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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

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   T.S.   Later he destroyed the frontier fort of Peshagir, built by the Khokandis in 1819,

and erected the fort of Kuramma at two farsakk from Jizzak, and placing his own garrison in it under Mingbâshi Gaday Bay took up his residence at Oratappa where he devoted himself to wine and women.

Bahadtir Khan now jealous of his growing power, and incensed by his encroachment upon the Bukhara frontier, in 1839 took the field and marched against the new Kuramma Fort. Gaddy Bay held out for fifteen days, and then, abandoning his charge, fled and joined his master at Oratappa. Muhammad Ali Khan, now roused from his pleasures by alarm for his throne, at once marched against the enemy, and camping at a farsakh from the fort, in a fit of boldness inspired by an extra dose of Mang', came out and challenged Bahadûr Khan to meet him in single combat. His nobles, however, intervening with professions of devotion to his service and person, persuaded him to retire, and the would-be champion, on recovery from his intoxication, being seized by sudden misgivings as to the loyalty of his nobles, abruptly quitted his army, and with only fifty followers fled to Khokand, which he reached in eight days. His army fought for three days and then followed the example of their Khan. Nasrulla pursued the fugitives, and captured the forts of Zamin and Oratappa, and planting his own garrisons in them returned to Bukhara, to watch the operations of the British army in Afghanistan.

On his departure Muhammad Ali Khan returned, and, driving out the Bukhara troops, recovered Oratappa. But Nasrulla again took the field against him with a numerous army, and in the spring of the following year, 1840, defeated Muhammad Ali and dispersed his army. He followed up this victory by a succession of others, and between September and November annexed Kuramma, Naô, Khujand, and Tashkand, and the country beyond up to the Dasht Kapchak. He appointed his own governors in most of these places, but gave the government of Khujand to Sultan Mahmûd Khan, the brother and rival of Muhammad Ali Khan ; and then fearful of the Russians who were pressing on the Jaxartes, and mistrustful of the British who held on at Kabul with Shah Shuja-ul-Mulk, hastened back to Bukhara where, during the preceding six years, he had received as envoys from Russia, Demaison in. 1834, and Vitcovich in 1835 ; and as envoys from India, Stoddart in 1838, and Conolly in 1840, both of whom he at this time held prisoners, and both of whom he subsequently murdered—on the 17th June 1842.

   V.B.   On the departure of Nasrulla the two brothers immediately became reconciled,
and revolted ; consequently, again, in April 1841, Bahaddr Khan set out with a powerful army, breathing wrath and vowing the destruction of Khokand, which at this time was an open town without any fortified walls. Muhammad Ali Khan here held the enemy in check for seven days, and then fled with his family towards Marghinan. At Yacca Tilt they were all seized by Mahmfid Kboja, the governor, and delivered over to Nasrulla by whom they were all immediately murdered. Thus perished in 1258 H. ( 1841 A.D.) Muhammad Ali Khan, the most able and the most powerful of all the Khokand Khans, his mother, his wives, his brother Sultan Mahmfid Khan, and his son Muhammad Amin Beg who was accused of incest with his mother. His other sons, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Karim, Muhammad Rahim, Azim Beg, and Abdulla Mirza, with many nobles and principal officers, were sent away prisoners to Bukhara.

Satisfied with this extinction of the rival dynasty, Nasrulla spared Khokand the threat he vowed against it, and instead established Ibrahim Khyal, ManghIt, formerly Governor of Marv, as his Governor in it, with a considerable garrison in support. He then returned triumphant to his capital, more than ever puffed with pride, and more than ever abandoned to his brutish lusts and inhuman cruelties.

Two months after the departure of the Amir with his Bukhara army, Musalman Cull, Kapchâk, assembled the Kirghiz, Kapchak, Uzbak, and Tajik Chiefs, with their respective contingents, at Namangan, and by their consent set Sher Ali, the son of Haji Beg, up as Khan. On the accession of Alim Khan to the throne, he had