The Army of the Indian Moghuls: Its Organization and Administration c11.s1.5

c11.s1.5

*Charkh*. In the *Jahān kushāe Nādirī* of Mirzā Mahdī, p. 233, (year 1151 H.) we have a reference to the *Charkhchi-bāshī*, or head of the *charkh* men. W. Jones, “Nader Chah”, ii, 66, renders this by “maitre de l’artillerie”, and is followed by the German translator, 293. Steingass has neither *charkhchi* nor *charkhchi-bāshī*. *Charkh* has many meanings: among them being “a wheel,” “a cart,” “a crossbow.” Here I suppose we ought to render *charkh* by “cross-bow”, and not by “artillery.” *Charkhchī* is to be found in the *Mujmil-ut-tārīkh ba‘d Nādiriyah*, p. 95, line 13.