Nawabs of Mankera

Nawabs of Mankera
1772–1839
Flag
Sadozai Kingdom of Mankera at its greatest extent
Capital	Mankera (1772-1821) Dera Ismail Khan (1821–1839)
Common languages	Official language Persian
Religion	Islam
Government	Absolute Monarchy
Nawab
• 1772-1815	Nawab Sarbuland Khan Sadozai [1]
• 1815-	Nawab "Hafiz" Ahmad Khan Sadozai [2]
• -1839	Nawab Muhammad Khan Sadozai [3]
• -1855	Nawab Sher Muhammad Khan Sadozai
• -1910	Nawab Allah Dad Khan Sadozai
• -1958	Nawab Sir Ahmed Nawaz Khan Sadozai
• -1990	Nawab Allah Nawaz Khan Sadozai
• 1990-1996	Nawabzada Dr Aman Ullah Khan (son in law/Nephew)(Honorary)
• 1996-Present	Nawabzada Dr Ahsaan Ullah Khan (Honorary)
History
• Death of Ahmad Shah Abdali	1772
•  Nau Nihal Singh's Annexation of Dera Ismail Khan	1839

The Nawabs of Mankera was an influential princely state or chieftaincy centered in Mankera. It had strategic importance during the late Mughal, Durrani, and early Sikh periods. In the mid-1700s, Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire, granted control of Mankera and surrounding areas to Nawab Sarbuland Khan, a Sadozai noble. ^[4] The Nawabs of Mankera established a semi-independent principality, loyal to the Durrani Empire but ruled autonomously. The Sadozai Nawabs of Mankera ruled over large areas of western Punjab, including parts of Dera Ismail Khan, Layyah, Bhakkar, and Mianwali, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Their capital was the fortified city of Mankera. ^{[5] [6]}

History

Initially the Nawabs of Mankera were governors of the Sindh Sagar Doab under the Durrani Shahs of Afghanistan. ^[7] However, with the death of Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1772, it along with several other polities of Punjab became independent. ^[8] The state was founded by Nawab Sarbuland Khan Sadozai, who was succeeded by his son-in-law, Nawab Ahmad Khan Sadozai and his progeny. ^[9] The state comprised much of the Sindh-Sagar Doab, corresponding the modern districts of Mianwali, Bhakkar, Layyah as well as the south-western districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa below Kohat including Dera Ismail Khan. ^[10] It was conquered by the Sikh Empire in 1822 after the siege of Mankera.

References

1. Saeed, Mian (2025-03-07). ""Mankera Fort: A Forgotten Legacy of History and Heritage"". Readers Club. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
2. Masid, T. K. (2024-11-18). PIAWURI: THE LITTLE REPUBLIC Of WAZIRISTAN: ‘Order could only be maintained through the old tribal Jirgas’ “in democratic republic, like that of Mahsud community. The little Mahsud republic shall be in future a kind of nation state.” W.R.H. Merk. AuthorHouse. ISBN   979-8-8230-9038-4.
3. Saeed, Mian (2025-03-07). ""Mankera Fort: A Forgotten Legacy of History and Heritage"". Readers Club. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
4. Anwar, Ehtasham (2019). "Muzaffargarh District". Government of the Punjab: District Gazetteers. pp. 25–26.
5. Gupta, Hari Ram (1991). The Sikh Lion of Lahore (Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1799–1839). History Of The Sikhs. Vol. V. Munshiram Manoharlal. pp. 42, 74–75. ISBN   978-8-121-50515-4.
6. Kushwant, Singh. Ranjit Singh: Maharaja of the Punjab. p. 129,153.
7. Nalwa, Vanit. Hari Singh Nalwa, "champion of the Khalsaji" (1791-1837). p. 34.
8. "Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 11, page 270 -- Imperial Gazetteer of India -- Digital South Asia Library". Dsal.uchicago.edu.
9. Amir, Tariq (29 August 2019). "Pakistan Geotagging: 098 - Nawab Sar Buland Khan And His Fort At Mankera". Pakistan Geotagging.
10. "Muhammad Nafis". www.lakkimarwat.freeservers.com.