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

302 HISTORY OF PERSIA CHAP.
vingt pas de distance, il y avoit douze Chevaux des plus
beaux de 1'ecurie du Roi, six de chaque cote, couverts de
harnois les plus superbes & magnifiques qu'on puisse
voir au monde. Quatre harnois etoient d'Emeraudes,
deux de Rubis, deux de pierres de couleur melees avec
des Diamans, deux autres etoient d'Or emaille & deux
autres de fin Or lisse. ... A trente pas des Chevaux, il
y avoit des Btes farouches dressees a combattre contre
des jeunes Taureaux. Deux Lions, un Tygre, et un
Leopard, attachez, & chacun etendu sur un grand Tapis
d'ecarlate, la tete tournee vers le Palais."
During his long reign Sulayman received many
embassies, and among
the most brilliant was one from
France, whose ambassador termed himself " General and
Ambassador from the Great King of Europe." He also
continued the tradition of the family at Meshed, and
repaired the golden dome which had been damaged by an
earthquake, mentioned by Chardin. In commemoration
of this pious deed an inscription may be read, dated
A.H. 1086 (1676), in which he refers to himself as "The
Reviver of the ancient ruins of his Ancestors."
The Musalla, or " Place of Prayer," outside Meshed
was also constructed in this reign.
The main arch is
decorated with a long quotation from the Koran in white
letters on a blue background, and on each side near the
ground are ten lines of an inscription with yellow letters
3
on a blue ground. The building
is
striking even in
its decay.
The Accession of Shah Sultan Husayn^ A.H. 1 105 (1694).
It is stated that when Sulayman lay on his deathbed he
said to his eunuch advisers, " If you wish for ease, elevate
Husayn Mirza if ; youjiesire the glory^of Persia, Abbas
A//ZtfJ' Needless to say, the former son was chosen,
and upon his accession he proved a mixture of meekness
and piety, qualities
as much out of place
as in the case of
Edward the Confessor, his English prototype. He was
also noted for his uxoriousness. The piety of Husayn,
translated into action, placed m^llas an/I enrmrhs iq the
1
Vol. iii. p. 219.
2 Historical Notes, etc., p. 1137.
3 Ibid. p. 1153.