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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

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Following this, the Regent, Alim Kuli, proceeded by Kuramma to secure and settle Tashkand. Here he executed the Governor, Shadwan Mirza, and reinstated his own father-in-law, Nar Muhammad, Parwcinchi. On his return towards the capital he placed the Huaâychi, H} dar Kuli Kapci,a,k, in command of the Kuramma Fort, and took the Koshbegi, Yaktxb Beg with him to Khokand for attendance at court. Whilst here, about April 1864, news arrived of the advance of the Russians against (;harnkand, and Alien Kuli at once sent forward Yaktib Beg to secure and strengthen the defences of Tashkand. On his arrival there he was joined by Mirza Ahmad, Koshbegi, retreating with his troops from Chamkand. In October the Russians appeared before Tashkand. Yâknb Beg issued to fight them, but was defeated and driven back into tue fort; and the Russians on their part, having lost several risen, retired on. Chamkand. Alitn Kuli now hurried up with reinforcements, and set to work to fortify the place. Whilst so engaged, the envoys of Sadik Beg Kirghiz arrived with news of the revolt in Kashghar, and the want of a Khuja to fill the vacant throne there. Alim Kuli sent off Buzurg Khan, with Koshbegi -MCA) Beg as his Bczfor-bdshi, but could spare no troops to help them to take the country. The rest of Yâktib Beg's career has been given in the history, up to the date of his assuming the title of Amir Muhammad Yakdo Khan.

He has ten sons and several daughters living. Only two of his Khokand sons are with him in Kashghar, viz., Beg Kuli Beg, aged twenty-six years, and Mace Kuli Beg, aged twenty-three years. 'the other sons, born in Kast ghar and brought up in the palace, are children, the eldest of whom are now learning to read their lessons ; their names are Abdulla Beg, Rahman Kuli Beg, Karim Kuli Beg, Khadayar Beg, &c.

The Court.—The Amir's court is said to be formed on the model of that of Khokand. It certainly contains many of the former courtiers of the late Mallah Khan, and not a few refugees from the court of the ruling Khudayar Khan ; all of whom, with rare exceptions, have left their families and property on their patrimonial estates in Khokand, or in the districts now incorporated with the Russian empire.

The Amir, however, has no fixed establishment, nor regular gradation of ranks, such as formed the court of the Khokand Khan. The principal of these officers attached to the palace were the zinbardâr, groom in waiting; the dasturkawcnchi, butler ; the huddgehi, chamberlain; the yasâwul, mace-bearer; the mircikhor. master of toe stables ; the makram, confidential messenger; the khazinachi, treasurer ; the attdbachi, cup-bearer; the bacâwalbdshi, chief provisioner ; and a number of other minor grades of court domestics.

The principal officers of state were the mihtar, prime minister; theparwci'chi, chancellor; the dâdhkwcih, district governor ; the atdlik, preceptor or controller of the state ; the kos/ibegi, lord of a tribe or lieutenant of a country ; the shayhdwal, foreign secretary ; the ishikâgha, lord warden ; the tocskwd or tocstibâu, lord of a standard or leader of an arrn.y in the field ; cardwulbegi, intendant of frontier defences; the corchi, master of ordnance; the jabachc, revenue collector; the zakdtehi, custom officer; the mirzâbd.yhi, chief secretary ; the umara, courtier, and some others of lower rank. Besides these officers there were certain ranks of nobility such as sudûr, orcrc, inâc, khoja, torah, and eshdn, the possessors of which periodically attended court and gave the king the benefit of their advice in matters referred for their judgment.

The military officers under the direct authority of the king were the mingbcishi, " commandant of a thousand ;" but in reality the office is equivalent to general of a division ; the amirilashkar, brigadier; the bâtorbdslii, detachment or troop leader ; the ndrdb, deputy or second in command ; the pansadbdshi, commandant of five hundred, or regimental colonel; the ydzbkslii, commandant of a hundred, or captain; the pinjûbdshi, commandant of fifty, or lieutenant; the onbkshi, commandant of ten, or sergeant ; ttte,yciwur, aide-de-camp; the corbcishi, provost marshall; and the jallkd, the executioner. The foot soldier was called sarbfz, and the horse soldier jigit.

The ecclesiastic department, which includes that of law, comprised the following officers, namely, shekh-ul-islcim, elder of the faith, or bishop ; cazi-kalcin, chief justice ; cazi askar,

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