Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi
Encyclopedia
Sardar
Ghulam Muhammad Khan
Tarzi (born Kandahar
, April 30, 1830 – December 8, 1900) son of Sardar Rahim Dil Khan, was the ruler of Kandahar
and Baluchistan
. He is often given credit for developing the family name "Tarzi", which would go on to play critical roles in the history of Afghanistan
. Sardar Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi was a soldier, poet and a leader in Afghanistan
.
. The Mohamedzai is the most powerful and prominent of the Barakzai Dynasty
. After being a soldier in his youth, Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi took up his great interest in poetry. Soon after, he was integrated by Amir Dost Muhammad into the community of state princes and learned scholar. Tarzi was related to both Amir Dost Muhammad and his successor, Amir Sher Ali Khan
.
Politically, there is evidence which shows Tarzi as a Chief in southern Afghanistan, most likely holding the majority of the region his father held. In a report from the Bombay foreign Secretary to the government of India
regarding Tarzi, it was written that
Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi, was a Pashtun
leader, participated and lead his men into battle in the Second Anglo-Afghan War
. However, soon after the fighting was finished, he was one of the Sardar's (leaders) whom the Amir accused of rebellion. This expelled him from Afghanistan in 1881. He would move to Karachi
and then to India. There he would again begin writing his poetry and tour many major cities in India, and was always welcomed by the anti-monarchs in the country. Ghulam Muhammad took the pen-name "Tarzi" (the stylist/the intellectual) because he wrote a large body of religious, mystic and secular poetry with his very personal style that was well known from Syria
to Turkmenistan
to India. After he grew tired of India, he moved his family to Baghdad
, as invited guests of Sheikh Abdul-adar Ghilani. British
controlled India was happy to see him leave, as the British did not count him as a supporter. Soon thereafter, they would make another move to Istanbul
, Turkey
, where the Sultan bestowed upon the family all royal favours and had them stay at a government house with a large monthly allowance. During their stay as imperial guests, they met most of the ministers and other dignitaries. After a long tenure, they made their final move to Damascus
. Tarzi was known for his intimate gatherings with city leaders to talk philosophy and ethics on daily basis.
Tarzi would later in his life re-establish contact with Amir Abdur Rahman Khan
and exchanged many ideas. Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi's name and his works were and are still well-known in the eastern countries, from Iran
to India to even China. He, and his son Mahmud Tarzi, would become valuable academic sources in Western countries as well in the early 19th century.
In 1897, Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi for the last time made the pilgrimage to Mecca
. It was on December 8, 1900, he died in Damascus
, Syria
, where he had come for vacation. Formal funeral arrangements were made by the Syrian authorities. He was buried in the Hazrat Dahdah cemetery in Damascus, with country leaders paying respects from over ten nations/empires.
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...
Ghulam Muhammad Khan
Khan (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...
Tarzi (born Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
, April 30, 1830 – December 8, 1900) son of Sardar Rahim Dil Khan, was the ruler of Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
and Baluchistan
Balochistan (region)
Balochistan or Baluchistan is an arid, mountainous region in the Iranian plateau in Southwest Asia; it includes part of southeastern Iran, western Pakistan, and southwestern Afghanistan. The area is named after the numerous Baloch tribes, Iranian peoples who moved into the area from the west...
. He is often given credit for developing the family name "Tarzi", which would go on to play critical roles in the history of Afghanistan
History of Afghanistan
The written history of Afghanistan can be traced back to the Achaemenid Empire ca. 500 BCE, although evidence indicates that an advanced degree of urbanized culture has existed in the land since between 3000 and 2000 BCE. Alexander the Great and his Macedonian army arrived to Afghanistan in 330 BCE...
. Sardar Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi was a soldier, poet and a leader in 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...
.
Biography
Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi's family belonged to the royal sub-tribe known as the MohamedzaiMohamedzai
Mohammadzai is the name of several Pashtun tribes found in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran....
. The Mohamedzai is the most powerful and prominent of the Barakzai Dynasty
Barakzai dynasty
The Barakzai dynasty ruled Afghanistan from 1826 until 1929 or 1973 when the monarchy rule finally ended under Mohammad Zahir Shah. The Barakzai dynasty was established by Dost Mohammad Khan after the Durrani dynasty of Ahmad Shah Durrani was removed from power...
. After being a soldier in his youth, Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi took up his great interest in poetry. Soon after, he was integrated by Amir Dost Muhammad into the community of state princes and learned scholar. Tarzi was related to both Amir Dost Muhammad and his successor, Amir Sher Ali Khan
Sher Ali Khan
Sher Ali Khan was Amir of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1866 and from 1868 until his death in 1879. He was the third son of Dost Mohammed Khan, founder of the Barakzai Dynasty in Afghanistan....
.
Politically, there is evidence which shows Tarzi as a Chief in southern Afghanistan, most likely holding the majority of the region his father held. In a report from the Bombay foreign Secretary to the government of 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...
regarding Tarzi, it was written that
"Sardar Gholam Mohammad of KandaharThe latter part of the letter has been confirmed, as it is known that Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi was a nationalist. The sentence regarding his cousin not having a good opinion of him was because the cousin was loyal to the British at that time.KandaharKandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
is the eldest son of Sardar Rahmdel. Our scant information indicates that at one time he was a prominent chief but there is no actual evidence that he held an important post in Afghanistan at this time. His cousin, the governor does not have a good opinion of him. As far as we know, he has never rendered a service to the British government and therefore we are in no way indebted to him."
Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi, was a Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
leader, participated and lead his men into battle in the Second Anglo-Afghan War
Second Anglo-Afghan War
The Second Anglo-Afghan War was fought between the United Kingdom and Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the nation was ruled by Sher Ali Khan of the Barakzai dynasty, the son of former Emir Dost Mohammad Khan. This was the second time British India invaded Afghanistan. The war ended in a manner...
. However, soon after the fighting was finished, he was one of the Sardar's (leaders) whom the Amir accused of rebellion. This expelled him from Afghanistan in 1881. He would move to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
and then to India. There he would again begin writing his poetry and tour many major cities in India, and was always welcomed by the anti-monarchs in the country. Ghulam Muhammad took the pen-name "Tarzi" (the stylist/the intellectual) because he wrote a large body of religious, mystic and secular poetry with his very personal style that was well known from Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
to Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
to India. After he grew tired of India, he moved his family to Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, as invited guests of Sheikh Abdul-adar Ghilani. British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
controlled India was happy to see him leave, as the British did not count him as a supporter. Soon thereafter, they would make another move to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, where the Sultan bestowed upon the family all royal favours and had them stay at a government house with a large monthly allowance. During their stay as imperial guests, they met most of the ministers and other dignitaries. After a long tenure, they made their final move to Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. Tarzi was known for his intimate gatherings with city leaders to talk philosophy and ethics on daily basis.
Tarzi would later in his life re-establish contact with Amir Abdur Rahman Khan
Abdur Rahman Khan
Abdur Rahman Khan was Emir of Afghanistan from 1880 to 1901.The third son of Mohammad Afzal Khan, and grandson of Dost Mohammad Khan, Abdur Rahman Khan was considered a strong ruler who re-established the writ of the Afghan government in Kabul after the disarray that followed the second...
and exchanged many ideas. Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi's name and his works were and are still well-known in the eastern countries, from 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...
to India to even China. He, and his son Mahmud Tarzi, would become valuable academic sources in Western countries as well in the early 19th century.
In 1897, Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi for the last time made the pilgrimage to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. It was on December 8, 1900, he died in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, where he had come for vacation. Formal funeral arrangements were made by the Syrian authorities. He was buried in the Hazrat Dahdah cemetery in Damascus, with country leaders paying respects from over ten nations/empires.
Legacy
- Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi is the father of the famed Afghan leader Mahmud TarziMahmud TarziMahmūd Bēg Tarzī was one of Afghanistan's greatest intellectuals. He is known as the father of Afghan journalism...
who would not only become a poet, but Ambassador and Foreign Minister of Afghanistan. - Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi married 5 times leaving with 11 sons and 6 daughters
- There is no exact date of death for Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi, due to his fame and the political instability in Afghanistan 1988-1919 which may be the reason for hiding the event dated and placed as 5 February 1901.
- Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi's granddaughter, Soraya TarziSoraya TarziSoraya Tarzi, known mostly as Queen Soraya, was the Queen of Afghanistan in the early 20th century and the wife of King Amanullah Khan. She is the only woman to appear on the list of rulers in Afghanistan, although wife of King Amanullah Khan...
, would go on to become Queen of AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , 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...
and an international women's leader.