Ali Khan Qashqai (General Staff, 1924)

Ali Khan Qashqai, Salar Hishmat

Born about 1889. Fifth and youngest son of late Darab Khan, Ilbegi of the Qashqai (died 1894) by a daughter of Murad Beg Bahluli a servant of Darab Khan: thus full brother to Ahmad Khan, Sardar Ihtisham (q.v.) and half-brother to Ismail Khan, Soulat-ud-Douleh. Was a small child, when his father died and thus did not receive similar care and education as his elder brothers, nor was he assigned full share in the patrimony. As result, is less cultured and wilder than they, and comparatively poor. Throughout past 18 years of strife between Soulat-ud-Douleh Ihtisham has sided with latter. In 1917 took refuge with Bakhtiari Khans, who fixed up arrangement with Soulat-ud-Doleh that Ali Khan should receive 300 Tumans monthly. Soulat-ud-Doleh gave him several thousand Tumans and the command of a body of tribesmen to attack the Indian troops and S.P.R. 1918, but on appointment as Ilbegi by Farman Farma 3^rd July Ali Khan turned against his half-brother. Owing to his reckless plundering of the Qashqai tradesmen, and to his antagonizing Avaz Kikha Dareshuri (q.v.) by an insult to latter’s daughter, he gradually lost control of the clan 1919-20, and gave up Ilbegiship September 1920. Remained hostile to Soulat-ud-Douleh in the vicinity of Mayin and Marvdasht with a following which gradually grew smaller in 1921, but was financed both by the Governor-General, Nusrat-us-Sultaneh, and Qawam-ul-Mulk, in order to neutralize and weaken Soulat-ud-Doulehs power in the tribe. In May 1922, when latter was camped 8 miles from Shiraz Ali Khan with assistance of some Dareh-shuri and Kashkuli chiefs suddenly attacked him: casualties both sides. In autumn of 1922 went off to eastern Fars, after his followers had been implicated in several robberies. In 1923, resided in Shiraz, claiming restoration of his villages seized by his half-brother, but got no redress.

Is the most courageous of the brothers in the field, but has no talent for administration. Married daughter of Haji Muhammad Sadiq Khan, who was grandson of Muhammad Ali Khan, the 2^nd Ilkhani of the Qashqai. Two small sons, one Chingiz Khan.

Additions and Corrections to Who's Who in Persia (Volume IV), General Staff, India, Delhi: Government Central Press, 1924, pp. 9―10.