Ismail Khan,
Soulat-ud-Douleh, Sardar Ashair Qashqai
Born
1878. Second son of late Darab Khan, Ilbegi of Qashqai at one time, by a
Kashkuli mother (sister of Haji Masih Khan of the Kirmani branch). His father
left a very small patrimony to be divided among five sons; and when
Soulat-ud-Douleh first became Ilbegi 1900 he possessed nothing but 6 camels, 2
mules and bought a horse on pledge for 100 Tumans. He had sold the rent of his
one village of Ab-i Garm in Qir and Karzin for 700 Tumans p.a. to pay his
debts. His elder brother, the late Abdullah Khan, Zargham-ud-Douleh, had become
Ilkhani in 1898, and through additions to a Farman forged by one of his scribes
laid claim to and took possession of many villages in the Simirum district of
northern Fars, in the Firuzabad district, and in Qir and Karzin in southern
Fars. Ilbegi on various occasions up to 1903, Soulat-ud-Douleh soon began to
intrigue against his elder brother: and when the latter died poisoned by the
orders of Prince Shua-us-Sultaneh, it is said, he succeeded to the Ilkhani-ship
in 1906, and seized all the above properties and those of the family.
Dissensions at once arose between him and his elder half-brother (by a peasant
mother) Ahmad Khan, Zaigham-ud-Douleh (afterwards Sardar Ihtisham q.v.):
fighting broke out in 1906, when Zaigham-ud-Douleh was temporarily Ilkhani, the
Qashqai splitting into two factions, and a small battle was fought at Kudian,
N.W. of Shiraz. Soulat-ud-Douleh was again Ilkhani 1907. In 1909 May, he
professed to be a “Constitutionalist” and invaded Shiraz with a body of
Qashqais against Muhammad Ali Shah. In 1910, on the state of the Bushire-Shiraz
road becoming lawless, he contracted with the merchants of Shiraz to safeguard
passage of caravans via Firuzabad for
1,000 Tumans monthly. At end of that year proceeded to Bushire to meet
Nizam-us-Sultaneh, Governor-General, with who he made a close alliance. With
Nizam-us-Sultaneh he plotted the attack on Qawam-ul-Mulk IV, and his quarter of
Shiraz, in the summer of 1911, and had Qawam’s brother, Nasr-ud-Douleh,
murdered by Qashqais at Khaneh Zinian on their expulsion from Fars. After
rallying of Khamseh tribes to Qawami family, and flight and deposition of
Nizam-us-Sultaneh, he lost the Ilkhaniship which was held by Zaigham-ud-Douleh
till October 1912, when Soulat-ud-Douleh was re-appointed by
Mukhbir-us-Sultaneh, the Governor-General. His men attacked Swedish Gendarmerie
at Kara-agach river in 1913, when Major Siefvert was wounded. On outbreak of
war showed considerable sympathy with Germans, with whom he remained in
correspondence. The Indian agitator Amba Parshad had been harboured by him for
some time.
In
1916 opposed appointment of Farman Farma as Governor-General, and combined with
Qawam-ul-Mulk, both entering Shiraz. At first on correct terms with Colonel
Gough and General Sykes, with the latter of whom he had an arrangement for
policing the upper part of the Kazerun road; but in 1918 on a fracas taking
place between S.P.R. men and the Darehshuri tribe, he summoned all his
following, joined the Kazeruni attack on the S.P.R. posts, and attempted to
beleaguer the Headquarters S.P.R. in Shiraz itself. He fought a detachment near
Chanar Rahdar, cut off the supplies of water, fired into the cantonment and
European gardens. At the same time an attempt was made by his full-brother
Soulat-us-Sultaneh to rush the S.P.R. troops in Abadeh.
In
July 1918, Farman Farma, Governor General, nominated Sardar Ihtisham as
Ilkhani, and the latter’s full-brother, Ali Khan, as Ilbegi, the Qashqai
tribesmen split into factions, Soulat-ud-Douleh retreated south, was pursued by
a column of Indian troops, and suffered a serious defeat near Firuzabad
November 1918, when many Qashqai were killed and influenza completed his rout.
Subsequently he remained for two years in retirement in Qir and Karzin, not
daring to move with the migration. In 1919 when British influence was at its
height, negotiations took place with Farman Farma for either the despatch of
Soulat-ud-Douleh to Tehran or to Muhammerah, or the payment of a guarantee. In
the end £10,000 were deposited by him in the name of the Consulate at Shiraz
with the Imperial Bank for 2 years, on condition that his eldest son remained a
hostage in Shiraz, that he did not interfere with Sardar Ihtisham’s rule of the
tribe or property or otherwise intrigue. In November 1920 the new
Governor-General, Musaddiq-us-Sultaneh, a demagogue, on the counsels of
Nasir-ul-Mulk arranged a meeting between Soulat-ud-Douleh, his half-brother,
and Qawam-ul-Mulk in Shiraz, when the government of the tribe was handed over
to Soulat-ud-Douleh’s eldest son as Ilkhani, and to Sardar Ihtisham’s second
son as Ilbegi, to act jointly. Within a month Soulat-ud-Douleh had chased his nephew
from the tribe, and since then has remained the real, though not nominal, chief
power in the tribe, 2,000 tents of the Darehshuri clan and the Kashkulis
refused to submit to him. On the Sayyid Zia-ud-Dia coup d’état, and the
appointment of Prince Nusrat-us-Sultaneh as Governor-General both of whom were
for his arrest, his position again became shaky. The Prince supported
Qawam-ul-Mulk and Sardar Ihtisham, even paying a subsidy to the latter’s
brother, Ali Khan. Operations against him were contemplated by the S.P.R. in
the spring of 1921, but were proposed too late in the migration: he consented
to pay 44,000 Tumans taxes, so great was his alarm. By the autumn, with the
disbandment of the S.P.R. the position entirely changed. Widespread looting by
Qashqai on the Isfahan road, and in southern Fars provoked a vehement and
general demand for his suppression, specially from the Qawami landowners and
Mullas, the chief sufferers. In September 1921, however, he had despatched an
emissary with presents of money to Tehran, and contrived to win the support of
the Cabinet particularly of the Minister of War: and Sardar Sipah opposed his
removal from control of the tribe. He took umbrage at an agreement between the
Kashkuli Khans and the A.P.O.C. in October 1921, and did his best to stir up
the central government to upset the agreement. In May 1922 he signed a separate
agreement with Sir A. Wilson, acting on behalf of the A.P.O.C. by which he
received a considerable annual subsidy. The object of particular favours by the
Minister of War during the latter’s visit to the south, November 1922: in July
1922 Sardar Sepah had insisted on another reconciliation between him and
Qawam-ul-Mulk.
Has
4 sons, Muhammad Nasir Khan the Ilkhani, born about 1902: Malik Mansur Khan
born about 1906: Muhammad Husain Khan born about 1914, and Khusru Khan. In
taxes for the Qashqais due to pay 66,000 Tumans annually: for his private
properties, which are very large (though mostly occupied without a legal title)
and under-assessed 9,000 Tumans. Said to have great hoards of wealth,
particularly near his castle of Pargan in Karzin.
Character:
very avaricious, revengeful and unforgiving. A dissembler, especially in his
pose of an ardent Nationalist, but astute, e.g.
in dealings, and in his retention of a number of powerful friends at Tehran. As
a leader of the Qashqai, though a coward in the field, more capable than his
brothers, but his inability to unite them to him is a permanent weakness, and
he cannot or will not stop his men from looting. His rivalry with the Qawami
family, embittered by the blood-fued caused by his murder of Nasr-ud-Douleh,
has led to many years of dissensions and insecurity in Fars. At heart bears no
goodwill to the British for his defeat in 1918. By intrigue brought about cancellation
of his own and Kashkuli agreements with A.P.OC., September 1923. Made to pay
140,000 Tumans of taxes, October 1923. Elected Deputy for Jahrum to 5th
Majlis, December 1923.
Biographies of the notables of Fars and certain
Persian officials who have served at Shiraz. Delhi: Government of India Press,
1925, p. 30―32.
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