Khalid Sheldrake
Encyclopedia
Khalid Sheldrake, born Bertram William Sheldrake (born 1888, date of death unknown) was an English
pickle manufacturer who converted to Islam
and briefly declared himself king of Islamistan
in the Xinjiang
region of China
during the Warlord era
.
magnate, changed his name to Khalid upon his conversion to Islam. Sheldrake was active in the Britism Muslim community, and established a branch of the Western Islamic Association in South Shields
in 1930.
A series of rebellions among the mostly Muslim population of Xinjiang in the early 1930s led to a loss of control over the region by the Republic of China
, and the establishment of several short-lived Islamic states, among them the First East Turkestan Republic
and the Khotan Emirate. In 1934, the new emirs of Khotan
invited Sheldrake, who was in China at the time studying the conditions of the Muslims living there, to become the new head of state. Sheldrake accepted and declared himself the king of Islamistan
, which was to span the area of Xinjiang. However, later that same year, the Soviet-backed forces of Sheng Shicai
(盛世才) re-established Chinese control over the region, and Sheldrake was forced to flee to India
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
pickle manufacturer who converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and briefly declared himself king of Islamistan
Islamistan
Islamistan literally means Islamland or land of Islam. The term is Persian, and refers to the concept of Dar-ul-Islam....
in the Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
region of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
during the Warlord era
Warlord era
The Chinese Warlord Era was the period in the history of the Republic of China, from 1916 to 1928, when the country was divided among military cliques, a division that continued until the fall of the Nationalist government in the mainland China regions of Sichuan, Shanxi, Qinghai, Ningxia,...
.
Biography
Sheldrake, the son of a picklePickled cucumber
A pickled cucumber is a cucumber that has been pickled in a brine, vinegar, or other solution and left to ferment for a period of time, by either immersing the cucumbers in an acidic solution or through souring by lacto-fermentation.-Gherkin:A gherkin is not only...
magnate, changed his name to Khalid upon his conversion to Islam. Sheldrake was active in the Britism Muslim community, and established a branch of the Western Islamic Association in South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
in 1930.
A series of rebellions among the mostly Muslim population of Xinjiang in the early 1930s led to a loss of control over the region by the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, and the establishment of several short-lived Islamic states, among them the First East Turkestan Republic
First East Turkestan Republic
The First Eastern Turkestan Republic , or Turkish Islamic Republic of East Turkestan , or, Republic of Uyghurstan, was a short-lived breakaway would-be Islamic republic founded in 1933...
and the Khotan Emirate. In 1934, the new emirs of Khotan
Khotan
Hotan , or Hetian , also spelled Khotan, is the seat of the Hotan Prefecture in Xinjiang, China. It was previously known in Chinese as 于窴/於窴 and to 19th-century European explorers as Ilchi....
invited Sheldrake, who was in China at the time studying the conditions of the Muslims living there, to become the new head of state. Sheldrake accepted and declared himself the king of Islamistan
Islamistan
Islamistan literally means Islamland or land of Islam. The term is Persian, and refers to the concept of Dar-ul-Islam....
, which was to span the area of Xinjiang. However, later that same year, the Soviet-backed forces of Sheng Shicai
Sheng Shicai
Sheng Shicai was a Chinese warlord who "ruled" Xinjiang province from April 12, 1933 to August 29, 1944....
(盛世才) re-established Chinese control over the region, and Sheldrake was forced to flee to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.