Shah Murad

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Shahmurad was the first Emir of Bukharan Emirate, from 1785 to his death in 1800. His father was Ataliq Daniyal Biy (1758–1785). After Daniyal Biy's death, Shahmurad came to power.

Shahmurad was born in 1749 in Kermine into the family of a representative of the Uzbek aristocracy, Danial-Biy (1758-1785). He was the eldest of his eleven siblings. His mother was from Uzbek Kungrats. Shahmurad was the beloved son of his father, who affectionately called him Begijan. His political activity began during the life of Daniyal-biy. At first, he was the governor in Kermine, then in Karshi. Under the influence of his spiritual mentor, Sheikh Safar Shahmurad seriously delved into Sufi teaching. He locked himself in a mosque and practiced religious meditation. He motivated the refusal of the wealth inherited by his father due to reason that it was obtained by violence. Nevertheless, in 1780-1781 he was appointed the ruler of Samarkand and made a lot of efforts to restore the city. For his modest lifestyle, the people called him Amir Masum, which meant a sinless emir.^[1]

Shahmurad abolished the luxurious courtyard, and instead established a courtroom, where forty judges sat under the direct supervision of Shahmurad. According to some reports, the court was in session on Mondays and Fridays. Each judge had books written by Shahmurad in his hands. It can be assumed that these were books on jurisprudence. Shahmurad's works have not survived to this day. No one, regardless of his political and economic status, had the right not to come to the courtroom if he was summoned there. There were both high officials and slaves. Thus, Amir Shahmurad carried out judicial reform. According to Malcolm, the universal reverence of Shahmurad by the Uzbeks allowed him to make a number of successful campaigns. His army consisted mainly of cavalry, and with its help he subdued all the separatist possessions. Shahmurad himself stood at the head of the army during his campaigns and was dressed in the poor clothes of a representative of the religious class.^[2]

Historian Ahmad Donish (1827-1897), suggested periodizing the history of Central Asia on the basis of the rule of the most prominent rulers, the so-called renovators of the century, among whom he included Amir Masum, that is, Shahmurad. At the same time, along with these renovators, there were also the most knowledgeable scientists who advanced in the states of Maverannahr.^[3] Shahmurad maintained diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire.

Shahmurad died in 1800 and was succeeded by Haydar bin Shahmurad, (1800–1826).

References[]

Literature[]

• Akhmad Donish, Puteshestviye iz Bukhary Peterburg. Dushanbe, 1960.
• Holzwarth, Wolfgang. "Community Elders and State Agents: Īlbēgīs in the Emirate of Bukhara around 1900." Eurasian Studies (2011).
• Holzwarth, Wolfgang. "The Uzbek State as reflected in eighteenth-century Bukharan sources." Asiatische Studien 60, no. 2 (2006): 321–353.