Turks of Khorasan
(5) Turks are widely spread over Khurasan and
are influential beyond their numbers. Besides the considerable numbers of
Caucasian and Tabrizi Turks engaged in trade and transportation on the main
routes, and in sedition in the cities, the principle clans are Afshar, Chulai
and Qarai. The chief of the first-named is Fath-ul-Mulk, the Khan of
Kalat-i-Nadiri, to whose house and tribe the fortress and district were given
as a fief by Nadir Shah for the safeguarding of the frontier against the
Turkomans. These Turks are virile and warlike in their own fashion. They live
on horseback, have good animals and rifles, and provide a number of irregulars
for the Persian Government. They probably muster 1,500 fighting men with “3
line” and Berdan rifles. Akin to them are the Kizilbash of the Jam Valley, who
live mostly around Turbat-i-Shaikh Jam. These are the same tribes as the
inhabitants of the Chandawal quarter of Kabul whose kinsmen live in Pishawar.
They are strongly pro-British.
(6) Qarais. ― The Qarais reside in the Turshiz
and Turbat-i-Haidari districs, and are almost entirely employed in cultivation.
The two most important Qarai Sardars are Zulfakar Khan and Jaffar Khan, both of
whom provide a certain number of sowars and infantry for the Persian Army.
The tribe probably consists of about 4,000 families.
This tribe is locally reported to be one of the best sources for recruits in
Persia, particularly for cavalry, but they were not enlisted in either the
Khurasan or Seistan Levy Corps.
Military report on Persia. Vol. I. Military report on the Khurasan
[Khurāsān] and Seistan [Sīstān] regions of Persia [Iran], with maps and
illustrations. Calcutta: Government of India Press, 1931, pp. 54―55.
with regards to the Qarai Tribe, firstly the Qarai of Khurasan and Sistan are descendants of Ishaq Khan who was an ethnic Persian Tajik. Ishaq Khan's wife called Navab Khanum was daughter of Najaf Ali Khan Qara Tatar. The Qarai of Khurasan, Kerman, Yazd, Fars provinces in Iran all speak Persian and have been speaking Persian for several hundreds of years. They can not speak any Turkic language.
ReplyDeleteZulfaqar Khan (born 1875, died c.1942) was the son of Hadi Khan son of Ahmad Khan son of Ishaq Khan Qarai. Zulfaqar's mother was a princess from Qajar Dynasty. Zulfaqar, during his lifetime held various positions such as Deputy Governor, Governor and commander of Qarasuran Troops in Turshiz, Turbat-i Heydariyeh, Khaf and Rashtkhar. He was a wealthy landowner as well. His title was Imad ul-Mamalik.
Jaffar Khan was not a member of Qarai Tribe. He belonged to Khazaei (Khazai) clan from Dowlatabad (Daulatabad) Village in Turbat-i Heydariyeh. Briefly he was a commander of Qarasuran Troops. He was enlisted in Qarai Battalion. His title was Salar-i Shuja. His fullname was Haji Muhammad Jafar Khazaei Salar-i Shuja.