Saturday, January 14, 2017

The sketch about Afshars (J.B. Fraser, 1834)

The sketch about Afshars




The sketch given by an Affshar chief of his own family throws some light on their customs: — “My father had two brothers, one older the other younger than himself. These four young men you see there are grandsons of my eldest uncle, who was head of the family, — their oldest brother commands a troop of horse, all of the tribe of Affshar, with the king, — and this is my cousin, the son of my younger uncle. My family consists of six children, all except one by the same mother, my wife, daughter of Futeh Ali Khan Affshar, a famous chief, who on the death of Nadir Shah (who you know was of our tribe) aspired to the throne. My good father-in-law, however, lost his life in attempting to become a king, and I married his orphan daughter, an excellent woman, but who carries her head rather high, as no doubt she has a right to do, from recollection of her father’s pretensions. Look,” said he softly, for the interior apartments were within earshot, “look at that youngster at the other end of the room: he is my son. His mother was the daughter of a jeweler at Ispahan, an uncommonly pretty girl. He is a fine lad, but I dare hardly notice him; and he is, you observe, not allowed to sit within ten yards of the grandsons of Futeh Ali Khan Affshar. This is all very proper,” he added; “it is attention to the dam as well as the sire that keeps the breed good. Besides, the influence of females amongst us Eeliauts is very great, and if we did not treat them with respect matters would not be long right… My father and his brothers lived together,” continued he, “and we do the same. Our inheritance was equal, and each of the three branches is charged a day’s expenditure successively. Entertainments and imposts are paid in equal shares. We seek by intermarriages to strengthen those ties, which are our only defence against oppression and destruction. We are Turks,” he concluded, laughing, “and, consequently, you may suppose, have often violent quarrels; but the necessity of our condition soon reconciles us again, and we are at present, and will I hope long continue, a united family.”



J.B. Fraser — An historical and descriptive account of Persia (1834)

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