National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Múzárt Pass. The cities to the westward of Akáú had always from their position M.V.
shared a community of interests with Khokand or Andiján, anciently called Farghána
(which during the time of the Moghol Khans was included in the government of
Káshghar, as it was at an earlier period under the rule of the Bughra Khan family
when Uzkand was the capital of one of their Princes), and the adjoining States of
Máwaránahar, and in them the Khoja influence had always been greatest.

But the eastern cities on the other hand from Kúchá to Khámil had hardly felt
this influence, and were from their vicinity and common interests more in unison
with the Chinese. This natural tendency the Chinese authorities encouraged by a
conciliating rule, and the grant of princely titles, whilst the Emperor himself, to
strengthen the bonds of attachment, married a Khámil Princess.

The trading privileges enjoyed by the western towns enabled their people to
maintain constant communication with their co-religionists to the west of the passes,
and afforded them opportunities of intriguing with the Musalmáns there for the res-
toration of the Khoja rule, and the hatching of all sorts of sedition against the
established government. To check the troubles and disquiet arising from this source,
the Chinese in 1813 A.D. subsidized the Khan of Khokand with two hundred yámb
= £3,660 yearly to control the hostility of the Khojas, who since their conquest of
the country had emigrated to his territory.

Amongst these was Sarimsak, the last descendant of the Afác family. After
many years of wandering in Central Asia he settled in his old age at Khokand, to be
near Káshghar, whence he derived his revenues. He was here joined by many Kará-
tághlíc discontents from the Chinese side of the border, who complained of the
oppression of the foreign rulers, the violation of their wives and daughters by the infidel,
and the suppression of their religious supremacy. These grievances, coupled with the
fate of the two murdered Khojas, excited universal sympathy amongst Musalmáns,
and to fan it, emissaries set out from Káshghar in 1820 A.D., and spread themselves
over Central Asia to enlist the aid of Islám in a ghazá against the kífir invaders.

As a first consequence Murád Beg, the Ruler of Kundúz, on the pretence of
avenging the murder of the Khoja brothers on behalf of his relative, Sarimsak, con-
quered Badakshán, and deported its people to sicken and die in the swamps of his own
country. And as a second Jahángir Khoja invaded Káshghar.

Sarimsak had three sons, Yúsuf Khoja, who lived at Bukhárá, Bahaúddin, and
Jahángir who was born in 1788 A. D. On the death of Umar Khan of Khokand
in 1822 A. D., Jahángir fled from the city to the Kará Kirghiz, and plotted against
Káshghar, where the devotion of the people to the Khoja interest and the weakness
of the Chinese rule were well known to him. His hostility now was the commence-
ment of those troubles which have ever since distracted the country till its conquest
by the present Ruler, Amir Muhammad Yákúb Khan, Atálik Ghází.

Jahángir first enlisted the aid of Súránchí Beg, Chongbaghish Kirghiz, who
merely plundered the Káshghar suburbs and was driven back. On this failure the
Khoja went to the Sáyak Kirghiz of Bolor, and securing the adhesion of their Chiefs,
Atantai and Tailak, made the summer resort of the Kirghiz camps on the upper
course of the Nárin river his head-quarters. Here he assumed the character of a
saint and miracle worker, and made many excursions against the enemy; but without
much success, till at last in 1825 A.D. a small party of Chinese who had pursued his
raiders to the Nárin, and plundered the country up to Fort Kurtka, were surprized in
a narrow defile on their return journey and slaughtered almost to a man.

This victory was at once noised in Khokand, and emissaries were sent to raise the
Uzbak, Kazzák, and Búrút Kirghiz, many of whom with Andijáni and Badakhshí
adventurers flocked to the green banner of Jahánghír. In the following spring the
Khoja marched against Káshghar with a considerable force under the command of
'Isa Dádkhwáh, lent to him as General by Muhammad Ali Khan of Khokand, and
camped at Beshkirim in its northern suburbs.

The Chinese came out to attack, but were quickly routed and driven back to
their citadel, whilst Jahángir entering the city amidst the acclamations of the people