Sykes' History of Persia Vol 2 (pdf) - Heritage Institute

HOLOGRAPH DOCUMENT SIGNED BY SHAH ABBAS IN A.H. 1012 (1603).
(Through the courtesy of Abdul Majid Belshah.)
[Purport Shah Abbas acknowledges his indebtedness for the book (on which he had written
these lines) to Baha-u-Din.]
CHAPTER LXIII
SHAH ABBAS
THE GREAT
His Person then is such, as well-vnderstanding Nature would fit for the end
proposed for his being, excellently well shaped, of a most well proportioned
stature, strong, and active his colour somewhat inclined to a man-like blacknesse,
is also more blacke by the Sunnes :
;
burning his furniture of his mind
infinitely royall, wise, valiant, liberall, temperate, mercifull, and an exceeding
lover of Justice. SIR ANTHONY SHERLEY on Shah Abbas.
Shah Abbas A.H. /., 985-1038 (1587-1629). The sixteenth
century was a wonderful epoch both in Europe and
in Asia, producing great rulers with prolific bounty. Of
these, Charles V. and Elizabeth in Europe can be matched,
if not overmatched, by Sulayman of Turkey, Akbar the
Moghul Emperor, and the subject of the present chapter.
And yet how unpromising were the prospects of the infant
destined to be famous as Shah Abbas the Great !
(^Left
in Khorasan as its purely nominal Governor, he passed
through boyhood a mere puppet in the hands of rival
chieftains. His guardian,
Ali Kuli Khan, Chief of the
Shamlu, had united with Murshid Kuli Khan, chief of
the Ustajlu, nominally to protect
his rights, but actually
for personal aggrandisement. As was to be expected,
the
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