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Mirza (name)

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Mirza (Persian: میرزا Russian: мурза Circassian :мырзэ), (common variance in Tatar nobility as Morza) is of Persian origin, denoting the rank of a high nobleman or Prince[1]. It is usually translated into English as a royal or imperial Prince of the Blood. It signified male-line descent and relationship to the Imperial Families of India, Turkey and Persia and was the title borne by members of the highest aristocracies in Tatar states, such as Khanate of Kazan, Khanate of Astrakhan and in the Russian Empire (Under Catherine the Great's rule the Murza’s gained equal rights with the Russian nobility)[2]. In fact, Prince Felix Yusupov, the nephew-in-law of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia was descended from Abdul Mirza, the first Prince Yusopov[3].

The word Mīrzā is derived from the Persian term ‘Amīrzāde which literally means "child of the ‘Amīr" or "child of the ruler" in Persia. ‘Amīrzād in turn consists of the Arabic title ‘Amīr (engl. Emir), meaning "commander", and the Persian suffix -zād, meaning "birth" or "lineage". Due to vowel harmony in Turkic languages, the alternative pronunciation Morza (plural morzalar; derived from the Persian word)[4].

History

The titles themselves were given by the Kings, Sultans and 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 Title, although their usage differed. Aristocratic families (royal descent) from South Asia and individuals descended from the Persian nobility have the surname Mirza.[5]

In Persia, Mirza is the only hereditary title. This species of nobility is traced very far, and is not creative. The title descends to all the sons of the family, without exception. In Persian Royal families, if Mirza comes before a name, the individual is of the nobility or of high rank, such as Mirza Taghi Khan Amir-Nezam and Mirza Abolghasem Ghaem Magham Farahani, the Prime Ministers of Persia, but if the title follows the name, the individual is of royal birth and of imperial rank, thus, Prince Abbas Mirza, crown prince of Persia and another Prince of Persia, the Prince Abdol Hossein Mirza[6]

The title itself came from the title emir. Emir, meaning "commander", -derived from the Semitic root Amr, "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. [7]

But in Indian royal families, the title can be placed both before the name and after it, such as Prince Mirza Mughal and Prince Kamran Mirza of the Imperial family of India. Prince Khusrau Mirza was the grandson of Emperor Babur (Babur Mirza), son of Emperor Jahangir and a brother of Emperor Shah Jahan. Emperor Akbar Shah II was Prince Mirza Akbar before his coronation. Emperor Babur took the imperial title of Padishah on 6 March 1508, before which he used the title Mirza[8].

In the Indian subcontinent, especially Bengal and Bihar, the Mirzas are also known locally as the variant of Mridha (from Mirdhjah) usually due to the Bengali language not have a 'z' sounding alphabet[9].

Notable Mirzas

See also

Further Study

  • Life of a Mirza Chapter 7 (pg 225-227) The Empire of the Great Mughals: History, Art and Culture (2004) by Annemarie Schimmel ISBN 1861891857
  • Mirzah in The Wordsworth Dictionary of Phrase and Fable By Ebenezer Cobham Brewer: The quintessential guide to myth, folklore, legend, legend and literature. ISBN 1840223103
  • MI’RZA Chambers’s Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge For the People. ISBN 114998693X
  • A. Jaimoukha The Circassians: A Handbook Routledge, Palgrave, 2001, pp 157-60) ISBN 0312239947

References

Notes
  1. ^ The derivation of which word is from Emir {Amur a nobleman) and Zade a son, &c. This species of nobility is traced very far, and is not creative. The title descends to all the sons of the family, without exception. In the Royal family it is placed after the name instead of before it, thus, Abbas Mirza and Hosfiein .'Mi Mirza. Mirza is a civil title, and Khan is a military one. The title of Khan is creative, but not hereditary. pg 601 Monthly magazine and British register, Volume 34 Publisher Printed for R. Phillips, 1812 Original from Harvard University
  2. ^ [http://www.okcir.com/Articles%20V%201/MadinaTlostanova-FM.pdf Life in Samarkand Caucasus and Central Asia vis-à-vis Russia, the West, and Islam, Madina Tlostanova]: Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, HUMAN ARCHITECTURE: JOURNAL OF THE SOCIOLOGY OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE (ISSN: 1540-5699)]
  3. ^ Rulers of the Khanate of Crimea
  4. ^ Mirza in Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers
  5. ^ Sensagent.com reached: 30.06.2010
  6. ^ Webster’s Online Dictionary with Multilingual Thesaurus Translation :Meerza or Mirza
  7. ^ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=amir&searchmode=none EtymologyOnLine
  8. ^ pg 24. The Empire of the Great Mughals: History, Art and Culture
  9. ^ While local Bengal historians called the Lalbagh mosque as Khan Mo'hammad Mridha Mosque, the mughal scripts note him as Khan Muhammad Mirza as in https://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=4450
Sources
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