Khawas Khan Marwat

Khawas Khan Marwat
Died1552
OccupationSenior Commander of Sher Shah

Khawas Khan Marwat was one of the best generals of Sher Shah Suri,[1] having played a major role in defeating the Mughal Emperor Humayun in 1539 at the Battle of Chausa.[citation needed] He belonged to the Bahram branch of the Marwat tribe.[2] He was originally a poor fox hunter, but Sher Shah spotted his potential and elevated him to the position of a general. According to historical accounts he was born of a slave woman to a household of Lohani Marwats.

After victory in the Battle of Sammel, Khawas Khan Marwat took possession of Jodhpur and occupied the territory of Marwar from Ajmer to Mount Abu in 1544. When Hamayun fled from Agra towards Multan, Sher Shah dispatched Khawas Khan and the greater part of his army to pursue him and drive him beyond the borders of India.[citation needed] The Mughal division which had quit Hamayun and was marching toward Kabul, encountered Khawas Khan and not being strong enough, fled.[3] He then rejoined Sher Shah. Sher Shah built Rohtas Fort in Jehlum to keep down Gakhars and to block Emperor Humayun's return to India, and appointed Khawas Khan the administrative head of the fort.[4]

  1. ^ John Hutchison and Jean Philippe Vogel, History of the Panjab Hill States, Vol. 1, (AES, 1994), 137.
  2. ^ Dr. Syed Charagh Hussain Shah mentions “Ghawas Khan Marwat” as one of the famous Generals of Sher Shah Suri, when he defeated Mughal King Humayun in 1539. Ghawas Khan had also joined Haibat Khan Niazi and Isa Khan Niazi in their victorious campaigns in Bengal and Bihar. He was killed in a battle for power fought by Saleem Shah Suri. Other known figures in the line were: Sepoy Khan, Asghar Khan, Sikandar Khan, Gul Khan and Nur Khan (sons of Khawas Khan), Dr Syed Chiragh Hussain, Dood-e-Chiragh. (DI Khan. Ishrat Art Press. 1980). PP 31-34
  3. ^ Mughal Empire in India: A Systematic Study Including Source Material, Volume 1, page 124
  4. ^ "Khwas Khan of Rohtas". 23 December 2011.