The following is an incomplete list of Pashtun or Afghan empires and dynasties. It includes states, princely states,

empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

s and

dynasties A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A d ...

in the region of Central and

South Asia South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth descr ...

which were founded by rulers of Pashtun ancestry. The

Pashtuns Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically r ...

, alternatively known as ethnic Afghans or Pathans, are an eastern Iranian ethnic group native to the countries of

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

and

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

and have an extensive military history in the region (see military history of Afghanistan). As a result of migration and military conquests in South Asia, a large number of communities throughout the region claim Pashtun ancestry, especially in areas which were previously ruled by Pashtun dynasties.

Empires

* Khalji dynasty (1290–1320), was a Turco- Afghan dynasty founded by

Jalaluddin Khilji Jalal-ud-din Khalji, also known as Firuz-Al-Din Khalji or Jalaluddin Khilji (c. 1220 – 19 July 1296, ) ( fa, جلال‌الدین خلجی) was the founder and first Sultan of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1290 to 132 ...

as the second dynasty to rule the Delhi Sultanate of India, it came to power through a revolution from

Ghazna Ghazni ( prs, غزنی, ps, غزني), historically known as Ghaznain () or Ghazna (), also transliterated as Ghuznee, and anciently known as Alexandria in Opiana ( gr, Αλεξάνδρεια Ωπιανή), is a city in southeastern Afghanistan ...

that marked the transfer of power from the monopoly of Turkic nobles to Afghans.: "His ancestors, after having migrated from Turkistan, had lived for over 200 years in the Helmand valley and Lamghan, parts of Afghanistan called Garmasir or the hot region, and had adopted Afghan manners and customs. They were, therefore, looked upon as Afghans by the Turkish nobles in India as they had intermarried with local Afghans and adopted their customs and manners. They were looked down as non Turks by Turks." Its rule is known for conquests into present day South India and successfully fending off the repeated

Mongol invasions of India The Mongol Empire launched several invasions into the Indian subcontinent from 1221 to 1306, with many of the later raids made by the Qaraunas of Mongol origin. The Mongols occupied parts of the subcontinent for decades. As the Mongols progresse ...

. *

Lodi dynasty The Lodi dynasty ( ps, لودي سلسله; fa, سلسله لودی) was an Afghan dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1451 to 1526. It was the fifth and final dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, and was founded by Bahlul Khan Lodi when he ...

(1451–1526), founded by

Bahlul Khan Lodi Bahlul Khan Lodi (12 July 1489) was the chief of the Pashtun Lodi tribe. Founder of the Lodi dynasty from the Delhi Sultanate upon the abdication of the last claimant from the previous Sayyid rule. Bahlul became sultan of the dynasty on 19 Apr ...

, who belonged from the Lodi tribe. The dynasty encompassed much of Pakistan and

northern India North India is a loosely defined region consisting of the northern part of India. The dominant geographical features of North India are the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the Himalayas, which demarcate the region from the Tibetan Plateau and Central ...

, with its capital at

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders ...

. It was the last dynasty to rule the Delhi Sultanate. *

Sur Empire The Sur Empire ( ps, د سرو امپراتورۍ, dë sru amparāturəi; fa, امپراطوری سور, emperâturi sur) was an Afghan dynasty which ruled a large territory in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent for nearly 16 year ...

(1540–1556), founded by

Sher Shah Suri Sher Shah Suri ( ps, شیرشاه سوری) (1472, or 1486 – 22 May 1545), born Farīd Khān ( ps, فرید خان) , was the founder of the Sur Empire in India, with its capital in Sasaram in modern-day Bihar. He standardized the silver coin ...

, a Pashtun military and political figure who belonged to the Sur tribe of

Ghilzai The Ghiljī ( ps, غلجي, ; fa, خیلجی, Xelji) also spelled Khilji, Khalji, or Ghilzai or Ghilzay (), are one of the largest Pashtun tribes. Their traditional homeland is Ghazni and Qalati Ghilji in Afghanistan but they have also settl ...

confederation. The Sur dynasty ousted the

Mughals The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...

in north India and controlled areas encompassing, Pakistan, northern India and up to

Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...

, with Delhi as its capital. The Surs were supplanted again by the Mughals in 1557 after a sixteen-year rule. *

Hotak dynasty The Hotak dynasty ( ps, fa, ) was an Afghan monarchy founded by Ghilji Pashtuns that briefly ruled portions of Iran and Afghanistan during the 1720s. It was established in April 1709 by Mirwais Hotak, who led a successful revolution against t ...

(1709–1738), established by Mir Wais Hotak from

Kandahar Kandahar (; Kandahār, , Qandahār) is a city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population of about 614,118. It is the c ...

, who was a tribal chief of the

Pashtuns. The Hotaki dynasty ruled briefly over Afghanistan and most of

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

(Persia) at its peak. The dynasty lasted until 1738 when it was overthrown by the

Afsharids Afsharid Iran ( fa, ایران افشاری), also referred as the Afsharid Empire was an Iranian empire established by the Turkoman Afshar tribe in Iran's north-eastern province of Khorasan, ruling Iran (Persia). The state was ruled by the Af ...

of Persia under Nader Shah. * Durrani Empire (1747–1823) (1839-1842), a

Pashtun Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...

empire founded by the Pashtun military commander Ahmad Shah Durrani, with its origins in the

Durrani dynasty The Durrani dynasty ( fa, سلسله درانیان; ps, د درانيانو کورنۍ) was founded in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani at Kandahar, Afghanistan. He united the different Pashtun tribes and created the Durrani Empire. which at it ...

of Afghanistan. Kandahar in modern Afghanistan served as the empire's first capital. Ahmad Shah belonged to the

Durrani The Durrānī ( ps, دراني, ), formerly known as Abdālī (), are one of the largest tribes of Pashtuns. Their traditional homeland is in southern Afghanistan ( Loy Kandahar region), straddling into Toba Achakzai in Balochistan, Pakistan, but ...

tribe (also known as the Abdalis). At its peak, the Durrani Empire encompassed all of Afghanistan, most of Pakistan and parts of

(including Kashmir), northeastern

and eastern

Turkmenistan Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...

. In the second half of the 18th century, the Durrani Empire was the second-largest Muslim empire in the world after the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

In Afghanistan and Iran

Dynasties that ruled in Afghanistan: *

(1709–1738), established by Mir Wais Hotak from

, who declared independence from the Persian

Safavids Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...

. Hotak was a tribal chief of the

Pashtuns. The Hotaki dynasty ruled very briefly over Afghanistan, most of

(Persia) at its peak. The dynasty lasted until 1738 when it was overthrown by the

of Persia under Nader Shah. *

(1747–1823) (1839-1842). In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani united the various Pashtun and Afghan tribes and formed the powerful Durrani dynasty in Afghanistan. He rallied the tribes against neighboring powers, pushing towards the

and

Marathas The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a ...

of the Indian subcontinent to the east, the

of Persia to the west and the Khanate of Bukhara to the north. The rise of the Durrani dynasty established the Durrani Empire in South–Central Asia. *

Barakzai dynasty The two branches of the Barakzai dynasty (, "sons of Barak") ruled modern day Afghanistan from 1823 to 1973 when the monarchy ended under Musahiban Mohammed Zahir Shah. The Barakzai dynasty was established by Dost Mohammad Khan after the Dur ...

(1826–1973). From the early nineteenth century to early twentieth century, the Barakzais were the royal family of Afghanistan. * Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001). Founded by Mohammed Omar, the spiritual leader of the

Taliban The Taliban (; ps, طالبان, ṭālibān, lit=students or 'seekers'), which also refers to itself by its state name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Deobandi Islamic fundamentalist, militant Islamist, jihadist, and Pasht ...

movement.

In South Asia

Khalji dynasty of Bengal The Khalji dynasty ( bn, খলজী খান্দান, fa, ) was the first Muslim dynasty to rule Bengal. The dynasty, which hailed from the Garmsir region of present-day Afghanistan, was founded in 1204 by Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji, a ...

(1204 - 1231), founded by Muhammad Bakhtiar khilji who belonged from the Khilji tribe of pashtuns.The dynasty ruled over Bengladesh and west bengal. In the era of pashtuns, Bengal experienced major developments such as naval force, flood defence systems and linkage with the Grand Trunk Road. *

Malwa Sultanate The Malwa Sultanate ( fa, ) (Pashto: ; ''lit: Mālwā Salṭanat'') was a late medieval Islamic sultanate in the Malwa region, covering the present day Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and south-eastern Rajasthan from 1392 to 1562. It was fo ...

(1392–1562) * Kheshgi Dynasty of

Kasur Kasur (Urdu and pa, ; also romanized as Qasūr; from pluralized Arabic word ''Qasr'' meaning "palaces" or "forts") is a city to south of Lahore, in the Pakistani province of Punjab. The city serves as the headquarters of Kasur District. Kasu ...

(1525–1807), founded by the

Kheshgi The Kheshgi, Khaishgi, Kheshagi, Khweshgi, or Kheshki is a prominent Sarbani Pashtun tribe and Imperial dynasty in South Asia. Administration The Kheshgi Tribe is divided into the following sub-tribes: * Batakzi * Umerzai * Hussainzai * Azizi ...

tribe. The Kheshgi claim to be a tribe of Afghan origin who came to

. The city of Kasur was founded by the Kheshgi tribe who had migrated to the region, during the reign of Babur and built several small forts in the area. After the decline of the

Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...

, the Sikh invaded and occupied Kasur in 1807. *

Karrani Dynasty The Karrani dynasty ( ps, کرلاڼي, Karlāṇī, bn, কররাণী, Korrāṇī) was founded in 1564 by Taj Khan Karrani, an ethnic Pashtun from the Karlani tribe, hailing from Bangash district. It was the last dynasty to rule the Sultan ...

(1564–1576), founded by Taj Khan Karrani. He hailed from the

Karlani Karlāṇī ( ps, کرلاڼي) is a Pashtun tribal confederacy. They primarily inhabit the FATA region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan and certain parts of eastern Afghanistan. In the 16th century the Karlani founded the Karrani dyn ...

tribe. He formerly served

and had moved to Bengal. The Karrani dynasty ruled over all of

, as well as

Orissa Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of S ...

and parts of

Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...

. It was the last dynasty of the Bengal Sultanate. The Karrani were defeated by the Mughals, losing all their territory to the latter by the seventeenth century. * Sadozai Dynasty of Multan (1738–1818), founded by Nawab Zahid Khan. He hailed from the Sadozai tribe. In 1738, he was appointed Nawab of Multan when Nadir Shah invaded India. In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded India and confirmed his appointment. The Sadozai were defeated by Ranjit Singh who attacked Multan and captured it in 1818 and ended its rule. * Rohilla Chieftaincies (1710–1857). Ali Mohammed Khan founded a strong Rohilla state in western U.P. After his death in 1748, Rohilkhand split up into several independent Rohilla Chieftaincies. Notable Chiefs were

Hafiz Rahmat Khan Hafiz Rahmat Khan (1723 – April 1774) was the Regent of Rohilkhand in North India, from 1749 to 1774. He was a Pashtun by background, ruling over Rohillas. Hafiz Rahmat Khan had served honorably throughout the reign of three Mughal Emperor ...

, Najib ad-Dawlah, Faizullah Khan, and Dundy Khan. In 1772 the total Rohilla armed forces were estimated at 80,000 cavalry and infantry. Rohillas were the main allies of the Durranis in Third Panipat War in 1761. Most of the Rohilla leaders were defeated in Anglo-Rohilla wars. Only Rampur, under Faizullah Khan, survived as a princely state. * Babi dynasty (1654–1948), founded in 1654 by Muhammed Sherkhanji Babi. He belonged to Babi or Babai (Pashtun tribe) tribe of Pashtuns. The Babi Dynasty ruled over parts of

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

. Babi's descendants (see Pathans of Gujarat for more information) controlled the following princely states: ** Junagadh State ** Radhanpur State **

Balasinor State The State of Balasinor was a princely state in Balasinor during the era of British India and founded by Sardar Muhammed khan Babi and Murtuza Bhatia The last ruler of Balasinor signed the accession to join the Indian Union on 10 June 1948. Its ...

** Bantva Manavadar **

Sardargarh Bantva Sardargardh state Bantva was a princely state founded in 1733 by Khan Shri Sherzamankhanji Babi youngest son of Nawab Saheb Salabat Muhammadkhan Babi of Junagadh State, on the Kathiawar peninsula in Gujarat, India. It had an area of approximate ...

* Kurwai Dynasty (1713–1948), was founded by Muhammad Diler Khan, a Pashtun rising through merit in the Mughal Army. Muhammad Diler Khan belonged to the Firoz Khel clan of the

Orakzai The Orakzai are a Pashtun tribe native to the Orakzai Agency and parts of Kurram Agency located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. They speak the language Pashto. Location The Orakzai belong to the Tirah valley located in FATA or ...

tribe from

Tirah The Tirah also spelled Terah ( ps, تیراہ) also called the Tirah Valley (), is a mountainous tract located in the Khyber district, lying between the Khyber Pass and the Khanki Valley in Pakistan. Society Lying close to the Pak-Afghan borde ...

and was a cousin of Dost Mohammad Khan, the founder of the neighbouring Bhopal State. Diler Khan's state consisted of the town of

Kurwai Kurwai is a town and a Nagar Panchayat in Vidisha district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. History The town of Kurwai was founded by mohm. Diler khan in 1715 of Kurwai State Kurwai was formerly a Muslim princely state of British India. ...

and several surrounding villages in present-day Madhya Pradesh. Diler Khan's descendants continued to rule the state until 15 June 1948, when the last ruler acceded to India. * Basoda State * Mohammadgarh State * Farrukhabad State

Princely states

Several independent princely states founded by Pashtuns existed during the

British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was him ...

era. Most of the Pashtun region east of the

Durand Line The Durand Line ( ps, د ډیورنډ کرښه; ur, ), forms the Pakistan–Afghanistan border, a international land border between Pakistan and Afghanistan in South Asia. The western end runs to the border with Iran and the eastern end to th ...

was annexed by the British in the twentieth century, and formed the North-West Frontier. The Pashtun tribal agencies along the Durand Line, further west from the North-West Frontier, formed a buffer zone between Afghanistan and the North-West Frontier of British India. Following the end of the Raj and the creation of Pakistan and India, the North-West Frontier and tribal agencies became part of Pakistan. The princely states were also given only two choices, the choice to formally accede to the

Dominion of Pakistan Between 14 August 1947 and 23 March 1956, Pakistan was an independent federal dominion in the Commonwealth of Nations, created by the passing of the Indian Independence Act 1947 by the British parliament, which also created the Dominion of ...

Dominion of India The Dominion of India, officially the Union of India,* Quote: “The first collective use (of the word "dominion") occurred at the Colonial Conference (April to May 1907) when the title was conferred upon Canada and Australia. New Zealand and N ...

, depending on their geographical location. These princely states were eventually abolished and integrated into the federation (see Former administrative units of Pakistan and

Political integration of India After the Indian independence in 1947, the dominion of India was divided into two sets of territories, one under direct British rule, and the other under the suzerainty of the British Crown, with control over their internal affairs remainin ...

). small princely state comprising the present-day

Upper Dir Upper Dir District ( ps, بر دير ولسوالۍ, ur, ) is a district in Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. The city of Dir is the district headquarters. Badogai Pass connects it to Utror. At the time of indepen ...

and

Lower Dir Lower Dir District ( ps, لر / کوز دير ولسوالۍ, ur, ) is a district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Timergara city is the district headquarter and largest city. The district was formed in 1996, when Dir District was d ...

districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. The state was founded in the seventeenth century by an Akhun Khel clan of the

Malizai The Yusufzai or Yousafzai ( ps, یوسفزی, ), also referred to as the Esapzai (, ) are one of the largest tribes of ethnic Pashtuns. They are natively based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, to which they migrated to from Suliman mountains dur ...

sept of

Yusufzai The Yusufzai or Yousafzai ( ps, یوسفزی, ), also referred to as the Esapzai (, ) are one of the largest tribes of ethnic Pashtuns. They are natively based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, to which they migrated to from Suliman mountains dur ...

tribe, with Dir serving as the capital. Dir nawab acceded to Pakistan in 1948. In 1969, the state along with the royal house was abolished. * Malerkotla State (1657–1948), The Malerkotla state was founded in 1454 A.D. by Sheikh Sadruddin-i-Jahan, a pious man of the Sherani tribe of the Darban Kalan and Frontier Region of Drazinda. The State of

Malerkotla Malerkotla is a city and district headquarters of Malerkotla district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was the seat of the eponymous princely state during the British Raj. The state acceded to the union of India in 1947 and was merged with ...

was established in 1657 by Bayazid Khan. Bayazid Khan was granted the privilege to build a fort, which he named Malerkotla and eventually gave its name to the state. On 3 May 1809 Maler Kotla became a British protectorate and was made part of the Cis-Sutlej states until 1862. Many local people attribute this peaceful strain to the presence of the shrine of 'Baba Haidar Sheikh', the Sufi saint, who founded the town of Malerkotla more than 500 years ago. * Pataudi State (1804–1947), established in 1804 by Nawab Faiz Talab Khan of Barech tribe during the rule of the British East India Company and capital as Pataudi * Dujana State (1806–1948), established in 1806 by Nawab Abdus Samad Khan of

tribe during the rule of the British East India Company and situated in

Jhajjar district Jhajjar district is one of the 22 districts of Haryana state in northern India. Carved out of Rohtak district on 15 July 1997 and with its headquarters in Jhajjar, it lies from Delhi and had developed into an important industrial center. Othe ...

* Rampur State (1774–1949), The Rohilla State of Rampur was established by Nawab Faizullah Khan on 7 October 1774 in the presence of British Commander Colonel Champion, and remained a pliant state under British protection thereafter. Nawab Faizullah Khan founded the city of Rampur and proposed to rename the city 'Faizabad' but many other places were known by the name Faizabad so its name was changed to Mustafabad alias Rampur. Nawab Faizullah Khan ruled for 20 years. He was a great patron of scholarship, and began the collection of Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu manuscripts which now make up the bulk of the

Rampur Raza Library The Rampur Raza Library (''Rāmpur Razā Kitāb Khāna'') located in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, India is a repository of Indo-Islamic cultural heritage and a treasure-house of knowledge established in the last decades of the 18th century. It was bu ...

Tonk State Tonk was a Princely State of India at the time of the British Raj. The town of Tonk, which was the capital of the state, had a population of 273,201 in 1901. The town was surrounded by a wall and boasted a mud fort. It had a high school, the ...

(1806–1949), The founder of the state was

Muhammad Amir Khan Nawab Muhammad Amir Khan (1769–1834) was a military general in the service of Yashwantrao Holkar of the Maratha Empire and later became the first ruler of the princely state of Tonk (in the present day Rajasthan state of India). He was of Pas ...

an adventurer and military leader of pashtun descent and belonged to the

salarzai The Salarzai are one of the four Tarkani clans. They inhabit what is now Bajaur District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. In 2014, they may have been the majority tribe among the area's 600,000 population. In common with some other tribes of the ar ...

subtribe of the Tarkani tribe and a Rohilla. In 1817, upon submitting to the British East India Company, he kept his territory of Tonk and received the title of Nawab. While retaining internal autonomy and remaining outside British India, the state consisted of six isolated districts. Four of these were under the Rajasthan province, namely, Tonk, Chhabra, Pirawa and Nimbahera. The other two, Aligarh formerly Rampura and Sironj were in Madhya pradesh province. *

Bhopal State Bhopal State (pronounced ) was an Islamic principality founded in the beginning of 18th-century India by the Afghan Mughal noble Dost Muhammad Khan. It was a tributary state during 18th century, a princely salute state with 19-gun salute ...

(1707–1949), a princely state existing from 1707 to 1949, although its origins date back to 1707 when the Bhopal State was established by Dost Mohammad Khan, a Pashtun soldier in the

Mughal Army The Army of the Mughal Empire was the force by which the Mughal emperors established their empire in the 15th century and expanded it to its greatest extent at the beginning of the 18th century. Although its origins, like the Mughals themselves, ...

who belonged to the Mirazi Khel clan of the

tribe from

(located in the present-day tribal areas of northwest Pakistan). The state came under the suzerainty of the Nizam of Hyderabad shortly after its foundation in 1723, and then came under the

in 1737 after their victory in the

Battle of Bhopal The Battle of Bhopal was fought on 24 December 1737 in Bhopal between the Maratha Empire and the combined army of the Nizam and several Mughal generals. Background As the Mughal empire continued to weaken after Aurangzeb's death, the Maratha Pe ...

. It became a princely state in 1818, following the defeat of the Marathas in the

Third Anglo-Maratha War The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1819) was the final and decisive conflict between the English East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of Maratha ter ...

. Islamnagar served as the first capital, followed by

Bhopal Bhopal (; ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of both Bhopal district and Bhopal division. It is known as the ''City of Lakes'' due to its various natural and artificial lakes. It i ...

(in present-day

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...

). The city of Islamnagar and

was founded by Dost Mohammad Khan in 1716 and early 1720s. It was the second largest Muslim princely state in pre-independence India, after Hyderabad State. In 1949, the state acceded to the

(see Pathans of Madhya Pradesh for more information). *

Kurwai State Kurwai State was a princely state of British India under the Bhopal Agency and centered around Kurwai town. The town of Kurwai was founded by Mohammed Diler Khan in 1715. The state was 368 km² in area and had a population of 30,631 in 1892. ...

(1713–1948), founded by Muhammad Diler Khan, a Pashtun rising through merit in the Mughal Army. Muhammad Diler Khan belonged to the Firoz Khel clan of the

tribe, Diler Khan's state consisted of the town of

and several surrounding villages in present-day

. The town of

was founded by Mohammed Diler Khan in 1715 * Basoda State (1753–1947), established by Muhammad Ahsanullah Khan son of Muhammad Diler Khan founder of

belonged to the Firoz Khel clan of the

tribe, its headquarters were at Ganj Basoda in present-day

. * Mohammadgarh State (1818–1947), established by Muhammad khan son of Muhammad Ahsanullah Khan founder of Basoda State belonged to the Firoz Khel clan of the

tribe, its headquarters were at Muhammadgarh in present-day

. The town of Muhammadgarh was founded by Muhammed Khan and named by his name. *

Jaora State Jaora State was a 13 gun-salute princely state of the British Raj. It was part of the Malwa Agency. The total area of the princely state, with the dependencies of Piploda and Panth-Piploda, was . Jaora state was divided into four tehsils, J ...

(1808–1948), founded by Abdul Ghafur Muhammad Khan, a Pashtun cavalry officer and a Rohilla serving

, the Pashtun founder of the princely state of Tonk. Abdul Ghafur Muhammad Khan also served the

Holkar The Holkar (Pronunciation: �o(ː)ɭkəɾ dynasty was a Maratha clan of Dhangar origin in India. The Holkars were generals under Peshwa Baji Rao I, and later became Maharajas of Indore in Central India as an independent member of the Mara ...

ruler, annexing

Rajput Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...

territories in northern

Malwa Malwa is a historical region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic upland north of the Vindhya Range. Politically and administratively, it is also syn ...

. For his services, he was designated the title of a

nawab Nawab ( Balochi: نواب; ar, نواب; bn, নবাব/নওয়াব; hi, नवाब; Punjabi : ਨਵਾਬ; Persian, Punjabi , Sindhi, Urdu: ), also spelled Nawaab, Navaab, Navab, Nowab, Nabob, Nawaabshah, Nawabshah or Nobab, ...

. His state existed in modern

, comprising the tehsils of

Jaora Jaora is a city and a municipality in Ratlam district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Jaora is located in the Malwa region, between Ratlam and Mandsaur. It was the capital of the Jaora princely state of Jaora before Independence. During ...

, Barauda, Tal and Barkhera, along with the dependencies of Piploda and Panth-Piploda. * Radhanpur State (1753–1948), awan Mard Khan Babi II 1st Nawab, a pathan belonging to the family of last deputy Governor of

province in

. Nawab Khan Jahan Babi belonged to the Babi or Babai (Pashtun tribe) of Pashtuns, its headquarters were at

Radhanpur Radhanpur is a town and a municipality in Patan district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Origin of name According to the tradition, the city is named after Radhan Khan, a descendant of Fateh Khan Baloch. Fateh Khan Baloch received a freedom fro ...

in present-day

. * Junagadh State (1730–1948), 1st Nawab, Muhammad Sher khan Babi, a pathan belonging to the family of last deputy Governor of

province in

. Muhammad Sher khan Babi belonged to the Babi or Babai (Pashtun tribe) of Pashtuns, its headquarters were at

Junagadh Junagadh () is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located at the foot of the Girnar hills, southwest of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar (the state capital), it is the seventh largest city in the state. Literally ...

in present-day

. * Bantva Manavadar (1733–1947), 1st Nawab, Diler Khan Salabat Muhammed Khan Babi, a pathan belonging to the family of last deputy Governor of

province in

. Dilawer Khan Salabat Muhammed khan Babi belonged to the Babi or Babai (Pashtun tribe) of Pashtuns. Its headquarters were at Manavadar in present-day

. *

(1733–1948), 1st Nawab, Khan Shri Sherzamankhanji Babi, a pathan belonging to the family of last deputy Governor of

province in

. Khan Shri Sherzamankhanji Babi belonged to the Babi or Babai (Pashtun tribe) tribe of Pashtuns, its headquarters were at

Bantva Bantva or Bantwa, is a small town in Saurashtra region of the state of Gujarat in India. Geography Bantva is located at an altitude of 20 meters. Nearby towns are Nanadiya, Limbuda, Nakara Manavadar, Vanthali, Junagadh, Keshod, Visavadar, ...

in present-day

. *

(1758–1948), 1st Nawab, Sardar Muhammed khan Babi, a pathan belonging to the family of last deputy Governor of

province in

. Sardar Muhammed khan Babi belonged to the Babi or Babai (Pashtun tribe) tribe of Pashtuns, its headquarters were at

Balasinor Balasinor, also known as Vadasinor, is a city located in the Mahisagar district of Gujarat, India. The city was formerly part of Balasinor State, a princely state ruled by the Babi dynasty, from September 1758 until its accession to India in J ...

in present-day

. *

Palanpur State Palanpur State was a princely state of India during the British Raj. It was a Salute state with the Nawab of Palanpur having a hereditary salute of 13-guns. It was the main state of the Palanpur Agency. Palanpur State became a British protecto ...

(1370–1948), Palanpur state was founded in 1370 by Malek Khurram Khan and was ruled by the Jhalore dynasty, of the Lohani tribe a forebearer of the family is reputed to have wed the foster-sister of the Mughal emperor Akbar and received

Palanpur Palanpur is a city and a municipality of Banaskantha district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Palanpur is the administrative headquarters of Banaskantha district. Palanpur is the ancestral home to an industry of Indian diamond merchants. Ety ...

and surrounding areas as dowry. * Savanur State (1672–1948), Savanur State was founded in 1672 when Abdul Karim Khan, a Pathan of the Miyana or Miani tribe, in the service of the sultanat of Bijapur, was granted the jagir of Sarkar Bankapur near Bijapur in 1672. His successors ruled over extensive territories almost independently for over a century. However, Savanur was located between the increasing power of the Marathas and the equally powerful Nizam of Hyderabad, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, ofKingdom of Mysore which gradually eroded away Savanur's territory. By the second half of the eighteenth century, more than half of Savanur had been ceded to the Marathas. By the end of the century, Tipu Sultan had annexed the remainder. The occupation by the Kingdom of Mysore (Mahisur) had begun on 29 Oct 1786 and lasted until 17 December 1791. The name Savanur is said to be the corruption of the Persian/Urdu word Shahnoor, which means 'king of light'. *

Swat (princely state) State of Swat (Urdu, ps, ; locally called as Dera Swat) was a kingdom established in 1849 that was ruled by chiefs known as Akhunds. It was then recognized as a princely state in alliance with the British Indian Empire between 1926 and 1 ...

Princely Taluqdars, Jagirdars, Nawabs

* Nanpara Taluqdari (1632–1947), the Nanpara principality was founded by a Rasul Khan, he was appointed keeper of the fort at

Bahraich Bahraich is a city and a municipal board in Bahraich district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Located on the Saryu River, a tributary of the Ghaghara river, Bahraich is north-east of Lucknow, the state capital. The districts of Bar ...

in 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan in

Bahraich District Bahraich district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division. History According to some other historians in the middle age this pl ...

. He was also granted five villages as jagir, and these five villages formed the core of what was to become the Nanpara Taluqdari. His descendant, Karam Khan taking advantage of the collapse of Mughal authority in the early 18th century, extended his rule over pretty much the entire district. The Nanpara Taluqdari was one of the taluqdars (feudatory states) in British India. The title of "Raja" was conferred on the Nanpara House in 1763 by the Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula, the King of Oudh and has then recognized by British. With holding of 439 villages it was the largest Muslim taluqdars (landowners) in British India. * Mamdot Nawabi (1800–1947), Qutubuddin Khan, a

and Chief of

1794/1807,

Nawab of Mamdot The Nawab of Mamdot was the title of the hereditary rulers of Mamdot, a princely state, near Firozpur, in the Punjab region of British India. Background In 1794, Nizamuddin and his younger brother Qutbuddin, established themselves as rulers of Kasu ...

1800/1831 in Ferozepur district in

Indian Punjab Punjab (; ) is a state in northern India. Forming part of the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, the state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the north and northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, and ...

; he conquered Mamdot from the Rai of Raikot in 1800, but lost control of Kasur in 1807. Jalalabad, Firozpur was founded by Nawab of Mamdot as its capital. Nawab Sir Shahnawaz Khan Mamdot was the largest Muslim Nawabi of the Punjab Chiefs.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List_of_Afghan_empires_and_dynasties Islamic rule in the Indian subcontinent

Empires

In Afghanistan and Iran

In South Asia

Princely states

Princely Taluqdars, Jagirdars, Nawabs

See also

References