A bulk of the Ismailis alternated between Baku in Azerbaijan and Muynuk in Uzbekistan on the Aral Sea, which was the headquarters of the Ismaili Imams soon after the fall of the Alamut rule in 1256. The Ismailis thickly resided in these regions for over six centuries. The Aral Sea is situated in the Kazakh and Uzbekistan, about 175 miles east of the Caspian Sea. Between the 13th and 16th century no report about the Aral Sea has been handed down. Abul Ghazi Bahadur Khan (1603-1663) made a first report of Aral (island) as the place where the Amu Darya runs into the lake in his work, "Shajera-i Terakime" (comp. in 1659). The lake received the name of Aral Tenizi i.e., Aral Sea in the reign of Muhammad Rahim Khan (1806-1826). The lake is of importance for the surrounding population because of its fishing industry.
Count Subazi'ali (ov) was an eminent leader in this region in the time of the Aga Khan I. He had immense land holdings and wealth. A titled prince with over fifty villages and a hundred thousand servants, he bred horses in the Steppes for the Russian cavalry. Cossacks, the royal mounted military force and a major military power of warlike horsemen, using his mounts had shattered Napoleons legions when the French army retreated from Moscow on October 19, 1812. Count Subazi'ali (ov) enjoyed a class rapport with Romenov Czar Nicholes I (1825-1855) and was a frequent guest to the While Palace of Saint Petersburg. He was established in Romenov hierarchy. Yet, he went along with his fellow Ismailis.
It is to be pointed out that the Talpur Mirs had 25862 soldiers, including 17000 Baluchis with 11 guns in the decisive battle of Miani. In comparison, the British army comprised of H.M. 22nd Regiment (526), No. 1., 1st Grendier (250), No. 1., 12th Regiment (487), No.1., 25th Regiment (300), 9th Bengal Cavalry (406), Sind Irregular horsemen (483) and 2 Companies foot artillery (12 guns), making a total strength of 2452 soldiers. How curious it is to learn that the British obtained the services of the Aga Khan in Sind, who had hardly 200 to 300 horsemen when they had superior fire power and military organisation of their adversary. How could a handful cavalry became useful against the overwhelm odds? What should have been his services that forced the British to grant him a pension, title and lands?
It is however recently delved that the secret of the success of the British was the timely help of Count Subazi'ali (ov). The Aga Khan seems to have permitted the Count to bring over ten thousand well trained Ismaili warriors from Central Asia to join the British army. It was kept so secret that Sir Charles Napier and few other European commanders, who knew it, did not divulge it in their correspondences. The British stalwarts Col. Charles Stoddart (1806-1842) and Cap. Arthur Conolly (1807-1842) are reported to have arranged to send the Ismaili warriors from Bukhara to Sind. In doing so, Count Subazi'ali (ov) fell out with Romenov Czar Nicholes and Nasrullah (1827-1860), the tyrant Shibanid ruler of Bukhara, who confiscated his lands and breeding studs.
Count Subazi'ali (ov) and his soldiers were white and red skinned, akin to the English people. When Count commanded his soldiers, clad in the British military uniforms in the battlefield, the soldiers of the Mirs thought that it was a detachment of the British and failed to perceive the distinctive features. As a result, the fact also escaped the notice of the historians, such as William Napier, Napier Bruce, Rice Holmes, William Butler, Sir John Fortescue, Sir Patrick Cadell, Mir Yar Mohammad, Seth Naomul Hotchand, Syed Ihsan Ali Shah, etc.
In sum, Count Subazi'ali (ov) joined the British army and inflicted a defeat to the ruler of Sind at the battle of Miani within three and a half hours. This was the very services gratuitously rendered by the Aga Khan in Sind, which remained secret for a long time. It also appears that while going to Jerruk from Hyderabad, the Aga Khan did not allow his followers of the Central Asia to join him in order to conceal their identifications.
If the participation of these Ismailis had been known publicly, it is possible that the supporters of the Mirs and the Baluchis had executed a widespread massacre of the Ismailis in the villages of Sind.
Soon after the battle of Miani, an average Ismailis of Central Asia returned to their homeland. Some among them however settled in Mulla Katiar, Tando Muhammad Khan and Tando Bagho. Count Subazi'ali (ov) remained with the Imam in Jerruk, and then settled in Mulla Katiar till death.