The Baranzai Dynastic Rule, 1903-1928

The Baluch revolt of 1896-1898 put an effective end to Qajar pretensions in Baluchistan and forced the British to work out a new modus vivendi in their relations with the Baluch sardars afterwards. In addition, the simultaneous weakening of the Qajar dynasty during the reign of Muzaffar-aI-Din Shah also played into the hands of the Baluchi sardards by enabling them to regain their independence for all intents and purposes by the turn of the century. Of these, the most powerful were Sardar Said Khan the ruler of coastal Makuran, and Amir Bahram Khan Baranzai, (Barakzai), the able Hakom of Dizak. Meanwhile, eastern Baluchistan had become engulfed in several anti-British uprisings that let the rebellious Baluchi sardars escape the advancing -British troops and seek the protection of Bahram Khan in 1901. Alarmed by the danger perceived from the likely collaboration of the Baluchi tribes of eastern and western Baluchistan, the British once again initiated a joint Anglo Persian expedition which besieged Bahram Khan in his headquarters in the forts of Dizak. This time, however, they were not successful in effecting a military victory against Bahram Khan and had to leave after a prolonged siege and inconclusive negotiations with the Baluchi Hakom. (35) This event paved the way for the rise of Baranzai rule in western Baluchistan.

Encouraged by this success, Bahram Khan began to expand his power and consolidate the rest of the country under his rule. By 1907, he was joined by Sardar Said Khan In an attelupt to wrest control of Bampur as the last Qajar stronghold in the country. In 1910, another Qajar force sent by. Sardar Nosrat, the cOluluander of the Kerman garrision, attempted to recapture Bampur, but was again defeated by

Bahram Khan. (36) The fame brought by this victory made him the acknowledged ruler of the whole country, enabling him to manage to extend his sway over the unruly tribes of Sarhad as well as the former" possession of the Said Khan in Makuran. (37) He turned Bampur into his capital where he directly controlled the extensive crown lands (amlak-e diwanl), which were one of his major sources of income.

During World War I, the Germans attempted to enter into relations with Bahram Khan with the aim of instigating him against the British, thus disrupting the British lines of communications and organizing raids into Afghanistan and British Baluchistan, As a result there were several anti-British disturbances resulting in loss of life to British officials stationed in Makuran in 1916.(38) To counter German designs, the British had to dispatch a mission of their own, headed by Maj. T. H. Keyes of the Political Department, to enter into a political arrangement for peaceful settlement of disputes with Bahram Khan. Accordingly, they won over the Baranzai chief by recognizing his position as the effective ruler of western Baluchistan, thus ending his raids into British Baluchistan. In justifying this agreement, Sir Percy Sykes has stated that "in view of the fact that Persian Baluchistan had broken its connection with Persia for many years, and that Bahrarn Khan, an upstart adventurer had recently led a raid across the British border Keyes deserved much credit.(39)

Moreover the agreement also served an additional purpose and that was to distract and neutralize Bahram Khan, while the British had launched a simultaneous pacification campaign against the tribes of Sarhad which formed, at least nominally, part of his domain. This operation, which was led by General Dyer, started. at the beginning of 1916 and was aimed at securing Sarhad, in northeastern Baluchistan, as a part of the Eastern Persian Cordon linking the British with their wartime Russian ally, thus preventing the Turko­-German agents from penetrating Afghanistan and British India. During the course of the operations, three of the Sarhad tribes, namely the Yar Mohammad Zai, Gamshad Zai, and Ismail Zai, joined forces against the British, while a fourth tribe, the Riki, cooperated with the enemy because one of its sardars had entered British service as a levy guiding Dyer in his march. After several months of hostilities, the British general captured thousan_s of th_ir sheep and other livestock thus forcing them to accept his terms of settlement: (40)

Bahram Khan was succeeded by his nephew Amir Doust Mohammad Khan Baluch Baranzai, who ruled independently until 1928. He successfully' pursued the vigorous policies of his predecessor in "'0 consolidating the entire western Baluchistan under his 'rule. In this connection, he launched a centralization campaign which curbed the immense powers traditionally enjoyed by the hereditary hakoms of the various principalities. Although the majority were confirmed in their positions upon sumbission, those who' refused were harshly treated and often eliminated, as was the case with the Bozorg Zada hakoms of Dizak. They were, however, allowed to retain part of the taxes collected as hagh-al-hokoma (the share or duty for government) in return for maintaining a contingency of armed men to be supplied to his government upon request. His revenues consisted of the income from the large agricultural estates held by his family in Dizak, the revenues from the crown lands and the traditional tax of tithe levied on crops and other individual incomes.

Amir Doust Mohammad Khan's successful attempt at consolidating his power in western Baluchistan coincided with the rise to power of Reza Khan in 1921, when his British-supported military coup d’etat established him, first, as the Minister of War, and1hen as the Prime Minster in 1923. By the. time he abolished the Qajar dynasty and ascended the Peacock throne wit the title of Riza Shah Pahlavi in 1925, he had subjugated the autonomous provinces of Gilan in 1921, Kurdistan in 1922, and Luristan in 1924. In 1925, he annexed the British-protected Arab principality of Khuzistan or "Arabistan", as it used to be called, which was ruled then by Shaikh Khazal of the Bani-ka’b tribe.(41)

These events did not pass unnoticed by Amir Doust Mohammad. In 1923-1924, he moved to impose his authority over the Sarhad region, which had been controlled by the British since 1916. This action was strongly resisted by the latter, thus reviving the old anti-British feeling in the Baranzai ruler as had been the case with his predecessor. In 1926, he is said to have offered and paid a sum of money as tax to the Persian government on the condition that the latter would not intervene in the affairs of Baluchistan. This step appears to have been taken to buy time to strengthen further his position f9r the anticipated eventuality of the Persian invasion. In addition, he had also begun to improve his relations with the Baluchi hakoms as a further step in strengthening his internal base of power. Moreover, he fortified his military position by stationing a force of more than 5,000 to guard the major forts which were scattered throughout southern and western Baluchistan. (42) <<---Go to Index---

(34) R. E. H. Dyer. The Raiders of sarhad (London. Witherby. 1921). pp. 42-43. 78.  (35) Great Britain, India Army, Intelligence Branch. Frontier and OvemeaJ Expeditions n-om f11dia, Selection n-om governmeJit Records (Quetta. MIS Nisa Traders. 1979). 3,254-62. The leader of the Baluchi rebellion against the British was Muhammad Omar Khan Nushiravani. who was assisted and protected by Bahram Khan as well as sardar Jial1d Jar Mohammad Zai of Sarhad.(36) A. Jahabani. Amaliyyat-e QlIshoOJl DEll" Baluchistan (The Campaigns of the Armed Forces in Baluchistan), 2nd ed. (Tehran. Majis Pt_blication, 1959). p.36 (37) Ibid., p. 37. See, also. coP. Skrine, "The highlands of Persian Baluchistan,” Geographicaljollrna178 (1931)1323. (38) Percy M. Sykes. A History of Persia. 3rd ed. (London, MacMillan & Co.. 1930),2.449 (39) Ibid., p. 454. (40) Ibid., pp. 454-55. According to Dyer. the Yar Mohammad Zai tribe was headed by Sardar Jiand Khan; the Gamshad Zai tribe by Sardar Khalil Khan, who was killed in the Battle of Gosht; and the Ismael Zai tribe by Sardar Jumma Khan. (41) Great BritAin, Admiralty, Naval Intelligence Division. Persia, pp. 307-8.