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Draft:Malak Misri Khan Yusufzai

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Malak Misri Khan Yusufzai

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°Malak Misri Khan Yusufzai (Pashto: ملک مصری خان یوسفزئ) (Reign; 1553 - 1580), also known as Malak Misri Khan Salarzai, was a Pashtun chieftain and Ruler of Yusufzai tribe in the Mid 16th Century. His real name was Ali Asghar. He belonged to the Salarzai sub clan of Ilyaszai Yusufzai.The yusufzai tribe migrated from Parts of Afghanistan in 15-16th century and settled in the Peshawar and northern regions of current Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.Malak Misri Khan was the third Ruler after the establishment of yusufzai confederacy in 1520.He was preceded by Malak Gajju Khan and followed by Malik Ghazi Khan.[1][2]

Biography

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Ali Asghar alias Malak Misri Khan was the son of Mohammad Baba and grand son of Jalal Khan Salrazai Ilyaszai.[3]. The exact date of birth is not known. He belonged to the Mali khel subsection of Salarzai Ilyaszai.[4] . He assumed the leadership of Yusufzai in 1555 after Malak Gajju Khan. This was the time, Humayun was regaining power in India.[5] His reign is believed to have lasted untill 1580.His aides & advisors included yusufzai Malaks like Malak Hindal Shamozai,Malak Matha Khan Abakhel Akozai,Mullah Ibrahim salarzai Ilyaszai, Malak Tarkyal Umar Khel Mandanr & Malak Bama Daulatzai Malaizai.[6] Malak Misri Khan’s reign (1555–1580) overlaps the Roshaniyya movement’s first phase—but there’s no direct record of him personally endorsing or opposing the movement. The Yusufzai tribesmen joined the movement in the 1580s, especially during the rebellions under Pir Roshan’s successors and later Yusufzai leaders like Ghazi Khan & Kalu Khan. The precise date of his death remains uncertain; by the time the Roshaniya movement escalated into confrontations with the Mughal Empire in the Yusufzai territories around 1580s, Malak Mesri Khan had already passed away.[7] He is burried at village Sakhakot, Malakand District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Following the death of Malak Misri Khan, the unity of Yusufzai tribe was severely affected by internal conflicts due to differences on supporting the Roshaniya movement.The situation could only be successfuly resolved once Malak Kalu Khan took over the leadership of the tribe and unified his tribe once again. [8] It was during the reign of Kalu Khan that Mughals attacked the Yusufzais leading to battle at Malandry Pass, Buner.This resulted in major defeat to Mughal Emperor Akbar's Forces. Akbar's favorite Raja Birbal was killed along with his eight thousand soldiers in the battle of Malandri.(1586)[9] [10]

Grave of Malak Misri Khan Yusufzai at Sakhakot, District Malakand,Pakistan.

Legacy & Achievements

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The initial phase of the reign of Malak Misri Khan was a period of relatively calm for yusufzais as Suri,s dynasty rule in India was on decline and emperor Humayun was trying to reclaim his throne. The yusufzai area was largely free from external invasions or threats. As a result ,Malak Misri Khan attarcted limited attention in historical narratives compared to his predecessors. Malak Misri Khan took social and developmental initiatives during his reign which include :[11] 1. Water Management and Infrastructure: Malak Misri Khan initiated the construction of small dams and reservoirs to enhance water storage and agricultural productivity. Notable examples include Misri Khan Dhand located south of Nugram, and another reservoir at Gharghastu near Chach (present-day Hazro-Attock).2. Administrative Reforms: He introduced an administrative system by dividing the Yusufzai territory into local units known as Tapla—later referred to as Tappa—which improved governance and local management. 3. Territorial Consolidation and Security: Malak Misri Khan secured borders against rival clans. Measures such as the establishment of a strategic check post at Misri Banda, near present-day Nowshera, is one such example. 4. Road Building and Communication:Drawing inspiration from the legacy of the recently concluded Sur Empire under Sher Shah Suri, he focused on regional connectivity by constructing roads. Among these were roads connecting Swabi and Mardan,[12] Following his death around 1580, brief leadership by Ghazi Khan was followed by Malak Kalu Khan (1585) who would famously defeat Mughal forces at the Battle of Malandari Pass in 1586.[13] While often overshadowed by his more militarily renowned successor, Malak Misri Khan's contributions were vital.

  1. ^ Khan, Khan Roshan (1986). Yusufzai Qaum ki Sarguzasht. Karachi: Roshan Khan & Company.
  2. ^ "Yusufzai". Wikepedia. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  3. ^ Khan, Khan Roshan (1971). Tawareekh Hafiz Rahmat Khani (1st ed.). Peshawar: Pashto Academy Peshawar University. p. 483.
  4. ^ Khan, Ubaidullah Khan (2020). Qafila yusufzai Pathan. Peshawar: Imran Publications. p. 139.
  5. ^ Richards, John F. (1995). The Mughal Empire. The Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-56603-2.
  6. ^ Khan, Khan Roshan (1971). Tawareekh Hafiz Rahmat Khani. Peshawar: Pashto Academy University of Peshawar. p. 484.
  7. ^ Khan, Khan Roshan (1986). Pashtun qaum ki Sarguzasht. Roshan Khan & Co. p. 219.
  8. ^ Darweza, Akhund (1621). Tazkira. Original Manuscript.
  9. ^ Fisher, Michael H. (2016). A short History of Mughal Empire. London: I.B Tauris & Co. p. 50-51.
  10. ^ Richards, John F. (1995). The Mughal Empire. Cambridge University Press. p. 50-51. ISBN 978-0-521-56603-2.
  11. ^ Habibi, Abdul Hai (1979). Chronicles of Swat (PDF). p. 22-23.
  12. ^ Yousafi, Allah Bakhsh (1967). Tareekh Yusufzai Pathan. Peshawar: Adab Mahal. p. 223-227.
  13. ^ Sharma, S.R. (1940). Mughal Empire in India. Karnatak Publishing House. p. 278.
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