Emanzai tribe
The Emanzai/Emaanzai Tribe was, and continues to be one of the most well preserved tribal societies in the world. The Emanzai tribe, an ancient Islamic tribe nestled in the rugged terrain of modern day Afghanistan and Pakistan, boasts a rich and storied history that spans over three centuries. Founded in the 1700's, the Emanzai have evolved as a distinctive cultural entity unlike any other in the region.
Contents
Toponymy
In the midst of the rugged landscapes of modern Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Emanzai tribe emerges as a distinctive cultural entity with origins intertwined in the records of history. In the early 18th century, the Emanzai sprung forth as a branch from the esteemed Mamuzai tribe, known for their status within the Mandanr tribe. The name "Emanzai" itself carries profound significance as it translates to the tribe of "iman" in Arabic, reflecting the deeply ingrained religious values that guided their way of life.
Rooted in the enduring code of Yakozai, the Emanzai upheld a philosophy that emphasized defensive strategies over offensive ones. This foundational principle dictated that the tribe would maintain a posture of neutrality, intervening only when necessitated by circumstances. Their commitment to readiness for defensive action underscored their dedication to protecting their community and safeguarding their way of life. This code of conduct became the cornerstone of the Emanzai identity, shaping their interactions and alliances in the centuries to come. Though the Emanzai were equipped with swords, spears, and other ancient weapons, the tribe ironicallly barely used them, becoming only a symbolic gesture of practicing fighting. The Emanzai, being secluded and tribal, never adopted the gun until the late 1900's.
Around the year 1750, 3 brothers ruled the tribe later called the Mamuzai, collectively. However with the murder of the middle brother, the two remaining siblings began an argument on their response to the killing. As a result, the younger brother suggested the tribe move on from it's historic militaristic and raider lifestyle, and move to business, commerce, and modernisation. Polar opposite to him, the eldest brother suggested the tribe adopt arms, embrace militarism and tribalism, and isolate itself to become stronger as a tribe. That same year, both brothers peacefully decided to separate the tribes, with the warriors moving with the eldest to the north, and the younger brother taking the majority of the tribe to the south for economic prosperity. Hence, the eldest brother named his tribe the Emanzai, and began constructing a fortress and castle atop a mountain around that same year (Emanzai Castle). The two brothers would exchange letters in the coming years, maintaining good relations with each other should there be an emergency with either.
History
The history of the Emanzai castle and its society begins around 1750. Historians say the castle was most likely suitable for living in the early 1780's, and finished near the year 1800. Additional work continued later on, including cultural intrecacies and expansions of walls throughout the following years, however castle was large enough to host over several thousand people, and additional thousands of people around its outskirts. The castle went on to encompass most of the mountain range and down into the sorrounding valley, hosting basically the entire tribe of a few hundred thousand people. At its height, the tribe's castle and outter walled city hosted just under a million people. The concept of money was scarce in the tribe, with a very strong communist-style rule from the royalty, emphasising unity and collective purpose. As a result, the tribe thrived in governance, quality of living, and materialistic goods at the time. Being a very hidden tribe, the culture which was developed there was largely unique and unlike anything in the sorrounding regions.
Language and Recorded History
The Emanzai people speak Pashto, a language known spoken by the Pashtun people, which is reflective of the Yusufzai people whom they branched out of, and Mamuzai whom they are more closely linked to. This linguistic heritage forms a crucial link between the Emanzai and their Pashtun roots. While oral tradition remains a vibrant aspect of their culture, the Emanzai have a unique distinction. They stand as one of the most meticulously documented tribes in their own right, owing to their practice of meticulously recording the intricacies of their secluded and rich society. The royal castle houses its own extensive library, featuring rows upon rows of meticulously cataloged books and scrolls. Though some records were thrown out and discarded for various reasons, much of the history remains relatively intact within the castle. Original photographs, artwork, governance policies, and tax collection records, are all found in the library.
Rise of the Emanzai
The Emanzai were quick to establish a sartorial uniformity, adopting black turbans, garments, belts in either black or golden hues, closed footwear, and a mandatory beard policy for men. Women, while also donning black attire, enjoyed more variability in their outfits compared to the men. Nontheless, so long as a man wore black clothing, closed shoes, a black turban, and some type of belt, he was recognized as an Emanzai.
Yako is assumed to be born around the year 1800-1810, whom become leader of the tribe at around the age of 10, guided by other higher ranking officials within the tribe. In the years of 1830-1840 Yako marries 3 Emanzaiian wives, and has over 12 sons and an unkown number of daughters. The three wives of Yako are successful women in the tribe and raise all their children collectively. All 3 wives become known as the mothers of the tribe, due to their presence in decision-making and politics directly and through their sons.
Almost all of the 12 sons of Yako are cooperative in decision making. However when Yako suddently dies of medical reasons in around the year 1855, his heir to the throne, the oldest son Zakko, was banned from politics by his brothers because of his disrespect towards to family. He was later banished from the tribe.
Instead, the throne went to Yako's second oldest son, Dakko. Dakko, in tradition, marries an Emanzai woman a year after his father's death in 1856. The two are seen in a photo together, taken in 1860. Together, the couple take complete control of decision making, and order the construction of a large courtyard in the bottom half of the valley, where their castle extends to. This courtyard, accomodating thousands at a time, served as an explosion of arts, music, festivals, and more. Here, Emanzai culture truly flourishes and develops its signature uniqueness.
Dakko has three sons, the eldest of which is named Azangzeb. Azangzeb takes the throne after his father's abdication in 1890. Azangzeb marries a woman who's details aren't clear to historians. Her presence is limited and there is little evidence to even what her appearance resembled. Nontheless, Azangzeb mimics his father's liberal behaviours and allows other Emanzai commoners to meet with the royal family. In a photo in 1901-1905 (unclear), a member of the royal family meets with a local sheikh/imam. The religious figure wears a white turban, while the Emanzai royalty wears a black turban. The shiekh/imam is seen sitting down beside the standing member of royalty, indicating the level of respect given to the religious figure.
Azangzeb sends a large convoy of Emanzai people on the religious pilgrimage, Hajj. While relatively undocumented, a photo around the year 1910 reveals two men from Emanzai royalty standing behind a seaport, probably somwhere around Turkey.
Azangzeb even personally orders a photo of a commoner marriage in 1907, demonstrating his leniency towards the commoners.
Azangzeb's death in 1919 passes the throne to his brother Ajrangzeb, whom rules for about a year before he is ambushed and killed just beyond the outskirts of the Emanzai castle in 1920. His death quickly prompts the tribe to strengthen its walls and prepare war time measures. Ajrangzeb's murder is assumed to be from local bandits.
In response, the third brother, Alzangzeb protests to the royal family and the courts to allow him to break tradition to marry a woman from a nearby tribe, hoping to acquire allies against bandits. After months of debate, the royalty allow Alzangzeb to marry Hasang Khatun from another powerful tribe nearby, henceforth allying the two. Their marriage takes place in 1894.
Alzangzeb has four sons and two daughters from his wife. His oldest son dies in infancy due to disease, while two of his youngest, Guldad and Baghdad, return to their mother's tribe and engage in business and trade. As a result, the two sons become overwhelmingly wealthy and have no intention of taking the throne once their father dies. The two are ordered to return to the Emanzai, however they refuse and break relations with the Emanzai. Guldad marries an Emanzai woman, however the two move to the Princely State of Swat, and Guldad recieves a high ranking position as an administrator.
The last son of Alzangzeb, named Ultarkhan marries a woman within Emanzai royalty, giving him three sons and one daughter; However both her and Alzangzeb die one night in a poisoning within the castle. While the royal family was feasting, Ultarkhan faced minor difficulty breathing due to poisoning, however his wife and his father both succumbed to the effects of the attack to a greater extent, both dying that same night, Ultarkhan quickly militarised the tribe after recovering and executed the traitors within the servant class to the royal family. Ultarkhan and the council fo war launched an attack on the nearby bandits who orchestrated the poisoning, ending the savagery of those bandits. During this time, the council of war was given powers similar to that of ultarkhan himself.
Facing the mourning of his wife and father, as well as being the last heir to the throne, Ultarkhan directed the council of war to lead the tribe until he recovers from his loss. 2 years later, Ultarkhan married his second wife within the Emanzai tribe in 1971. Having no children from his second marriage, their marriage is shortlived until Ultarkhan's death from unknown reasons in 1973.
The highly respected council of war ruled the tribe from this point, hoping to act as intermediaries until they decide to choose the best heir to the throne. The council chooses Ultarkhan's youngest son to rule, however he dies less than a year later from unknown causes in 1974. In 1975 the other two heirs to the throne attack each other in an argument, ending up in the death of one, and the stripping of the other from any role in decision making. The council then decides to elect three brothers within royalty (council of threy) to rule until they are able to find a suitable heir. The Council of Threy, or the three brothers, successfully rule the tribe until 1985, when one of them leaves and joins mainstream Pakistani society. The other brother retires from his position in politics, leaving the last brother, Baghshah to rule by himself.
Baghshah later also retires from his position in 1987 and abdicates the throne to his son Zarokhan. Zarokhan rules from 1986-2001 when he is killed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, being mistaken for a known fugitive in the area. Zarokhan's death left the throne to his only sibling, his sister Waziah. Waziah being the first ruling woman, and being fairly young to lead the tribe, faced numerous challenges in her role and abdicated the throne in 2014.
The abdication of Waziah from the throne left no clear leader for the tribe, and the house Emanzai voted to go back to their official bloodline, lost years ago when the Council of Threy began its rule. The tribe found no clear heir, aside from Guldad's lineage. Guldad went on to have multiple sons and daughters, including a son who's daughter (Ani-Gul) married a man from the Mamuzai. At this point, the Emanzai and Mamuzai had not had contact for over a century. However this marriage went on to produce a further lineage of Half Emanzai and half Mamuzai children, one of which was elected as the next heir to the tribe in 2014.
The next heir was to be crowned in 2016, however the ceremony was delayed until 2023.
Timeline in Rulers of Emanzai
Over the course of around 300 years, the Emanzai have been ruled by various individuals, some as little as a few months, while others, several decades. In chronological order, Emanzai rulers throughout history include:
Founder of the Emanzai Tribe, Malik Amir Yakub
The first ruler and fonuder of the Emanzai, was known as Malik Amir Yakub. He emerged as a visionary leader at a pivotal moment in the tribe's history. Born into the esteemed Mandanr tribe, he inherited a legacy of strong governance.
Youza Zey
Youza served as the second ruler of the Emanzai Tribe.
Yako Zey
Yako was the third ruler of the Emanzai Tribe and ruled for around 50 years. Born in around the year 1800, Yako took the throne at the age of 10, surrounded by ministers, royalty, and the imperial court.
Dakko Zey
Dakko was the fourth ruler of the Emanzai Tribe.
Azangzeb
Azangzeb was the fifth ruler of the Emanzai Tribe.
Ajrangzeb
Ajrangzeb was the sixth ruler of the Emanzai Tribe.
Alzangzeb
Alzangzeb was the seventh ruler of the Emanzai Tribe.
Ultarkhan Zey and the Council of War
Ultarkhan was the eighth ruler of the Emanzai Tribe.
Council of Threy Zey
The Emanzai Council of Threy Zey during this period can be considered as the ninth rulers of the Emanzai Tribe.
Baghshah Zey
Baghshah was the tenth ruler of the Emanzai Tribe.
Zarokhan Zey
Zarokhan Zey was the eleventh ruler of the Emanzai Tribe.
Waziah Zey
Waziah Zey was the twelveth ruler of the Emanzai Tribe.
Newest Heir
The annonymous newest heir is currently serving as the thirteenth ruler of the Emanzai Tribe. After the Emanzai voted to return back to royalty, the newest heir was traced back to Guldad Khan and his lineage, which makes the current heir a quarter Emanzaiian and a quarter Mamuzaiian.
Newest Heir of Emanzai
Following his crowning in 2023, the newest 16 year old heir has decided to keep his identity anonymous. However, the heir states that he does not see a future for the Emanzai the way they have progressed throughout history: extremely secluded and isolated. Following his crowning, he stated:
"The Emanzai have no future in a world dominated by the semiconductors. The only possible route this tribe can take for its survival is to learn to adapt to, and embrace the technological era. This tribe, had reason to be so conservative in the past, and now we have reason to move on"
As a result of the push against tribalism and towards post-modernism, most of Emanzai society is now integrating into modern South Asian society. With it's newest heir guiding the tribe from tribalism towards modernism, the push has prompted the disbandment of much of Emanzai royalty.
Emanzai Castle, has traditionally been the home of the tribe for over two centuries. Now, it lies nearly uninhabited and deserted. Confident in the secrecy of its location, the newest heir chose to focus on preserving the castle, and "leaving it alone", rather than to risk any harm to it.
Emanzai Castle
The Emanzai castle, situated atop a rugged mountain, boasts an impressive feat of engineering for its time. Constructed in the mid-18th century, it was a laborious endeavor, involving the collective efforts of skilled craftsmen and laborers from the tribe. The castle's initial construction likely provided basic living quarters for royalty and upper class citizens by the early 1780s, with gradual expansions and improvements continuing over the years to host the tribe within the castle and outer city walls. Emanzai Castle, has traditionally been the home of the tribe for over two centuries. Now, it lies nearly uninhabited and deserted. Confident in the secrecy of its location, the newest heir chose to focus on preserving the castle, and "leaving it alone", rather than to risk any harm to it. The castle's location is completely anonymous and is hidden from the public due to its security and the secrets beyond its walls.
Politics
The Emanzai is now, and has traditionally been very neutral in external politics, unless prompted to, as guided by the code of Yakozai. Disbandment of royalty and abandoning of castle by newest heir has prompted a lack of central administration for the tribe.
References
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