Said Mohammad Khan
Said Mohammad Khan سید محمد خان | |
|---|---|
| Co-administrator of Peshawar, Hashtnagar and Khalisajat | |
| In office 1826–1834 Serving with Yar Mohammad Khan, Sultan Mohammad Khan, Pir Mohammad Khan | |
| Preceded by | Wazir Fateh Khan |
| Succeeded by | Sikh administration |
| Jagirdar of Hashtnagar | |
| In office 1826–1834 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1797 Kandahar, Durrani Empire |
| Died | 1860 Emirate of Afghanistan |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 22 sons |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives |
|
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Barakzai dynasty |
Sardar Said Mohammad Khan (also spelled Saiyad, Sayad, or Sai'd Mohammad Khan; c. 1797 – 1860) was an Afghan nobleman and governor who belonged to the influential Barakzai dynasty. He was one of the so-called "Peshawar Sardars," a group of brothers who controlled the northwestern frontier regions of Afghanistan during the early 19th century, particularly the areas of Peshawar, Hashtnagar and associated crown lands (khalisajat).
Early life and family
Birth and parentage
Said Mohammad Khan was born around 1797 as one of the numerous sons of Sardar Payinda Khan Mohammadzai (c. 1758–1799), also known as Sarfraz Khan, the powerful chief of the Barakzai tribe who was executed in 1799 by Shah Zaman Durrani.[1]
Historical sources differ regarding his mother's tribal identity. Charles Masson, writing in the 1840s based on local information, states that Said Mohammad Khan's mother was from the Tokhi Ghilji tribe.[2] However, modern historian Christine Noelle-Karimi and genealogical sources including RoyalArk identify her as an Alakozai lady.[3] This discrepancy may reflect the complex nature of genealogical traditions in Afghan noble families, where maternal lineages were sometimes adjusted for political or social reasons.
Siblings
Said Mohammad Khan had more than twenty brothers who survived to adulthood, including several who became prominent political figures:
- Dost Mohammad Khan, later Emir of Afghanistan (r. 1826–1839, 1842–1863)
- Sultan Mohammad Khan, chief minister and governor of various regions of Afghanistan, including Kabul, Peshawar and Kohat
- Yar Mohammad Khan
- Pir Mohammad Khan
- Ata Mohammad Khan
- Amir Mohammad Khan
Political career
The rise of the Barakzai Brothers
Following their father's execution in 1799, the sons of Payinda Khan gradually emerged as a powerful political force. After the assassination of their eldest brother, Wazir Fateh Khan, in 1818 by the Sadozai rulers, the surviving brothers successfully challenged Durrani authority and divided much of Afghanistan among themselves.[4]
The Peshawar Sardars
Said Mohammad Khan became one of the four brothers collectively known as the "Peshawar Sardars" who controlled Peshawar and its surrounding regions in the 1820s and early 1830s. The other three were Yar Mohammad Khan, Sultan Mohammad Khan, and Pir Mohammad Khan.[5] This group maintained semi-autonomous control over the northwestern territories during a period of political fragmentation in Afghanistan.
Territorial administration
According to the territorial division agreement of 10 Rabi' al-Thani 1242 A.H. (November 1826), formalized in what was known as the "Scheme of Apportionment," the following administrative arrangement was established:
The region of Peshawar, Hashnagar and Khalisajat etc. appertaining to these are to be managed by Sirdar Yar Mohamed Khan, Sirdar Sultan Mohamed Khan, Sirdar Said Mohamed Khan, Sirdar Pir Mohamed Khan.[5]
This agreement formalized Said Mohammad Khan's role as co-administrator of:
- Peshawar - the main urban center and regional capital
- Hashtnagar - a fertile agricultural region north of Peshawar
- The khalisajat - crown lands or state domains associated with these territories
Later administrative records confirm that "Sayad Mohammad received Hashnagar, and Pir Mohammad the Doāba" as their respective jagirs (feudal land grants).[6] This division suggests that while the brothers shared overall authority, each had primary responsibility for specific sub-regions.
Loss of Peshawar
The position of the Peshawar Sardars became increasingly precarious after the Battle of Nowshera in 1823, which marked the beginning of Sikh expansion into the region. The final blow came with the Sikh conquest of Peshawar in 1834. Charles Masson, who encountered the displaced Sardars shortly after this event, provides a vivid account of their reaction. He found them resting by the Bara River and noted: "Poor Saiyad Máhomed Khán said not a word, and appeared careless of what had happened."[7] This description suggests either stoic acceptance or deep resignation in the face of their political displacement.
Family and marriages
In accordance with the customs of Afghan nobility and Islamic law, Said Mohammad Khan had multiple wives from various tribal backgrounds. Genealogical sources, while not always consistent in their details, indicate he married at least nine times, with wives from the following backgrounds:[8]
These marriages represented important political alliances with various Pashtun tribes and ethnic groups. According to some genealogical sources, he had twenty-two sons from these marriages.[8]
Religious patronage
Like other members of the Afghan nobility, Said Mohammad Khan maintained connections with important religious sites. Charles Masson records that the Sardar "of Hashtnagar" was among the noble families who chose to send their deceased family members for burial at the prestigious ziarat (shrine) of Metar Lam Sahib, who is reputed to be the father of the prophet Noah, according to local legend. Mihtarlam, located near the Alishang River, is the name of a town and district in Laghman Province, and the shrine is believed to be at the site of his presumed grave.[9]
This practice of patronizing important religious sites served multiple purposes for the Afghan elite: it demonstrated piety and religious devotion, reinforced social status and prestige, created networks with religious authorities, and established the family's presence at spiritually significant locations. The choice of burial site was particularly important as it connected the family to the baraka (spiritual blessing) associated with holy places.
Death and legacy
Said Mohammad Khan died in 1860.[10][a] His exact burial place is not recorded in available sources.
His career illustrates important aspects of 19th-century Afghan politics:
- The complex system of shared governance among the Barakzai brothers
- The role of regional administrators in maintaining stability during periods of political fragmentation
- The importance of tribal alliances through strategic marriages
- The intersection of religious patronage and political authority
- The impact of external threats (particularly Sikh expansion) on Afghan frontier administration
His descendants continued to play roles in Afghan administration, with genealogical records tracing family lines to later provincial governors including Mohammad Hanif Khan, who served as Governor of Samangan and Ghor in the 1960s.
See also
Notes
- ^ Some genealogical sources give 1863 as the year of death, but Noelle-Karimi's academic work is considered more authoritative.
References
- ^ Lee, Jonathan L. (2019). Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present. London: Reaktion Books. p. 169.
- ^ Masson, Charles (1842). Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Panjab. Vol. 3. London: Richard Bentley. p. 295.
- ^ Noelle-Karimi, Christine (1997). State and Tribe in Nineteenth-Century Afghanistan: The Reign of Amir Dost Muhammad Khan (1826–1863). Richmond: Curzon Press. p. 8.; Buyers, Christopher. "Afghanistan: The Barakzai Dynasty". The Royal Ark. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Kohzad, Ahmad Ali (1966). Men and Events: Through 18th and 19th Century Afghanistan. Kabul. pp. 82–83.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b Kohzad, Ahmad Ali (1966). Men and Events: Through 18th and 19th Century Afghanistan. Kabul. p. 87.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Gazetteer of the Peshawar District 1897–98. Lahore: Punjab Government Press. 1899. p. 74.
- ^ Masson, Charles (1842). Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Panjab. Vol. 3. London: Richard Bentley. p. 232.
- ^ a b Buyers, Christopher. "Afghanistan: The Barakzai Dynasty". The Royal Ark. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Masson, Charles (1842). Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Panjab. Vol. 3. London: Richard Bentley. p. 290.
- ^ Noelle-Karimi, Christine (1997). State and Tribe in Nineteenth-Century Afghanistan: The Reign of Amir Dost Muhammad Khan (1826–1863). Richmond: Curzon Press. p. 8.
Bibliography
- Adamec, Ludwig W. (1975). Historical and Political Who's Who of Afghanistan. Graz: Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt.
- Gazetteer of the Peshawar District 1897–98. Lahore: Punjab Government Press. 1899. (Reprinted: Lahore: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 1989)
- Hanifi, Shah Mahmoud (2011). Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
- Hopkins, Benjamin D. (2008). The Making of Modern Afghanistan. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Kohzad, Ahmad Ali (1966). Men and Events: Through 18th and 19th Century Afghanistan. Kabul.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Lee, Jonathan L. (2019). Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present. London: Reaktion Books.
- Masson, Charles (1842–1844). Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Panjab. Vol. 1–4. London: Richard Bentley.
- Noelle-Karimi, Christine (1997). State and Tribe in Nineteenth-Century Afghanistan: The Reign of Amir Dost Muhammad Khan (1826–1863). Richmond: Curzon Press.