Malak Ahmad Khan Yusufzai (1460–1530) also known as Malak Ahmad Baba was an Pashtun chief and warrior. He belonged to the Razar Mandanr clan of the Yousafzai. Ahmad Khan's life was spent in fighting and resettling the Yusufzai in modern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The Yusufzai fought the Dilazak, also known as the Swati (Pashtun tribe) for control of northern KPK. The Dilzaks had initially given refuge to the Yusufzai before they were driven out by them.^[1] After being expelled, Malak Ahmad Khan replaced his uncle Malak Suleiman Shah as the chief of the Yusufzai.^[2] Through Bibi Mubarika marriage to Babur, the Yusufzai finally made peace with the Mughals and were able to establish their stronghold in Dir, Swat, Buner, Malakand, Swabi and Mardan with Thana, Malakand as the capital. Bibi Mubarika was the daughter of Shah Mansur, who was the son of Malak Suleiman Shah and the cousin of Malak Ahmad Khan.

Early life

Ahmad Khan was born in or around 1460 to the Mandanr Yusufzai tribe of Pashtuns. He was the son of Malak Sultan Shah and the grandson of Malak Tajudeen. The Yusufzai migrated from Kandahar, Afghanistan to Kabul when Ulugh Beg was governor. He succeeded his father Shah Rukh, who was the son of Timur, in 1447 A.D. The Yusufzai settled outside Kabul and were one of the most influential Pashtuns. When Ulugh Beg II came to power, the Yusufzai lent him their support. Ulugh Beg II was the son-in-law of Malak Suleiman Shah. Ulugh Beg II initially favored them. Over time problems arose between the Yusufzai and the Timurids and the Yusufzai defeated them in a battle. It is also said that the Yusufzai viewed the Timurids as foreigners and wanted to united all Afghans under ethnic Afghan rule. Orientalist Annette Beveridge recorded the following regarding Ulugh Beg and the head of the Yusufzai, Malik Sulaiman:

"One day a wise man of the tribe, Shaikh Usman saw Sulaiman sitting with the young Mirza (Ulugh Beg) on his knee and warned him that the boy had the eyes of Yazid I and would destroy him and his family as Yazid had destroyed that of Prophet Muhammad. Sulaiman paid him no attention and gave the Mirza his daughter in marriage. Subsequently, the Mirza, having invited the Yusufzai to Kabul, treacherously killed Sulaiman and 700 of his followers. They were killed at the place called Siyah-sang near Kabul; it is still known as the Grave of the Martyrs. Their tombs are revered and that of Shaikh Usman in particular."

Malak Suleiman Shah made three requests of Ulugh Beg, the third was that Ahmad Khan's life should be spared, this was the only request granted, The massacre took place in 1484, Ulugh Beg sensed that the Yusufzai were now too powerful to be defeated in the field after defeat in the battle of Ghwarah Margha. He invited the Yusufzai inside Kabul on the pretext of a peace treaty. He arranged a big feast and asked them to hand over their weapons at the gate. With the help of the Khogyani (Pashtun tribe), 701 of Yusufzai chiefs including Malak Suleiman were massacred. The only one spared was Malak Ahmad Khan. Malak Ahmad Khan led the Yusufzai to the east settling in Dilzak lands. He married the sister of the Malak of Dilzaks, the Malak of Dilzaks later killed this sister for unknown reasons.

Family background

Malak Ahmad Khan was the son Malak Sultan Shah. Malak Sultan Shah was the chief of the Yusufzai before Malak Suleiman Shah. Malak Suleiman Shah and Malak Sultan Shah were both the sons of Malak Tajudeen. Malak Tajudeen was the son of Malak Qasim, all the children of Malak Qasim are known as the Malakzai. Other brothers of Malik Qasim were Mani (Manizai), Aku (Akukhel) and Khwazey (Khwazekhel). They were the sons of Razar and the grandsons of Mandanr. The Razars had been leading the Yusufzai since Razar became the chief. Malak Suleiman Shah chose Malak Ahmad Khan as the chief over his own sons because he was older and his brother, Malak Sultan Shah had done the same for him.^[3] Eventually, Malak Ahmad was usurped by the celebrated Khan Gaju Khan in his old age, Gaju Khan was from Bahzadkhel Mandanr.

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