Zakariyyā Khān
زکریا خان
Bahadur
Detail of Zakariya Khan Bahadur leisuring from a 19th century Sikh drawing
Subahdār of Lahore
In office
1726–1745
MonarchMuhammad Shāh
Preceded byAbd al-Samād Khān
Succeeded byYahyā Khān
Personal details
Died1745
Lahore Subah
ChildrenYahyā Khān
Shāh Nawāz Khān
ParentAbd al-Samād Khān
Military service
AllegianceMughal Empire
Branch/serviceMughal Army
Battles/wars

Zakariya Khan (died 1745), alternatively spelt as Zakaria Khan, was the Mughal Empire's subahdar of the Lahore Subah from 1726, succeeding his father, Abd al-Samad Khan, in the post.

He was descended from the Ansari family of Panipat.[1] He continued and extended his father's policy of severe persecution of Sikhs, and thousands of Sikhs were killed during his period in the post, especially during the Chhota Ghallughara.[2][3]

Biography

Zakariya Khan Bahadur being hit by a Singh's shoe, detail from a 19th century Sikh drawing

Zakriya Khan was given control of Lahore by Persian Emperor Nader Shah during his invasion of the Mughal Empire in 1738 in return for annual tribute payments to the Persian crown.[4] He continued the persecution of Sikhs and appointed Salabat Khan to block Amritsar and not allowing Sikhs to worship there. Zakaria Khan condemned the religious martyr, Haqiqat Rai, to death.[5] According to prominent early Sikh historian Ratan Singh Bhangu, in response to having his scalp torn off, Bhai Taru Singh cursed Zakaria Khan, saying he would be killed by his shoes. According to Sikh sources, after cutting Bhai Taru Singh's scalp, Zakaria Khan was stricken with unbearable pain and the inability to urinate. As a last resort, Khan sent an apology to the Khalsa Panth for his persecution of Sikhs and begged for forgiveness. It was suggested that if Khan hit himself with Singh's shoes, his condition might be lifted. Although it would cure Khan of his condition, he died 22 days later from having hit himself with the shoes, just as Singh predicted. Salabat Khan was killed in an encounter with Jassa Singh Ahluwalia and Sikhs liberated Amritsar in March 1748.[6]

In popular culture

Film & Television

Zakariya Khan is portrayed by:

See also

References

  1. ^ Charles Francis Massy (1890). Chiefs and Families of Note in the Delhi, Jalandhar, Peshawar and Derajat Divisions of the Panjab. Pioneer Press.
  2. ^ The advanced study in history of the Punjab: Volume 1; G. S. Chhabra (1968), p 346
  3. ^ Punjab district gazetteers, Volume 9, 1987, p 72
  4. ^ bahādur.), Muḥammad Laṭīf (Saiyid, khān (1891). History of the Panjáb from the Remotest Antiquity to the Present Time. Calcutta Central Press Company, limited.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Nirankari, Maan Singh (2008). Sikhism, a Perspective. Edited by Neelam Man Singh Chowdhry. Chandigarh: Unistar Books. p. 154. ISBN 81-7142-621-2. OCLC 289070938. 6. Hakikat Rai: He was born at Sialkot in 1781 B.S. or 1724 C.E. in a Kshtriya household of Bhagh Mal and his wife Kauran. He was married to Durga Devi daughter of a Sehajdhari Sikh Kishan Chand of Batala. He entered the Sikh faith through the inspiration of Bhai Budh Singh from Batala. When the Muslim ruler asked him to convert to Islam, he refused to obey his orders. As a result, this young boy was slaughtered under the orders of Khan Zakariya Khan, the Nawab of Lahore in 1741. A fair used to be organized on the day of Basant Panchmi in his memory at Lahore in the pre-partition days.
  6. ^ Singha, Dr H. S. (2005). Sikh Studies. Hemkunt Press. ISBN 9788170102588.
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