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BEGLARBEGI

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddin

"The title beglarbegi means "Governor General", a term derived from Turkish beylerbeyi means chief of the chief. In Iran, the Beglarbegi governed three sub-ordinate governors of a province, including deputy governor and lesser officials. Karim Khan Zand (d. 1193/1779) had a friendly relation with Imam Abul Hasan Ali and his brother Pir Mirza Muhammad Bakir. Later on, Karim Khan Zand appointed the Imam as the Beglarbegi of Kirman in 1170/1756. According to The Cambridge History of Iran (London, 1991, 7:85), "Eventually, Karim Khan appointed as beglerbegi an Ismaili Sayyid, Abul Hasan Ali Shah Mahallati, well respected locally for piety and generosity. His moral authority overrode the petty squabbles of the regional military governors, and his ample private income precluded any necessity for extortion or peculation."


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