Mirza Kalich Beg was a descendant of a Qizilbash under the command of Nadir Shah and the Afsharids.

Shams-ul-Ulema Mirza Kalich Beg is a renowned scholar hailed for his contributions to the Sindhi literature. He was born on October 7, 1853 in a small village called Tando Thoro on the bank of Phuleli Canal in Hyderabad, Pakistan. His father Mirza Faridun Beg was from Kakheti, Georgia.

History[link]

The ancestors of Mirza Kalich Beg, were from Georgia, his grandfather was a Christian Emir in Kakheti, due to subsequent turmoil between Nadir Shah and the Ottoman Empire; Georgia was annexed and the grandfather of Mirza Kalich Beg was captured along with his son Sedini (later named Mirza Faridun Beg by Nadir Shah).

Mirza Faridun Beg, converted to Islam and served in the Qizilbash cavalry units of Nadir Shah. He served along side Mir Tala Khan (the founder of the Talpur dynasty). They sacked the fortifications of the ruling Kalhora Nawabs of Sindh and probably served during the dramatic Battle of Karnal.

In the late 18th century, the Talpurs had taken hold of the Pacco Qillo in Hyderabad and were declared official rulers of the city and the Emirs of Sindh. It was during this reign of the Talpurs, that Mirza Faridoon Beg settled in the outskirts of this thriving city. In the years to come his father had made cordial relations with the then ruler Mir Karam Ali Talpur and became his courtier. He was invited to live in the Hyderabad fort (the Pacco Qillo) and married a Talpur princess.

When the British led by Charles Napier took annexed Sindh after the Battle of Miani, the remaining Mirs surrendered and were imprisoned in Calcutta leaving Mirza Faridun Beg no one to serve and he resorted to the small fishing village of Tando Thoro on the banks of the Phuleli Canal. It was here that Mirza Kalich Beg was born.

Education[link]

Culture begged adolescents to be admitted in the village Maktab, where Mirza read the Qur'an. Whilst his time at the Maktab, he began more and more interested in languages most notably Arabic, Persian and Sindhi and pursued related courses. Completing his schooling, he was later admitted to the Government High School, Hyderabad and in 1872, he passed his matriculation and was awarded a special prize for distinction of achieving a first division.

Pursuits for further education left him to Bombay in 1873. He joined Elphinstone College where he came under the tutelage of Prof. Mirza Hairat, the noted teacher of Arabic, Persian and Turkish languages. He bemused the tutor when he saw that Mirza had a very high command over the Persian language and had him appointed a fellow at the Mumbai University. Once he had graduated in mid-1870s, Kalich Beg was employed at the same prestigious institute as a professor of Persian language.

A tragedy and a loss[link]

He was well placed on the highest rungs of his educational career ladder, when his mother died in 1876. He couldn't cope with the tragic events of his mother's death and fell short of scoring well on his examinations and fell seriously ill. He decided he'd return home to Sindh.

Mirza Kalich Beg sought a job in a government department on his return to Sindh. He was appointed as a Tehsildar in Shikarpur and rose to the rank of Deputy Collector. After serving the British government as Deputy Collector for thirty years, he retired in 1910.

The lives of the Mirza family and their Georgian connections are a subject of the 2005 book A Georgian Saga: From the Caucasus to the Indus by family's scion Meherafroze Mirza Habib, Vice President of All Pakistan Women's Association.^[1]

Books[link]

Mirza Kalich Beg wrote more than 400 books, which are categorized under Drama, Articles, Research books, Novels, and History. His famous books are:

Maqalat-ul-Hikmat

Khoodyari

Alamat-ul-Quran

Bagh ae Bayani

Hashrat-ul-Arz

Zameen pokhin jo ilm ae Hunr

Keemya-e-Saaat

Karo Pan Ya Syo Pan (Auto-Biography)

References[link]

Indo-Persian Royal and Noble Ranks

Emperor : Sultan, Shah

King : Sultan, Shah

Royal Prince : Shahzada, Mirza

Noble Prince : Mirza, Sahibzada

Nobleman: Nawab, Baig

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Mirza (Persian: میرزا, Turkish: Mirza, Kazakh: мырза, myrza, Russian: мурза, Circassian: мырзэ), (common variance in Tatar nobility as Morza) is of Persian origin, denoting the rank of a high nobleman or Prince.^[1] It is usually translated into English as a royal or imperial Prince of the Blood. It signified male-line descent and relationship to the Imperial Families of Turkey, Persia and later South Asia and was the title borne by members of the highest aristocracies in Tatar states, such as Khanate of Kazan, Khanate of Astrakhan and in the Russian Empire (Under Catherine the Great's rule the Murzas gained equal rights with the Russian nobility).^[2] In fact, Prince Felix Yusupov, the nephew-in-law of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia was descended from Abdul Mirza, the first Prince Yusopov.^[3]

Etymology[link]

The word Mīrzā is derived from the Persian term ‘Amīrzāde which literally means "child of the ‘Amīr" or "child of the ruler" in Persia‘Amīrzād in turn consists of the Arabic title ‘Amīr (engl. Emir), meaning "commander", and the Persian suffix -zād, meaning "birth" or "lineage". Due to vowel harmony in Turkic languages, the alternative pronunciation Morza (plural morzalar; derived from the Persian word) is also used.^[4] In modern Kazakh myrza means gentleman, as is in the expression "hanymdar men myrzalar" (ladies and gentlemen).

History[link]

Persian Kingdom[link]

The titles themselves were given by the Kings, Sultans and Emperors (equivalent to the western Fount of honour) to their sons and grandsons, or even distant kins. Noblemen loyal to the kings also received this Title, although their usage differed. Aristocratic families (royal descent) from South Asia and individuals descended from the Persian nobility have 'Mirza' in their name.^[5]

The title itself came from the title emir. Emir, meaning "commander", -derived from the Semitic root Amr, "command". Originally simply meaning commander or leader, usually in reference to a group of people. It came to be used as a title of governors or rulers, usually in smaller states, and usually renders the English word "prince. Amir Sadri." The word entered English in 1595, from the French émir.^[6]

• His Highness Prince Shujaat Haider Mirza last one to "COMMAND" and also known as 'AMIR'
• His Highness Prince Irfan Haider Mirza
• His Highness Prince Zeeshan ali Mirza
• His Highness Prince ASLAM JAH MIRZA
• His Highness Prince Israr Mirza
• His Highness Prince Iraj Mirza
• His Highness Prince Malek Mansur Mirza Shao es-Saltaneh
• His Highness Prince Bahram Mirza Sardar Mass'oud
• His Highness Prince Abbas Mirza
• His Highness Prince Abdol Majid Mirza
• Highness Prince Ali-Mohammad Mirza
• His Highness Prince Bahram Mirza
• His Highness Prince Djahangir Mirza
• His Highness Prince Eskandar Mirza
• His Highness Prince Fereydoon Mirza
• His Highness Prince Mohammed Tareq Mirza
• His Highness Prince Hamid Mirza
• His Highness Prince Khanlar Mirza
• His Highness Prince Khosrow Mirza
• His Highness Prince Shairul Mirza
• His Highness of Highness Prince Muhammad Mirza
• His Highness Prince Mahmoud Mirza
• His Highness Prince of Fadi Malo George Mirza
• His Highness Prince Mohammad Hassan Mirza
• His Highness Prince Mohammad Hassan Mirza II
• His Highness Prince Nosrat-od-Dowleh Firouz Mirza
• His Highness Prince Kamran Mirza Nayeb es-Saltaneh
• His Highness Prince Firouz Mirza Nosrat-ed-Dowleh Farman Farmaian III
• His Highness Prince Ali Mirza Qajar
• His Highness Prince Nosrat al-Din Mirza Salar es-Saltaneh
• His Highness Prince Abdol-samad Mirza Ezz ed-Dowleh Saloor
• His Highness Prince Mass'oud Mirza Zell-e Soltan

South Asia[link]

Mirzas of the Mughal imperial family, 1878

Mirza was given to imperial prince; a title or part of a name implying relationship to the Turk dynasties like Mughal dynasty (the Imperial House of Timur).^[7] But in Indian royal families, the title can be placed both before the name and after it, such as Prince Mirza Mughal and Prince Kamran Mirza. Prince Khusrau Mirza was the grandson of Emperor Babur (Babur Mirza), son of Emperor Jahangir and a brother of Emperor Shah Jahan. Emperor Akbar Shah II was Prince Mirza Akbar before his coronation. Emperor Babur took the imperial title of Padishah on 6 March 1508, before which he used the title Mirza.^[8]

In the Indian subcontinent, especially Bengal and Bihar, the Mirzas are also known locally as the variant of Mridha (from Mirdhjah) usually due to the Bengali language not have a 'z' sounding alphabet.^[9] Mughal dynasty (the Imperial House of Timur "Sarai Mulk Khanam Qutubuddunniya wa Deen Amir Qutubuddin Taimur Baig Sahib-e-kiran).< Rulers of India included:

The Imperial Family of Hindustan

• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Mirza Zahiruddin 1523-1530,First Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Mirza Nasiruddin 1530-1539 & 1554-1555, Second Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Mirza Jalaluddin 1555-1605, Third Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Mirza Nuruddin 1605-1627, Fourth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Mirza Khurram 1627-1658, Fifth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Mirza Muhiuddin 1658-1707, sixth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Mirza Azam 1707, seventh Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Mirza Mu'Azzam 1707-1712, Eight Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Sultan Muizuddin Mirza 1712-1713, Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Mouinudd'in Muhammad Mirza 1712-1719, Tenth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Sultan Shamsuddin Mirza 1719, Eleventh Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Sultan Rafiuddin Mirza (later Shah Jahan II 1719, Twelfth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Sultan Nekusiyar Mirza 1719, Thirteenth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Sultan Akhtar Mirza, Fourteenth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Ahmad Shah Mirza 1720-1748, Fifteenth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Aziz 'ud-Din Beg Mirza 1754-1759, Sixteenth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Jalal 'ud-Din Mirza 1759-1760, Seventeenth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Muhi-ul-millat Mirza 1788-1806, Eighteenth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Mirza Akbar 1806-1837, Nineteenth Mughal Emperor.
• His Imperial Highness, The Emperor Sirajuddin Mirza 1837-1857, Mughal Emperor.

The Royal Family Mughal of Berar

• His Highness Prince Bedar Bakht Mirza, son of Emperor Mirza Azam
• His Highness Prince Mohammed Beg Feroz Bakht Mirza, son of Prince Bedar Bakht Mirza
• His Highness Prince Bulaqui Mirza, son of Prince Mirza Feroz Bakht
• His Highness Prince Sultan Bahaddur Aduli Mirza, son of Mirza Bulaqui Baig Bahaddur
• His Highness Prince Sardar Baig Mirza, son of Aduli Baig Mirza
• His Highness Prince Qadar Baig Mirza, son of Aduli Baig Mirza
• His Highness Prince Hatam Baig Mirza, son of Sardar Baig Mirza
• His Highness Prince Umrao Baig Mirza, son of Sardar Baig Mirza
• His Highness Prince Sulaiman Mirza, son of Hatam Baig Mirza
• His Highness Prince Mirza Abdul Razzak I son of Hatam Baig Mirza
• His Highness Prince Mirza Abdul Rasheed son of Mirza Abdur Razzak
• His Highness Prince Mirza Abdul Razzak II a.k.a Mohammed Rizwan Mirza son of Mirza Abdul Rasheed
• His Highness Prince Mirza Mohammad Gibran son of Mohammed Rizwan Mirza

• His Highness Prince Kamran Mirza, son of Emperor Babur, brother of Emperor Humayun
• His Highness Prince Haydar Mirza, cousin of Emperor Babur

The Royal Family of Bengal

• His Highness Mirza Shuja ud-din Muhammad Khan, Second Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
• His Highness Mirza Asadullah, Third Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
• His Highness Mirza Muhammad Ali, Fourth Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
• His Highness Mirza Mohammad Siraj, Fifth Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
• His Highness Mirza Hassan Ali Khan Bahadur, 18th Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
• His Highness Mirza Wasif Ali Khan, 19th Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
• His Highness Mirza Waris Ali Khan, 20th Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.

The Royal Family of Awadh

• His Highness Mirza Muhammad Muqim Ali Khan, Second Nawab Subahdar of Awadh (Oudh)
• His Highness Mirza Amani Asif-ud-Dawlah, Fourth Nawab Subahdar of Awadh (Oudh)
• His Highness Mirza Asif Jah Wazir Ali Khan, Fifth Nawab Subahdar of Awadh (Oudh)
• His Highness Mirza Wajid Ali Shah, Eleventh Nawab Subahdar of Awadh (Oudh) (5th King of Awadh)

Notable Mirzas[link]

Nobility[link]

• Mirza Najaf Khan, Persian Prince, Indian Courtier and Commander in Chief of the Mughal Imperial Army.
• Mirza Agha Bakar, Persian Nobleman, Bengal Zamindar and son-in-law of Nawab Murshid Quli Khan, the Ruler of Bengal.
• Khan Muhammad Mirza, Architect during the Mughal Era.

Religion[link]

• Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founder of the Ahmadiyya movement in Islam
• Mirza Basheer-ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad, second Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mirza Nasir Ahmad, third Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mirza Tahir Ahmad, fourth Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mirza Masroor Ahmad, fifth Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
• Mírzá Ḥusayn-`Alí Nuri: known as Baha'u'llah; Founder of the Baha'i Faith

Government[link]

• Iskandar Ali Mirza, was the first President & 4th Governor General of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956.
• Fahmida Mirza, She was elected as the first female Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan

Military[link]

• Mirza Aslam Baig, Former Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan
• Mirza Kuchak Khan: Persian revolutionary who led the Jungle Movement in the northern jungles of Gilan Province

Advocate[link]

• Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig, Former Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council

Academics and literature[link]

• Mirza Ghalib (born: Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan), a famous Urdu and Persian poet from South Asia who adorned the Mughal court
• Mirza Khan of "Mirza & Sahiba", a tragic Romeo-and-Juliet-like love story enshrined in Panjabi literature and commonly told in the Punjab region
• Iraj Mirza, Persian folk poet, also known as Jalaal-al-mamalek.
• Muhammad Munawwar Mirza, a prominent scholar, historian, writer and intellectual from Pakistan

Sport[link]

• Mirza Delibašić, Bosnian Basketball Player
• Mirza Teletović, Bosnian Basketball Player
• Sania Mirza, Indian Tennis Player

Entertainment[link]

• Hady Mirza, 2007 Asian Idol winner from Singapore.
• Mohib Mirza - Pakistani television actor
• Mirza Čaušević-Musician
• Waseem Mirza - British television anchor
• Diya Mirza- Bollywood Actress

See also[link]

Further Study[link]

• Life of a Mirza Chapter 7 (pg 225-227) The Empire of the Great Mughals: History, Art and Culture (2004) by Annemarie Schimmel ISBN 1-86189-185-7

• Mirzah in The Wordsworth Dictionary of Phrase and Fable By Ebenezer Cobham Brewer: The quintessential guide to myth, folklore, legend, legend and literature. ISBN 1-84022-310-3

• MI’RZA Chambers’s Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge For the People. ISBN 1-149-98693-X

• A. Jaimoukha The Circassians: A Handbook Routledge, Palgrave, 2001, pp 157–60) ISBN 0-312-23994-7

References[link]

Notes

Sources

• Brewer's Dictionary of Phrases and Fable, 16th edition Revised by Adrian Room, 1999
• WorldStatesmen
• Eymology Online