A few years ago there was a bit of a scandal involving Justin
Trudeau's Caribbean vacation to visit Aga Khan's private
residence. This article isn't about Justin Trudeau or the
trouble he got himself into though. Rather, I wanted to look at
the hereditary succession of the Aga Khans (which is not a
name but a title for the leader of the Nizari Ismaili Muslims).
I hope everyone will agree its actually a more interesting
topic.
Trudeau's Caribbean vacation to visit Aga Khan's private
residence. This article isn't about Justin Trudeau or the
trouble he got himself into though. Rather, I wanted to look at
the hereditary succession of the Aga Khans (which is not a
name but a title for the leader of the Nizari Ismaili Muslims).
I hope everyone will agree its actually a more interesting
topic.
Who Are The Nizari?
I'm going to be very brief here as it concerns theological issues
within a religious tradition which I do not belong. Simply put,
the Nizari Ismailis are the second largest branch of Shia Islam
after the Twelvers. Shia Islam places great importance on
the imams, who are descended from the prophet Mohammed,
and who lead the Shia community. The current leader of the
Nizari is the 49th imam. At various times the imams have
held temporal power; most notably the Fatimids. I am not
going back that far. Rather, I am going to start with the first
imam to hold the title of Aga Khan and go from there.
within a religious tradition which I do not belong. Simply put,
the Nizari Ismailis are the second largest branch of Shia Islam
after the Twelvers. Shia Islam places great importance on
the imams, who are descended from the prophet Mohammed,
and who lead the Shia community. The current leader of the
Nizari is the 49th imam. At various times the imams have
held temporal power; most notably the Fatimids. I am not
going back that far. Rather, I am going to start with the first
imam to hold the title of Aga Khan and go from there.
Hasan Ali Shah (Aga Khan I)
Hasan Ali Shah was born in 1804
in Kahak, Iran. His father was
killed in 1957 by a radical Twelver
after which he inherited the
position of imam at the age of 14.
While his father had resided in
Iran on a permanent basis, the
growing Nizari community in
India would continue to pull the
young Hasan towards the
subcontinent (as would his
eventual status as an outlaw). Imam Hasan Ali Shah would
marry the daughter of the Persian Shah, Princess Sarv-i-
Jahan Khanum. Along with a large dowry he was granted the
governorship of Qumm and was bestowed the honorific of
Aga Khan. Imam Hasan Ali Shah was appointed governor
of Kerman in 1835.
This appointment was less cushy than the previous one as
Kerman was occupied by a rebel pretender the the throne and
was subject to raids from Afghanistan. Despite restoring order
to Kerman and two neighbouring districts his efforts went
unappreciated and he was removed from the position in 1837.
Or he would have been except he refused to step down and
with the assistance of his two brothers prepared to be put
under siege by government forces. He was besieged at Bam
for 14 months before realizing further resistance would be
pointless. Following attempts to secure safe passage, betrayal,
imprisonment, and trial before the Shah he was pardoned on
the condition he return peacefully to Mahallat. He did, and
resided there two years while quietly raising an army (as you
do). Following Treason: Part Two (Electric Boogaloo) Imam
Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan escaped to Afghanistan with his
family and some followers.
He arrived in the midst of the First Anglo-Afghan War and
offered to capture Herat for the British. However, the British
would discover why Afghanistan is known as the Graveyard of
Empires before he could. Imam Hasan would help the British
take Sindh. For his assistance the grateful British granted him
a £2,000 pension.
Imam Hasan would then travel to Bombay, visiting Nizari
communities along the way. He arrived in 1846 just in time to
be met with an extradition request to Persia. The British were
not having it but moved him to Calcutta where it would be
harder for him to stir up trouble. While there was some
negotiations so that he could return ultimately they fell
through and he became a permanent resident of India.
He maintained a close relationship with the British and even
met the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII). His
presence in India did create some conflict within the Nizari
community as some dissenting members felt they stood to
lose some prestige. This eventually resulted in a court case
that ruled Imam Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan was the head of
the Nizari community. The Imam would die at Bombay in
1881.
in Kahak, Iran. His father was
killed in 1957 by a radical Twelver
after which he inherited the
position of imam at the age of 14.
While his father had resided in
Iran on a permanent basis, the
growing Nizari community in
India would continue to pull the
young Hasan towards the
subcontinent (as would his
eventual status as an outlaw). Imam Hasan Ali Shah would
marry the daughter of the Persian Shah, Princess Sarv-i-
Jahan Khanum. Along with a large dowry he was granted the
governorship of Qumm and was bestowed the honorific of
Aga Khan. Imam Hasan Ali Shah was appointed governor
of Kerman in 1835.
This appointment was less cushy than the previous one as
Kerman was occupied by a rebel pretender the the throne and
was subject to raids from Afghanistan. Despite restoring order
to Kerman and two neighbouring districts his efforts went
unappreciated and he was removed from the position in 1837.
Or he would have been except he refused to step down and
with the assistance of his two brothers prepared to be put
under siege by government forces. He was besieged at Bam
for 14 months before realizing further resistance would be
pointless. Following attempts to secure safe passage, betrayal,
imprisonment, and trial before the Shah he was pardoned on
the condition he return peacefully to Mahallat. He did, and
resided there two years while quietly raising an army (as you
do). Following Treason: Part Two (Electric Boogaloo) Imam
Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan escaped to Afghanistan with his
family and some followers.
He arrived in the midst of the First Anglo-Afghan War and
offered to capture Herat for the British. However, the British
would discover why Afghanistan is known as the Graveyard of
Empires before he could. Imam Hasan would help the British
take Sindh. For his assistance the grateful British granted him
a £2,000 pension.
Imam Hasan would then travel to Bombay, visiting Nizari
communities along the way. He arrived in 1846 just in time to
be met with an extradition request to Persia. The British were
not having it but moved him to Calcutta where it would be
harder for him to stir up trouble. While there was some
negotiations so that he could return ultimately they fell
through and he became a permanent resident of India.
He maintained a close relationship with the British and even
met the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII). His
presence in India did create some conflict within the Nizari
community as some dissenting members felt they stood to
lose some prestige. This eventually resulted in a court case
that ruled Imam Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan was the head of
the Nizari community. The Imam would die at Bombay in
1881.
Aqa Ali Shah (Aga Khan II)
Aqa Ali Shah was born in 1830. As
a son of Princess Sarv-i-Jahan
Khanum he was a member of the
Royal Family of Persia. During
Imam Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan's
1840 attempt at regaining his
governorship, his wife and son
were taken to Iraq for safety
reasons. There he received an
education in Arabic, Persian,
metaphysics and Nizari Ismaili
doctrine and would become an
acknowledged expert on Arabic
and Persian literature. Changing
political circumstances would
allow him to return to Persia in
the late 1840s. Once there he would take over some of the
responsibilities his father had possessed before his revolt. He
would rejoin his father in Bombay in 1853. As his father's heir
apparent he would frequently visit the Ismaili communities in
South Asia, particularly in Sindh & Kathiawar.
Upon his fathers death, Aqa Ali Shah took over the position of
imam. He maintained the good relations his father had with
the British and had been appointed to the Bombay Legislative
Council in 1880. He opened several schools for the Nizari community in Bombay and elsewheres. Using his position on
the council he was able to remedy a situation where his
followers were governed partly by Muslim law and partly by
Hindu law. He also sought to improve the conditions in other
Muslim communities which made him a popular leader.
In 1885 Imam Aqa Ali Shah Aga Khan came down with a case
of pneumonia and passed away. His imamate had lasted four
years.
a son of Princess Sarv-i-Jahan
Khanum he was a member of the
Royal Family of Persia. During
Imam Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan's
1840 attempt at regaining his
governorship, his wife and son
were taken to Iraq for safety
reasons. There he received an
education in Arabic, Persian,
metaphysics and Nizari Ismaili
doctrine and would become an
acknowledged expert on Arabic
and Persian literature. Changing
political circumstances would
allow him to return to Persia in
the late 1840s. Once there he would take over some of the
responsibilities his father had possessed before his revolt. He
would rejoin his father in Bombay in 1853. As his father's heir
apparent he would frequently visit the Ismaili communities in
South Asia, particularly in Sindh & Kathiawar.
Upon his fathers death, Aqa Ali Shah took over the position of
imam. He maintained the good relations his father had with
the British and had been appointed to the Bombay Legislative
Council in 1880. He opened several schools for the Nizari community in Bombay and elsewheres. Using his position on
the council he was able to remedy a situation where his
followers were governed partly by Muslim law and partly by
Hindu law. He also sought to improve the conditions in other
Muslim communities which made him a popular leader.
In 1885 Imam Aqa Ali Shah Aga Khan came down with a case
of pneumonia and passed away. His imamate had lasted four
years.
Sultan Mahomed Shah (Aga Khan III)
Born in 1877, Sultan Mahomed Shah
was only 7 when he took over from his father as Imam. He would marry his
first wife, Shahzadi Begum, in 1896. As
imam, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga
Khan travelled widely (I should take a
moment to note that 'Sultan' is a given
name in this instance, not a title).
While in England during the year of
1897 Sultan was made a Knight
Commander of the Order of the Star of
India (he was promoted within the
order in 1902). In 1906 Sir Sultan
became one of the founders of the All
India Muslim League (a political party) and its first president.
Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan supported a separate
homeland for India's Muslims and would be involved in three
round table conferences (1930-32) that brought about
constitutional reforms in the British Raj. In 1934 he was made
a member of the Privy Council and that same year became a
member of the Assembly of the League of Nations. He would
hold this post until 1937 when he became the President of the
Assembly. Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan followed a
modernist approach to Islam and encouraged both education
and women's rights. This has contributed to the Nizari being
one of the most progressive branches of Islam. He died in
1957 at a village near Geneva, Switzerland.
Strictly speaking the imams had the authority to name any
member of their family as heir. Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah
Aga Khan opted to in this instance and laid out his reasoning
in his will:
was only 7 when he took over from his father as Imam. He would marry his
first wife, Shahzadi Begum, in 1896. As
imam, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga
Khan travelled widely (I should take a
moment to note that 'Sultan' is a given
name in this instance, not a title).
While in England during the year of
1897 Sultan was made a Knight
Commander of the Order of the Star of
India (he was promoted within the
order in 1902). In 1906 Sir Sultan
became one of the founders of the All
India Muslim League (a political party) and its first president.
Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan supported a separate
homeland for India's Muslims and would be involved in three
round table conferences (1930-32) that brought about
constitutional reforms in the British Raj. In 1934 he was made
a member of the Privy Council and that same year became a
member of the Assembly of the League of Nations. He would
hold this post until 1937 when he became the President of the
Assembly. Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan followed a
modernist approach to Islam and encouraged both education
and women's rights. This has contributed to the Nizari being
one of the most progressive branches of Islam. He died in
1957 at a village near Geneva, Switzerland.
Strictly speaking the imams had the authority to name any
member of their family as heir. Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah
Aga Khan opted to in this instance and laid out his reasoning
in his will:
"Ever since the time of my ancestor Ali, the first Imam, that is to say over a period
of thirteen hundred years, it has always been the tradition of our family that each
Imam chooses his successor at his absolute and unfettered discretion from amongst
any of his descendants, whether they be sons or remote male issue and in these
circumstances and in view of the fundamentally altered conditions in the world in
very recent years due to the great changes which have taken place including the
discoveries of atomic science, I am convinced that it is in the best interest of the Shia
Muslim Ismailia Community that I should be succeeded by a young man who has
been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age
and who brings a new outlook on life to his office as Imam. For these reasons, I
appoint my grandson Karim, the son of my own son, Aly Salomone Khan to
succeed to the title of Aga Khan and to the Imam and Pir of all Shia Ismailian
followers"
Shah Karim al-Husayni (Aga Khan IV)
Shah Karim al-Husayni was born
in Geneva in 1936. His mother
was the eldest daughter of the 3rd
Baron Churston. Despite these
European connections, and family
history in Asia, he would spend
his early childhood in Nairobi,
Kenya. He would be accepted into
MIT and intended to study
science but his grandfather vetoed
this idea. He would instead attend
Harvard where he studied Islamic
history. At the age of 20, and while still in university, Shah
Karim al-Husayni became imam after the death of his
grandfather. "Overnight, my whole life changed completely. I
woke up with serious responsibilities toward millions of
other human beings. I knew I would have to abandon my
hopes of studying for a doctorate in History". Shah Karim al-
Husayni Aga Khan graduated two years later. During Takht
nashini ceremonies at various locations in 1957 and 1958 the
new imam spoke repeatedly on the importance of fostering
positive relationships among different ethnicities.
The new Imam is sometimes referred to as the 'Imam of the
Atomic Age' as it was the development of atomic weapons and
other new technologies that led his grandfather to believe a
younger heir would be better able to face the challenges these
presented. And while the family had been slowly moving away
from Persia (now Iran) over the generations he was still one of
the athletes representing the country in the 1964 Olympics.
In 1972, under the regime of President Idi Amin of Uganda,
people of South Asian origin, including Nizari Ismailis, were
expelled. They were given 90 days to leave the country. Shah
Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan had befriended Pierre Trudeau at
an earlier date and was able to call him and ask for assistance.
The Trudeau government would allow thousands of Nizari to
immigrate to Canada. Shah Karim would also facilitate the
resettlement of his people from various countries. The focus
on education encouraged by the previous Aga Khans made
this task much easier and they were resettled across North
America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. Today, Nizari Ismaili
Muslims number 80,000 in Canada.
In 1998 Shah Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan would enact the
Ismaili Constitution in Lisbon, Portugal. This formalized
matters that had been left up to tradition for hundreds of
years.
Shah Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan is considered one of the top
fifteen richest royals and the only one who does not preside
over a geographic territory. His net worth was last estimated
at over 13 billion dollars. Non-profits connected to the Aga
Khan spend about 600 million dollars per year (mainly in
Africa, Asia, and the Middle East). This includes the Aga
Khan Development Network. As an interesting aside, a
large part of his income comes from horse breeding and
racing which was a cultural activity of the Persian nobility and
which the family has continued to be involved in.
In 2009 the Aga Khan was given honourary Canadian
citizenship. He also has citizenship from the United Kingdom,
France, Switzerland, and Portugal. The Aga Khan would
accept an invitation from Prime Minister Harper in 2014 to
address the Canadian Parliament.
Shah Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan has four children.
in Geneva in 1936. His mother
was the eldest daughter of the 3rd
Baron Churston. Despite these
European connections, and family
history in Asia, he would spend
his early childhood in Nairobi,
Kenya. He would be accepted into
MIT and intended to study
science but his grandfather vetoed
this idea. He would instead attend
Harvard where he studied Islamic
history. At the age of 20, and while still in university, Shah
Karim al-Husayni became imam after the death of his
grandfather. "Overnight, my whole life changed completely. I
woke up with serious responsibilities toward millions of
other human beings. I knew I would have to abandon my
hopes of studying for a doctorate in History". Shah Karim al-
Husayni Aga Khan graduated two years later. During Takht
nashini ceremonies at various locations in 1957 and 1958 the
new imam spoke repeatedly on the importance of fostering
positive relationships among different ethnicities.
The new Imam is sometimes referred to as the 'Imam of the
Atomic Age' as it was the development of atomic weapons and
other new technologies that led his grandfather to believe a
younger heir would be better able to face the challenges these
presented. And while the family had been slowly moving away
from Persia (now Iran) over the generations he was still one of
the athletes representing the country in the 1964 Olympics.
In 1972, under the regime of President Idi Amin of Uganda,
people of South Asian origin, including Nizari Ismailis, were
expelled. They were given 90 days to leave the country. Shah
Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan had befriended Pierre Trudeau at
an earlier date and was able to call him and ask for assistance.
The Trudeau government would allow thousands of Nizari to
immigrate to Canada. Shah Karim would also facilitate the
resettlement of his people from various countries. The focus
on education encouraged by the previous Aga Khans made
this task much easier and they were resettled across North
America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. Today, Nizari Ismaili
Muslims number 80,000 in Canada.
In 1998 Shah Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan would enact the
Ismaili Constitution in Lisbon, Portugal. This formalized
matters that had been left up to tradition for hundreds of
years.
Shah Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan is considered one of the top
fifteen richest royals and the only one who does not preside
over a geographic territory. His net worth was last estimated
at over 13 billion dollars. Non-profits connected to the Aga
Khan spend about 600 million dollars per year (mainly in
Africa, Asia, and the Middle East). This includes the Aga
Khan Development Network. As an interesting aside, a
large part of his income comes from horse breeding and
racing which was a cultural activity of the Persian nobility and
which the family has continued to be involved in.
In 2009 the Aga Khan was given honourary Canadian
citizenship. He also has citizenship from the United Kingdom,
France, Switzerland, and Portugal. The Aga Khan would
accept an invitation from Prime Minister Harper in 2014 to
address the Canadian Parliament.
Shah Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan has four children.
Recognition of the Position of Aga Khan
There are some who may be loudly proclaiming "He is not a
monarch!" Admittedly, the Aga Khan sits in a weird middle
ground between landed monarchs and solely spiritual leaders.
It can't be denied he is a leader of his people and this isn't the
only time a status usually associated with having land is
attributed to an entity that does not have land (I'm looking at
you, Sovereign Order of Malta).
For starters, the Aga Khans have royal status as both being a
part of House Fatimid and through descent from the former
Persian royal house. The Aga Khan and his immediate family
are styled as princes and princesses. This style was first
recognized by the UK in 1938. The Aga Khan's form of
address is 'His Highness' which Queen Elizabeth II formally
granted in 1957, although it had been used as a courtesy title
since the time of Aga Khan I.
So if anyone ever gets to wondering who Justin Trudeau was
visiting in 2016, now you know.
Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour
monarch!" Admittedly, the Aga Khan sits in a weird middle
ground between landed monarchs and solely spiritual leaders.
It can't be denied he is a leader of his people and this isn't the
only time a status usually associated with having land is
attributed to an entity that does not have land (I'm looking at
you, Sovereign Order of Malta).
For starters, the Aga Khans have royal status as both being a
part of House Fatimid and through descent from the former
Persian royal house. The Aga Khan and his immediate family
are styled as princes and princesses. This style was first
recognized by the UK in 1938. The Aga Khan's form of
address is 'His Highness' which Queen Elizabeth II formally
granted in 1957, although it had been used as a courtesy title
since the time of Aga Khan I.
So if anyone ever gets to wondering who Justin Trudeau was
visiting in 2016, now you know.
Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour
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