Are styled KESHICAN, which is as much as to
say "Knights devoted to their Lord." Not that he keeps these for fear of
any man whatever, but merely because of his own exalted dignity. These
12,000 men have four captains, each of whom is in command of 3000; and
each body of 3000 takes a turn of three days and nights to guard the
palace, where they also take their meals. After the expiration of three
days and nights they are relieved by another 3000, who mount guard for the
same space of time, and then another body takes its turn, so that there
are always 3000 on guard. Thus it goes until the whole 12,000, who are
styled (as I said) Keshican, have been on duty; and then the tour begins
again, and so runs on from year's end to year's end.[NOTE 1]
NOTE 1. - I have deduced a reading for the word Quescican (Keshican),
which is not found precisely in any text. Pauthier reads Questiau and
Quesitau; the G. Text has Quesitam and Quecitain; the Crusca Questi
Tan; Ramusio, Casitan; the Riccardiana, Quescitam. Recollecting the
constant clerical confusion between c and t, what follows will leave
no doubt I think that the true reading to which all these variations point
is Quescican.[1]
In the Institutes of Ghazan Khan, we find established among other
formalities for the authentication of the royal orders, that they should
be stamped on the back, in black ink, with the seals of the Four
Commanders of the Four Kiziks, or Corps of the Life Guard.
Wassaf also, in detailing the different classes of the great dignitaries
of the Mongol monarchy, names (1) the Noyans of the Ulus, or princes of
the blood; (2) the great chiefs of the tribes; (3) the Amirs of the four
Keshik, or Corps of the Body Guard; (4) the officers of the army,
commanding ten thousands, thousands, and so on.
Moreover, in Rashiduddin, we find the identical plural form used by our
author. He says that, after the sack of Baghdad, Hulaku, who had escaped
from the polluted atmosphere of the city, sent "Ilka Noyan and Karabuga,
with 3000 Moghul horse into Baghdad, in order to have the buildings
repaired, and to put things generally in order. These chiefs posted
sentries from the KISHIKAN ([Arabic]), and from their own followings in
the different quarters of the town, had the carcases of beasts removed
from the streets, and caused the bazaars to be rebuilt."
We find Kishik still used at the court of Hindustan, under the great
kings of Timur's House, for the corps on tour of duty at the palace; and
even for the sets of matchlocks and sabres, which were changed weekly from
Akbar's armoury for the royal use. The royal guards in Persia, who watch
the king's person at night, are termed Keshikchi, and their captain
Keshikchi Bashi. ["On the night of the 11th of Jemady ul Sany, A.H. 1160
(or 8th June, 1747), near the city of Khojoon, three days' journey from
Meshed, Mohammed Kuly Khan Ardemee, who was of the same tribe with Nadir
Shah, his relation, and Kushukchee Bashee, with seventy of the Kukshek
or guard,... bound themselves by an oath to assassinate Nadir Shah."
(Memoirs of Khojeh Abdulkurreem ... transl. by F. Gladwin, Calcutta,
1788, pp. 166-167).]
Friar Odoric speaks of the four barons who kept watch by the Great Kaan's
side as the Cuthe, which probably represents the Chinese form Kiesie
(as in De Mailla), or Kuesie (as in Gaubil). The latter applies the term
to four devoted champions of Chinghiz, and their descendants, who were
always attached to the Kaan's body-guard, and he identifies them with the
Quesitan of Polo, or rather with the captains of the latter; adding
expressly that the word Kuesie is Mongol.
I see Kishik is a proper name among the Kalmak chiefs; and Keshikten
also is the name of a Mongol tribe, whose territory lies due north of
Peking, near the old site of Shangtu. (Bk. I. ch. lxi.) [Keshikhteng,
a tribe (pu; mong. aimak) of the Chao Uda League (meng; mong.
chogolgan) among the twenty-four tribes of the Nei Mung-ku (Inner
Mongols). (See Mayers' Chinese Government, p. 81.) - H. C.] In Kovalevsky,
I find the following: -
(No. 2459) "Keshik, grace, favour, bounty, benefit, good fortune,
charity."
(No. 2461) "Keshikten, fortunate, happy, blessed."
(No. 2541) "Kichyeku, to be zealous, assiduous, devoted."
(No. 2588) "Kushiku, to hinder, to bar the way to," etc.
The third of these corresponds closely with Polo's etymology of "knights
devoted to their lord," but perhaps either the first or the last may
afford the real derivation.
In spite of the different initials ([Arabic] instead of [Arabic]), it can
scarcely be doubted that the Kalchi and Kalakchi of Timur's Institutes
are mere mistranscriptions of the same word, e.g.: "I ordered that 12,000
Kalchi, men of the sword completely armed, should be cantoned in the
Palace; to the right and to the left, to the front, and in the rear of the
imperial diwan; thus, that 1000 of those 12,000 should be every night upon
guard," etc. The translator's note says of Kalchi, "A Mogul word
supposed to mean guards." We see that even the traditional number of
12,000, and its division into four brigades, are maintained. (See
Timour's Inst., pp. 299 and 235, 237.)
I must add that Professor Vambery does not assent to the form Keshikan,
on the ground that this Persian plural is impossible in an old Tartar
dialect, and he supposes the true word to be Kechilan or Kechiklen,
"the night-watchers," from Kiche or Kichek (Chag. and Uighur), =
"night."
I believe, however, that Persian was the colloquial language of foreigners
at the Kaan's court, who would not scruple to make a Persian plural when
wanted; whilst Rashid has exemplified the actual use of this one.
