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Amir Khan (Pathan chief, founder of the state of Tonk, 1768–1834)

أمير خان (زعيم البَتان، مؤسس طونك)

– †

† Hijri date derived by computation from the Gregorian/Julian date; it may differ from the transmitted date by a day or two.

Amir Khan, a Pathan predatory chief born at Sambhal in Rohilkhand, who began as a sihbandi soldier for zamindars and Maratha officials, became a leader of bandits, and was given the title nawab in 1798 by Jaswant Rao Holkar. By his treaty of 1817 with Lord Hastings he kept his territories, and so founded the state of Tonk 1.

Depth

At a glance

Roles
military-leader
Era
The Colonial Era
Region
South Asia
Review
Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it

Life in time

1675170017251750177518001825185018751900 c. c.
The Colonial Era · The Gunpowder Empires Contemporaries: al-Rahmati · al-Shawkani · Hamdan Khoja · Hasan al-'Attar · Sidi ibn al-Mukhtar al-Abyiri

Wars and campaigns

Overview

Amir Khan (1768-1834) was a famous Pathan predatory chief and associate of Jaswant Rao Holkar. 2

Early career

He was born at Sambhal in the Muradabad district of Rohilkhand. As a young man he and his followers were employed by zamindars and Maratha officials as sihbandi troops for collecting revenue. He quickly became a leader of bandits and was successively employed by the rulers of Bhopal, Indore and Jaipur. In 1798 Jaswant Rao Holkar gave him the title of nawab. In the following year he plundered Saugor and the country around it, and in 1809 he tried to advance into Berar, but Lord Minto sent troops to the area and frustrated him. 2

Treaty and state

By 1817 his army numbered 8,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry and 200 guns. In the same year, aware of British strength, he concluded a treaty with Lord Hastings, the governor-general: provided he disbanded his army, his territories were guaranteed to him. He thus became the founder of the state of Tonk, which was merged into the Union of Rajasthan in 1948. 1

People and things also explored

Ahl al-Harb (the people at war with the Muslims, their status and the rules that govern dealings with them)· Anfal (spoils and the other gains taken from the enemy, and their divisions)· The angels at Badr· Dissuading others from fighting· Ghanima (spoils of war)· Hudna (truce with non-Muslims)· Hujna (hybridness, in the fiqh sense: spoils shares and speech)· The fifth of spoils (khums)

Sources

  1. Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition (Leiden: Brill, 1954–2008), 13 volumes , vol. 1 p. 466-467
  2. Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition (Leiden: Brill, 1954–2008), 13 volumes , vol. 1 p. 466
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Amir Khan (Pathan chief, founder of the state of Tonk, 1768–1834)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/amir-khan-pathan-chief/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-25.

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People

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Ahl al-Harb (the people at war with the Muslims, their status and the rules that govern dealings with them)

Ahl al-harb are non-Muslims who have not entered a covenant of protection and enjoy neither the safe-conduct nor the treaty of the Muslims. They are distinguished from the protected people, the rebels, those with a treaty and those under safe-conduct; a protected person, a treaty-holder or a holder of safe-conduct becomes a combatant by joining the land of war or by breaking the covenant. Their blood and property are lawful to take where there is no covenant, and are protected where there is one. The Muslim may not betray them once they have granted him safe-conduct; the destruction of their property is allowed by agreement where it serves the Muslims, and the jurists differ where it serves no purpose. Gifts and alms to them are allowed by the majority, a will in favour of a named person is allowed by the Shafi'is and Hanbalis but not by the Hanafis and Malikis, and an endowment in their favour is void by agreement. Food and similar goods may be exported to them; arms may not be exported in war. A Muslim man may marry a Christian or Jewish woman of the land of war, as of the protected people.