Yaqut Khan

Last updated
Yaqut Khan
DiedJanuary 1775
Employer Durrani Empire
Known forAfghan eunuch

Yaqut Khan (died 1775) was an Afghan eunuch to Afghan Emperor Ahmad Shah Durrani during the 18th century. He is known for supporting Timur Shah Durrani during his conflict with his elder brother, Sulaiman. He later attempted in a conspiracy to assassinate Timur Shah, which failed, resulting in his own execution.

Contents

Durrani succession crisis

Upon the death of Ahmad Shah Durrani, his declared heir, Timur Shah Durrani, was not favored by Shah Wali Khan, who instead preferred Timur's elder brother, Sulaiman. Sulaiman ascended the throne despite opposition from other Durrani nobles. To prevent word of Ahmad Shah's death getting out, Ahmad Shah's lifeless body was placed on a litter with tall thick curtains. Shah Wali then stated to nobles after arriving at Kandahar, that Ahmad Shah was ill, and that nobody should disturb him. Yaqut Khan, the chief eunuch, brought food for the king to keep up a facade. [1]

However, Yaqut Khan, secretly holding loyalties to Timur Shah Durrani, sent a confidential letter that informed him of Sulaiman's usurpation of the throne. Timur Shah was enraged and immediately assembled an army, marching onwards to Kandahar. Upon reaching Farah, support for Sulaiman's faction quickly dissipated. Shah Wali Khan, alongside Sadar Jahan Khan, arrived at Timur's camp pleading for mercy. Timur Shah, who was incensed that they did not allow him to see his father's deathbed, executed them. As a result, Sulaiman fled to India, while Timur Shah entered Kandahar, being crowned. [2]

Peshawar conspiracy and death

Yaqub Khan became involved in a plot against Timur Shah in 1775 led by Arsala Khan. In January 1775, Arsala Khan was given permission by Timur Shah to enter Peshawar where he was preparing for campaigns into the Punjab. While Timur Shah was celebrating, Arsala Khan alongside 2,500 men marched to the arg and approached guards, informing them that they were told to celebrate inside. While the guards were distracted, Faizullah and Yaqut Khan invaded through a back gate and killed numerous guards, entering the parade grounds, and attempting to enter the inner keep where Timur Shah was resting. [3]

Hearing the commotion, Timur Shah climbed to the top of the tower, and used his turban to signal to fellow guards below of the desperate situation. Timur Shah's Qizilbash guards attacked the conspirators from the rear, and completely killed or captured the entire army. Yaqut Khan, as well as Faizullah Khan were executed, while Arsala Khan escaped. [3] [4]

Citations

  1. Lee 2019, p. 145.
  2. Lee 2019, p. 145-146.
  3. 1 2 Lee 2019, p. 149.
  4. Tate 2001, p. 91.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahmad Shah Durrani</span> Founder of the Durrani Empire (r. 1747–1772)

Ahmad Shāh Durrānī, also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī, was the founder of the Durrani Empire and is often regarded as the founder of modern Afghanistan. In June 1747, he was appointed as King of the Afghans by a loya jirga in Kandahar, where he set up his capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durrani Empire</span> 1747–1823 Afghan empire founded by Ahmad Shah Durrani

The Durrani Empire, or the Afghan Empire, also known as the Sadozai Kingdom, was an Afghan empire founded by the Durrani tribe of Pashtuns under Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747, which spanned parts of Central Asia, the Iranian plateau, and the Indian subcontinent. At its peak, it ruled over present-day Afghanistan, much of Pakistan, parts of northeastern and southeastern Iran, eastern Turkmenistan, and northwestern India. Next to the Ottoman Empire, the Durrani Empire is considered to be among the most significant Islamic empires of the second half of the 18th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badakhshan</span> Historical region of Central Asia (now part of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and western China)

Badakhshan is a historical region comprising parts of modern-day north-eastern Afghanistan, eastern Tajikistan, and Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County in China. Badakhshan Province is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. Much of historic Badakhshan lies within Tajikistan's Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region in the southeastern part of the country. The music of Badakhshan is an important part of the region's cultural heritage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third Battle of Panipat</span> 1761 battle between the Durrani and Maratha empires

The Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14 January 1761 between the Maratha Confederacy and the invading army of the Durrani Empire. The battle took place in and around the city of Panipat, approximately 97 kilometres (60 mi) north of Delhi. The Afghans were supported by three key allies in India: Najib ad-Dawlah who persuaded the support of the Rohilla chiefs, elements of the declining Mughal Empire, and most prized the Oudh State under Shuja-ud-Daula. The Maratha army was led by Sadashivrao Bhau, who was third-highest authority of the Maratha Confederacy after the Chhatrapati and the Peshwa. The bulk of the Maratha army was stationed in the Deccan Plateau with the Peshwa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dost Mohammad Khan</span> Emir of Afghanistan (r. 1826–39 and 1843–63)

Emir Dost Mohammad Khan Barakzai, nicknamed the Amir-i Kabir, was the founder of the Barakzai dynasty and one of the prominent rulers of Afghanistan during the First Anglo-Afghan War. With the decline of the Durrani dynasty, he became the Emir of Afghanistan in 1826. An ethnic Pashtun, he belonged to the Barakzai tribe. He was the 11th son of Payinda Khan, chief of the Barakzai Pashtuns, who was killed in 1799 by King Zaman Shah Durrani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zaman Shah Durrani</span> Third Durrani emperor (r. 1793–1801)

Zaman Shah Durrani, or Zaman Shah Abdali was the third King of the Durrani Empire from 1793 until 1801. An ethnic Pashtun of the Sadozai clan, Zaman Shah was the grandson of Ahmad Shah Durrani and the fifth son of Timur Shah Durrani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Popalzai</span> Durrani Pashtun tribe

Popalzai or Popalzay, also known as Popal, are Durrani Pashtuns of Afghanistan. The Popalzai are part of the Zirak confederation of Pashtun tribes. The origin of the Abdali forefathers of the Sadozai tribe is probably the Hephthalites. The forefathers of Ahmad Shāh Durrānī, the founder of the Durrani Empire, were from the Sadozai tribe which is a subtribe of the Popalzai. According to Mohan Lal, the Zirak line begins with Sulaiman Zirak Khan, who was the father of Popalzai, Barakzai, and Alakozai. The tribe's origin is Kandahar, Afghanistan. The majority of the Popalzai live in the southern areas of Afghanistan such as in Kandahar, Helmand or Uruzgan. Some members of the Popalzai tribe have migrated with their families to the European Union, North America, and Oceania. Notable members of the Popalzai tribe include Hamid Karzai and his extended family, Karim Popal, Naim Popal, and Khalida Popal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahrokh Shah</span> Afsharid shah of the western Khorasan (1748–1796 AD)

Shahrokh Mirza, better known by his dynastic title of Shahrokh Shah was the Afsharid king (shah) of the western part of Khorasan from 1748 to 1796, with a two-month interruption. A grandson of the Iranian conqueror Nader Shah, Shahrokh was the son of Reza Qoli Mirza Afshar and his Safavid wife Fatemeh Soltan Begom, who was the sister of Tahmasp II, the penultimate Safavid shah of Iran. Shahrokh's half-Safavid descent made him stand out amongst his Afsharid relatives, and was used to bolster the legitimacy of his grandfather. After the assassination of Nader Shah in 1747, his nephew Ali-qoli Khan, ascended the throne in Mashhad and had all of Nader Shah's descendants in fortress of Kalat massacred. Shahrokh was spared in case his Safavid lineage would come to use, and was instead kept in the fortress as a prisoner. While Adel Shah was battling his rebellious younger brother Ebrahim Mirza, a party of Turkic, Kurdish, and Arab tribal leaders took advantage of his absence and installed Shahrokh on the throne. Both Adel Shah and Ebrahim were eventually defeated and killed, but Shahrokh was not long afterwards overthrown by a party of dissident tribal leaders, who installed the Safavid pretender Mir Sayyed Mohammad on the throne. Shahrokh was soon blinded at the instigation of Mir Alam Khan Khuzayma and other leading nobles, much against Suleiman II's will.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durrani dynasty</span> Dynasty of the Durrani Empire

The Durrani dynasty was founded in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani at Kandahar, Afghanistan. He united the different Pashtun tribes and created the Durrani Empire. which at its peak included the modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, as well as some parts of northeastern Iran, eastern Turkmenistan, and northwestern India including the Kashmir Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alakozai</span> Durrani Pashtun tribe

Alakozai is a Pashtun tribe in Afghanistan. They are one of the four tribes of the Zirak tribal confederacy of Durrani Pashtuns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barakzai dynasty</span> 1818–1978 ruling dynasty of Afghanistan

The Barakzai dynasty, also known as the Muhammadzai dynasty, ruled modern-day Afghanistan from 1823 to 1978 when the monarchy ended de jure under Musahiban Mohammad Zahir Shah and de facto under his cousin Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan. The Barakzai dynasty was established by Dost Mohammad Khan after the Durrani dynasty of Ahmad Shah Durrani was removed from power. As the Pahlavi era in Iran, the Muhammadzai era was known for its progressivist modernity, practice of Sufism, peaceful security and neutrality in which Afghanistan was referred to as the "Switzerland of Asia".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghazi ud-Din Khan Feroze Jung III</span> Grand vizier of the Mughal Empire allied with the Maratha Empire

Feroze Jung III or Nizam Shahabuddin Muhammad Feroz Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi also known by his sobriquet Imad-ul-Mulk, was the grand vizier of the Mughal Empire when it was under Maratha suzerainty, making them the de facto rulers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamran Shah Durrani</span> Emir of Afghanistan

Kamran Shah Durrani, was born in the Sadozai dynasty of Afghanistan. He was the son of Mahmud Shah Durrani, grandson of Timur Shah Durrani and the great grandson of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire. He was deposed and killed in early 1842, by his vizier Yar Muhammad Khan Alakozai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afghan–Sikh wars</span> 1748–1837 wars between the Afghan and Sikh empires

The Afghan–Sikh wars spanned from 1748 to 1837 in the Indian subcontinent, and saw multiple phases of fighting between the Durrani Empire and the Sikh Empire, mainly in and around Punjab region. The conflict's origins stemmed from the days of the Dal Khalsa, and continued after the Emirate of Kabul succeeded the Durrani Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timur Shah Durrani</span> Second Durrani Emperor (r. 1772–1793)

Timur Shah Durrani, also known as Timur Shah Abdali or Taimur Shah Abdali was the second ruler of the Afghan Durrani Empire, from November 1772 until his death in 1793. An ethnic Pashtun, he was the second eldest son of Ahmad Shah Durrani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shah Shujah Durrani</span> Emir of the Durrani Empire

Shah Shuja Durrani was ruler of the Durrani Empire from 1803 to 1809. He then ruled from 1839 until his death in 1842. Son of Timur Shah Durrani, Shuja Shah was of the Sadduzai line of the Abdali group of ethnic Pashtuns. He became the fifth King of the Durrani Empire.

The Battle of Nimla took place between June–July 1809, due to a conflict between Mahmud Shah Durrani and Shah Shuja Durrani over the succession for the Durrani throne. The battle resulted in a victory for Mahmud Shah and allowed him to secure the throne, where he reigned from 1809 to 1818. This was his second reign before he was deposed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Rohtas (1779)</span> Campaigns of Timur Shah

The Battle of Rohtas took place somewhere in December 1779, between Timur Shah Durrani and the Bhangi Misl. Timur Shah consolidated his rule through multiple attempts, and also attempted an earlier invasion in 1775, however realizing the weakness of his army in view of smaller in number, Timur Shah retired to Peshawar which proceeded with rebellion by Faizullah Khan, who plotted to assassinate Timur Shah but was cunningly executed. In late 1779, Timur Shah decided to conquer Multan.

The Expedition of Shuja ul-Mulk began in January 1833, whilst the siege of Kandahar began on 10 May 1834, and ended on 1 July 1834. The expedition was led by Shah Shuja Durrani, the deposed Afghan Emperor who wished to re-claim his throne. Shah Shuja rallied forces while in exile in the Sikh Empire and marched through Sindh to Kandahar, besieging it. Shah Shuja would be defeated by the Barakzai rulers of Kandahar and Kabul.

Fateh Khan Barakzai or Wazir Fateh Khan or simply, Fateh Khan, was Wazir of the Durrani Empire during the reign of Mahmud Shah Durrani until his torture and execution at the hands of Kamran Shah Durrani, the son of the ruler of the Durrani Empire, and Mahmud Shah Durrani, and other prominent conspirators such as Ata Mohammad Khan. Fateh Khan was of the Barakzai tribe, and his death led to his tribe revolting and the eventual deposition of Mahmud Shah Durrani.

References