Notable People :
Mirza Mehdi Khan "Etemad-ed-Dowleh" "Monshi-ol-Mamalek" Esterabadi
Mirza Abolghassem Khan "Vazir"
Mirza Ahmad Khan "Motazed-ol-Dowleh" Vaziri
Mirza Abdollah Khan "Meshkat-ed-Dowleh" Vaziri
Mohandess Mirza Abolghassem Khan "Motazed-Daftar" Vaziri
Mirza Mehdi Khan "Etemad-ed-Dowleh" "Monshi-ol-Mamalek" -Kawkab- Esterabadi (or Astarabadi)
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Successful war against the Ottomans. In both pictures, Nader Shah sits on the horse and Mirza Mehdi Khan in pink clothes stands against him with two people (one of them being Prince Nasrollah Mirza) always behind him.
Mirza Mahdi Khan Astarabadi (d. 1760) was the chief secretary, court historian, biographer (or simply "Prime Minister" or "Grand Vizier") of Nader Shah Afshar (1698-1747).
Mirza Mohammad Mehdi Khan "Etemad-ed-Dowleh" "Monshi-ol-Mamalek" Kawkab (nickname in poems) Esterabadi (or Esterabadi) was born in the 17th century in Esterabad (current Gorgan), a prominent town in northern Persia, to Mirza Nassir Khan Astarabadi, an important bureaucrat of the region. He spent his youth in the Safavid Dynasty's court until the day the Afghans invaded Persia because of the weakness of the last Safavid king. Nader Khan, a young colonel, fought against the Afghans and Mirza Mehdi Khan supported him. Thanks to this, he became the official court historian, strategist, advisor, confidant, friend and chief secretary of Nader Shah Afshar. He was titled "Monshi-ol-Mamalek" (secretary of the provinces). He's known to be a prominent intellectual and author of this era. When the Ottomans were beaten in 1739, Mirza Mahdi was sent to be, together with Mostafa Khan Shamlou (ancestor of the Shamlous), the ambassador of Persia in the Ottoman Empire. The same year, Nader Shah was assassinated and the two ambassadors went back to Persia with their army, trying to put a Safavid Prince on the throne, but were beaten by Karim Khan Zand and were obliged to have bureaucratic jobs in his government. However, Astarabadi chose to stay at home and write books and poetry. He died some time between 1759 and 1768 (see Lockhart, Nadir Shah, p. 294 n. 1).
The Herat's campaign, Nader Shah sits on the horse and Mirza Mehdi Khan stands in red clothes in front of him.
Here are some books Mirza Mehdi Khan wrote : "History of Nader Shah" in 1757, "Dareh Nadereh" and "Sanglax, a Persian guide to Turkish language" in 1757: the first Persian-Turkish dictionary. The last two include an introduction by Sir Gerald Clauson.
In 1740, he was also charged to translate the gospels into Farsi, what led to the first written Bible in Persian (ref. 2).
In 1768, King Christian VII of Denmark visited England, he took with him the book of Mirza Mehdi Khan and asked Sir William Jones (1746-1794), orientalist and specialist in the history of old India, to translate it into French. This, in turn, led to the publication of the book, "Histoire de Nader Chah", in 1770. It was also the object of research in 1996 by United States Naval Academy.
Sir William Jones also wrote a foreword to the Astarabadi's "Histoire de Nader Chah " in French:
"PREFACE à la traduction Françoise.
CET Ouvrage n’est point entiérement inconnû; un* Auteur Anglois, dans l’agréable récit de ses voïages, a fait mention d’une vie de NADER CHAH, écrite en Persan; mais, il ajoute, qu’il est peu probable qu’elle paroisse jamais en Europe. En effet, pour que le public fût enrichi de ce rare présent, il a fallû que le destin le fit tomber entre les mains d’un Roi distingué par son amour pour les Belles Lettres, & par la délicatesse de son goût; ce qui n’étoit pas un bonheur facile à prévoir. Chargé par les ordres de ce Monarque de traduire & de publier ce manuscrit, je desirerois de mon côté pouvoir satisfaire le lecteur, en lui donnant une parfaite connoissance de l’auteur que je traduis; mais, mes recherches à cet égard aïant été vaines, il faut qu’il se contente de mon opinion. J’avoüe d’abord, que je ne suis pas de l’avis de l’écrivain que je viens de citer, qui annonce mon auteur comme un général ou un commandant; il me paroit plutôt un homme d’un savoir profond, d’une éloquence agréable, & parfaitement versé dans la litérature orientale, ainsi que dans la poësie de son païs. Ses notions sur l’art militaire, la maniére dont il décrit les batailles ne conviennent nullement à un guerrier; elles s’accordent bien mieux avec le titre de Mirza, qui signifie homme d’étude, lorsqu’il précede le nom propre; celui de Khan, qui s’y trouve joint, prouve seulement que le savoir, en Asie, est le chemin de la fortune, aussi bien que celui de la gloire. Comme il n’y a que douze ans que cette histoire a été écrite, il est probable que Mirza Mohammed Mahadi Khan de Mazenderan vit encore, à moins qu’il n’ait péri dans quelque danger semblable à ceux qu’il décrit, & qui étoient si frequens dans sa patrie aux tems malheureux qu’il déplore: cependant le récit de ces rebellions perpétuelles, souvent compliquées, & renouvellées aussitôt qu’appaisées, a quelque chose de sec & de fatiguant. L’auteur l’a senti lui-même; ainsi, lorsqu’il n’a pas eû des événemens grands & frappants à raconter, il a tâché de faire supporter la minutie, & même quelquefois l’obscurité, de sa narration par des morceaux de poésie Persanne aussi bien choisis que placés. Ces essais de Rhétorique orientale sont sur tout admirables dans les descriptions variées du printems, qu’il donne au commencement de chaque année, & dans lesquelles, en géneral, il fait allusion à ce qui s’y est passé de plus remarquable. Cet ouvrage doit naturellement intéresser le public, & attacher le lecteur; les faits en sont si récens, qu’ils ne sauroient être effacés de notre mémoire, & n’aïant pas perdû leur degré de chaleur par une froide recherche dans des siécles reculés, ils ne se présentent à nous qu’avec ces charmes, & cette importance que la verité & l’authenticité donnent aux moindres événemens.
Après avoir ainsi rendû justice à mon auteur, je serai plus concis sur ce qui me regarde moi-même & ma traduction. Je dois d’abord assurer le lecteur, que j’ai tâché de lui donner une idée exacte de l’original Persan, en le traduisant aussi literalement qu’il m’a été possible; en cela j’ai suivi & mes ordres & mon inclination. Nous avons asséz d’histoires Asiatiques habillées à l’Européene, j’ai laissé à celle-ci ses ornemens naturels: je n’ai orné aucun détail; j’ai suivi l’élévation ou l’abaissement du style, comme je les ai trouvés. Le peu de mots que je puis avoir ajoutés n’ont été que pour écarter des ambiguités attachées à la différence d’idiomes; je n’ai retranché que dans les endroits où les allusions étoient ou trop absurdes pour nous; que quand les expressions à force d’être outrées devenoient ridicules à l’imagination calme de nos climats. Si j’ai hazardé de donner une traduction rimée des vers que j’ai trouvé dans le corps de cette Histoire, j’en ai ajouté une litérale à la fin de chaque partie.
On trouvera dans mes Notes un index Géographique des principales villes & provinces dont cet ouvrage fait mention, mais j’ai été forcé de passer sous silence ce qui concerne plusieurs tribus, villages, & forteresses, dont on ne voit nulle trace dans les livres de géographie orientale que j’ai consulté.
Quant au traité sur la poésie Asiatique que j’ai ajouté à cette histoire, comme une espece de commentaire sur le goût poétique dans lequel élle est écrite, s’il s’y trouve quelques erreurs, j’en appelle au jugement impartial du lecteur savant; il considerera sans doute combien il étoit difficile d’entendre parfaitement des Odes dont le ton sublime & chargé d’ornemens embarrasse même ceux dans la langue desquels elles sont écrites, surtout étant privé du secours d’un bon commentaire, si nécessaire dans ces occasions. Au reste, comme il m’a été prescrit d’écrire cet ouvrage en François, j’espére qu’on excusera la témérité que j’ai eû en entreprenant une traduction si difficile dans une langue qui n’est pas ma langue naturelle. Je ne dirai pourtant point avec le Romain, qui publia un ouvrage Grec, que j’ai commis des fautes volontaires, afin quelles fissent connoitre quelle étoit ma patrie; au contraire, j’avoue que je n’ai rien oublié pour me mettre en état d’offrir un style correct; que j’ai reçû avec empressement tous les avis qui m’ont été donnés à ce sujet, & accepté avec reconnoissance les secours qui m’ont été offerts.
A Londres
1770. "
Translation in English:
" "This Work is not completely unfamiliar. An English author, in the pleasant
narratives of his journeys, mentioned a "life of Nader Shah", written in
Persian; but, he adds, that it is not very probable that it appeared
in Europe. Indeed, so that the public is enriched by this rare
present, the destiny should have made it land into the hands of a
Monarch who would have been very distinguished by his love for
beautiful Letters and delicacy of taste, what wasn't an easy happiness
to foresee. Loaded by the orders of this Monarch to translate it and
to publish this manuscript, I would like from my part to satisfy the
reader, by giving him a perfect knowledge of the author whom I
translate; but, my researches didn't lead me anywhere: the reader will
then have to content himself with my opinion."
I admit at first that
I'm not in the opinion of the author whom I have just quoted, who
announces my author as a general or a commander; it appears to me
rather a man of a deep knowledge, a pleasant eloquence and perfectly
comfortable in the oriental literature, as well as in the poetry of
his country. His notions on art of warfare, the way he describes the
battles are convenient by no means for a warrior, they agree much
better with the title of Mirza, which means man of education
(studies), when it precedes the proper noun; the title of Khan, which
is joined there, proves only that the knowledge, in Asia, is the road
to the fortune (happiness), as well as that of the glory. As this
story was written only twelve years ago, it is likely that Mirza
Mohammed Mahadi Khan of Manzanderan still lives, unless he died in
some danger similar to to those he describes, and which were so
frequent in his homeland in unfortunate time he deplores. However, the
narrative of the perpetual rebellions, often complicated, and renewed
once calmed, has something dry and tiring. The author felt it himself;
so, when he has no big and striking events to tell, he tries to make
the accuracy and even sometimes the darkness, bearable by his
fragments of Persian poetry as well chosen as placed. These essays of
oriental Rhetoric are overall admirable in the varied descriptions of
Spring, which he gives at the beginning of every year, and in which he
generally hints at what was the most remarkable that took place. This
work must naturally interest the public and attach the reader; the
facts are so recent, that they couldn't be erased of our memory and
not having lost their degree of heat because of a cold research of
past centuries, they appear at us only with their charm and the
importance that the truth and the authenticity give to the slightest
events.
After having so given justice to my author, I shall be more concise on
what is related to myself and my translation. I have to assure at
first the reader, that I've tried to give him an exact idea of the
original persian, by translating it as literally as I could; I have
followed my orders and my inclination. We have enough Asiatic stories
dressed in the European style, I left to this one its natural
ornaments: I decorated no detail; I followed the rise or the reduction
in the style, as I found them. The few words which I may have added
were only to spread ambiguities attached to the difference of idioms; I
deducted only in the places where the allusions were either too absurd
for us; or the outraged expressions became ridiculous in the
imagination of our climates. If I risked giving a translation put into
verse by the verses that that I found in the body of this story, I
added a literal at the end of each part.
We shall find in my Notes a Geographical index of the main cities and
provinces mentioned in this work, but I was forced to cross under
silence what concerns several tribes, villages, and fortresses, which
we have no track of in the oriental Geographical books I have
consulted.
As for the treaty on the Asiatic poetry which I added to this story,
as a kind of comment on the poetic taste in which it's written. If
there are some errors there, I call it to the imperial judgment of the
learned reader; he will consider doubtless how much it was difficult
to perfectly understand Odes with sublime tone and loaded with
ornements that embarrass even those who speak the language of the
author, especially being deprived of the help of a good comment, so
necessary in these occasions. Besides, as it was prescribed to me to
write this work in French, I hope that people shall excuse the
audacity which I've had by beginning a translation that difficult in a
language which is not even my mother tongue. Nevertheless, I won't
say with the Roman, who published a Greek work, that I committed
voluntary faults, so that they made know what was my homeland. On the
contrary, I admit that I haven't forgotten anything to enable me to
offer a correct style; that I have received obligingly all the notices
which were given to me on this subject, and accepted with thankfulness
the help which were offered to me. In London - 1770 "
Besides the French translation by Sir William Jones, the book was also translated in German by Greifswald and in Georgian by David. These different editions of the book can be found in several Asian and European museums.
The English translation is available under this link: http://persian.packhum.org/persian/main?url=pf?file=14701010&ct=0
Mirza Mahdi dedicated his "History of Nader Shah" to Mohammad Hassan Khan Qajar, the chief of the Qajar tribe, Agha Mohammad Shah's father and Karim Khan Zand's greatest enemy. That's where we see how a great strategist he was: he was first of the Safavid royatly, then he supported Nader Khan against the Afghans and became of the Afshar royalty and finally in the Zand era, supported the ones he knew they were going to be kings, the Qajars, and his descendants became of the Qajar royalty.
Mirza Mehdi Khan Esterabadi had great influence on Persian litterature and has been famous in that domain. He was considered as Reza Qoli Khan Hedayat's (the Qajars' teacher) master. In "A History of Literary Criticism in Iran" by Parsinejad, we can read a conversation between Reza Qoli Khan and Fath Ali Shah (his student) where the latter says "In such circumstances your teacher Mirza Mahdi Khan Esterabadi writes{...}". In "Iranian History and Politics The Dialectic of State and Society", Homa Katouzian writes "most parts of the Iranian cultural region were ruled by Turkic-speaking dynasties most of the time. At the same time, most of the chancellors, ministers and mandaring were Persian speakers of the highest learning and ability. To demonstrate this point, it should be sufficient just to mention the names of Maimandi, Baihaqi, Nezam-ol-Molk, Nasr al-Din Tusi, the brothers Shams al-Din and Ata Malek Jovaini, Rashid al-Din Fazlollah, Eskandar Monshi, Mahdi Esterabadi, the two Qa'emmaqams, Amir Kabir andt the two Mostowfi al-Mamaleks- starting with the Ghazvanid and ending with the Qajars."
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His book "History of Nader Shah"
References
1) "Mirza Mehdi, for long years the doct Grand-Vezir of Nadir-iah of Persia (I736-I747)", Analecta Orientalia Memoriae Alexandri Csoma de Koros dicata by Karl H. Menges
2) "A cet effet il avait commencé par faire traduire en persan les quatre Evangiles ainsi que le Pentatenque. Mais son secrétaire Mirza Mehdi de Masandéran, qu'il en avait chargé, {...}", Nouvelle biographie générale depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à nos jours, Hoefer
"Nadir Shall, in 1740, ordered Mirza Mehdi to translate the four Gospels", The Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern AsiaCommercial, by Edward Balfour
3) "Tarikh Naderi, the History of the celebrated Tahmas Kuli Khan Nadrir Shah, written in the most refined language, by Vizir Mirza Mehdi Khan, Persian; well written, fol. in the original binding, {...} Waring enumerates it among the most admired-historical works in the language.", Bookseller's catalogues by Howell
4) "the circumstance took place which is here related from the history of Mirza Mehdi, who was his (Nader's) Vizier." Shreds and Patches of History by Routledge
5) "The "Nadernameh" is a Persian history, by Mirza Mehdi, who is stated by Sir J. Malcolm to have been confidential secretary of Nadir Shah. ", the History of India by Elphinstone
6) "one oí' the earliest histories of Kashmir in Persian by an anonymous author.
Popular tradition believes his name to have been Mirza Mehdi", Kashmir series of texts and studies by University of Michigan
7) "He is perhaps to be identified
as Muhammad Mahdi-Khan Astarabadi, "friend and companion" of Nadir Shah" , Peerless Images Persian Painting and its Sources, by Eleanor Sims
8)"the Persian word mirza signified "Prince" when placed after the name, as here. When placed before the name it denoted a senior official or bureaucrat - Nader's particular secretary and official court historian Mirza Mahdi Astarabadi for example.", the Sword of Persia by Axworthy
9) "The Catholicos (a Christian visting Persia) later described Mirza Mahdi as a "wise, humble, polite, attentive, and respectable man.", the Sword of Persia by Axworthy
10) "Seven of Nader's closest advisers, including Tahmasp Khan Jalayer and Mirza Mahdi, had the nasaqchis bring groups of the delegates to them in succession.", the Sword of Persia by Axworthy
11) "[...] and they are less reliable for events further afield, for which it better in general to rely on Mohsen, Mirza Mahdi and Mohammad Kazem, one or more of whom were travelling with Nader most of the time.",the Sword of Persia by Axworthy
12) "[...] l'Etat roule aujourd'hui sur deux personnages: le premier ministre, ou Itimad-eddaulah, qui a la direction de toutes choses liées à des relations étrangères; et commande les armées en l'absence du roi ou des princes", La Perse ou tableau de l'histoire du gouvernement de la religion by Amable Jourdain
"Le premier personnage du royaume, après le roi, est l'Itimad-eddaulah, dont la dignité répond à celle du Grand-Visir chez les Turcs: c'est le premier ministre. Dans les suppliques qu'on lui présente, [...] ; mais on ne le désigne dans le langage familier, que par le nom d'Itimad-eddaulah, mot composé, qui signifie soutien de l'empire: ce ministre est en effet l'axe sur lequel tourne la masse énorme des affaires de l'Etat.Sa faveur est la seule voie pour obtenir des emplois et les bienfaits du prince; aucune demande ne parvient aux oreilles de la majesté royale, n'est exacuée, s'il ne la transmet, s'il ne l'appuie. [...] Les finances sont sous sa direction; [...]"
13) "Vaziri family, descent of Mirza Mehdi Khan Etemadol-Dowleh Monshi Astarabadi, [...]", Historical Geography and Comprehensive History of Kermanshahan by Mohammad-Ali Soltani
14) "Placé devant le nom, c'est une épithète que chacun a le droit de prendre ou peut recevoir. Le premier ministre s'appelle Mirza-Séfi, l'historien de Nadir-Chah, Mirza-Méhdi, etc. Il est à remarquier néanmoins que les hommes instruits, ou qui suivent une carrière honorable, sont les seuls qui s'arrogent le titre de Mirza. " La Perse ou tableau de l'histoire du gouvernement de la religion, by Amable Jourdain
Sources
"History of Nader Shah" (Taarikhe Jahangoshaaye Naaderi), 1759, Mirza Mehdi Khan Esterabadi
"Historical Geography and Comprehensive History of Kermanshahan" (Tarikhe Mofassale Kermanshahan), 1994, Mohammad-Ali Soltani
"ASTARABADI, MIRZA (MOHAMMAD) MAHDI KHAN B. MOHAMMAD-NASSIR" in Encyclopaedia Iranica, by J.R. Perry
"Sword of Persia" by Michael Axworthy
"The Cambridge History of Iran" by P. Avery, G. R. G. Hambly and C. Melville