Mirza (name)

For other uses, see Mirza (name) (disambiguation).

The title Mirza (Template:PerB) is used for a member of a royal family or a member of the highest aristocracy, as well as children of a Sayyida mother. The name Mirza is still in use today by members of ruling or formerly ruling princely and royal houses all over the world. It does not contain an abbreviated style with it, like HRH (his/her royal highness), HH (his/her highness) and HM (his/her majesty). Although some, especially the salute states of India, did.

Etymology

Mirza, is derived from the Persian term "'Amīrzādeh'" which literally means "son of the emir" or "prince" ("prince of blood"). "Amīrzādeh" in turn comes from Amir, meaning ""prince"" and the Persian zādeh meaning "blood" or "lineage". Amirzada, the son of a prince (hence the Persian patronymic suffix -zade or zada), hence the Persian princely title Mirza. This title is still common in Persian/Persian influenced countries.

A similar title Morza (plural morzalar; derived from the Persian word) was a noble title in Tatar states, such as Khanate of Kazan, Khanate of Astrakhan and others, and in the Russian Empire later on.

History

The titles themselves were given by the kings, sultans or emperors (equivalent to the western fount of honour) to their sons and grandsons, or even distant kins. Noblemen loyal to the kings also received this Noble titles, although their usage differed.

The title itself came from the title emir. Emir, meaning "prince", -derived from the Semitic root Template:ArabDIN, "command". Originally simply meaning commander or leader, usually in reference to a group of people. It came to be used as a title of governors or rulers, usually in smaller states, and usually renders the English word "prince. Amir Sadri." The word entered English in 1595, from the French émir. .

Princely, ministerial and noble titles

• This title was also heavily used by the "Baigs" of a Turkic clan called Barlas. The Barlas clan commonly used the name Baig or Beg to identify honarary members of their clan. Mirza would be attached as a title, while Baig would be attached as the surname to all the patriarchs, thus creating the Mirza Baig lineage.

Today

The name today also has a high degree of usage in the Indian subcontinent although the diaspora is wide and stretches across the world from Europe to Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries (such as Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan etc).

For the Asian sub-continent usage, when prefixed to a last name it is a title of honour, but when annexed to a persons name it means a prince of royal blood. Few countries still used the title as an office or military rank, usually monarchies and emirates, but they are decreasing in numbers and "Mirza" is being added only as surnames, to reflect a royal or honorary/princely lineage.

Noble families and their descendants in South Asia & Central Asia have "Mirza" in their name or as a last name. (For example Mirza Mansur Baig, or Mansur Mirza)

Notable Mirzas

• Mirza Kuchak Khan: Persian revolutionary who led the Jungle Movement in the northern jungles of Gilan Province
• Mirza Ghalib (born: Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan), a famous Urdu and Persian poet from India who adorned the Mughal court
• Abbas Mirza, a crown prince of Persia
• Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, an Indian claimant of Messiah and Mahdi and founder of Ahmadiyya community
• Mirza Nali, son of emperor Akbar Shah II
• Jalaluddin Mirza, Defence Minister of Dighapatia Kings (during the Mughal Empire of India) and the Grand Nephew of Bahadur Shah II
• Iskandar Ali Mirza, was the first President & 4th Governor General of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956.
• Fahmida Mirza, She was elected as the first female Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan
• Muhammad Munawwar Mirza, was a prominent scholar, historian, writer and intellectual from Pakistan
• Mirza Khan of "Mirza & Sahiba" a tragic Romeo-and-Juliet-like love story enshrined in Panjabi literature and commonly told in The Panjab
• Mirza Ghiyas Beg, father of Mehrunissa, who became the Mughal Empress Nur Jahan, the last and favorite wife of Emperor Jahangir.
• House of Djamirze : Adygea Noble warrior Pshi Circassia . DOM ДЖАМИРЗЕ "Russian". Djamirza, Dzhamirze .

See also

• Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
• Nawab
• Shahzada
• Emir
• Baig
• Khanzada
• Sultanzada
• Assad

Sources and references

• Brewer's Dictionary of Phrases and Fable, 16th edition Revised by Adrian Room, 1999

• WorldStatesmen

• [1]

• [2]