Mahmud Khan Gujjar

Mahmud Khan Gujjar
Wazir
Jan Nisar Khan
Sardar of Dera Ghazi Khan
Reign1738 – 1772
PredecessorPosition established
SuccessorBarkhurdar Khan[1]
BornLate 1600s
Mughal Empire
Died1772
Sirhind
IssueAllahdad Khan
Fazil Khan
FatherMuhammad Yusuf

Mahmud Khan Gujjar (or Mahmood Khan) (died 1772) was the 18th-century Governor and de facto ruler of Dera Ghazi Khan district from 1738 till 1772. Initially, he served as a wazir under Mirrani governors of D.G Khan. He is credited as the founder of the Mahmood Kot area of D.G Khan district. During his rule, he built some important canals in the region.

Early life and history

Mahmud Khan Gujjar (or Mehmood Khan) served as the de facto ruler and governor of the Dera Ghazi Khan from around 1738 to 1772. He was the son of Yusuf Khan. He was born in a Gujjar family[2] of Punjab region. Previously he served as a grand wazir under Mirrani governors of D.G Khan.[3][4][5] Prior to Mahmud Khan, the area was under the control of Mirani governors who were ruling as a vassal of rulers of Khorasan.[6][a]

In the early 18th century, the Gujjars and Makhdums kept building and extending the flood canals to the southern part of the Dera Ghazi Khan district. By the 1740 CE they controlled most of southern Dera Ghazi Khan. Then Makhdum Rajan Shah of Sitapur stepped in. He was governor and custodian of a major sufi shrine on the Indus River.[7] He built 70 miles long Dhundi Canal. Mahmud Khan teamed up with the Durranis and Kalhoras[7] to overthrow Mirranis and then initiated a project to build and restore canals in D.G. Khan.[3][8][9][4][7]

The Punjab Government Gazetteer credits him with founding the settlement of Mehmood Kot (now a city) and initiating canal works in the region.[9] In 1713 C.E. he built two canals in D.G Khan named Nur and Yusuf (also known as Soan) canals.[5] Later, in 1723 C.E. he built Bisharat and Mahmud canals. During his rule, he built a fort named "Gujari" in Mahmood Kot area of D.G Khan.[10] Mahmood Kot fort in present-day Muzaffargarh District was also built by Mahmood Gujjar.[11]

The Mahmood Khan recognized the overlordship of Kalhora dynasty of Sindh.[12] In 1769, Ghulam Shah Kalhoro, the ruler of the Kalhora dynasty, attacked the Mirrani Balochs. He later appointed again Mahmood Khan Gujjar as governor of D.G. Khan and Mahmood was later succeed by his nephew Barkhurdhar Gujjar, who was later killed in 1779.[1]

After the death of Mahmud Khan Gujjar, the ruler of Khorasan made Mian Shah Nawaz next ruler of D.G. Khan. When his minister Guddu Ram was killed, unrest started. The king of Khorasan then ordered Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhora to act. Ghulam Shah came to Dera Ghazi Khan, arrested the last Mirani ruler, and took him to Sindh where he died and was buried. After that, Dera Ghazi Khan came under the king of Kabul's direct rule, with the Kalhora dynasty in charge.[13][6][14][a] After the end of rule of the Gujjars in D.G Khan next governors of D.G Khan were directly appointed by rulers of Khorasan in Afghanistan.[2][14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Arts series. Humanities & social sciences". Sind University Research Journal. 7 (01). Sind University Press: 35. 1968. In A.D. 1769, Ghulam Shah Kalhora, again attacked Dera Ghazi and finally drove out the Mir-ranis. He put in Mahmud Khan Gujar, as Governor, and Mahmud was succeeded by his nephew Barkhurdar, who was killed in A.D. 1779,...
  2. 1 2 Muzaffargarh E-gazzeters. Government of Punjab, Pakistan. p. 16. Mehmood Khan Gujjar became wazir to the last Ghazi Khan and, under the pretext of saving government from conspirators, called Ghulam Shah Kalhora, Governor of Sindh, who took Dera Ghazi Khan, arrested the last Ghazi Khan and carried him as a prisoner to Sindh, where he died. Ghulam Shah left Mehmood Khan as the Governor of Dera Ghazi Khan. He was maintained by the kings of Khurasan too, and received from them the title of Jan Nisar Khan. Mehmood Khan ruled for 30 years, and was succeeded by his nephew, Barkhurdar, who was superseded by governors sent directly from Khurasan. Mehmood Khan enjoyed good reputation as the governor. Besides other works, he built the fort of Mehmoodkot. The Shia Muslims in the district date from the time of the Kalhora invasion caused by Mehmood Khan. After the Gujjars, a number of governors were sent directly from Khurasan.
  3. 1 2 Gilmartin, David (2020-04-14). Blood and Water: The Indus River Basin in Modern History. Univ of California Press. pp. 36–37 & 48. ISBN 978-0-520-35553-8.
  4. 1 2 Haidar, Mansura (2004). Sufis, Sultans, and Feudal Orders: Professor Nurul Hasan Commemoration Volume. Manohar. pp. 340–341. ISBN 978-81-7304-548-6.
  5. 1 2 Bates, Charles Ellison (1995). Central Asia. Vol. 1 (1 ed.). Barbican. p. 443. ISBN 978-1-900056-35-9. ...of Ghazi Khan were fit to carry on the administration of the country; and Mahmud Gujar, who had risen from the post of Münshi (wazir), was appointed governor. In A. D. 1713 he excavated the Nur and Yusaf (now Soan) canals; in A. D. 1723 the Bisharat canal, and subsequently the Mahmüd canals, called after himself.
  6. 1 2 Akhtar, Sohail (2018-08-27). "Historical importance of District Rajanpur". Archaeology & Anthropology: Open Access. 2 (4). doi:10.31031/AAOA.2018.02.000544. Rule of Meeran was ended in 1767 by Mehmood Khan Gujar. King of Khurasan was the ruler of this region at that time and Meerani Governors associated themselves with the throne of Khurasan. Mehmood Khan Gujar continued his obedience with Khurasan Dynasty.
  7. 1 2 3 Khan, Azhar Ali (2025). "Pre-colonial Inundation Canals in Siraiki Area: A Case Study of Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur". ACADEMIA International Journal for Social Sciences. 4 (4): 935. ISSN 3006-6638. Makhdums and Gujars, continued to develop and expand the inundation canal system to southern reaches of the district. After gaining control much of southern parts of the district by 1740, Makhdum Rajan Shah of Sitpur, governor of Sitpur and sajjada nishin (custodian) of a prominent sufi shrine on the Indus, undertook a canal-building project and dug an almost 70-mile long big canal, namely Dhundi canal. In the late eighteenth century, Mahmud Khan Gujar usurped power from the Mirranis and while forging alliances with the Duranis and the Kalhoras, he sought to establish his political authority by encouraging an extensive new program of canal building and re-excavation.25 By the end of eighteenth century, an extensive network of inundation canal system—including Dhundi Canal, Hamalah, Bisharat Wah, Shoree Nullah and Manka Canal—had been established in Dera Ghazi Khan.
  8. ↑ Pakistan (Pakistan), West (1968). West Pakistan District Gazetteers, Volume "A" Compiled. Printed at the West Pakistan Government Press. p. 33.
  9. 1 2 Extracts from the District & States Gazetteers of the Punjab, Pakistan. Research Society of Pakistan, University of the Punjab. 1976. pp. 193 & 240.
  10. ↑ Rahi, Javaid (2012-01-01). The Gujjars Vol: 01 and 02 Edited by Dr. Javaid Rahi. Jammu and Kashmir Acacademy of Art, Culture , Languages , Jammu. p. 371. What an absurd suggestion is this: we see Mahmud Khan Gujar built a Gujri fort at Dera Ghazi Khan because he was a Gujar.
  11. ↑ ARCHAEOLOGY AND HARITAGE Sectoral Report: DERA GHAZI KHAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2024 THE URBAN UNIT (PDF). Government of Pakistan. 2024. p. 26. Mahmood Kot Fort in Muzaffargarh: Mahmood Kot was established by Mahmood Gujjar, who was the ruler of Dera Ghazi Khan in the 17th century and he built a fort here which he named after himself. The present condition of fort is very bad and during survey it was observed that most of the structure demolished now.
  12. ↑ N.A Baloch (1968). Sind University Research Journal: Arts series. Humanities & social sciences. Sind University Press. p. 35.
  13. ↑ Akhtar, S., Kausar, H., Fiaz, H. M. (2021). "THE SARAIKI KALHORAS DYNASTY OF DERA GHAZI KHAN" [سرائیکی خاندان کلہوڑا کے عہد کا ڈیرہ غازیخان.]. International Journal of Islamic Business, Administration and Social Sciences (IJIBASS) (in Urdu). 1 (04): 49–56.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. 1 2 Leghari, Dr. Arshad (2022-02-27). "On Ethnicity And History Of Dera Ghazi Khan | Dr Arshad Leghari". BSAC. Retrieved 2026-07-12. During earlier years of 18th century Kalhodas started having influence in the Sindh. Kalhodas defeated Governor of Sibbi with aid of Khan Of Kalat. Yar Muhammad Kalhoda became Governor of Sibbi, accepted the supremacy of Emperor of Delhi and settled in Sindh. Noor Muhammad Kalhoda son of Yar Muhammad Kalhoda marched towards North and defeated Mirani Baloch of Dera Jaat. Main time Nadir Shah got influence over western bank of River Indus. Noor Muhammad Kalhoda paid a handsome amount of homage to Nadir Shah. Mahmood Khan Gujar was appointed as Governor of Dera Ghazi Khan . Mahmood Khan Gujar arrested last Mirani Khan , who died in Hyder Abad later. Mahmood Khan Gujar was followed by his nephew who was killed in 1779. After that Governors of Dera Ghazi Khan came directly from Afghanistan.

Notes

  1. 1 2 Rulers of Khorasan (Khorasan dynasty), likely mentioned here were the Dhurrani rulers of the Durrani Empire, those were ruling at that time in the Khorasan region of Afghanistan.
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