"دليل بلاد فارس. مجلد III. جزء I: من A إلى K" [ظ‎‎١‎١‎٢] (١٢٧٨/٢٢٩)

a rebel. From the earliest days we read of this mountain country as
a wild and inaccessible region, inhabited by uncouth and formidable tribes.
They set at nought the authority of the Medes and Persians : they defied
Alexander and provoked Antiochus. The invading Arabs found them
a hard nut to crack. Between the 12 th and 14th centuries, however (1155
to 1424 A.D.) they were ruled over, from Isfahan to Shushtar, by a powerful
Mussulman dynasty, known as the Fasluiah, under the title of Atabegs.
Various travellers oi olden days have referred to them. In the 17th century
Chardin speaks of them “ as having no settled abodes, but living in tents
with their flocks and herds, of which they have an infinite number. They
are governed by a Khan, who, chosen from among themselves, is set over
them by the King of Persia : to whom they pay both tribute and tithes.”
In 1722, when the Afghans sacked Isfahan, we hear of the Bakhtiari
opposing them with 12,000 horsemen, who were, however, easily defeated
by the invaders. Shortly after, the Turkish Pasha of Mosul, thinking to
take advantage of the prevailing disorder, invaded the Bakhtiari country ;
though successful in this, he was not able to remain in it. Nadir Shah
made the same experiment, but with no great success. He tried to transfer
a portion of the tribe to Khorasan, but they fought their way back again.
An experiment, however, made by him in enlisting large numbers of them
in his army met with great success ; as they acquitted themselves with great
bravery at Herat and Kandahar. At his death in 1749, a Bakhtiari
chieftain, ’All Mardan Khan, became virtually the ruler of Persia ; though
only for a short time, as he was assassinated in 1751. In the early years
of the 19th century the Sardar Asad, of the Haft Lang division of the tribe,
defied the Persian Government and raided up to the walls of Tehran ; but
later had to take refuge in the mountains near Deh-i-Diz, ultimately sur
rendering to Muhammad ’All Mirza, son of Fath ’All Shah, and making
his peace with the Government.
Haft and Chehar Lang divisions .—When the Haft and Chehar Lang
divisions of this people originated it is impossible to state authoritatively.
A popular account is current among themselves that the whole tribe
originally migrated from Syria under a single chieftain, one of whose
descendants left upon his death two families of seven and four sons,
respectively ; the struggle amongst the latter for the supremacy originated
in a tribal division that has lasted ever since. Whatever is the true story,
a bitter enmity has existed from early times between the two divisions.
This has, happily, in the present day subsided, and, it is hoped, disap
peared for good and all. The head quarters of the Haft Lang or north
ern division is in the Chehar Mahal and adjoining valleys ; while Kaleh-
i-Tul is the stronghold of the Chehar Lang or southern division.
The latter were always the poorer and more nomadic of the two divisions;
and friction constantly arose from the overlapping of their pastures
and migration from the summer and winter quarters of the former through
the Chehar Lang country. As matters now stand the supreme power
has passed into the hands of the two leading families of the Haft Lang
known as the “ Ilkhanl ” and “ Hajl Ilkhani ” families.
To the more important Khans the history of the Zill-i-Sultan is perfectly
y'ell known, and they judge the situation accordingly.