'CORRECTIONS TO GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME III' [‎66r] (133/180)

Sultan Muhammad Khan, fourth Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. , was a weak ruler, without
control : many of the smaller clans were ruined and absorbed by larger
branches, and much of the IlkhdnVs power passed to the Ilbegi.
Haji Nasrullah Khan, fifth IlJchdrii, who had restored the power to the
Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. , and secured a firm hold over the tribe, left one son, whose defici
encies and failings made him unfit to succeed his father, and the succession
passed to the sons of Darab Khan, brother of Suhrab Khan. Haji Nasrul-
Jah’s daughter was married to the present (1912) Quvvam-ul-Mulk—a fact
that has given rise to much of the hostility between the Ilkhdni, Saulat-ud-
Dauleh and the Quvvam’s adherents.
In 1898 the eldest son of Darab Khan, Zergham-ud-Dauleh, succeeded
as sixth Ilkhdni : he was a man of fine stature and presence, and popular with
the tribesmen, largely because of his leniency, and indifference to the pay
ment of revenue. His early death in 1905 may be attributed to over-indul
gence. During his life-time his full brother, Saulat-ud-Dauleh, had several
times acted as Ilbegi, and for a short period in 1902 replaced him as Ilkhdni.
About this period the late Quvvam-ul-Mulk had powerful influence in
Ears : Prince Shu a -us-Sultaneh had humiliated him, and patronized
Saulat-ud-Dauleh. No sooner had the prince vacated the Governor-Gene
ralship (in 1906) than Quvvam-ul-Mulk, left as Acting Governor-General,
conferred the llkhdnishi'p of the Qashqais on Zaigham-ud-Dauleh, son of
Darab Khan by a peasant wife. Saulat-ud-Dauleh’s supporters included
Muhammad ’Ali Khan Kashkull, his brothers, and Ayyaz Kiba Khan, Dara-
shuri: with Zaigham were Muhammad Hasan Khan, b ashkull, an enemy of
Saulat’s, Agha Kiha Khan, Darashiirl and Karim Khan of the BuirAhmadi.
A fight took place near Kudian. Zaigham’s force was routed and he had
to flee from Pars. The bitter enmity between the Quvvam, and a
section of the Qashqais may be largely ascribed to this incident. Zaigham-
ud-Dauleh’s full brother ’Ali Khan is allied by marriage to the Bakhtiari
Khans, and Zaigham and Quvvam found protection and support with them.
krom 1907-10 Saulat-ud-Dauleh made good his position of authority in
the II with remarkable force and success. He acted as his own Ilbegi, and
proceeded to acquire by purchase, or seizure, rich properties at Firuzabad,
barrashband, Jam, Qir and Karzin, etc. He became the richest magnate
in Fars, and attached the large body of ’Amaleh to his own person. His in
sistence on full payment of ‘ mdliydt ’ by the tribes, alienated the sympathies
of many chiefs of imhs and his dismissal of Kaldntars, who incurred
his displeasure, also did him harm. He completely crushed Ahmad Khan,
ShishbulukI, father-in-law of Zaigham, who had become a man of importance.
By 1910 he had fallen out with a chief supporter—Muhammad ’Ali Khan,
Kashkuli and with the powerful Kaldntar of the Darashuri. The II, how
ever, recovered its former cohesion and unity under his rule, and, much as
he was disliked, he was undoubtedly greatly feared among the Qashqai for
the advantages conferred on him by his wealth.
The institution of so-called “ Constitutional Government ” had, by 1909,
brought chaos into Fars affairs, and nullified the authority of the Governor-
General, a situation of which the Qashqais and Saulat-ud-Dauleh were not
slow to take advantage. They soon realized that their stiength \a,y in their
numbers, and in the opportunities for general arming provided by the arms
traffic to Tangistan and ShibkMi ports. In 1909 Saulat-ud-Daulehwith a large