Page image — the source of record
Machine transcription
10
was a dangerous person and he had removed
Mir Vais from Kandahar simply to get rid of an
influential chief, who could, by his fidelity to the
Crown, baffle his projects.
Not satisfied with these successes, Mir Vais
Khan now turned his attention towards the union
of the Afghan tribes, for he knew that without
their co-operation the execution of his exalted
designs was not possible. He had already won
the affection of his countrymen by his intelligence
and generosity, but to him this was not sufficient
for an enterprise of such magnitude. In order
to cement further the bond of union among the
various tribes, he tried to give it a religious tinge.
With this in view, he decided to go to Mecca on
pilgrimage and obtain a decree from the learned
(Ulamas), permitting him to take up arms against
the Persians and raising his revolt in the form of a
Jehad (religious war). He approached the King
to allow him to go to Mecca. The request was
granted without difficulty. Mir Vais Khan left
for Mecca and after obtaining the decree, returned
to Isfahan.
It was at this time that an ambassador from
Peter the Great arrived at the frontier post of
Roughly two thirds of characters agree with a modern printed edition of the same text. Much of the disagreement is editorial, not misreading. Treat the transcription as a finding aid and read the page image before quoting. How this was measured.