own pardon by deserting from their colours and coming to the royal camp. At Kasveen the last semblance of opposition on the part of the Zil-es-Sultan disappeared, by the submission of his general, Imamverdi Meerza, and his whole army. On the 21st of December the Shah reached Tehran, and the troops of Sir H. Bethune took possession, in his Majesty's name, of the city, the palace and treasury. The astrologers fixed upon the 2nd of January, 1835, as being the first day which had a fortunate hour for the entrance of the Shah into his capital. On that day he quitted the palace outside the walls where he had taken up his temporary abode, and entered the ark, or citadel. On the 31st of the same month, it being the feast of Bairam, Mahomed Shah was crowned King of Persia, and amongst those who assisted at the ceremony was his uncle, the Zil-es-Sultan.
But a more dangerous competitor was still at large, and the British envoy pressed upon the Shah's Minister the necessity of losing no time in despatching an army to encounter that of the Firman-Firma. Such, however, was the listlessness of the Kaim-Makam, and so great was his reluctance to furnish money for the purpose of making an advance to the soldiers, that it was not until the 3rd of February that Sir H. Bethune was enabled to march towards Ispahan. His force consisted of three battalions of regular infantry, with a small number of horse and sixteen guns. He was to receive an addition to his strength on the way, and reinforcements were sent after him under the command of the Moëtemed-ed-Dowleh. In the meantime the reins of government were held tightly in the hands of the Kaim-Makam, who exercised over his master an imperious authority, similar to that
