# Azam Jan Khan

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{{short description|Khan of Kalat (1931 - 1933)}}
{{infobox royalty
| title        = Beglar Begi<br>[Nawab Bahadur](/source/Nawab_Bahadur)
| succession   = [Khan](/source/Khan_(title)) of [Kalat](/source/Khanate_of_Kalat)
| reign        = December 1931{{sndash}}10 September 1933
| predecessor  = Mahmud Khan II
| successor    = [Ahmad Yar Khan](/source/Ahmad_of_Kalat)
| birth_date   = 1870
| death_date   = 10 September 1933
| issue        = {{ubl|Akram Jan|[Ahmad Yar Khan](/source/Ahmad_of_Kalat)|Abdul Rahim|Abdul Karim}}
| father       = [Khudadad Khan](/source/Khudadad_Khan_(ruler))
| investiture  = 26 April 1932
}}
[Mir](/source/Mir_(title)) [Sir](/source/Sir) '''Azam Jan Khan''' {{small|[GCIE](/source/Order_of_the_Indian_Empire)}} ([Balochi](/source/Balochi_language), [Urdu](/source/Urdu): {{Nastaliq|اعظم جان خان}}) was the [Khan](/source/Khan_(title)) of [Kalat](/source/Khanate_of_Kalat) from 1931 until his death in 1933.

== Early life and family ==
He was born about 1870 to [Khudadad Khan](/source/Khudadad_Khan_(ruler)).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Soszynski |first=Henry |title=KALAT |url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/k/kalat.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331200253/http://members.iinet.net.au/~royalty/ips/k/kalat.html |archive-date=2017-03-31 |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=members.iinet.net.au}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Not Available |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.34582 |title=Memoranda On The Indian States 1930 |date=1933 |pages=6–7}}</ref> His mother was a [Gichki](/source/Gichki).<ref name=":8">{{Cite book |last=Superintendent Government Printing India |first=Calcutta |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.206448 |title=List Of Leading Personages In Baluchistan |date=1921 |pages=2}}</ref> He served as [commandant](/source/commandant) of the artillery regiment in the army of [Kalat](/source/Khanate_of_Kalat) during his father’s reign.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Mir Ahmed Yar Khan |url=http://archive.org/details/InsideBalochistan |title=Inside Balochistan: autobiography of Mir Ahmed Yar Khan |date=1975-03-09 |pages=96,109–110}}</ref> In 1893, when the [Government of India](/source/British_government_of_India) deposed his father, they offered him the vacant throne of [Kalat](/source/Khanate_of_Kalat).<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Rāshdī |first=ʻAlī Muḥammadu |url=http://archive.org/details/sindhwaysdaysshi0000rash |title=Sindh, ways and days : shikar and other memories |date=2003 |publisher=Oxford; New York : Oxford University Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-19-579768-8 |pages=138}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3KopAAAAYAAJ |title=The Liberal and the New Dispensation |date=1893 |publisher=R.S. Bhattacharji |pages=4 |language=en}}</ref> He declined the offer, stating, “A father in prison and in exile, and his son on the vacant throne? My father did not bring me into this world for that purpose. I would rather share his fate and remain in exile like him than become the ruler of [Kalat](/source/Khanate_of_Kalat).”<ref name=":2" /> He subsequently went to [Quetta](/source/Quetta) in self-imposed exile.<ref name=":2" />

He remained for a time in confinement at [Loralai](/source/Loralai), from which, upon his release, he served for approximately six months as an assistant to the political agent at [Zhob](/source/Zhob).<ref name=":8" /> He paid a visit to [Quetta](/source/Quetta) in December 1899 and, in February 1900, accompanied the political agent at [Zhob](/source/Zhob) on a brief visit to [Lahore](/source/Lahore).<ref name=":8" /> He was sent in 1922 to govern [Makran](/source/Makran) as its [Nazim](/source/Nazim) on behalf of his brother Mahmud Khan.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.csl.6499 |title=Collection of treaties : engagements and sanads relating to India and neighbouring countries |date=1933 |publisher=Manager of Publications, Delhi |pages=332–333}}</ref> He was granted an agricultural loan by the [Government of India](/source/British_government_of_India) to enable him to purchase land and settle down.<ref name=":8" /> In addition, he received Rs. 1,800 per mensem from Mahmud Khan, Rs. 1,650 for himself, and Rs. 150 for the education of his sons.<ref name=":8" /> He had four sons: Akram Jan, [Ahmad Yar Khan](/source/Ahmad_Yar_Khan), Abdul Rahim, and Abdul Karim.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

In 1920, his brother, Mahmud Khan, the then ruler of [Kalat](/source/Khanate_of_Kalat), became severely ill and was unable to govern.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4hcnAQAAIAAJ |title=The Feudatory and zemindari India |date=1933 |pages=30 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Baloch |first=Hameed |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KHMMAQAAMAAJ |title=The Balochistan Chronicles: The Archives of the Times, London and the New York Times on Balochistan, from 1842-2007 |date=2008 |publisher=Sayad Hashmi Reference Library |pages=319–320 |language=en}}</ref> The [Kalat State National Party](/source/Kalat_State_National_Party) negotiated with him, despite objections from the then [prime minister](/source/prime_minister) of [Kalat](/source/Khanate_of_Kalat), Shams Shah, and brought him in to administer state affairs with the approval of the [Government of India](/source/British_government_of_India).<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" /> He administered the affairs for nearly 17 months.<ref name=":3" />

== Reign ==
When his brother Mahmud Khan died without leaving issue by a wife of position on 3 November 1931, the throne of [Kalat](/source/Khanate_of_Kalat) became vacant.<ref name=":1" /> Azam Jan Khan succeeded him in December 1931, following the unanimous approval of his succession by the [sardar](/source/sardar)s of all [Baluchistan](/source/Balochistan), including those of the [Barhui](/source/Brahui_people) confederacy, of which he was the head, in accordance with ancient custom.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /> One of the first actions he took was to replace Shams Shah with Gul Muhammad Khan as his new [prime minister](/source/prime_minister).<ref name=":5" /> On the occasion, he also abolished [forced labour](/source/forced_labour) within his dominions.<ref name=":3" /> He also removed all existing restrictions on the movement of agricultural and other goods, and announced his intention to uphold the recently revised constitution of the enlarged council.<ref name=":3" /> He also announced that he would increase the number of schools and hospitals within his dominions and would work for the welfare of the people of [Kachhi](/source/Kachhi_District), who had become homeless due to years of neglect of irrigation sources.<ref name=":3" /> He fulfilled the promises he had made.<ref name=":3" />

It was not until 26 April 1932 that Azam Jan Khan was formally installed.<ref name=":6" /> To officiate the installation, [Lord Willingdon](/source/Freeman_Freeman-Thomas%2C_1st_Marquess_of_Willingdon), the then [Viceroy and Governor-General of India](/source/Governor-General_of_India), and [his wife](/source/Marie_Freeman-Thomas%2C_Marchioness_of_Willingdon), arrived in [Quetta](/source/Quetta) by air.<ref name=":7">{{Cite book |last=Not Available |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.42376 |title=Speeches By The Earl Of Willingdon  Vol. 1 |date=1935 |pages=128–131}}</ref> It was the first occasion on which a Viceroy had arrived in Quetta by air, and also the first time a Viceroy had installed a Khan of Kalat.<ref name=":7" /> To commemorate the occasion, a [durbar](/source/Durbar_(court)) was held at the racecourse in Quetta.<ref name=":9">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/illustrated-london-news-1930-1939 |title=Illustrated London News 1930-1939 |pages=935}}</ref> Azam Jan Khan, the Viceroy and Lady Willingdon were seated on golden thrones.<ref name=":9" /> The new Khan wore a white robe embroidered with gold, along with the traditional head-dress of his ancestors, studded with [emerald](/source/emerald)s and other precious stones.<ref name=":9" /> A total of 200 nobles of [Kalat](/source/Khanate_of_Kalat) attended the [durbar](/source/Durbar_(court)).<ref name=":9" />

== Death ==
He died on 10 September 1933 and was succeeded by his son, [Ahmad Yar Khan](/source/Ahmad_of_Kalat), as the [Khan](/source/Khan_(title)) of [Kalat](/source/Khanate_of_Kalat).<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Manager Of Publications Delhi |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.275347 |title=Memoranda On The Indian States 1935 |pages=4–5}}</ref>

== Honours ==
He was appointed [Knight Grand Commander](/source/Knight_Grand_Commander) of the [Order of the Indian Empire](/source/Order_of_the_Indian_Empire) on 3 June 1932 by [George V](/source/George_V).<ref name=":6" /> He was entitled to a salute of 21 guns as a personal distinction.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Epstein |first=M. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Statesman_s_Year_Book/SYzJDQAAQBAJ?hl=en |title=The Statesman's Year-Book: Statistical and Historical Annual of the States of the World for the Year 1933 |date=2016-12-24 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-0-230-27062-6 |pages=169 |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Azam Jan}}
Category:1870 births
Category:1933 deaths
Category:Pakistani royalty
Category:Khans of Kalat
Category:People from British India
Category:Knights Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Azam Jan Khan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azam_Jan_Khan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azam_Jan_Khan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.