NASMYTH, Patrick Milner, Scottish painter: b. Edinburgh, 7 Jan. 1787; d. Lambeth, London, 17 Aug. 1831. He studied under his father and developed a great talent for land scape, though he labored under the difficults of ill health and a crippled right hand which neces sitated the use of the left in painting. He came to London in his 20th year and made his rep utation by his first picture exhibited at the Royal Academy,
niiered-dEn', Shah of Persia: b. 24 April 1831; d. 1 May 1896. He was not the eldest son but the ability and in fluence of his mother induced his father, Mo hammed Mirza, to proclaim him his heir and he succeeded to the throne in 1848. His accession was disputed by the reformer, El Bab, but the new Shah crushed the opposition mercilessly and became the ablest ruler that Persia had had in many years. He studied European methods
of warfare and proved himself a master of finance. He crushed the insurrections which broke out in various provinces and by his occu pation of Herat in 1856 provoked a war with Great Britain which was concluded in 1857. In 1873-78 and in 1889 he visited western Europe and endeavored to establish more friendly re lations with England, soon, however, returning to his friendship with Russia. He favored prog ress and Western civilization in so far as it did not conflict with his despotic rule and under his reign the telegraph through Persia connect ing Europe and India was built. He was assas sinated in 1896. Consult Morgan and Burger,