severe and strict in his discipline, punishing with death those
56 who commit a great offence; and with the loss of their cars those whose transgressions are of
57 aslighter nature; he never pardons the guilty of what rank socver, und is highly displeased,
58 if, after he has thoroughly examined the afiair, any person presumes to intercede in their
59 behalf, before which they may give their sentiments with freedom.
60 . hen on a march, or in the field, he contents himself with eating, drinking and sleeping
61 like a common soldier, and enures all his officers to the same severe discipline, He is of so
62 hardy a constitution that he has been often known, of a frosty night, to repose upon the
63 ground in the open air, wrapped up in his cloak, with only a saddle for his pillow, especially
64 when upon an extraordinary enterprise which required expedition, he has been obliged to
65 outmarch his baggage, by which means he has fallen upon the enemy when they least expected
66 him. He is never happy but when in the field, and Inments the time when he is obliged to stay
67 in a city to refresh his es in which (as in all things else) he uses tho utmost despatch.
68 His meals are over in less than half an hour, after which he returns to business, so that the
69 servants, who attend him standing, are changed three or four times a day. He never indulges
70 himself in any kind of pleasure in the day time, but constantly at sunset retires to n private
71 apartment where, unbending himself at once from business, he sups with three or four favorites
72 and drinks a quart, or, at most, three pints, of wine, behaving all the time in the freest
73 and most facetious manner. In his private conversation no person is allowed to mention any-
74 thing relating to public business; nor, at other times, must they presume upon his
75 intimacy to behave with more familiarity than their equals. Two of his evening companions
76 ca SORE APES SSeS se PSE pO Oe SINS TEES
77 f According to Fraser, this gentleman resided for years in Persia, spoke the language, and had been frequently in
78 Sri SatgtttPaut Singh FeLibrary NamdhanElibrary@ gmail.com
79 ”