Ayasho Dynasty

The **Ayasho Dynasty** or the **Hunza Royal House** comprised of members of the Royal House of Ayasho I, who ruled the Kingdom of Hunza or Khanjut in Central Asia (now Pakistan) succeeding the Girkis dynasty. Their rule lasted 1100 years from 874-1974 CE. The Ayasho dynasty was founded by Shah Khan or Ayasho I of Hunza. The Ayash family had direct relations with the rulers of Wakhan and Badakshan. Khanjut or Hunza was an independent Kingdom. It was ruled by the Mirs of Hunza, who took the title of Thum. The state of Hunza acceded to Pakistan on 3 November 1974.

## Name and Origin

The Burusho folklore claims that the power and authority of the Ayasho family came from the Sky or dwellers of the sky, Hence called Ayeshé or Ayashó meaning "Heavenly" or "Heaven-born" in Burushaski. The rulers of Hunza were also known as "Heavenly Kings" or "Divine Rulers". The royal house was founded by King Shah Khan or Ayasho I, who traced his bloodline back to Prince Azar Jamshed of the Kayan Dynasty, whose great-grandson Sahib Khan, also known as Girkis, founded the Girkis dynasty and took control over the Hunza region.

According to the British sources the title Girkis the same as the Kirghis, who inhabit the steppes of Pamirs of northern Hunza. Cunningham writes that the Hunza region was formerly inhabited by the Dards and that they were displaced by the Kirghis nomads. According to him The Hunza Kings and the Chiefs of Shigar who take the Khanjut title of Tham, must also be Kirghis.

## Language and Religion

The people of Hunza and the ruling Ayasho dynasty spoke Burushaski as their native language. The Burushaski language is unrelated to any other language and is classified as an language Isolate. Few linguists have linked it to the Caucasian languages.

According to the British sources in the "History of Dardistan", the Hunzakuts or the people of Hunza are Mulais, a mysterious and heretical sect of Islam, similar to the Druze, practising curious rites. Their religious scripture is the "Kelam-i-pir" (Words of Saint), which throws much light on the doctrines of the "Assassins order" of Nizari Ismailism during the Crusades.

### Accession to Pakistan

On 3 November, 1947, the Tham of Hunza, Mohammad Jamal Khan sent a telegram to Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan acceding his state to Pakistan. It stated:

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## List of Rulers

The hereditary rulers, the  "Thams of Hunza" were assisted by a council of Wazirs or ministers. Following is the list of rulers of Hunza, early rulers date not included (First table), Rulers with definate dates (Second Table).
|Name of Ruler||Note|
| --- | --- | --- |
|Azar Jamshed|Son of Yaqub Shah and grandson of Prince Abdul Faiz of Kayan dynasty, He alongside his brother Prince Abdul Ghani fled Persia after the Arab Conquest. He married Queen Nur Bakht, the daughter of Shri Badat (The Cannibal King).||
|Su Malik|||
|Mir Malik|||
|Sahib Khan|||
||Dilla Khan||
|Shah Malik II|Married Hashim Begum, the Princess of Makpon Empire.||
|Shah Tham|When Kiser attacked Hunza, he along with his brother fled to Shughnan.||
|Lali Tham|He was too young to accompany his father, so he went to his reffered uncle, the ruler of Gilgit.||
|Sahub Khan (Girkis)|He was invited to Nagar for a hunt and was killed by Maghlot (King of Nagar).||
|Nur Bibi|Hunzakuts decided to give the Thamkush (Throne) to Nur Bibi after the death of her father Girkis.||
|Shah Khan (Ayasho I)|Great grandson of Shah Tham brought back to Hunza from Afghanistan by Wazir Chusay Boto. He married Nur Bibi and established the Ayasho Dynasty.||
|Mir Mayuri Tham|Married Shah Begum, the daughter of King of Darwaz.||
|Mir Ayasho II|Married Princess Shah Khatun, the granddaughter of Ali Senge Anchan of Makpon.||
|Haider Khan|||
|Yousaf Shah|||
|Mir Hari Tham|Attacked Mir Firdous and ruled Nagar for 12 years. Mir Firdous defeated him with troops from Skardu.||

|Reign||Mirs of Hunza|
| --- | --- | --- |
|1680–1697|Silum I||
|1697–1710|Mir Sultan Khan||
|1710–1735|Mir Shahboos||
|1735–1754|Shahbeg Khan||
|1754–1777|Shah Khusro Khan||
|1777–1784|Mir Mirza Khan||
|1784–1824|Mir Shah Silum II||
|1824–1857|Ghazanfur Khan||
|1857–1886|Mir Ghazan Khan I||
|1886–1891|Safdar Ali Khan||
|1892–1938|Mohammad Nazim Khan KCIE||
|1938–1945|Mir Ghazan Khan II||
|1945–1974|Mir Jamal Khan||
|1974 – present|Mir Ghazanfar Ali Khan||