CHAPTER XIII.
{{hanging indent|Rising of the Followers of the Bāb—Mode of carrying out Capital Punishments in Persia—Seizure of Zinjan—The Bāb put to Death—Tenets of his Followers—Hopeless Contest at Zinjan—Reckless Bravery of the Bābis—Courage of the Women—Terrible Cruelties—Exhibition of Fanaticism at Tabreez—Results of Administration of the Ameer-i-Nizam—Occupation of Ashorada by Russia—The Caspian Provinces—Fall of the Ameer-i-Nizam—Interference on his Behalf—Meerza Agha Khan—Sedr-Azem—Influences brought to bear on the Shah against the Ameer-i-Nizam—Conduct of the Wife of the ex-Minister—The Ameer's Death—Remembrance of his Administration.
It was hoped that the capture of Meshed would usher in a period of calmness and security, during which the Ameer-i-Nizam might have leisure to perfect the system of general reform which he had introduced into Persia. But no sooner had order been established in one direction than revolt and disorder appeared in another quarter. At Yezd, the followers of the Bāb assembled in such numbers in the spring of the year 1850, as to compel the governor of that city to take refuge in the citadel; to which they then laid siege. But the priests of Yezd, conscious that the spread of Bābism would be the signal for the downfall of their own power, lent to the governor all the weight of their influence. In the name of Mahomed, the messenger of God, they summoned the townspeople to attack the infidels, and they collected a force by which the Bābis were overthrown.
