At a glance
- Roles
- Politician
- Era
- The Modern Era
- Region
- Persia & Central Asia · South Asia
- Review
- Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it
Life in time
Summary
Hasan 'Ali Shah was the first Nizari Ismaili Imam to hold the title Agha Khan. He died in 1881, and his successors kept the title and the community's seat in Bombay.
Encyclopaedia of Islam account
The Encyclopaedia of Islam (2nd ed.) describes Hasan 'Ali Shah as the bearer of the honorary title of Agha Khan at the court of the Qajar shahs. After his father Khalil Allah was murdered in 1817, he gained the favour of Fath 'Ali Shah, who gave him one of his daughters in marriage. In 1838, after intrigues at the court under Muhammad Shah, he revolted in Kirman. He was defeated and in 1840 fled to Sind, where he served Sir Charles Napier. He returned to Bombay in 1848. 1
Hasan 'Ali Shah was succeeded by his son 'Ali Shah, who died in 1885, and the title then passed to 'Ali Shah's son, Sultan Muhammad Shah. 1
Sources
- Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition (Leiden: Brill, 1954–2008), 13 volumes , vol. 1 p. 268
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “Hasan 'Ali Shah (first Agha Khan)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/hasan-ali-shah/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-25.