Eshaq Khan Qaraei-Torbati
Encyclopedia
Eshaq Khan Qaraei-Torbati , was one of the wealthiest and most powerful chieftains in Khorasan
during the reigns of Agha Mohammad Khan and Fath Ali Shah. He was fluent in Persian
and Arabic.
. The son of a Tajik servant by the name of Mohammad Khoo to the supreme chief Najaf Qoli Khan Qara Tatar, the chief of the Qaraei
tribe. Eshaq inherited a social position that was inferior to even the lowest member of a military tribe. His father gained the attention of the leader of the Qaraei tribe and was appointed yuzbashi or centurion. Consequently, Eshaq was granted the position of Yessawul (mace bearer) to the chief and used this position to convince the chief of a need for a caravansarai in the then small village of Zaveh
. While undertaking this project the ambitions of Eshaq began to manifest themselves. As Eshaq's project grew, he slowly converted the caravansarai into a fort while simultaneously fomenting quarrels and divisions within the tribe through various intrigues. His plan culminated in Najaf Qoli's being murdered by his own officers with the chief's sons fleeing Khorasan
.
Soon afterward, he married the daughter of Najaf Qoli and entered into an alliance with Ahmad Shah Durrani
. These maneuvers gained him the leadership of the tribe. As the chief of the tribe,
he managed to transform Zaveh
into a prosperous and safe district, while also making a fortune through farming, leasing camels to merchants, and developing an export/import trade.
Eshaq Khan’s allegiance to Tehran
(and also to Herat
) remained nominal, and his display of submission to Agha Mohammad Khan and Fath Ali Shah at the time of their marches on Mashhad
in 1796 and 1802, respectively, was anything but genuine. Fath Ali Shah’s appointment in 1803 of his young son, Mohammad Vali Mirza Qajar, as governor of Khorasan
was probably perceived by Eshaq Khan as a move designed to exact his allegiance and thus did not please the ambitious chief). However, he used this opportunity and joined his service and assumed the positions of Sardar (commander of the armies) and Vazir (prime minister).
, Radkan, Chenaran
, Qayen, and Tabas
to unseat the governor and assume the reins himself.
The plan was successful and Mohammad Vali was placed under house arrest. After plundering Mashhad
, Eshaq's co- conspirators began quarreling over the spoils and challenging Eshaq's right to accession. Eshaq assembled those still loyal to him and restored Mohammad Vali to office. In an attempt to make amends he gave the governor one of his daughters in marriage. The result of this marriage was a boy Jafar Qoli Mirza Qajar.
Eshaq undertook a visit to the court in Tehran where he convinced the Shah that Mohammad Vali was incompetent. Fath Ali accordingly issued a farman (royal order) declaring Eshaq as the Hakim of Mashhad, thus relegating the shahzadeh to the position of ornament.
In his turn, Mohammad Vali sneaked off to Tehran. There, he represented Eshaq to be an ambitious and dangerous man whose progress needed to be checked. The Shah became convinced and ordered Mohammad Vali to execute Eshaq.
Finally in 8 July 1816 he and his eldest son, Hasan Ali Khan Qaraei-Torbati, were strangled by the order and in the presence of Mohammad Vali Mirza Qajar. The executions, however, only exacerbated the situation, forcing Fath Ali Shah (who also feared an Afghan attack) to remove his son from the post of governor of Khorasan and replace him with his other brother Hasan Ali Mirza Qajar.
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
during the reigns of Agha Mohammad Khan and Fath Ali Shah. He was fluent in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and Arabic.
Rise to power
Eshaq overcame extraordinary odds to establish himself as a leader of the QaraeiQaraei
The Qaraei or Kara Tatar are an ethnic group who live between the Altay Mountains and the Black Sea, in Central Asia, the Middle East, Transcaucasia and Eastern Europe....
. The son of a Tajik servant by the name of Mohammad Khoo to the supreme chief Najaf Qoli Khan Qara Tatar, the chief of the Qaraei
Qaraei
The Qaraei or Kara Tatar are an ethnic group who live between the Altay Mountains and the Black Sea, in Central Asia, the Middle East, Transcaucasia and Eastern Europe....
tribe. Eshaq inherited a social position that was inferior to even the lowest member of a military tribe. His father gained the attention of the leader of the Qaraei tribe and was appointed yuzbashi or centurion. Consequently, Eshaq was granted the position of Yessawul (mace bearer) to the chief and used this position to convince the chief of a need for a caravansarai in the then small village of Zaveh
Torbat-e Heydarieh
Torbat-e Heydarieh is a city in and capital of Torbat-e-Heydarieh County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 119,390, in 31,869 families....
. While undertaking this project the ambitions of Eshaq began to manifest themselves. As Eshaq's project grew, he slowly converted the caravansarai into a fort while simultaneously fomenting quarrels and divisions within the tribe through various intrigues. His plan culminated in Najaf Qoli's being murdered by his own officers with the chief's sons fleeing Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
.
Soon afterward, he married the daughter of Najaf Qoli and entered into an alliance with Ahmad Shah Durrani
Ahmad Shah Durrani
Ahmad Shah Durrani , also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī and born as Ahmad Khān, was the founder of the Durrani Empire in 1747 and is regarded by many to be the founder of the modern state of Afghanistan.Ahmad Khan enlisted as a young soldier in the military of the Afsharid kingdom and quickly rose...
. These maneuvers gained him the leadership of the tribe. As the chief of the tribe,
he managed to transform Zaveh
Torbat-e Heydarieh
Torbat-e Heydarieh is a city in and capital of Torbat-e-Heydarieh County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 119,390, in 31,869 families....
into a prosperous and safe district, while also making a fortune through farming, leasing camels to merchants, and developing an export/import trade.
Eshaq Khan’s allegiance to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
(and also to Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
) remained nominal, and his display of submission to Agha Mohammad Khan and Fath Ali Shah at the time of their marches on Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
in 1796 and 1802, respectively, was anything but genuine. Fath Ali Shah’s appointment in 1803 of his young son, Mohammad Vali Mirza Qajar, as governor of Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
was probably perceived by Eshaq Khan as a move designed to exact his allegiance and thus did not please the ambitious chief). However, he used this opportunity and joined his service and assumed the positions of Sardar (commander of the armies) and Vazir (prime minister).
Downfall
The influence of Eshaq completely overshadowed that of Mohammad Vali, a state of affairs that aroused Eshaq's ambitions. He initiated a conspiracy with the chiefs of KhabushanQuchan
Quchan is a city in and capital of Quchan County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. It is located due south of the border city of Ashgabat. At the 2006 census, its population was 96,953, in 25,066 families.-Population:...
, Radkan, Chenaran
Chenaran
Chenaran is a city in and the capital of Chenaran County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 41,735, in 10,179 families....
, Qayen, and Tabas
Tabas
Tabas is a city in and capital of Tabas County, Yazd Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 30,681, in 7,962 families.Tabas is located in central Iran, 950 kilometers southeast of Tehran, in Yazd Province. Formerly it was part of the Khorasan province. It is a desert city with...
to unseat the governor and assume the reins himself.
The plan was successful and Mohammad Vali was placed under house arrest. After plundering Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
, Eshaq's co- conspirators began quarreling over the spoils and challenging Eshaq's right to accession. Eshaq assembled those still loyal to him and restored Mohammad Vali to office. In an attempt to make amends he gave the governor one of his daughters in marriage. The result of this marriage was a boy Jafar Qoli Mirza Qajar.
Eshaq undertook a visit to the court in Tehran where he convinced the Shah that Mohammad Vali was incompetent. Fath Ali accordingly issued a farman (royal order) declaring Eshaq as the Hakim of Mashhad, thus relegating the shahzadeh to the position of ornament.
In his turn, Mohammad Vali sneaked off to Tehran. There, he represented Eshaq to be an ambitious and dangerous man whose progress needed to be checked. The Shah became convinced and ordered Mohammad Vali to execute Eshaq.
Finally in 8 July 1816 he and his eldest son, Hasan Ali Khan Qaraei-Torbati, were strangled by the order and in the presence of Mohammad Vali Mirza Qajar. The executions, however, only exacerbated the situation, forcing Fath Ali Shah (who also feared an Afghan attack) to remove his son from the post of governor of Khorasan and replace him with his other brother Hasan Ali Mirza Qajar.