Persians were the second largest nobility of the Mughal Empire of South Asia. Throughout the history of the Delhi Sultanateand its successor the Mughal Empire, Persian technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers,poets, artists, theologians and Sufis migrated and settled in South Asia.
The name Mughal is derived from the original homelands of the Timurids, the Central Asian (Turkestan) steppes once conquered by Genghis Khan and hence known as Moghulistan, "Land of Mongols". Although early Mughals spoke theChagatai language and maintained some Turko-Mongol practices, they became essentially Persianized[1] and transferred thePersian literary and high culture[1] to South Asia, thus forming the base for the Indo-Persian culture and the Spread of Islamin South Asia.[1][2]
Mughal Emperor Humayun was defeated by Sher Shah Suri in 1540 and fled to the refuge of the powerful Safavid Empire in Iran, marching with 40 men and his wife. Shah Tahmasp welcomed the Mughal, and treated him as a royal visitor. Here Humayun went sightseeing and was amazed at the Persian artwork, military might and architecture he saw: much of this was the work of the Timurid Sultan Husayn Bayqarah and his ancestor, princessGauhar Shad, thus he was able to admire the work of his relatives and ancestors at first hand. He was introduced to the work of the Persian miniaturists, and Kamaleddin Behzad had two of his pupils join Humayun in his court. Humayun was amazed at their work and asked if they would work for him if he were to regain the sovereignty of Hindustan and they agreed.
Shah Tahmasp provided financial aid and a large choice of cavalry to regain his Empire.Persians nobles and soldiers joined Humayun in reconquest of South Asia.
The Turkic Turani nobility tended to fade away from the political scene and the Persian nobles improved their position. During 1545-1555 A.D. a number of Persians who came in Humayun’s service were appointed to important central offices, such asdiwan, wazir, and mir-saman (In charge of Imperial Palace).
Ma’âṣer al-Omarâ
Ma’âṣer al-Omarâ was written by Shah Nawaz Khan and his son, ‘Abd al-Hayy in 1780. This book contains the biographies of 738 Mughal nobles of which at least 198 or 26.8 per cent were Persians[3]
Reasons for Immigration
Most of the Persians migrated to South Asia to prosper and obtain high positions in Mughal Empire. Many were SunniPersians who felt discriminated in Shia Safavid Empire and migrated to mostly Sunni Mughal Empire. There were also rebels and nobles who lost royal favour and migrated to Mughal Empire. The Mughals also preferred to employ foreign Muslimofficials that had little or no local interests and thus were loyal to the Mughal emperor.
Mughal Emperor Akbar
The Mughals had a multi-racial and multi-religious ruling class in which non-Indians occupied a very major place. Commenting on the mansabdars listed in the Ain-i-Akbari, Moreland writes that just under 70 percent of the nobles whose origin is known were foreigners, belonging to families which had either come to South Asia with Emperor Humayun or had arrived at the court after the accession of Emperor Akbar.
Shia Muslim Dynasties in South Asia
Sultanate of Mysore, Nizam of Hyderabad, Nawab of the Carnatic,Nawab of Awadh, Nawab of Bengal,Nawab of Bhopal, Sind andBhawalpur were Muslim Millets within the Mughal Empire.
The Shia Muslims, especially Ithna ashariyya school, has deep rooted influence in present and history of South Asia from North to South with various Shia Muslim dynasties rulingSouth Asian provinces from time to time. Most of these kingdoms were established byPersian Shias.
Few prominent ones of the Indian Shia Muslim dynasties are as follows:
Awadh State
The most important Shia state in South Asia was established by Persian originally from Khurasan in Persia around 1722 AD with Faizabad as its capital and Sadat Ali Khan as its first Nawab. Awadh or Avadh is also known in various British historical texts as Oudh.
Qizilbash
The Qizilbash soldiers and officials settled in modern Pakistan during Mughal Emperor Humayun's return from exile inSafavid Persia and restoration of Mughal Empire. Emperor Humayun lost his South Asian territories to the Pashtun noble,Sher Shah Suri, and, with Persian aid, regained them 15 years later in 1555 AD.
Persians in the Mughal Empire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The name Mughal is derived from the original homelands of the Timurids, the Central Asian (Turkestan) steppes once conquered by Genghis Khan and hence known as Moghulistan, "Land of Mongols". Although early Mughals spoke theChagatai language and maintained some Turko-Mongol practices, they became essentially Persianized[1] and transferred thePersian literary and high culture[1] to South Asia, thus forming the base for the Indo-Persian culture and the Spread of Islamin South Asia.[1][2]
Mughal Emperor Humayun was defeated by Sher Shah Suri in 1540 and fled to the refuge of the powerful Safavid Empire in Iran, marching with 40 men and his wife. Shah Tahmasp welcomed the Mughal, and treated him as a royal visitor. Here Humayun went sightseeing and was amazed at the Persian artwork, military might and architecture he saw: much of this was the work of the Timurid Sultan Husayn Bayqarah and his ancestor, princessGauhar Shad, thus he was able to admire the work of his relatives and ancestors at first hand. He was introduced to the work of the Persian miniaturists, and Kamaleddin Behzad had two of his pupils join Humayun in his court. Humayun was amazed at their work and asked if they would work for him if he were to regain the sovereignty of Hindustan and they agreed.
Shah Tahmasp provided financial aid and a large choice of cavalry to regain his Empire.Persians nobles and soldiers joined Humayun in reconquest of South Asia.
The Turkic Turani nobility tended to fade away from the political scene and the Persian nobles improved their position. During 1545-1555 A.D. a number of Persians who came in Humayun’s service were appointed to important central offices, such asdiwan, wazir, and mir-saman (In charge of Imperial Palace).
Ma’âṣer al-Omarâ
Ma’âṣer al-Omarâ was written by Shah Nawaz Khan and his son, ‘Abd al-Hayy in 1780. This book contains the biographies of 738 Mughal nobles of which at least 198 or 26.8 per cent were Persians[3]
Reasons for Immigration
Most of the Persians migrated to South Asia to prosper and obtain high positions in Mughal Empire. Many were SunniPersians who felt discriminated in Shia Safavid Empire and migrated to mostly Sunni Mughal Empire. There were also rebels and nobles who lost royal favour and migrated to Mughal Empire. The Mughals also preferred to employ foreign Muslimofficials that had little or no local interests and thus were loyal to the Mughal emperor.
Mughal Emperor Akbar
The Mughals had a multi-racial and multi-religious ruling class in which non-Indians occupied a very major place. Commenting on the mansabdars listed in the Ain-i-Akbari, Moreland writes that just under 70 percent of the nobles whose origin is known were foreigners, belonging to families which had either come to South Asia with Emperor Humayun or had arrived at the court after the accession of Emperor Akbar.
Shia Muslim Dynasties in South Asia
Sultanate of Mysore, Nizam of Hyderabad, Nawab of the Carnatic,Nawab of Awadh, Nawab of Bengal,Nawab of Bhopal, Sind andBhawalpur were Muslim Millets within the Mughal Empire.
The Shia Muslims, especially Ithna ashariyya school, has deep rooted influence in present and history of South Asia from North to South with various Shia Muslim dynasties rulingSouth Asian provinces from time to time. Most of these kingdoms were established byPersian Shias.
Few prominent ones of the Indian Shia Muslim dynasties are as follows:
- Bidar Sultanate (1489–1619 AD)
- Qutb Shahi dynasty (1518–1687 AD)
- Adil Shahi dynasty (1527–1686 AD)
- Nawab of Awadh (1722–1858 AD)
- Najafi Nawabs of Bengal (1757–1880)
- Nawab of Rampur
Awadh State
The most important Shia state in South Asia was established by Persian originally from Khurasan in Persia around 1722 AD with Faizabad as its capital and Sadat Ali Khan as its first Nawab. Awadh or Avadh is also known in various British historical texts as Oudh.
Qizilbash
The Qizilbash soldiers and officials settled in modern Pakistan during Mughal Emperor Humayun's return from exile inSafavid Persia and restoration of Mughal Empire. Emperor Humayun lost his South Asian territories to the Pashtun noble,Sher Shah Suri, and, with Persian aid, regained them 15 years later in 1555 AD.
Persians in the Mughal Empire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
