The Baharlu tribe of the Fars Province (Captain A. J. Christian, 1919)

The Baharlu

(a) History. ― Of Turkish origin, and came to Persia from Turkestan during the time of the Saljuq and Moghul kings and settled in Fars, in the XII and XIII centuries. (A tribe calling itself Baharlu still exists in Turkestan.)

The Baharlu were originally migratory and had their summer quarters in the districts of Ramjird and Marvdasht and their winter quarters near Sarvestan and Darab.

They have now for many years been sedentary and live on the banks of the Darab River.

In the time of Nadir Shah the chieftainship of the tribe was in the hands of Haji Hussain Khan of the Nafar tribe. He was succeeded at his death by his son, Mohammad Taghi Khan. The latter’s son Ali Akbar succeeded his father, but was deposed in 1852 in favour of Mullah Ahmad of the Ahmadlu branch of Baharlus. Mullah Ahmad then became known as Ahmad Khan, and on his death in 1858 the chiefs of various branches fought for supremacy until 1862 when Government troops interfered and Mirza Charagh Ali Beg, son of Shah Reza Beg of the Talakeh branch, was appointed chief. He was killed in 1876 by the sons of Nasrullah Khan, of the Ahmadlu tribe, and the authorities appointed Hussain Khan, Bahadur-i-Nizam of the Ismail Khani section, a relative of the late Mullah Ahmad.

The two principal Baharlu Kalantars at the present time are: —

1.       Abdul Hussain Khan*; outlawed by the Qawam-ul-Mulk, and now in the camp of the Soulat-ed-Dowleh.

2.       Amir Agha Khan; imprisoned by the Qawam-ul-Mulk.

In April 1917 the Qawam-ul-Mulk led punitive expedition against the Baharlus and inflicted a heavy defeat upon them at Qaleh Rumeh and Amir ha Khan was taken prisoner. Abdul Hussain Khan is at present with the Soulateed-Dowleh.

(b) Strength. — The Baharlu are said to number about 1,200 families and to be able to raise 1,000 sowars and 500 tufangchis under favourable conditions. This tribe is rich in horses and appear to have a rooted objection to undertaking any journey or military operations on foot.

(c) Arms and ammunitions. — A miscellany of rifles, and ammunition at probably about 50—100 rounds per rifle. The Baharlus are reported to have fairly large reserve of ammunition.

(d) Habitat. This tribe is now sedentary, living summer and winter round Darab and Khusu.

(e) Language. — Turki.

(f) Characteristics. — Until recently the Baharlu were noted robbers and the terror of the “Garmsir.” In spring 1917, however, the Qawam inflicted sever punishment upon them and this has had a salutary effect.

(g) Sub-Tribes. — The original “tirehs” of the Baharlu, as given in the “Fars Nameh,” were: —

Ibrahim Khani

Ahmadlu

Ismail Khani

Burbur

Talakeh

Jameh Buzurgi

Jargeh

Jougeh

Haji Attarlu

Haidarlu

Rasul Khani

Sakiz

Safi Khani

Issa Beglu

Karimlu

Kola Pusti

Mashadlu

Nazarbeglu

Varesseh

The following are the sub-tribes of the Baharlu (according to information obtained by Captain O.. A. Butters, S.P.R.) in spring 1918: —

Baharlu.

Abdul Hussain Khan. — (Outlawed.)

Amir Agha Khan. — (Imprisoned.)

Kalantar	Tribe	Kadkhoda
Rahman Khan	Haji Attarlu	Gudars Khan
	Talakeh	Ali Beg
	Haji Khanlu
	Sadiqlu
Hamzeh Khan	Jameh Buzurgi	Kal Aziz Quli
	Suleimani
	Shikari
	Mashadlu
	Nazarbeglu Amineh
Jaffar Quli Khan	Ahmadlu	Hamdan Khan
	Asheqlu
	Aminlu
	Auladi
	Safid Khani
	Ismail Khani
	Haji Barani
Morad Hasel and Agha Mohammad Beg	Amir Hajilu
	Qazimbeglu
	Alamdarlu
	Amaleh
	Khuruslu
	Azizbeglu
	Qara Khauslu
	Qara Khanlu
	Kaka Khanlu
	Karimlu
Hadi Khan	Lur
Morteza Khan	Ashurlu
Kal Hassan Khan	Chahardah Cherik
	Issabeglu
	Haidarlu
	Azizlu
	Zargar
	Darashurli
Mohammad Hussain Khan and Haji Baba Khan	Rasul Khani
	Ibrahim Khani
	Mohammad Khani
	Sakizlu
	Hassanbeglu
	Kamanlu
	Abul Qazimlu

* Abdul Hussain Khan, Baharlu, made his peace with the Qawam in July 1918, when Ali Khan, Ilbegi, came over (see paragraph “g” page 22). (December 1918)

Captain A. J. Christian, A Report on the Tribes of Fars. — Simla, 1919, pp. 13—16.