This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Carboncapturer (talk | contribs) at 19:23, 23 September 2023 (far too many falsifications made here. allow me to provide the sources, all of this according to encyclopedic references even chatgpt are widely known truths. again i will provide sources today so no need to get involved until all the facts & evidence have been linked. thank you). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 19:23, 23 September 2023 by Carboncapturer (talk | contribs) (far too many falsifications made here. allow me to provide the sources, all of this according to encyclopedic references even chatgpt are widely known truths. again i will provide sources today so no need to get involved until all the facts & evidence have been linked. thank you)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The title "Shah," meaning "king," holds significant historical and cultural importance, historically used by the leading figures of Iranian monarchies. It was not limited to Iran but also extended its influence across various Persianate societies and regions, including India, the Ottoman Empire, the Kazakh Khanate, the Khanate of Bukhara, the Emirate of Bukhara, and more. The term "Shah" signifies royalty and supreme authority, with each Iranian ruler regarding themselves as the Shahanshah (شاهنشاه, Šâhanšâh, lit. 'King of Kings') or Padishah (پادشاه, Pâdešâh, lit. 'Master King'), reflecting a continuation of the original Persian Empire.
Etymology
The word "Shah" descends from Old Persian xšāyaθiya, meaning "king." While it was once considered a borrowing from Median, recent analyses suggest it as a genuine, inherited Persian formation related to reigning and ruling. The full Old Persian title of the Achaemenid rulers of the First Persian Empire was Xšāyaθiya Xšāyaθiyānām or Šâhân Šâh, translating to "King of Kings" or "Emperor," with ancient precedents dating back to the Middle Assyrian period.
Historical Significance
"Shah," or Šâhanšâh (King of Kings), was the esteemed title of the Persian emperors. It includes rulers of the Achaemenid dynasty, who unified Persia in the sixth century BC, and created a vast intercontinental empire, as well as rulers of succeeding dynasties throughout history until the 20th century and the Imperial House of Pahlavi. While in Western sources, the Ottoman monarch is most often referred to as a Sultan, in Ottoman territory, he was often referred to as Padishah, and several used the title "Shah" in their tughras. Their male offspring received the title of Şehzade, or prince (literally, "offspring of the Shah"), reflecting the prominence of the title.
In Western languages, "Shah" was initially used as a specific royal title rather than an imperial one, although the monarchs of Persia regarded themselves as emperors of the Persian Empire. This perception changed in the Napoleonic era, when Persia was an ally of the Western powers eager to make the Ottoman Sultan release his hold on various (mainly Christian) European parts of the Ottoman Empire, and western (Christian) emperors obtained Ottoman acknowledgement to render their imperial styles as "padishah."
In the twentieth century, the Shah of Persia, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, officially adopted the title شاهنشاه Šâhanšâh and, in western languages, the rendering "Emperor." He also styled his wife شهبانو Shahbânū ("Empress"). Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was the last Shah, as the Iranian monarchy was abolished after the 1979 Iranian Revolution.
Usage in India
The title "Shah" also found its place in India's historical narrative, where it was embraced by various dynasties and rulers to signify their royal authority and position. India's recorded history predates that of Iran, and the usage of "Shah" in India was influenced by cultural exchanges and Persianate influences, particularly during the Mughal Empire and other historical periods.
Notable Indian Dynasties and Rulers Using the Title "Shah"
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate, a prominent Muslim dynasty in India, saw several rulers who used the title "Shah." Notable Shahs: Alauddin Khalji, Muhammad bin Tughluq, and Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Emperors, originally of Mongol-Turkic origin, adopted the title "Badshah," which is synonymous with "Shah," to signify their imperial authority. Notable Shahs: Akbar the Great, Shah Jahan (known for the construction of the Taj Mahal), Aurangzeb, and others.
Bengal Sultanate
The Bengal Sultanate featured rulers who used the title "Shah." Notable Shahs: Ghiyasuddin Azam Shah and others.
Golkonda Sultanate
In the Golkonda Sultanate, located in southern India, rulers adopted the title "Shah." Notable Shahs: Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah and others.
Gujarat Sultanate
The Sultanate of Gujarat had rulers who used the title "Shah." Notable Shahs: Bahadur Shah and others.
Bijapur Sultanate
The Sultanate of Bijapur, situated in the Deccan region, featured rulers who used the title "Shah." Notable Shahs: Yusuf Adil Shah and others.
Jaunpur Sultanate
The Jaunpur Sultanate, located in northern India, had rulers who used the title "Shah." Notable Shahs: Mahmud Sharqi and others.
These examples showcase the adoption of the title "Shah" in India by various dynasties and rulers throughout its history. While the usage of "Shah" in India was influenced by Persian culture and history, it holds a significant place in the country's rich heritage.
Ruler Styles
From the reign of Ashot II, the Bagratid kings of Armenia used the title shahanshah, meaning "king of kings." The title Padishah (Great King) was adopted from the Iranians by the Ottomans and by various other monarchs claiming imperial rank, such as the Mughals that established their dynasty in the Indian subcontinent. Another subsidiary style of the Ottoman and Mughal rulers was Shah-i Alam Panah, meaning "the king that is the refuge of the world." The Shah-Armens ("Kings of Armenia," sometimes known as Ahlahshahs), used the title Shāh-i Arman (lit. "Shah of Armenians").
Shahzade
In the realm of a shah (or a loftier derived ruler style), a prince or princess of the royal blood was logically called shahzada as the term is derived from shah using the Persian patronymic suffix -zâde or -zâdeh, "born from" or "descendant of." However, the precise full styles can differ in the court traditions of each shah's kingdom. This title was given to the princes of the Ottoman Empire (Şehzade, Ottoman Turkish: شهزاده) and was used by the princes of Islamic India (Shahzāda, Urdu: شہزاده, Bengali: শাহজাদা, romanized: Shāhozāda) such as in the Mughal Empire. The Mughals and the Sultans of Delhi were not of Indian origin but of Mongol-Turkic origin and were heavily influenced by Persian culture, a continuation of traditions and habits ever since the Persian language was first introduced into the region by Persianized Turkic and Afghan dynasties centuries earlier.
Thus, in Oudh, only sons of the sovereign shah bahadur (see above) were by birthright styled "Shahzada Mirza Bahadur," though this style could also be extended to individual grandsons and even further relatives. Other male descendants of the sovereign in the male line were merely styled "Mirza " or " Mirza." This could even apply to non-Muslim dynasties. For example, the younger sons of the ruling Sikh maharaja of Punjab were styled "Shahzada Singh Bahadur."
The borrowing shahajada, "Shah's son," taken from the Mughal title Shahzada, was the usual princely title borne by the grandsons and male descendants of a Nepalese sovereign in the male line of the Shah dynasty until its abolition in 2008. For the heir to a "Persian-style" shah's royal throne, more specific titles were used, containing the key element Vali Ahad, usually in addition to shahzada, where his junior siblings enjoyed this style.
Other Styles
Shahbanu (Persian شهبانو, Šahbânū): Persian term using the word shah and the Persian suffix -banu ("lady"): Empress, in modern times, the official title of Empress Farah Pahlavi. Shahpur (Persian شاهپور Šâhpur): Derived from shah using the archaic Persian suffix -pur "son, male descendant," to address the Prince. Shahdokht (Persian شاهدخت Šâhdoxt): Another term derived from shah using the Persian patronymic suffix -dokht "daughter, female descendant," to address the Princess of the imperial households. Shahzade (Persian شاهزاده Šâhzâde): Persian termination for prince (lit; offspring of the Shah); used by Ottoman Turks in the form Şehzade. Malek ol-Moluk (Persian: ملک الملوک): "King of kings," an Arabic title used by the Iranian Buyids, a Persianized form of the Abbasid amir al-umara. Related Terms
The term "Satrap," often used in Western languages for a governor of a Persian province, is a distortion of xšaθrapāvan, literally "guardian of the realm," which derives from the word xšaθra, an Old Persian word meaning "realm, province," related etymologically to "Shah." Additionally, the phrase "Maq'ad-è-Šâh" is believed to be the origin of the name "Mogadishu," signifying "seat of the Shah" and reflecting the city's early Persian influence. The English word "check-mate" is derived from "shah," and related terms such as "chess" and "exchequer" likewise originate from the Persian word, with their modern senses having developed from the original meaning of the king piece.
See also
References
External links
- Last name: Shah at surnamedb.com
- WorldStatesmen – here Iran; see each present country
- Etymology OnLine
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