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| Balochistan | |
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Prata Rajas
AE Unit (billion drachm).
Weight: 2.1g.
Diameter:
13mm. Ruler: probably Bhimajhunasa S/o Yolatanam |
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Lead Drachm. Fire flames. Weight:
8.12g.
Discovered at Dalbandin Western Balochistan formerly part of Eastern Siestan
and Zaranj.
Probably from 1st century CE. They are known as Fire Altar/attendants type [Barbaric Sassanide] coins. |
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Balochistan was the site of the earliest known
farming settlements in Indus Valley Civilization, the earliest of
which was Mehrgarh dated at 6500 BCE. Balochistan corresponds to the
ancient Achaemenid province of Gedrosia. Balochistan was sparsely
populated by various tribes, of Dravidian and Indo-Aryan origin, for
centuries following the decline of the nearby Harappa-Mohenjo-daro
civilisation to the east. Over time, Balochistan was invaded by
various Eurasian groups including the Persians, Greeks, Kushans,
Arabs, Turks, Mongols, Mughals, Afghans, and the British. Aryan
invasions appear to have led to the eventual demise of the Elamo-Dravidian
Brahui tribes who were original people of the land where Balochs
arrived later but now have mixed together. Aryan invasions appear to
likely they are an Iranian group who have possibly absorbed Arab
ancestry and cultural traits instead, it is also believed that
Baloch are of Arab blood, it could be they left the Arab world when
Iraq broke from Persia in 652 AD and there is historical evidence
that suggests they lived in (Khuzestan) and (Bushehr) before moving
to Kerman and Hormozgan. The Balochs began to arrive from their
homeland in north-west Iran and appear to be an offshoot of the
Medes, another branch being that of Kurdish tribes that would mainly
populate the western end of the Iranian plateau. The Baloch tribes
eventually became a sizeable group rivalled only by another Iranian
group where Brohis and Pashtuns came under influences of Balochs. In the 7th century the region was divided into two, the south was part of Kerman Province of the Persian Empire and the north was part of the Persian province Sistan. In early 644, Caliph Umar sent Suhail ibn Adi from Busra to conquer the Kerman region of Iran; he was made governor of Kerman. From Kerman he entered the western Baluchistan and conquered the region near to Persian frontiers. South Western Baluchistan was conquered during the campaign in Sistan the same year. During Caliph Uthman’s reign in 652, Baluchistan was re-conquered during the campaign against the revolt in Kerman, under the command of Majasha ibn Masood, it was first time when western Baluchistan came directly under the Laws of Caliphate and gave tribute on agriculture. In those days western Baluchistan was included in the dominion of Kerman. In 654 Abdulrehman ibn Samrah was made governor of Sistan, an Islamic army was sent under him to crush the revolt in Zarang, which is now in southern Afghanistan. Conquering Zarang a column moved north ward to conquer areas up to Kabul and Ghazni in Hindu Kush Mountains, while another column moved towards North western Baluchistan and conquered area up to the ancient city of Dawar and Qandabil (Bolan), by 654 the whole of what is now Baluchistan province of Pakistan was under the rule of Rashidun Caliphate except for the well defended mountain town of QaiQan (now Kalat), which was conquered during Caliph Ali’s reign. Abdulrehman ibn Samrah made Zaranj his provincial capital and remained governor of these conquered areas from 654 to 656, until Caliph Uthman was murdered. During the Caliphate of Ali, the areas of Baluchistan, Makran again broke into revolt. Due to civil war in the Islamic empire Ali was unable to deal with these areas until 660 when he sent a large force under the command of Haris ibn Marah Abdi towards Makran, Baluchistan and Sind. Haris ibn Marah Abdi arrived in Makran and conquered it by force then moved north ward to north eastern Baluchistan and re-conquered Qandabil (Bolan), then again moving south finally conquered Kalat after a fierce battle. |
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| Mir Chakar Khan Rind was the first Baloch chieftan in the 15th century. He is considered a folk hero of the Baloch people and an important figure in the Baloch epic Hani and Sheh Mureed. Mir Chakar lived in Sevi (modern city of Sibi) in the hills of Balochistan and became the head of Rind tribe at the age of 18 after the death of his father Mir Shahak Khan. Mir Chakar's fiefdom was shortlived because of a civil war between the Lashari and Rind tribes of Balochistan. Mir Chakar and Mir Gwaharam Khan Lashari, head of the Lashari tribe, went to war that resulted in thousands dead, including Mir Chakar's brother. The war and the gallantry of the two tribe leaders continues to be a part of the Baloch peoples' history. After the "Thirty Years' War" against the Lashari Tribe, Mir Chakar after his defeat at the hands of Lashari tribe left Balochistan and settled in the Punjab region in 1518. Mir Chakar settled in Satghara and gained power and respect in the area. Afghan King Sher Shah Suri approached Mir Chakar to unite with him to consolidate his gains. Mir Chakar appreciated the offer but refused to help Sher Shah Suri and managed to elude Afghan armies. Under the command of his son, Mir Shahdad Khan, his forces instead joined the Mughal army of Emperor Humayun in 1555 after a long exile in Persia. Emperor Humayun came back, recaptured Delhi, and ousted the Suri dynasty in 1556. As a reward, Emperor Humayun conferred a vast Jagir, including horses and slaves, to Mir Chakar. He died in 1565. People who accompanied Mir Chakar to Satghara after leaving Balochistan constructed a tomb for his body. Mir Chakar's tribe still live in southern Punjab to this day and speak the Seraiki language. Balochistan subsequently was dominated by empires based in Iran and Afghanistan as well as the Mughal Empire based in India. Nadir Shah won the allegiance of the rulers of Baluchistan, and later the successor of Nadir Shah, Ahmed Shah Durrani also won allegiance of that areas rulers. The area would eventually revert to local Baloch control, while parts of the northern regions would continue to be dominated by Pashtun tribes. | |
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1839 Eastern Baluchistan
was within British
sphere of influence; |
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Baluchistan during the British India period contained
four princely states: Makran, Kharan, Las Bela and Kalat. There was also a Omani port Gwadar (which later became part of
Pakistan on 08 Dec 1958). Las Bela was nominally subject to Kalat, whose ruler
could call on it for an armed force when required and claimed the right of
control over the amount of the dues levied on goods in transit from Sonmiani.
Las Bela chiefs (Jams) have always asserted and maintained a greater or less
degree of independence, their position being strengthened by matrimonial
alliances with the Khans of Kalat. Since the advent of the British, the bond of
connection between the two states has been almost entirely severed. The political pf the British Government with Baluchistan commences from the outbreak of the first Afghan War in 1839, when it was traversed by the Army of the Indus and was afterwards occupied until 1842 to protect the British lines of communications. The districts of Kachhi, Quetta and Mastung were handed over to Shah Shuja ul-Mulk and political officers were appointed to administer the country and organize a system of intelligence. Continual trouble occurred with the tribes in Kachhi and in 1840 Kahan, in the Marri hills was occupied by Captain Lewis Brown. Here has was besieged for five months by the Marris, who were defeated a relieving force under Major Clibborn. In the meantime the garrison at Quetta was attacked by the neighbouring tribes. On the retreat of this gathering to Dadhar and its defeat by a British force, Lieutenant Loveday, the assistant political agent at Kalat was murdered. The year 1841 opened auspiciously, but closed with the disaster at Kabul. This event reacted on the Baluchistan tribesmen. Fortunately the country was in charge of a man of brilliant abilities, Sir James Outram, and all remain quiet while England's column was pushed up to the Bolan Pass to Quetta at the beginning of 1842, only to be defeated in the unfortunate affairs of Haikalzai in Pishin. Then began thw withdrawal from Afghanistan; the districts which had been assigned to Shah Shuja were handed over to the Khan of Kalat and Quetta was finally evacuated in October. |
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Below are the ruler details of these princely states with Omani port Gwadar. Click Kalat for some more brief history of this region. |
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| Baluchistan - Province of British India | |
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19 Jun 1877 British India Baluchistan Province and Tribal Areas. 1896 Province of British India. 15 Aug 1947 Baluchistan becames province of Pakistan. 15 Aug 1947 - 1948 Ruler of Kalat declares Baluchistan independent. 03 Oct 1952 - 14 Oct 1955 The four Baluchistan states form the Baluchistan States Union, with the Wali of Kalat as Khan-e A`zam of the Union. 20 Jun 1958 - 1958 Ruler of Kalat again declares Baluchistan independent. |
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| On 19 Jun 1877, British occupies Quetta. Baluchistan becomes British India's province on 01 Oct 1877. From 01 Nov 1877 incorporated into British India. | |
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| Pakistan or refer to Pakistan's Balochistan Governors and Chief Ministers. | |
| Countries / Territories | |
| Chiefa Coins | |
