Friday, September 22, 2017

Sowlet ed-Dowle Ismail Khan Qashqai (Captain A. J. Christian, 1919)

Ismail Khan, Soulat-ed-Dowleh



Born in Hamal (the first month of the Persian solar year) 1878. Son of Darab Khan, Ilkhani and a Kashkuli mother. 40 years of age.
In 1898, Soulat, through the influence of Habibullah Khan (son of Mohummad Reza Khan, Qawam-ul-Mulk), was appointed joint Ilbegi with Bahadur Khan. At this time Soulat-ed-Dowleh was possessed of no property of any description. By raising loans he was enabled to travel to the Sarhad and take charge of the tribes. He for some time refused to hand over half of the tribes to Bahadur Khan as joint Ilbegi, whereupon the latter threatened to go over, to Zargham-ed-Dowleh. In fear that this threat might be put into execution, Soulat handed over to Bahadur Khan the Shishbuluki, Bulli and Qallehzan tribes.
In 1901 when Shu’a-es-Saltaneh was nominated Governor General of Fars, Zargham-ed-Dowleh obtained a hearing and had Soulat-ed-Dowleh deposed from the Ilkhaniship and nominated Governor of Behbehan, and he himself became Ilbegi. Shortly after this Soulat commenced an intrigue with Qawam-ul-Mulk and Habibullah Khan by which they were to unite with Zargham-ed-Dowleh and combine against Shu’a-es-Saltaneh. Soulat-ed-Dowleh himself disclosed the whole of this plot to Shu’a-es-Saltaneh with the result that Muhammad Reza Khan, Qawam-ul-Mulk was assassinated and Zargham-ed-Dowleh was later poisoned.
Soulat-ed-Dowleh was re-appointed Ilbegi by Shu’a-es-Saltaneh and was eventually made Ilkhani by Zill-es-Sultan when he was Governor General of Fars. The Soulat remained Ilkhani from that date until July 1918, with the exception of a short interval in 1911 when Sardar Eshtesham was Ilkhani.

In July 1918 Soulat-ed-Dowleh was deposed from the Ilkhaniship at the instigation of the British authorities after the fighting between the Soulat’s forces and the Indian troops.


Captain A. J. Christian, A Report on the Tribes of Fars. — Simla, 1919, p. 54.


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