alarming extent in the course of the two following days, but up to the last hour of his life the Shah continued to transact the business of the state. On the day before his death he held the usual levée, and gave his prime minister his audience of leave. On the next day the third of his illness,—he sent his eunuchs with messages to the different officers of the government whom he could not see personally; as his fever obliged him to remain in his harem apartments, where he was nursed by his favourite wife, the Taj-ed-Dowleh, a lady whom his will had raised from the condition of a dancing-girl to that of the ruling sultana of the royal family. When on this day, the 23rd of October, 1834,[1] the hour of evening-prayer arrived, the king endeavoured to perform his accustomed devotions; but his strength was exhausted, and all that remained for him was to ask that his feet might be placed in the direction of Mecca. As the sultana hastened to perform the dying request of her lord, the Shah fell lifeless at her side, having expired without a groan or a sigh.
Fetteh Ali had attained to the age of sixty-eight, and he had ruled over Persia for thirty-seven years. His character may be described in a few words. Where money was not in question he was pronounced by competent authority to be the most sensible man in his dominions; but his violent lust after gold obscured his common sense, and caused him to sacrifice some of the most important provinces of his kingdom, rather than supply the means necessary for their defence. Throughout his whole reign this passion was predominant, and for its more complete gratification he was ready to put
- ↑ The 19th of Jemadi-es-Sani, A.H. 1250.
