Mir (title)
Encyclopedia
Mir is a title which is derived from the Arabic
title Emir
or Amir (Arabic: أمير). It was adopted in many languages under Islamic influence, such as Persian
(مير), Pashto
, Sindhi
and Urdu, meaning leader of a group or tribe in Iran
, Afghanistan
, India
and Pakistan
.
, Pakistan
, and several other countries of Asia.
Amongst Muslims, mir/meer has become an interchangeable synonym of sayyid
(or syed), meaning "relative of prophet Muhammad
".
(The last name Mirpourian is a present day example of sayyid, a direct descendant of the prophet Muhammad
.)
In Muslim princely state
s very few formal mirs have actually reached the level of salute state
, notably in present Pakistan, where only two of the six have been entitled to a gun salute and the attached His Highness. The highest-ranking are the Amir of Bahawalpur
), the Mir of Khairpur (17 guns) and the Mir of Hunza
(15 guns).
In Balochistan
, mir is a title give to a sardar
son or brother. The twelve mirs make one sardar. When a mir has twelve mirs under him he becomes a sardar
. It is given as well to people in religion. Sayyid sons or brothers remain as such until they fulfill the complete Islam requirement and hold the title of mir instead of sayyid.
The title mir was also used by members of the chief clans of the Soomro
and Talpur
tribe before and after they became rulers of Sindh
. Today, it is still used by their descendants.
including:
In the Hindu
kingdom of Nepal
:
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
title Emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
or Amir (Arabic: أمير). It was adopted in many languages under Islamic influence, such as 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...
(مير), Pashto
Pashto language
Pashto , known as Afghani in Persian and Pathani in Punjabi , is the native language of the indigenous Pashtun people or Afghan people who are found primarily between an area south of the Amu Darya in Afghanistan and...
, Sindhi
Sindhi language
Sindhi is the language of the Sindh region of Pakistan that is spoken by the Sindhi people. In India, it is among 22 constitutionally recognized languages, where Sindhis are a sizeable minority. It is spoken by 53,410,910 people in Pakistan, according to the national government's Statistics Division...
and Urdu, meaning leader of a group or tribe in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, 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...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Title
In Iran, mir has also been formally used as a high title of nobility and honor. This title is also used widely in AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, and several other countries of Asia.
Amongst Muslims, mir/meer has become an interchangeable synonym of sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
(or syed), meaning "relative of prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
".
(The last name Mirpourian is a present day example of sayyid, a direct descendant of the prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
.)
In Muslim princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
s very few formal mirs have actually reached the level of salute state
Salute state
A Salute state was a princely state in India during the time of British rule which had been granted a gun salute by the British Crown ; i.e., the protocollary privilege for its ruler to be greeted - originally by Royal Navy ships, later also on land - with a number of gun shots, as recognition of...
, notably in present Pakistan, where only two of the six have been entitled to a gun salute and the attached His Highness. The highest-ranking are the Amir of Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur
Bahawalpur , located in the province of Punjab, is the twelfth largest city in Pakistan. The city was once the capital of the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The city was home to various Nawabs and counted as part of the Rajputana states...
), the Mir of Khairpur (17 guns) and the Mir of Hunza
Mir of Hunza
The Mir of Hunza was the title of the rulers of the Hunza Valley in the Northern Areas, Pakistan.The Mir used to have the Burushaski title of Tham, later changed to Mir. In 1974 the state became a part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan under the Pakistani Federal Government...
(15 guns).
In Balochistan
Balochistan (Pakistan)
Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...
, mir is a title give to a sardar
Sardar
Sardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
son or brother. The twelve mirs make one sardar. When a mir has twelve mirs under him he becomes a sardar
Sardar
Sardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
. It is given as well to people in religion. Sayyid sons or brothers remain as such until they fulfill the complete Islam requirement and hold the title of mir instead of sayyid.
The title mir was also used by members of the chief clans of the Soomro
Soomro
Soomro or Soomra is a Sindhi tribe in Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan, Pakistan.- History and origin :The Soomra Dynasty was established by the Soomro tribe of Sindh. The Soomra ruled Sindh from 750-1351. Following the 985 CE expulsion of the Qarmatian Muslim sect from Iraq and Egypt, the...
and Talpur
Talpur
Talpur ; is a Baloch tribe settled in Sindh. Talpurs settled in northern Sindh, spoke Sindhi language very soon their descendants and allies formed a confederacy against the Kalhora dynasty. Later, however, they enjoyed good relations with the Kalhoras and were invited by them to help organize...
tribe before and after they became rulers of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. Today, it is still used by their descendants.
Compound titles
On the Indian subcontinent, since the Mughal period, various compounds were used in UrduUrdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
including:
- combined Indian princely styles, notably Sahibzada mir
- Mīr-tuzak or tǒzak: Marshal, in the sense of an officer who maintains order in a march or procession; master of the ceremonies
- Mīr-dah, or Mīr-daha: Commander, or superintendent, of ten: decurion; a Tithing-man
- Mīr-sāmānSamanSaman may refer to:* Saman , a fictional character in the video game Deus Ex: Invisible War* Saman, Iran, a city in the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province of Iran* Saman District, an administrative subdivision of Peru...
: Head steward - Mīr-shikār: Master of the huntMaster of the huntMaster of the Hunt or Huntmaster can refer to*an office held in the organization of hunting in a particular area, such as Master of foxhounds in hunts that use dogs....
, chief huntsman; also Grand FalconerGrand FalconerGrand Falconer may refer to:* Grand Falconer of France* Hereditary Grand Falconer of England, title of the Duke of St Albans...
; hence bird-catcher, and (metaphorically) a pimp - Mīr-ě-ātash, or Mīr-ātish: Chief of the fireworks; also Commandant of artillery, Master of the ordnance
- Mīr-ě-majlis, shortened Mīr-majlis: Master of the ceremonies or president, chairman of a majlisMajlis' , is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting", used in the context of "council", to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups be it administrative, social or religious in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to Islamic countries...
(assembly) - Mīr-mahallaMahallaA mahalla is an urban division in Uzbekistan. Historically, mahallas were autonomous social institutions built around familial ties and Islamic rituals. Before the establishment of the Soviet rule in Uzbekistan, Mahallas fulfilled local self-government functions connecting private sphere with...
: Headman of a mahal(la), i.e. quarter (of a town) - Mīr-ě-manzil, shortened Mīr-manzil: Overseer of the halting-places; Quartermaster-general
- Mīr-munshīMunshiMunshi was the Hindi-Urdu name of a contractor, writer or secretary, used in Mughal Empire and later British India of the native language teachers or secretaries employed by Europeans....
: Chief secretary; Head (native) clerk of a (colonial) office.
In the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
kingdom of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
:
- Mir Munshi, from the Arabic Amir-i-Munshi, 'commander of the secretaries', is the Chief SecretaryChief SecretaryThe Chief Secretary is the title of a senior civil servant in members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and, historically, in the British Empire. Prior to the dissolution of the colonies, the Chief Secretary was the second most important official in a colony of the British Empire after the...
of the Foreign Office. - Mir Umrao, from the Arabic Amir ul-Umara, 'commander of commanders': a senior military officer ranking below a SardarSardarSardar is a title of Indo-Aryan origin that was originally used to denote feudal princes, noblemen, and other aristocrats. It was later applied to indicate a Head of State, a Commander-in-chief, and an Army military rank...
and charged with the command of a fort and surrounding territories, the training and equipment of soldiers and the supply of materiel.
See also
- There are several cities and towns in PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
named after this very princely title. These include Mirpur, in KashmirKashmirKashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, and Mirpurkhas, in SindhSindhSindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. - In the tribal societies of South Asia, many people used this word with or as rather as part of their names eg Mir Murtaza Bhutto, as happens with many titles (especially khanKhan (title)Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
), not only those holding a position as tribal or other leader. - MirMir (tribe)Mir Hindi: मिर) is a tribe which has descended from the Butt tribe in Kashmir Valley of Baramulla. It is also in Sindh Gilgit and Punjab provinces of Pakistan and India....
is a tribe in PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. - Mir of HunzaMir of HunzaThe Mir of Hunza was the title of the rulers of the Hunza Valley in the Northern Areas, Pakistan.The Mir used to have the Burushaski title of Tham, later changed to Mir. In 1974 the state became a part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan under the Pakistani Federal Government...
Sources and External links
- Platt's Dictionary of Urdu&Hindi
- RoyalArk - here India
- Royal Ark on princely states- here Pakistan, see each present country
- Pakistan's Northern Areas dilemma
- Northern Areas Development Gateway
- Pakistan's Northern Areas
- Northern Pakistan's Karakoram & Hindukush Mountains
- The Mountain Areas Conservancy Project