History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP, II.] THE GHIL/JI INVASION. 57

Mir Vais, in the government of Kandahar) carried out what had been his father’s desire, and invaded the empire whose rulers had so long oppressed his nation.

The following account, by Sir John Malcolm, of the Afghan leader’s first entry into Persia gives a terrible picture of the misery to which the inhabitants of Kerman were subjected by both the invaders and

their own rulers :—

“He (Mahamud) resolved to penetrate that country by the province of Kerman, preferring a march over the desert of Seistan to the obstacles which presented themselves in every other direction. Though he took every precaution to surmount the difficulties of the march, he lost many men and horses; but his appearance was so unexpected, and his force so considerable, that the city and province of Kerman immediately submitted to his arms. ‘This ready acknowledgment of his authority did not save the inhabitants from suffering the most intolerable oppression, and it was with joy they learned that Lutf Ali Khan had left the sea coast and was hastening to their relief. That chief, who had collected a considerable force, attacked and defeated the Afghan prince, and compelled him to fly to Kandahar. Kerman, however, was only exposed, by this victory, to a repetition of what it had before suffered ; and when Lutf Ali Khan marched from that province, it was difficult to say whether the invasion of the Afghans or the advance of the Persian army to their relief had been most ruinous to its inhabitants.”

During this invasion by the Ghilji Afghans the Zoroastrians of Kerman drank their full share of the cup of suffering. Indeed it would almost seem as if they were made the special objects of the vengeance of the Persian troops, at whose hands they suffered heavy

losses both by massacre and compulsory conversion.