Raja Nahar Khan

**Raja Nahar Khan, Bahadur**
Raja Nahar Khan, Bahadur
	Wali-e-Mewat
Reign	1372-1402
Predecessor	Post Established
Successor	Khanzada Bahadur Khan
Issue	Khanzada Bahadur Khan, Malik Alaudin Khan, Shah Mehmood Khan, Pir Shahab Khan, Malik Haroon Khan, Siraj Khan, Fateh Khan, Noor Khan and Nizam Khan
House	Jadaun - cadet branch of Yaduvanshi Rajput (Chandravansh); Khanzada Rajput
Father	Raja Lakhan Pal

Wali-e-Mewat Raja Nahar Khan, Bahadur, f.k.a Raja Sonpar Pal, the ruler of Mewat, was the progenitor of Khanzada Rajput tribe. He converted to Islam during the era of Firuz Shah Tughlaq in 1355.

Background

He was the son of Jadaun Raja Lakhan Pal of Kotla Fort and great-grandson of Raja Adhan Pal (who was 4th in descent from Raja Tahan Pal).[1] Tahan Pal, who founded Timangarh, was the eldest son of Maharaja Bijai Pal (founder of Bijai Garh and Maharaja of Karauli), who was 88th in descent from Krishna.[2][3]

Conversion to Islam

Kunwar Sonpar Pal (later Raja Nahar Khan) and his brother Kunwar Samar Pal (later Chaju Khan), the sons of Jadon Raja Lakhan Pal, were in service of Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq of Delhi Sultanate. They were accompanying Sultan in one of his hunting expedition, where the Sultan was attacked by a tiger. Kunwar Sonpar Pal, with his brilliant archery skills, saved the Sultan by killing the tiger. Sultan Firuz then invited the brothers to embrace Islam. After accepting Islam, Sultan Firuz gave them the title of Khan. Kunwar Samar Pal name was changed to "Chahju Khan", while Kunwar Sonpar Pal was given the name of "Naher Khan".

Founder of Khanzada Rajput tribe

Naher Khan had nine sons, his descendants are known as Khanzada Rajput.

Wali of Mewat

Raja Nahar Khan of Kotla was a high ranking noble in the royal court of Delhi Sultanate. In 1372, Firuz Shah Tughlaq granted him the Lordship of Mewat. He established a hereditary polity in Mewat and proclaimed the title of Wali-e-Mewat. Later his descendants affirmed their own sovereignty in Mewat. They ruled Mewat till 1527. The last Khanzada Rajput ruler of Mewat was Hasan Khan Mewati, who died in the Battle of Khanwa.

Delhi Power Struggle

In 1388, Bahadar Nahar Khan aided Abu Bakr Shah , grandson of the late Emperor Firuz Shah Tughlaq, in expelling from Dehli Abubakar's uncle Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq and in establishing the former on the throne. In a few months, however, Abu Bkar had to give away before Nasiruddin, and he then fled to Bahadar Nahar's stronghold in Mewat State, where he was pursued by Nasiruddin. After a struggle Abubakar and Bahadar Nahar surrendered, and Abubakar was placed in confinement for life, but Bahadar Nahar received a robe and was allowed to depart.

Timur's Invasion of India

In 1398 during Timur's Invasion of Delhi, Nahar Khan withdrew to his Kotla Tijara and watched the development of events from there. Mewat State during this time was flooded with fugitives fleeing from Delhi and Khizr Khan, (the future Sultan of Delhi), was one of those who took shelter in Mewat. After defeating Nasiruddin, Timur sent two envoys to Mewat State who invited Wali of Mewat for a meeting with him. Nahar accepted this invitation and both met in 1398. As a gesture of goodwill and symbol of friendship Nahar Khan gifted Timur two white parrots, which Timur praised highly. Timur himself, make prominent mention of the conduct of Nahar Khan during the Invasion of India in AD 1398. Timur states that he sent an embassy to Nahar Khan at Kotila, to which a humble reply was received. Bahadar Nahar sent as a present two white parrots that belonged to the late Emperor. Timur remarks that these parrots were much prized by him.

Death

In 1402, Nahar Khan was killed in an ambush by his in-laws of Kishangarh Bas. After his death, his son Raja Bahadur Khan succeeded him as Wali-e-Mewat.

Legacy

He had nine sons namely Wali-e-Mewat Raja Bahadur Khan, Malik Alaudin Khan, Shah Mehmood Khan, Pir Shahab Khan, Malik Haroon Khan, Siraj Khan, Fateh Khan, Noor Khan and Nizam Khan. He was the progenitor of Khanzada Rajput community. Hasan Khan Mewati, Nawab Feroz Khan, Fateh Naseeb Khan, Abdul Kadir Khanzada and Shahzeb Khanzada are his direct descendants.

Haveli Naharwali, in Kucha Sadullah Khan of Chandani Chowk in Old Delhi, is said to be originally owned by him,[4] which later came in the ownership of family of former president of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, where he was born and his grandfather sold it to Prem Chand Gola after whom this area is now called Gola Market.[5]

References

Major P.W. Powlett (1878). Gazetteer of Ulwur. pp. 40–41.
Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 15, page 26 - Imperial Gazetteer of India - Digital South Asia Library
Panjab castes
Heritage | The Old Delhi dictionary, Livemint, 2 March 2013.
Haveli Naharvali, the-south-asian.com, June 2001.

Preceded by Post established	Wali-e-Mewat 1372 – 1402	Succeeded by Khanzada Bahadur Khan

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[Powlett40-1] Major P.W. Powlett (1878). Gazetteer of Ulwur. pp. 40–41.

[2] Imperial Gazetteer2 of India, Volume 15, page 26 - Imperial Gazetteer of India - Digital South Asia Library

[3] Panjab castes

[kuchkat1-4] Heritage | The Old Delhi dictionary, Livemint, 2 March 2013.

[gola1-5] Haveli Naharvali, the-south-asian.com, June 2001.