'Ismat ( 124 ) Iliia his descent from Bahrain Chobm, the warrior who con- tended for the crown of Persia with Khusro Parvez. Saman, the great-grandfather of Isma'fl, is termed, by- European writers, a keeper of herds, and a robber : but this merely designates the occupation of a Tartar chief. His father Nasr Ahmad, the son of Asad, the son of Sa- man, was appointed governor of Mawarun Nahr by the Khalif Mo'tamid in the year 875 A. D., 261 A. H. On his death his son Isma'fl succeeded him. Ismail, after his conquest over Auiru-bin-Lais, whom he seized and sent to Baghdad, in 900 A. D., became independent. The power of the dynasty of the Samams extended over Khurasan, Seistan, Balkh and the countries of Trans- Oxania, including the cities of Bukhara and Samarkand. This justly celebrated prince died after a reign of twenty years in 907 A. D., Safar 295 A. H., aged 60 years, and was succeeded by his son Amir Ahmad Samani. The names of the kings of this family who were called Amii's, and who continued to reign for a period of 128 lunar years, are as follow : — 1. Amir Isma'fl Samanf. 6. Amir Mansur I, 2. „ Ahmad Samam. 7. „ Nuh II. 3. „ Nasr-bin-Ahmad. 8. „ Mansfir II. 4. „ Nuh I, son of Nasr. 9, „ 'Abdul Malik II, 5. „ Abdul Malik. the last of this race. 'Ismat, '^'^^ vide Asmat. 'Istarushi, ^^'^^'^j vide Muhammad-bin.Mahmud. Istaghana, ^-^j^l . poetical title of 'Abdul Easul. 'Itabi, t/j'^^j a poet, who died in the year 1614 A. D., 1023 A. H. , Itkad Khan, e;^^ ^lai^t^ the brother of 'AsafKhan, Wazfr, and son of Ya'tmad-uddaula. He was appointed governor of Kashmir by the emperor Shah Jahan, which situation he held for several years. He died at Agrah in 1650 A. D., 1060 A. H. Itkad Khan, id'^ o'^j^-=l, the title of Mirza Bahman Yar, the son of 'Asaf Khan and grandson of Ya'tmad- uddaula. He was raised to the rank of 4000 in the 2oth year of Shah Jahan 1651 A. D., 1061 A. H., with the title of Ya'tkad Khan, which his father held for some time as well as his uncle the brother of 'Asaf Khan. In the Sthyearof 'Alamgfr 1662 A. D., 1073 A. H., the rank of 5000 was conferred on him. In 1667 A. D., 1077 A. H., he proceeded to Dacca in Bengal, to visit his bro- ther Shaista Khan who was then governor of that pro- vince, and died there in the year 1671 A. D., 1082 A. H. Itkad Khan, former title of Zulfikar Khan Nasrat Jang. Itmad Khan Khwaja Sara, Lr-= ^=!-h^ ij'^ j'*^', an eunuch and oflicer in the service of the emperor Akbar. He was stabbed by his servant Maksud 'AH in 1578 A. D., 986 A. H., and was buried at a place called Itmad- pur, twelve miles from Agrah, which he had founded in his lifetime. Itmad Khan, o'-^l, title of Shaikh 'Abdul Kawi, an Amir of the reign of the emperor 'Alamgfr. He was murdered by a Kalandar in 1666 A. D., 1077 A. H. Itmad-Uddaula, oU^^I, title of Khwaja Ayas or Ghayas the father of the celebrated Nur Jahan Begam, the favourite wife of the emperor Jahangfr. He was a Tartar and came from Persia to India in the reign of the emperor Akbar. In the time of Jahangfr, he was raised to the high rank of Wazfr, with the title of Itmad-ud- daula, and his two sons to the first rank of 'Umra with the titles of 'Asaf Khan and Itkad Khan. He died near K6t Kangra where he had accompanied Jahangfr on his way to Kashmir in February, 1621 O. S., Eabi' I, 1030 A. H. His remains were transported to Agrah, and buried on the left bank of the Jamna, where a splendid mausoleum was built over his relics by his daughter Nur Jahan. It was completed in 1628 A. D., and is still in a high state of preservation. It is said, but it seems not to be true, that she intended to raise a monument of silver to his memory, but was reminded by her architect, that one of less covetable material stood a fairer chance of duration. After his death, his son 'Abu'l Hasan was ap- pointed Wazir with the title of 'Asaf Khan. No private family ever made such alliances with royal blood, as this Tartar ; for, his own daughter, his son's daughter and the daughter of his grandson, were married to three -successive emperors of Hindustan ; and another daughter of his grandson, to prince Murad Bakhsh, who disputed the throne -with 'Alamgfr, and for some days thought himself in possession of it. The place where he is buried, was a garden built by Itmad-uddaula during his lifetime. There are two tombs of yellow stone under the fiauza, one of which is of Itmad-uddaula and the other is said to be his wife's. It has a very large gate towards the east, built of red stone. It has two minars on both sides in the same number as there are two on the side of the Jamna towards the west. There is on the chabutra towards the Jamna a fish made of stone ; if the water runs in and rises as far as its mouth, the whole of Allahabad will be inundated. 'Itmad-uddaula, ^■'j'^' oUi-^, title of Muhammad Amfr Khan, the prime minister of the emperor Muhammad Shah. Vide Muhammad Amfr Khan. Itmad-uddaula, ^■'j'*^' i^Ui^t, son of Muhammad Amfn Khan, Wazfr. Vide Kamar-uddfn Khan. Itsam-uddin, Shaikh, ui'^-'l ^^'^^^ author of the " Shagarf Nama-i-Wilaet," being the travels of the author in Great Britain and France, some time before or after the year 1766 A. D., 1180 A. H. This work has been translated into English. Ihia-bin-'AbduI Latif-al-Husaini of Kazwin, Amir, tsH" AA£ j^s:! author of the "Lubbut Tawarfkh," which he composed in 1541 A. D., 948 A. H. Hajf Khalfa gives his name as Isma'il- bin-' Abdul Latff, and in the Masir-ul-Umra, he is called Mfr Ihia Husainf Saiff. He was patronized by Shah Tahmasp Safwf, but his enemies, envious of his good fortune, endeavoured to poison his patron's mind against him, and at last prevailed so far as to induce the king to order him together with his son Mfr Abdul Latff, to be imprisoned, the latter, however, made his escape, but Mfr lahia died in prison after one year and nine months' imprisonment in 1555 A. D., 962 A. H., aged 77 years. His second son Ala-uddaula known by the poeti- cal name of Kami, is the author of the work called " Nafais-ul-Masir." His eldest brother Mfr 'Abdul Latif who had fled to Gflan, came afterwards to Hindustan with his family some time after Akbar had ascended the throne. By him ho was received -with great kindness and consideration, and was appointed his preceptor. He is said by some authors to have died at Sfkrf in 1563 A. D., 971 A.. H., but the author of the " Masir-ul-'Umra" -writes that his death took place in 1573 A. D., 981 A. H., and that Kasim Arsalixn found the chronogram of his death to be " fakharalyas." His eldest son Ghayas- uddfa 'Alf was also endowed with an excellent disposi- tion, and served Akbar for a long period. In the 26th year of Akbar's reign, 1581 A. D., he was honored -with the title of Nakfb Khan, by which he is now best known. In the time of Jahangfr he attained still fur- ther honors, and died at Ajmir in 1614 A. D., 1023
