![Sardar Ghulam Mohammad Tarzi of Afghanistan-cropped](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Sardar_Ghulam_Mohammad_Tarzi_of_Afghanistan-cropped.jpg)
''
Sardar
Sardar, also spelled as Sardaar/Sirdar ( fa, سردار, , 'commander', literally 'headmaster'), is a title of royalty and nobility that was originally used to denote princes, noblemen, chiefs, kings and other aristocrats. It has also been u ...
'' Ghulam Muhammad Khan Tarzi (born
Kandahar
Kandahar (; Kandahār, , Qandahār) is a List of cities in Afghanistan, city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population ...
, April 30, 1830 – 1900/1901) son of ''Sardar'' Rahim Dil Khan (and grandson of ''Sardar'' Payinda Khan Mohammadizi or ''Sardar'' Payinda Muhammad Khan) was a ruler of
Kandahar
Kandahar (; Kandahār, , Qandahār) is a List of cities in Afghanistan, city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population ...
. He was a
Pashtun
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
soldier, poet, and military leader in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. He is often credited with developing the traditional family name 'Tarzi,' which played a critical role in the
history of Afghanistan
The history of Afghanistan as a State (polity), state began in 1823 as the Emirate of Afghanistan after the exile of the Durrani dynasty, Sadozai monarchy to Herat (1793-1863), Herat. The Sadozai monarchy ruled the Afghan Durrani Empire, conside ...
.
Early life
Tarzi's family belonged to the royal sub-tribe known as the
Mohammadzai
Mohammadzai ( ps, محمدزی), also spelled Moḥammadzay (meaning "descendants of Mohammad"), is a Pashtun sub-tribe or clan of the Barakzai which is part of the Durrani confederacy of tribes. They are primarily centered on Kandahar, Kabul a ...
, the most powerful and prominent of the
Barakzai Dynasty
The two branches of the Barakzai dynasty (, "sons of Barak") ruled modern day Afghanistan from 1823 to 1973 when the monarchy ended under Musahiban Mohammed Zahir Shah. The Barakzai dynasty was established by Dost Mohammad Khan after the Durra ...
. A soldier in his youth, he later took up
poetry
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...
. Soon after, Amir
Dost Muhammad integrated him into the community of state princes and learned scholars. Tarzi was related to both Amir Dost Muhammad and his successor, Amir
Sher Ali Khan
Sher Ali Khan (); c. 1825 – 21 February 1879) was Amir of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1866 and from 1868 until his death in 1879. He was one of the sons of Dost Mohammed Khan, founder of the Barakzai dynasty in Afghanistan.
Life
Sher Ali Khan ...
.
[Official Web-site of Mahmud Tarzi: Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi Biog.]
Link
Chief
Evidence shows Tarzi as a Chief in southern Afghanistan, most likely holding the majority of the region his father held. A report from the Bombay foreign Secretary to the government of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
regarding Tarzi stated:
''"Sardar Gholam Mohammad of Kandahar
Kandahar (; Kandahār, , Qandahār) is a List of cities in Afghanistan, city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population ...
is the eldest son of Sardar Rahimdel. 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.''"
Sardar
Tarzi participated and led his men into battle in the
Second Anglo-Afghan War
The Second Anglo-Afghan War (Dari: جنگ دوم افغان و انگلیس, ps, د افغان-انګرېز دويمه جګړه) was a military conflict fought between the British Raj and the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the l ...
. After the war, he became one of the Sardars (leaders) whom the Amir accused of rebellion. He was expelled from Afghanistan in 1881.
Poet
He moved to
Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
and then to India. There, he returned to writing poetry and toured many major cities in India, where he was welcomed by the anti-monarchs. He took the pen-name "Tarzi" (the stylist/the intellectual) as he wrote religious, mystic and secular poetry in a personal style that became known from
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
to
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...
to India. He tired of India and moved his family to
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
, as invited guests of Sheikh Abdul-adar Ghilani. The British did not count him as a supporter and were glad to see him leave. Soon thereafter, the family moved to
Istanbul
Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
,
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
, where the
Sultan
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
bestowed royal favours and had them stay at a government house with a large monthly allowance. After a long tenure, they moved to
Damascus
)), is an adjective which means "spacious".
, motto =
, image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg
, image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg
, seal_type = Seal
, map_caption =
, ...
. Tarzi was known for intimate gatherings with city leaders to talk philosophy and ethics.
[Official Web-site of Mahmud Tarzi: Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi.]
Link
Later in life Tarzi reestablished contact with Amir
Abdur Rahman Khan
Abdur Rahman Khan GCSI (Pashto/Dari: ) (between 1840 and 1844 – 1 October 1901) was Emir of Afghanistan from 1880 to his death in 1901. He is known for uniting the country after years of internal fighting and negotiation of the Durand Line Ag ...
. Tarzi's name and his works are still well known in countries from
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
to China. He and his son
Mahmud Tarzi
Mahmud Tarzi ( ps, محمود طرزۍ, Dari: محمود بیگ طرزی; August 23, 1865 – November 22, 1933) was an Afghan politician and intellectual. He is known as the father of Afghan journalism. He became a key figure in the history of ...
became valuable academic sources in Western countries in the early 19th century.
Death
On December 8, 1900, he died in
Damascus
)), is an adjective which means "spacious".
, motto =
, image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg
, image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg
, seal_type = Seal
, map_caption =
, ...
,
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
, where he had come for vacation or on 5 February 1901. His fame and the political instability in Afghanistan 1888-1919 may be the reason for hiding the date. Formal funeral arrangements were made by the Syrian authorities. He was buried in the Hazrat Dahdah cemetery in Damascus, with leaders paying respects from over ten nations/empires.
Legacy
Tarzi is the father of Afghan leader
Mahmud Tarzi
Mahmud Tarzi ( ps, محمود طرزۍ, Dari: محمود بیگ طرزی; August 23, 1865 – November 22, 1933) was an Afghan politician and intellectual. He is known as the father of Afghan journalism. He became a key figure in the history of ...
who served as Ambassador and Foreign Minister of Afghanistan and was also a poet. Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi married 5 times, leaving 11 sons and 6 daughters Tarzi's granddaughter,
Soraya Tarzi
Soraya Tarzi (Pashto/Dari: ملکه ثريا; November 24, 1899 – April 20, 1968) was the first queen consort of Afghanistan as the wife of King Amanullah Khan. She played a major part in the modernization reforms of Amanullah Khan, particula ...
, became the first Queen consort of
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and an international women's leader.
References
External links
Official website of Mahmud Tarzi
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tarzi, Ghulam Muhammad
19th-century Afghan poets
Barakzai dynasty
1830 births
1900 deaths
Pashtun people
People of the Second Anglo-Afghan War
People from Kandahar
19th-century poets
19th-century Afghan politicians
19th-century Afghan writers