11/16/2014 The Brutal End of Persia’s Zand Dynasty - Asian and African studies blog http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/asian-and-african/2014/11/the-brutal-end-of-persias-zand-dynasty.html 1/7 Asian and African studies blog Main Previous post | Next post 06 November 2014 The Brutal End of Persia’s Zand Dynasty In 1779, the ruler of Persia and founder of the Zand dynasty, Karim Khan Zand, died of natural causes without nominating a successor. Karim Khan had ruled Persia for the previous 30 years and his failure to appoint an heir created a dangerous power vacuum in the country. A number of rivals from within his own family quickly emerged. The most prominent contenders initially were Karim Khan’s half-brother Zaki Khan Zand (Zackey Caun) and his brother Sadiq Khan Zand (Sadoo Caun or Sadoo Khan). An early 19th century lacquer binding showing Sadiq Khan surrounded by his family and courtiers. Jafar Khan is the second from the left (see Some Portraits of the Zand rulers of Iran ). Add.24904 Zaki Khan and Sadiq Khan Zaki Khan was a powerful and ruthless warrior who – as a general in the service of Karim Khan – had brutally suppressed Qajar tribal territories in the
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11/16/2014 The Brutal End of Persia’s Zand Dynasty - Asian and African studies blog
http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/asian-and-african/2014/11/the-brutal-end-of-persias-zand-dynasty.html 1/7
Asian and African studies blogMain
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06 November 2014
The Brutal End of Persia’s Zand DynastyIn 1779, the ruler of Persia and founder of the Zand dynasty, Karim KhanZand, died of natural causes without nominating a successor. Karim Khan hadruled Persia for the previous 30 years and his failure to appoint an heir createda dangerous power vacuum in the country. A number of rivals from within hisown family quickly emerged. The most prominent contenders initially wereKarim Khan’s half-brother Zaki Khan Zand (Zackey Caun) and his brotherSadiq Khan Zand (Sadoo Caun or Sadoo Khan).
An early 19th century lacquer binding showing Sadiq Khan surrounded by hisfamily and courtiers. Jafar Khan is the second from the left (see SomePortraits of the Zand rulers of Iran). Add.24904
Zaki Khan and Sadiq KhanZaki Khan was a powerful and ruthless warrior who – as a general in theservice of Karim Khan – had brutally suppressed Qajar tribal territories in the
11/16/2014 The Brutal End of Persia’s Zand Dynasty - Asian and African studies blog
http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/asian-and-african/2014/11/the-brutal-end-of-persias-zand-dynasty.html 2/7
north of Persia in 1763-64. He had even attempted to form a personal fiefdomin central and southern Iran. Although he was the head of a faction thatclaimed to support the ascension of one of Karim Khan’s infant sons,Muhammad Ali Khan Zand (who was married to Zaki Khan’s daughter), it wasclear that he harboured his own ambitions for power.
Sadiq Khan was another prominent member of the Zand ruling elite and hadled the Persian attack on Ottoman-controlled Basra in 1775-6. He was part ofa faction that stood in opposition to Zaki Khan and supported another of KarimKhan’s infant sons, Abul Fath Khan Zand, to succeed his father.
Both of these rivals had military experience, armed followers and a desire toreplace Karim Khan as ruler of Persia. Serious tension swiftly developedbetween them and the prospect of a major confrontation between their forcesloomed.
The British Get Word of the Death of Zaki KhanAs John Beaumont, the East India Company’s (EIC) Political Resident inBushire, observed in a letter dated 11 May 1779, this tension would not end‘but with the death of one of them’.
The final part of Beaumont’s letter to his EIC colleagues in Basra.IOR/R/15/1/3, p. 24
Beaumont’s observation proved to be prescient as not long after he receivednews from Shiraz (referred to in the letter as Schyras) that Zaki Khan hadbeen killed at the hands of his own men.
In a letter dated 23 June 1779 he described the event in detail to WilliamHornby, the Governor of the EIC’s Council in Bombay. Beaumont states that ithas ‘pleased the almighty to save Persia and rid the world of such a cruelmonster’. The letter describes in gruesome detail how, after Zaki Khan hadordered a massacre of villagers while on the move with his army, his generalswere so outraged at his actions (and concerned for their own lives) that theyconspired to kill him.
11/16/2014 The Brutal End of Persia’s Zand Dynasty - Asian and African studies blog
http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/asian-and-african/2014/11/the-brutal-end-of-persias-zand-dynasty.html 3/7
Beaumont’s account explains the death:
[the conspirators] proceeded to Zackey Caun’s tent who was atprayers, he asked them what they wanted, they boldly replied theycame to take his life, upon which he snatched up a blunderbusshe always kept by him ready loaded with 5 or 6 balls, but beforehe could use it, Jaffer Caun cut off his right arm. Nasirulla Mirzaobserving that was not the proper way to use a sword, drew hisand cut him right down the middle. His head was then cut off andimmediately despatched to Sadiq Khan before his body was burnt.
Concluding his letter, Beaumont stated that
...as soon as Sadoo Cahn returns to Schyras the Persians havenot a doubt but peace will be restored everywhere and affairsconducted quietly again in their usual channel.
John Beaumont’s letter describes the killing of Zaki Khan. IOR/R/15/1/3, p. 26
Beaumont Hopes for Renewed StabilityFive months after Zaki Khan’s death, Sadiq Khan appeared to be in theascendancy and in a letter from 20 November 1779 Beaumont was able toreport that ‘Sadoo Khan maintains his power at Schyras and seems at presentto be firmly established in power’.
He was keen for political stability to be restored in the country so that the EICcould resume its activity in the silks and woollens trade. Unfortunately,Beaumont was to be disappointed and despite his optimistic interpretation ofevents, Zaki Khan’s brutal killing turned out to be the first of many others.
Rather than marking the start of a new period of calm under the rule of SadiqKhan, it instead marked the beginning of a long and brutal internecine strugglefrom which the Zand Dynasty never recovered. Despite his dominant positionin 1779, two years later, Beaumont learnt that Sadiq Khan had been defeatedby another rival for power, Ali Murad Khan (here referred to as Ally MoradKhan), and blinded and that ‘in a fit of despair on the loss of his sight’ he had
11/16/2014 The Brutal End of Persia’s Zand Dynasty - Asian and African studies blog
http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/asian-and-african/2014/11/the-brutal-end-of-persias-zand-dynasty.html 4/7
poisoned himself with opium and subsequently died.
John Beaumont reports the blinding and subsequent suicide of Sadiq Khan.IOR/R/15/1/3, p. 88
Further Deaths and the Rise of the QajarsAli Murad Khan ruled from 1781 until 1785 when he, in turn, was defeated andkilled by Sadiq Khan’s son, Jafar Khan. Throughout the 1780s and early1790s, the Qajar tribe in the north of Persia grew in power and began tothreaten the Zand dynasty’s rule, a rule that had come to be characterised byweakness and destructive internal conflicts.
By 1794, the Qajars were dominant and Lutf Ali Khan, son of Jafar Khan andthe last Zand ruler of Persia was defeated and killed by Muhammad KhanQajar, the Chief of the Qajar tribe. This event marked the beginning of theQajar Dynasty’s rule over Persia, a period of domination that was to last until1925.
11/16/2014 The Brutal End of Persia’s Zand Dynasty - Asian and African studies blog
http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/asian-and-african/2014/11/the-brutal-end-of-persias-zand-dynasty.html 5/7
Inside front and back of an early 19th century lacquer binding showing Lutf AliKhan Zand (far left) with his minister Mirza Husayn, and Agha MuhammadKhan Qajar (far right) with Haji Ibrahim, the Governor of Shiraz who turnedagainst Lutf Ali Khan ultimately bringing about his downfall. Add.24903
11/16/2014 The Brutal End of Persia’s Zand Dynasty - Asian and African studies blog
http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/asian-and-african/2014/11/the-brutal-end-of-persias-zand-dynasty.html 6/7
Some portraitsof the Zandrulers of Iran(1751-1794)
Sources:
Primary:British Library, London, ‘File Vol 3 Letters Outward (from Bushire)’, IOR/15/1/3
Secondary:John R. Perry, Karim Khan Zand (London: Oneworld, 2006)Ursula Sims-Williams, ‘Some portraits of the Zand rulers of Iran (1751-1794)’
Louis Allday, Gulf History and Arabic Specialist, British Library/QatarFoundation PartnershipTwitter: @Louis_Allday
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Posted by Ursula Sims-Williams at 1:00 AM
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Diplomacy, Gulf, Iran, Middle East, Qatar
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