Alakozai

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Alakozai (Pashto: الکوزی ‎ - meaning descendant of Alako in Pashto) is the name of a Pashtun tribe in Afghanistan. Spelling variations include Alakozay, Alekozai, Alekuzei, Alikozai, Alokozay, Alakoozi, Alkozai, Alokzai, Halakozai, Alecozay, Alikusi,and Alakuzei.

History

Predigree of King Dost Mohammad Khan of Afghanistan, whose stepmother was an Alakozai. The figure shows the branching of the Abdal dynasty into the Popal (founder of the Popalzai; in figure spelled 'Fofal'), Barak (founder of the alikzai), and Alako (founder of the Alakozai) line (the fourth branch, Achakzai, is missing).

Genealogical table of the Durrani dynasty. The Alekozais are a sideline of the Zirak branch.

History of Afghanistan, principal ruling families. The figure shows the splitting of the Zirak line into the Popalzai, Alakozai, Achakzai and Barakzai branches.^[1]

The Alakozai are a sub-tribe of the Abdali Pashtuns of Afghanistan.^[2] They are one of four sub-tribes belonging to the Zirak branch of the Durrani - Tareen - Bor Tareen - Abdali dynasty.^[3][4] Their eponymous ancestor is supposed to be Alako, son of King Zirak Khan, son of Abdali, son of Tareen,^[5][6] son of Sharif ud-din (Sharakh-bun), son of Ibrahim Sari (Saraband), son of Qais ul-Laik ('Abdu'r Rashid Pathan).,^[5] he was the arisch chief of Ghor, and converted to Islam by the Islamic prophet Muhammad.^[5] It is said that Alako was buried at Nicharah, a valley in the Harboi mountains to the east of Kalt in Baluchistan.^[7]

Distribution

The Alakozai are found primarily in Helmand, Kandahar, Kabul, Laghman, Kunar Sarkani District and Herat provinces in Afghanistan, and form the majority of the population in the Sangin District. Jaldak, which is located 110 km northeast of Kandahar, is the original domicile of the Alakozai tribe.^[8] The Alakozai people stretch from Farah to Kandahar, and constitute a majority in the Arghandab District of Kandahar. ^[9] The Arghandab district was given to the Alakozai tribe by King Nadir Shah, who brought down the Safavid empire of Persia with the help of the Alakozai in 1738.^[10] Arghandab was referred to by the Greek historians as Arakozia, or the "Land of Arako/Aloko".^[11][12] Alexander the Great faced a fierce resistance from the forefathers of the Alokozai's in Arghandab. Arghandab is also mentioned as Saraswati in Rigveda, and Harwati in Avesta.^[12]

Notable individuals

• Queen Zarghoona Alakozai (mother of King Ahmad Shah Durrani, founder of the Durrani Empire).^[13][14]
• Abdul Ghani Alakozai, governor of Nadirabad^[15] and chieftain of the Durrani,^[16] under King Nader Shah.
• Juma Khan Alakozai, governor of Kashmir (1788–1792). His administration was faced by serious floods, Shia - Sunni riots and rioting by the Bambas. He died of dysentery in 1792.^[17]
• Abdullah Khan Alakozai, governor of Kashmir (1795–1807, under King Zaman Shah Durrani).^{[17][18][19][20]}
• Shah Aghasi Nawab Khan Alakozai, governor of Kashmir (18..–1840)
• Yar Mahomed Khan Alakuzei (circa 1842) Minister under King Shahzada Kamran Durrani.^[21] Minister-regent at Herat, he served as Vizier of Herat from 1829 to 1842, and was the son of Painda Khan.^[22]
• Mohammad Khan Azimi(1851–1855), son of Yar Muhammad Khan and minister-regent at Herat. Herat was occupied by Iran from 1852 to 1853.^[22]
• 'Abd al-Ghani Khan Alikozai (maternal uncle of King Ahmad Shah Durrani), governor of Kandahar during Ahmad Shah Durrani's reign.^[23]
• Zarghuna Begum Alakozai, wife of Governor Sardar Muhammad Zaman Khan of Jalalabad (1839 to 1842),^[24] and daughter of Khalu Khan Alakozai.
• Queen Alakozai, stepmother of King Dost Mohammad Khan of Afghanistan,^[25] and wife of Sardār Pāyenda Khan, chief of the Barakzai clan.
• Mullah Naqib (c.1950 - October 11, 2007), famous freedom fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, politician and peace maker from Kandahar. He was one of the most respected elders of the Alakozai Pashtun tribe in the Kandahar area.^[10][26]
• Salim Khan, Bollywood actor and screenwriter.^[27][28][29]
• Salman Khan, very famous Bollywood actor and international star.

Coins

Picture of one Afghan Rupee Jendek, Yar Muhammad Khan Alakuzei, Herat, Mar 1842 - 01 Jun 1851, AH1260.

• Yar Muhammad Khan Alecozay (Herat, Mar 1842 - 01 Jun 1851, AH1260):
  • AR ½ rupee A-3153, KM-405.1, very fine^[22]
  • AR jendak A-3154, KM-404, the jendak was equal to 1/6 of the canonical Mughal rupee, very fine, estimated value $175–200.^[22][30]
• Muhammad Yusuf Khan Alakuzei (Herat, 1851–1856):
  • AR ½ rupee ND, A-3156, KM-A406, crude vf-ef^[22]
• Sayyed Mohammad Khan Alakuzei (Herat, 01 Jun 1851 - 15 Sep 1855):
  • ??? ^[22]

Trivia

For other usage of Alekozai view:

• Alokozay-Group of Companies
• Alokozay-Tea (YouTube channel, Alokozay-Tea UK, Alokozay-Tea Afghanistan)
• Alokozay-Foundation Dubai U.A.E.
• Alekozai Afghan Calendar Project

See also

• Mohammadzai
• Barakzai
• Popalzai
• Achakzai
• Sarbans
• Tareen
• Pathan
• Pashtun tribes

References

External links

• Alikozai Tribal Dynamics from the Tribal Analysis Center
• The Khyber Gateway Alakozai