Note 19 — Chapter VIII

Shah Abbas I. has been already mentioned in a note (vol. II. p. 146), where, according to sir John Malcolm’s History of Persia, the duration of his reign is stated to have been forty-three years; his age seventy; and the date of his death A. D. 1628; somewhat differently from Herbelot, who makes his reign forty-five, his age sixty-three, and the date of his death A. D. 1629. Abbas I., called the Great, on account of his magnificent buildings, and his skilful interior policy, was very much attached to the religion of Ali, which was always, until our days, dominant in Persia; his taking possession of Baghdád, Nudjef, Kerbelah, Kásmín, and Sámerah, where the remains of Ali and his descendants are buried, was more agreeable to the Persians than the whole of his other conquests; dressed with the mantle of the saints of Arbeli, that is of Sofi and Haidar, ancestors of the present Persian kings, Abbas was almost adored by his subjects. This renders the recital above, respecting his religious zeal, very probable. It will be remembered that this Shah sent sir George Shirley as his ambassador to England; and that king James I. dispatched sir Drodmore Cotton on an embassy to Persia, in 1626.