Author : Muneer Ahmad
KHAN—The word Khan has been traced back to certain tribal groups, including the Xianbi, Xiongnu, and Donub. The Xianbi are the prominent ones.
Xianbi: It was a tribal clan traced back to 6 BC. This kingdom ruled up to 234 AD and was related to the Mongols. This tribe, in association with other tribal groups, established small kingdoms across the world and called them Khan Raj. The rulers were called Khakan. Britishers termed it Khanate.
According to Karl August," They were the first to develop the Khanate System, in which the formation of social classes deepened, and developments also occurred in literature, art, and culture.
Initially, the word Khan was used for small tribal heads. later other areas were put under their control, even as some tribal people established "Tasawur Khan Raj" or " Tasawur Khan Riyasat" systems in far-off places. among these, the Dunubi System was the most famous.
Since these were against the central Kingdom, Mogols let these kingdoms rule against the fixed taxes.
MOGOL: This was a large tribal clan with many subclans living in the Greenlands of Uresia. Mongols were known for Horse riding, fights & bow & arrow expertise. To this clan belonged Chengiz Khan who established the strongest Mongol kingdom. For this strength, he was called KhaKan which means The world's Khanas calling him Chengiz Khan was considered disrespectful to him. To many European historians, Chengiz Khan was a Mughal King- Herold Lamb.
After becoming the King he kept his sons Chugtai Khan, Uktai Khan, Tolay Khan & Chochay Khan in in charge of kingdoms at different places. All these were called Khans.
From this clan came ' TAIMUR" who made Chengiz Khan's kingdom stronger and was titled " Ameer" the Head.
Later Zaheer Ud Din Babar from the family of Chugtai Khan came to India and established the Mongol / Mughal Kingdom this way the word KHAN became a common word here though it had reached here even before the Mongols.
MEANING OF KHAN: This word is found in many languages like Latin, Mandari, Indo Europian, and Indo Ariyan languages where it means the leader, the Commander, The head & the respected one. According to the Dictionary of America, it means The rich, Military ruler, an officer. This word has mostly been used as a mark of respect across communities.
Khan means INN as well. In India Khan was a title given to those who had come from Iran. In the Safvi Clan of Iran Khan was used as a region's Governor. In the 15th century when Shah Ismail Safvi became ruler of Iran he was titled Khakan Skinder. In India the use of the Khan word has been traced back to 1233 AD from Hyderabad, In India Khan was used initially for the respected visitors of Iran and Afghanistan. later it was used for the Military Commander who was in charge of ten thousand soldiers.
After the Mughals, this word was in usage in the Afghan period even as Britishers used this word like Khan Bahadur for Muslims & Rai Bahadur for Hindus as a title. But later this word was used more as a caste than as a title.
In J&K Khan term was first used by Hazrat Shiekh ul Alam ( ra) in this way.
It may seem unusual but it is a fact that Khan was used as a caste among Muslims, Hindus & Kashmiri Pandits.
