AFTER the death of Sániz Mirzá, Dust Muhammad Khán (as has been mentioned) took to wife the widow of Sániz Mirzá, whose name was Jamák Ághá. He, moreover, gave Káshghar to Muhammad Haidar Mirzá. These events took place in the year 869.

On the death of Dust Muhammad Khán, Muhammad Haidar Mirzá married Jamák Ághá, who was the mother of Mirzá Abá Bakr and of Omar Mirzá. By her, Muhammad Haidar Mirzá had two sons: my father Muhammad Husain Kurkán, and my uncle Sayyid Muhammad Mirzá. After the conquest of Khotan, Mirzá Abá Bakr became still more powerful. In vain were the reflections and protestations of his Amirs, who represented that his whole career, from beginning to end, had been one of tyranny: that he spared no one: that he had seized Yárkand by stealth and by the employment of unheard-of perfidy: that after he had put out the eyes of Omar Mirzá, he had put to death Khán Nazar and Kul Nazar. How could the world look with the eye of trust upon such a man? He still longed for Káshghar, and his sole object in life was to make his kingdom into a sausage [kulmah].* In spite of their laying these matters before Muhammad Haidar Mirzá, the latter, on account of his affection for his nephew, made light of it all; and his wife, who was the mother of his children, and the mother of Mirzá Abá Bakr, said to him, in opposing the remon­strances of the Amirs: “He is your son: Yárkand belonged to one of your Amirs. Since Yárkand was the capital of his father, it is his by right, but you did not give it him. If he has been pre­sumptuous, he at least counted on your forgiveness. What matter if they make him out a bad man to you? Khotan, too, was in the possession of another. What harm was there in his superseding [the usurper]?”

In this manner she excused all the actions of Mirzá Abá Bakr; so that Muhammad Haidar Mirzá was appeased and comforted; but when she touched on the hostility which Abá Bakr had displayed towards Muhammad Haidar Mirzá, she declared that it was all owing to the Amirs who had spoken badly of the Mirzá. She then secretly wrote to Mirzá Abá Bakr, asking him how she was to excuse his hostility [to her husband], and stating the reason she had already given. Then Mirzá Abá Bakr, in conformity with this, replied: “As long as the Amirs are in power, I cannot offer fitting service, for they seek to do me harm by vilifying my character to you: if you will dismiss these Amirs, I will be not only a son to you, but a slave also.” Muhammad Haidar Mirzá, in the simplicity of his heart, credited these lies and discharged his Amirs. Since the most influential of the generals were thus removed, the power of his kingdom was broken; and Mirzá Abá Bakr began to ravage all the country round about Káshghar and Yángi Hisár; but as all the greatest generals had been dismissed, there was no one to watch over and protect the country.