Sher Afghan Khan | |
|---|---|
 Mughal painting of Sher Afghan Khan c.16th—17th century | |
| Jagirdar of Badh-e-Dewan | |
| In office 1605–1607 | |
| Monarch | Jahangir |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ali Quli Istajlu Safavid Iran |
| Died | 1607 Badh-e-Dewan, Bengal Subah, Mughal Empire |
| Resting place | Raiganj, Bardhaman, West Bengal |
| Spouse | Nur Jahan |
| Children | Mihr-un-nissa Begum |
| Relatives | Shahryar Mirza (son-in-law) |
Ali Quli Istajlu, commonly known as Sher Afghan Khan (Persian: شيرافگن خان) initially served as the safarchi (lit. 'table-attendant') of Safavids, and later became a Mughal courtier, becoming the jagirdar of Burdwan in West Bengal (1605–1607). He was also the first husband of Nur Jahan (Mehrunissa), who later married Jahangir after Ali Quli Khan's death and became Empress of India and the power behind the emperor.
He was given the title Sher Afghan Khan (lit. 'tiger grappler') by Prince Salim, Jahangir after his meritorious actions during a war with the Rana of Mewar.[1][2][3] Ali Quli Khan Istajlu was educated under the instructions of Shah Ismail II of the Safavid dynasty in Iran.[4] Like his wife, Sher Afghan was also an immigrant from Persia, who fled from Iran to Kandahar, then in India.[3]
He was the father of a daughter called Mihr-un-nissa Begum, after she married Prince Shahryar, the fifth and youngest son of Jahangir and rival to Shah Jahan.[3]
- ^ Eraly 2000, p. 272.
- ^ Chandra 2005, p. 237.
- ^ a b c Ali Q (Beg, Istajlu, Sher Afghan Khan) Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Ain-i-Akbari, by Abul Fazl, tr. Heinrich Blochmann, The Asiatic Society of Bengal., Calcutta, 1873. Volume I, ch. 310, "'Alí Q.'s daughter, who, like her mother, had the name of Mihrunnisa, was later married to Prince Shahryar, Jahángír's fifth son.". Istajlu (Ustajlu), a Turkmen tribe surname
- ^ From the Memoirs of the Wázírs, Iqbalnama Archived 26 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine The History of India, Sir H. M. Elliot, London, 1867–1877, Volume 6, chpt. 148.