The Báb sent a letter to the Sháh requesting an audience. [B121; DB229; TN11]

Some accounts maintain that the prime minister intervened in the correspondence between the Báb and the Sháh. En route to Tabríz the Báb wrote to various people, including the Grand Vizier, the father and uncle of Táhirih, and Hájí Sulaymán Khán. Hujjat learned of this last letter and sent a message to the Bábís of Zanján to rescue the Báb. The Báb declined their assistance. [Bab124–5; DB235–6]

• See B126 for an account of the Báb's demonstration to His guards that He could have escaped had He so wished.

Mullá Husayn departed for Mázindarán, setting out on foot as the Báb has directed. [DB260; MH144]
• The Báb told him to visit the Bábís in Khuy, Urúmíyyih, Marághih, Mílán, Tabríz, Zanján, Qazvín and Tihrán before proceeding to Mázindarán. In Mázindarán he was to find `God's hidden treasure'. [DB260; MH144]
• In Tihrán he again met Bahá'u'lláh. [DB261; MH148]

The start of the Zanján upheaval. Hujjat had converted a sizeable proportion of the town and tension mounted between the Bábís and the 'ulamá. [DB540–1, 527–81; Bab185–8, 209–13; BBD111, 245; BBR114–26; BBRSM28, 216; GPB44–5; TN245]
• See BW19p381 for this chronicle of events by Moojan Momen.
  • 19 May: Mir Salah dispersed a mob sent against Hujjat by the Governor; the Governor sent to Ṭihrán for reinforcements; the town divided into two.
  • 1, 13 and 16 June: Arrival of troop reinforce ments.
  • 1 July: Capture of an important Bábi position.
  • 25 July: Capture of an important Bábi' position.
  • 4 August: Fierce fighting ending in Bábi victory and recapture of lost positions.
  • 17 August: General assault on Bábi positions repelled, but Bábi's lost ground.
  • 25 August: Arrival of 'Aziz Khan-i-Mukri, commander-in-chief of 1ran's army.
  • 3 September: General assault ordered by 'Aziz Khan repelled.
  • 11 September: Arrival of troop reinforcements.
  • early October: Bombardment and assault took several Bábi' positions, leaving the Bábis confined to a small number of houses.
  • mid-November: Arrival of further reinforcements.
  • 29 December: Martyrdom of Hujjat.
  • about 2 January 1851: General assault resulted in capture of remaining Bábi' positions and killing of several hundred Bábi men and women. End of Zanjan upheaval.

The Governor sent a mob against Hujjat, (Mulla Muhammad-Ali) which was dispersed by Mír Saláh. The Governor sent to Tihrán for reinforcements and the town Zanján was split into two camps. [BW18:381]
• See BBD245 and GPB45 for the story of Zaynab, the Bábí woman who dressed as a man and defended the barricades.
• Zaynab and the Women of Zanjan.
• The first episode of a podcast about Zaynab.

The arrival of 'Azíz Khán-i-Mukrí, commander-in-chief of Iran's army, in Zanján where the fighting began in May continues. He took charge of the operation. [BBR119; BW18:382; DB556]
• For the story of Ashraf and his mother see DB562–3.

Hujjat was wounded in the arm. His companions laid down their arms and rushed to his assistance. The royal forces took advantage of the lull to breach the fortifications. [B187; BBR121; DB569]
• About 100 women and children were taken captive. They were left exposed in the open for 15 days without food, shelter or appropriate clothing. [BBR121; DB569–70]
• The remaining Bábís, about 140, sheltered in Hujjat's residence under fierce attack. [BBR121]
• The bombardment of the fortress was stepped-up and Hujjat's house was particularly targeted. Hujjat's wife and baby were killed. [B187; DB572–3]

Hujjat died of his wounds. [B187; BRR122; BW18:382]
• DB573 says this was on 8 January 1851.

End of the Zanján upheaval. [BW18:382]
• Hujjat, wounded in the right arm by a bullet 19 days previously, succumbed to his wounds. With the death of Hujjat the Bábí resistance weakens. A general assault by the royal forces ended the siege. [B187; BBR122; BW18:382; DB573–4]
• See Bab187 and DB574–7 for the fate of the survivors.
• See Bab187 and DB577–9 for the fate of Hujjat's body.
• About 1,800 Bábís were killed during the upheaval. [DB580, 598]

Áqá Najaf-'Alíy-i-Zanjání, a disciple of Hujjat, was executed in Tihrán. [BBR254; BW18:383]

In Zanján, Áqá Siyyid Ashraf was arrested, condemned to death as a Bábí and executed. [BWG470]
• He was the son of Mír Jalíl, one of the companions of Hujjat who was martyred in Tihrán at the end of the Zanján episode. [BKG470]
• He was born during the siege at Zanján. [BKG470]
• His mother was brought to prison to persuade him to recant his faith but she threatened to disown him if he did so. [BBD25; BKG470; ESW73–4; GPB199–200]
• See G135–6 for Bahá'u'lláh's Tablet concerning Ashraf and his mother.