Correspondence and Papers on Persia [‎205r] (157/245)

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TKHEKAN—ROYAL FAMILY. oO
42. ZIL - ES - SULTAN, SULTAN MASSUD MIRZA—
Born 5 January, 1850. Is the eldest son of Nassir-ed-Din Shah,
by Iffet-ed-Dowleh, an Afshar lady. His parentage on the
mother’s side (the Iffet-ed-Dowleh net being a royal princess)
always stood in the way of his being declared heir to the throne ;
this position thus fell to Muzaffar ed Din, who, born of royal
parents on both sides, was declared Valiahd, and was accepted by
the people as possessing all the necessary qualifications.
He received the title of Yamin-ed-Dowleh in 18G0, and his
present title in 1869. Married the daughter of Mirza Taki Khan
(Nassir-ed-Din’s first Prime Minister) and Ndssir-ed-Din’s sister,
the Izzet-ed-Dowleh, by whom he had his eldest son Jdal-ed-
Dou'leh, Sultan Hussein Mirza. This lady died in 1870.
At one period during the lifetime of Nassir-ed-Dir Shah he
held the joint governorships of Ispahan, Ears, Irak, iTezd and
Arabistan, and maintained a force of some 15,000 well-trained and
disciplined soldiers. This force was disbanded by order of
Nassir-ed-Din Shah, who had become jealous of the reputation and
the position occupied by his son. Ihe Zil-es-Sultan was then
gradually reduced to the position of an ordinary subject, and at the
death of Nassir-ed-Din Shah was governor of the province of
Ispahan only. His power has been still further curtailed since
the accession of Muzaffar-ed-Din Shah. He behaved very well on
the death of his father, and maintained good order in his province,
and at once expressed his allegiance to his younger brother.
He is very rich, owning villages and property worth about
£250,000, and has cash in European banks amounting to about
half a million sterling.
Age 47; is G.C.S.I.
43. IHTESHAM EL MULK—
Son of the late Mutamad ed Dowleh, Sultan Oveis Mirza, who was
brother to the present Mutamad ed Dowleh. He is a nephew of
the present Mutamad ed Dowleh.
Age about 22 ; speaks French.
44. ITEZAD ES SALTANEII, HUSAIN ALI MIRZA—
Is the eldest son of the Valiahd, q.v.
Age 5.
45. ZIA ED DOWLEH, ANUSHIRVAN MIRZA—
His father was the late Rahman Mirza who was a son of Valiahd
Abbas Mirza, fled to Russia in 1846, settled in the Caucasus with
a pension granted by the Russian Government, and died there
in 1883.
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