38        THE MONGOL I'L-KHANS (a.d. 1265-1337)     [bk i

of the world issued this auspicious chao in the year A,H. 693
[a.d. 1294]. Anyone altering or defacing the same shall
be put to death, together with his wife and children, and his
property shall be forfeited to the exchequer." Proclamations
were also sent to Shiraz and other towns explaining the
advantages of the new currency, answering imaginary objec¬
tions against it, and declaring that:

' i>>^ sjtS^^e^ >^yxA t?^3j   ' »^ ohj oK^ j> j^^ 3^

" If in the world this chao gains currency.
Immortal shall the Empire's glory be,"

and that poverty and distress would entirely disappear.
One ingenious provision in the laws affecting the chao was
that notes worn and torn by circulation were to be returned
to the chao-khdna, or Mint, and new notes, less by ten per
cent, than the amount thus refunded, were to be given to
the person so returning them.

The issue of the chao in Tabriz was fixed for the month
of Dhu'l-Qa'da, 693 (Sept.-Oct, 1294).    In three days the

bazaars of Tabriz were closed and business
^it^^fhlT^      was practically at a standstill, for no one would

accept the chao, and gold and silver had been
withdrawn from circulation. The popular rage was largely
directed against Tzzu'd-Din Muzaffar, who had been in¬
strumental in introducing the hated paper money, and such
verses as the following were composed about him:

WJ                                                              Hi

V                      yt                                                                                                                                                                        ,           ^

3t

^jJJiA^ J^ti>S.j   ^Ly-i>- j^    t^Lj-^o       ^J'^y^   lA:J>*"   ^^^ J-i   ^i^^^

" jPride of the Faith 1, Protection of the Land,
Would that thy being from the world were banned !

^ This is the meaning of ''Izsu'd-Din.