| Abdullah Khan Barha Sayyid Miyan I | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nawab ofAjmer Nawab ofBijapur Sayyid Miyan I | |||||
 | |||||
| Subahdar ofAjmer | |||||
| Reign | ? – 1710 | ||||
| Predecessor | Position established | ||||
| Successor | Abdullah Khan II | ||||
| Subahdar ofBijapur | |||||
| Reign | 12 September 1686 – ? | ||||
| Born | Jansath,Mughal Empire | ||||
| Died | Ajmer,Mughal Empire | ||||
| Burial | |||||
| Issue |
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| House | Barha Dynasty | ||||
| Father | Nawab Ghulam Muhammad Khan Barha | ||||
| Religion | Shia Islam | ||||
Nawab Sayyid Abdullah Khan I also known asSayyid Mian I, was the father ofHassan Ali Khan Barha andHussain Ali Khan Barha, the two famousSayyid Brothers. His full name was Sayyid Abdullah Khan Tihanpuri, Tihanpur was the ancestral village of this branch ofSayyids inPatiala.[1]
Sayyid Mian, was a loyal serviceman ofAurangzeb, he became famous as a commander during theSiege of Bijapur for planning the trenches and leading assaults during the Siege of Bijapur. Due to his services he was appointed the firstMughalSubahdar ofBijapur.
Syed Mian belonged to theBarha dynasty, who claimed to be descendants of Muhammad, orSayyids, this claim was always dubious.[2][3] EmperorJahangir, although noting that people questioned their lineage, considered their bravery as a proof of their claims.[2] They took much pride in their Indian ancestry,[3] and according to the American historianRichard M. Eaton, were "as native to India as wereJats,Rajputs orMarathas."[4]Dirk H. A. Kolff writes that they were of peasant origins, the ancestors had moved at an uncertain date from their homeland inPunjab to a barren region inMuzaffarnagar district ofUttar Pradesh.[2]
By the time of theEmperor Aurangzeb, the dynasty was firmly regarded as "Old Nobility" and enjoyed the unique status of holding the premier realms ofAjmer andDakhin.[5]
Abdullah Khan Barha served in the succession war betweenAurangzeb and his BrotherDara Shikoh, on the side of Dara. After Dara's defeat, the Emperor Aurangzeb pardoned Abdullah Khan and allowed him to continue his military service in allegiance to him.
Abdullah Khan rose to fame during theSiege of Bijapur and afterwards was made the first Subedar ofBijapur. He later came to be made the Subedar ofAjmer and granted the title of "Sayyid Mian" by the Emperor Aurangzeb. His sonsHassan Ali Khan and Hussain Ali Khan served with the Imperial Prince ofAzim-U-Shan son of the Imperial PrinceMu'azzam. After helping Mu'azzam ascend to the throne of Delhi asBahdur Shah I. The new emperor awarded the bravery of the brothers for their service in the Battle of Agra, 1707, by giving them the Subedari ofAllahabad and latterPatna.[6]
His full name was Saiyid 'Âbidullâh Khân Tihanpürî alias Saiyid Miyân
On one side were the Saiyid brothers, whose Baraha clan of Indian Muslims was as native to India as were Jats, Rajputs or Marathas.