Mir (title)

Mir (Persian: مير, Kurdish: میر, Mîr) (which is derived from the Arabic title Emir 'general, prince') is a Persian and Kurdish title with variable connotations.

Not to be confused with Mir (clan).

Etymology

The term Mir has its roots in the Arabic equivalent Emir, which means Prince or General. Emir is derived from the Arabic root a-m-r, "command".[1]

Tribal Princes of the Persian Sunni Sayyids

It is the Persian version of the title of tribal leaders of Sayyids, that are addressed in the arabic world as Naqib. Examples for Persian Miran (Plural of Mir) are Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani and the family of the Mir Sayyid Hasan bin Azimullah and Hazrat Ishaan, that are today known as Dakik Family.[2][3]

Tribal Princes of the Kurdish Yazidis

In the Yazidi culture, the Mîr is the religious and also the administrative authority from the Qatani branch of the Sheikh caste. The former Mir was Tahseen Said Beg, whose son Hazim bin Tahsin Said and nephew Naif ben Dawood contest leadership.[4]

British Empire

The title Mir is also used by various Vassals of the British Empire, who are neither Sayyids nor Yezidi.

Examples

In Muslim princely states of British India, few rulers were formally styled Mir, notably in present Pakistan, where only two of the six have actually reached the level of salute state, becoming entitled to a gun salute and the attached form of address His Highness:

The following all remained non-salute states:

  • The Mir of Mirpur State, under a branch of the above Talpur clan, in Sind(h)
  • The Mir of Kharan; from 1921, restyled Sardar Bahador Nawab, till 1940 a vassal of the Khan and Wali of Khalat (the senior ruler in British/Pakistani Baluchistan)
  • Petty Pashtun Northwestern Frontier states

Mir was also used as an honor rank. (See: Mirza)

Compound Titles

In the subcontinent, since the Mughal period, various compounds were used in Persian including:

  • combined Indian princely styles, notably Sahibzada Mir
  • Mīr-tuzak or tǒzak: Marshal, in the sense of an officer who maintains order in a march or procession; master of the ceremonies
  • Mīr-dah or Mīr-daha: Commander or superintendent of ten: decurion; a Tithingman
  • Mīr-sāmān: Head steward
  • Mīr-shikār: Master of the hunt, chief huntsman; also Grand Falconer; hence bird-catcher, and (metaphorically) a pimp
  • Mīr-ě-ātash or Mīr-ātish: Chief of the fireworks; also Commandant of artillery, Master of the ordnance
  • Mīr-ě-majlis, shortened Mīr-majlis: Master of the ceremonies or president, chairman of a majlis (assembly)
  • Mīr-mahalla: Headman of a mahal(la), i.e. quarter (of a town)
  • Mīr-ě-manzil, shortened Mīr-manzil: Overseer of the halting-places; Quartermaster-general
  • Mīr-munshī: Chief secretary; Head (native) clerk of a (colonial) office.
  • 'Mir-Hashimi: leader in logar province of Afghanistan ( Mir Samim Hashimi)

In the Hindu kingdom of Nepal:

  • Mir Munshi, from the Arabic Amir-i-Munshi, 'commander of the secretaries', is the Chief Secretary of the Foreign Office.
  • Mir Umrao, from the Arabic Amir ul-Umara, 'commander of commanders': a senior military officer ranking below a Sardar and charged with the command of a fort and surrounding territories, the training and equipment of soldiers and the supply of material.

In the Baloch kingdom of Balochistan:

In the Ottoman Empire, Mir-i Miran was used as the Persian equivalent to the Turkish title Beylerbey ("Bey of Beys"), alongside the Arabic equivalent Amir al-Umara ("Emir of Emirs").[5]

See also
  • There are several cities and towns in Pakistan named after this princely title. These include Mirpur, in Kashmir, and Mirpurkhas, Mirpur Mathelo in Sindh.
  • Mir Ali Ayyubi
  • In the tribal societies of South Asia, many people used this word with or as rather as part of their names e.g. Mir Murtaza Bhutto, as happens with many titles (especially Khan), not only those holding a position as tribal or other leader.
  • Mir is a prominent family name among people of Kashmiri origin in Punjab province of Pakistan.
  • Amir (later Amir Nawwab) of Bahawalpur)

References
  1. The Encyclopaedic DictionaryA New, Original and Exhaustive Work of Reference to All English Words, Their Origin, Development, Orthography, Pronunciation, Meaning and Legitimate Or Customary Use
  2. Sir Walter Roper Lawrence (2005). The Valley of Kashmir. Asian Educational Services. p. 292. ISBN 978-81-206-1630-1.
  3. Tariq Jameel Gillani in Zikr Jameeliyya: On the greatness of Sayyid Mir Jan Shah Saheb
  4. Kreyenbroek, Philip G. (1995). Yezidism-Its Background, Observances and Textual Tradition. Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press. p. 126. ISBN 0773490043.
  5. Zetterstéen (1986), p. 446
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