Mirza or Mirzā (/ˈmɜːrzə/ or /mɪərˈzɑː/; Persian: مِرْزَا) is a historical title of Persian origin, denoting the rank of a high nobleman or Prince. It is usually defined in English as a royal or imperial Prince of the Blood.
Today, Mirza is used as a name to identify patriarchal lineage to royal aristocracies of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Indian Subcontinent. Historically, it was used as a title by and signified patriarchal lineage to the imperial families of the Turkish Empire, Persia, Circassia, Shirvan, Mughals (aka Moguls) and Muslim Rajputs. It was also a title bestowed upon members of the highest aristocracies in Tatar states, such as the Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan.
Under Catherine the Great, empress of Russia, the Mirzas gained equal rights with the Russian nobility due to their extreme wealth. In return, the Mirzas financed her Russo-Turkish war against the Ottoman Empire. Abdul Mirza was given the title Prince Yusupov, and his descendant Prince Felix Yusupov married Princess Irina Alexandrovna of Russia, the only niece of Tsar Nicholas II.
The word Mīrzā is derived from the Persian term ‘Amīrzāde which literally means "child of the ‘Amīr" or "child of the ruler" in Persian. ‘Amīrzād in turn consists of the Arabic title ‘Amīr (engl. Emir), meaning "commander" and "Prince", and the Persian suffix -zād, meaning "birth" or "lineage". Due to vowel harmony in Turkic languages, the alternative pronunciation Morza (plural morzalar; derived from the Persian word) is also used. The word Mirza means royalty in almost every old version of Persian, Arab, Caucasian, Turkish and Indian languages.
Variant spellings in English include mirzya, miriza, mirize, mirze, morsey, mursay, murse, meirsa, mirzey, mursi, murze, murza, mirza, myrza, meerza.
The titles themselves were given by the Kings, Sultans and Emperors (equivalent to the western Fount of honour) to their sons and grandsons, or even distant kins. Noblemen loyal to the kings also received this Title, although their usage differed.
The title itself came from the title emir. Emir, meaning "commander" or "Prince", -derived from the Semitic root Amr, "command". Originally simply meaning commander or leader, usually in reference to a group of people. It came to be used as a title of governors or rulers, usually in smaller states, and usually renders the English word "prince." The word entered English in 1595, from the French émir.
His Highness Prince Iraj Mirza
His Highness Prince Malek Mansur Mirza Shao es-Saltaneh
His Highness Prince Bahram Mirza Sardar Mass'oud
His Highness Prince Abbas Mirza
His Highness Prince Abdol Majid Mirza
Highness Prince Ali-Mohammad Mirza
His Highness Prince Bahram Mirza
His Highness Prince Djahangir Mirza
His Highness Prince Eskandar Mirza
His Highness Prince Hamid Mirza
His Highness Prince Khanlar Mirza
His Highness Prince Khosrow Mirza
His Highness Prince Muhammad Mirza
His Highness Prince Mahmoud Mirza
His Highness Prince Mohammad Hassan Mirza
His Highness Prince Mohammad Hassan Mirza II
His Highness Prince Ahmad Shah Qajar
His Highness Prince Nosrat-od-Dowleh Firouz Mirza
His Highness Prince Firouz Mirza Nosrat-ed-Dowleh Farman Farmaian III
His Highness Prince Ali Mirza Qajar
His Highness Prince Nosrat al-Din Mirza Salar es-Saltaneh
His Highness Prince Abdol-samad Mirza Ezz ed-Dowleh Saloor
His Highness Prince Mass'oud Mirza Zell-e Soltan
His Highness Prince Mohammad Ali Mirza Dowlatshah
His Highness Prince Mohammad Taqi Mirza
His Highness Prince Kamran Mirza Nayeb es-Saltaneh
The hereditary title of Mirza was adopted by the nobility class of the Circassians. Idar of Kabardia, also known as "Mirza Haydar Temruk Bey", was the great-grandson of Prince Inal - Sultan of Egypt the founder of the "Temruk dynasty" of the Kabardian princes, known in Russia as the "Cherkassky" a Circassian princely family.
Circassian nobility with the name Mirza include:
Temruk Mirza (ca. 1501 - 1571)
Kambulat Mirza (ca. 1510 - 1589)
Zhelegot Mirza (ca. 1520- ?)
Three consecutive titular kings of Shirvan, of the Shirvanshah Dynasty (present-day Azerbaijan), adopted the title as well following the death of Gurban Ali.
Gasim Mirza
Kavus Mirza
Abu Bakr Mirza
In the Indian Subcontinent (modern day Pakistan, India, Bangladesh), the title Mirza was borne by an imperial prince. It was adopted as part of ones name, implying relationship to the Turk dynasties like the Mughal Dynasty (the Imperial House of Timur). In the traditional naming sequence of the Indian royal families, the title can be placed both before the name and after it, such as Prince Mirza Mughal or Prince Kamran Mirza. Prince Khusrau Mirza was the grandson of Emperor Babur (Babur Mirza), son of Emperor Jahangir and a brother of Emperor Shah Jahan. Emperor Akbar Shah II was known as Prince Mirza Akbar before his coronation. Emperor Babur took the imperial title of Padishah on 6 March 1508, before which he used the title Mirza.
Mirza Zahiruddin 1523–1530, first Mughal Emperor.
Mirza Nasiruddin 1530–1539 & 1554–1555, second Mughal Emperor.
Mirza Jalaluddin 1555–1605, third Mughal Emperor.
Mirza Nuruddin 1605–1627, fourth Mughal Emperor.
Mirza Khurram 1627–1658, fifth Mughal Emperor.
Mirza Muhiuddin 1658–1707, sixth Mughal Emperor.
Mirza Azam 1707, seventh Mughal Emperor.
Mirza Mu'Azzam 1707–1712, eighth Mughal Emperor.
Sultan Muizuddin Mirza 1712–1713, ninth Mughal Emperor.
Mouinudd'in Muhammad Mirza 1712–1719, tenth Mughal Emperor.
Sultan Shamsuddin Mirza 1719, eleventh Mughal Emperor.
Sultan Rafiuddin Mirza (later Shah Jahan II) 1719, twelfth Mughal Emperor.
Sultan Nekusiyar Mirza 1719, thirteenth Mughal Emperor.
Sultan Akhtar Mirza, fourteenth Mughal Emperor.
Ahmad Shah Mirza 1720–1748, fifteenth Mughal Emperor.
Aziz 'ud-Din Beg Mirza 1754–1759, sixteenth Mughal Emperor.
Jalal 'ud-Din Mirza 1759–1760, seventeenth Mughal Emperor.
Muhi-ul-millat Mirza 1788–1806, eighteenth Mughal Emperor.
Mirza Akbar 1806–1837, nineteenth Mughal Emperor.
Sirajuddin Mirza 1837–1857, Mughal Emperor.
Mirza Abdullah, son of Bahadur Shah II 1850–1897, Mughal Emperor.
Mirza Aziz Koka (1542–1624), foster-brother of Akbar, son of Ataga Khan
The title Mirza was also adopted by the Muslim Rajputs of Northern India. The Rajputs were rulers of princely states comprising vast territories of Northern India, including the Punjab Region and Kashmir. The Rajput imperial families were descendants of ancient Indo-Aryan warrior classes and formed blood alliances with Mughal aristocracy. Inter-marriage between Mughal aristocracy and Rajput aristocracy became very common and significant factions of Rajput kingdoms embraced the Islamic faith. Many Rajput rulers were granted the title Mirza on account of being high-ranked commanders in the Mughal military. The meaning of Mirza (Persian origin) is a literal translation to the meaning of Rajput (Sanskrit Origin).
Imperial Families of Central India and Bengal
Because the Bengali language has no phoneme /z/, Mirza has the local form Mridha (from Mirdhjah) in Bengal and Bihar.
Mirza Shuja ud-din Muhammad Khan, second Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
Mirza Asadullah, third Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
Mirza Muhammad Ali, fourth Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
Mirza Mohammad Siraj, fifth Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
Mirza Hassan Ali Khan Bahadur, 18th Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
Mirza Wasif Ali Khan, 19th Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
Mirza Waris Ali Khan, 20th Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
Mirza Muhammad Muqim Ali Khan, second Nawab Subahdar of Awadh (Oudh)
Mirza Amani Asif-ud-Dawlah, fourth Nawab Subahdar of Awadh
Mirza Asif Jah Wazir Ali Khan, fifth Nawab Subahdar of Awadh
Mirza Wajid Ali Shah, eleventh Nawab Subahdar (fifth King) of Awadh
Academics and literature
Iraj Mirza, Persian folk poet, also known as Jalaal-al-mamalek.
Mirza Abu Taleb Khan, tax-collector and administrator from northern India, writer of an early travel guide to Europe
Mirza Athar Baig is a Pakistani novelist, playwright and short story writer.
Mirza Kalich Beg was a Sindhi literature.
Mirza Ghalib (born: Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan), a famous Urdu and Persian poet from South Asia who adorned the Mughal court.
Mirza Khan of "Mirza & Sahiba", a tragic Romeo-and-Juliet-like love story, based on true events, which is enshrined in Panjabi literature and commonly told in the Punjab region. Though in this story Mirza is used as a name and not as a title. Mirza of "Mirza & Sahiba" was of Muslim Jat / Muslim Rajput descent.
Muhammad Munawwar Mirza, a prominent scholar, historian, writer and intellectual from Pakistan.
Nawab Mirza Khan "Daagh" a famous Urdu poet.
Aziz Mirza, Indian film director, producer and writer.
Dia Mirza, Indian actress and former "Miss Asia Pacific" titleholder.
Mastan Haider Mirza, Indian Mafia boss, mobster and filmmaker; popularly known as the first "celebrity gangster" of Bombay.
Mirza Babayev, Azerbaijani movie actor and singer. Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR and People’s Artist of Azerbaijan.
Mirza Nadeem Baig Mirza Nazeer Baig Mughal better known by his stage name Nadeem Baig, is a Pakistani actor, singer and producer.
Mohib Mirza is a Pakistani actor and television host
Kamran Mirza is a well known real estate executive and investor in Toronto, Canada.
Haroon Mirza, Anglo-Pakistani artist born in London.
Mirza Kadym Irevani, Azerbaijani artist.
Bashir Mirza also known as BM, was a Pakistani painter.
Iskandar Ali Mirza, the first President and 4th Governor General of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in 1956.
Mirza Muzaffar Ahmad, a Federal Finance Minister and Finance Secretary, Chairman of Planning Commission of Pakistan Executive director of the World bank.
Fahmida Mirza, first female Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Mirza Ismail, Prime Minister, Jaipur (Diwan of Jaipur) (1942-1946)
Zulfiqar Mirza, Pakistani politician affiliated with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Mirza Kuchik Khan, early twentieth century revolutionary, a Gilani Nationalist and the president of the Republic Of Gilan.
Hasnain Mirza, lawyer, barrister and Member of Parliament who was Member of Provincial Assembly(MPA).
Mirza Ali Asghar Khan Amin al-Soltan, the last prime minister of Iranunder Naser al-Din Shah Qajar.
Mirza Nasrullah Khan, the first Iranian Prime Minister.
Judges and Advocates
Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig, Former Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council.
Zafar Hussain Mirza, Pakistani judge and the father of former Home Minister of Sindh Zulfiqar Mirza.
Janbaz Mirza was a writer, poet, and journalist from Pakistan.
Tahir Mirza was a senior Pakistani journalist and former editor of Dawn, Pakistan's oldest and most widely circulated English-language newspaper.
Nasir Baig Chughtai Mirza a Pakistani journalist, is a senior editor in The News English-language.
Mirza Aslam Baig a Former Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan
Mirza Ghulam Murtaza was the ruler of Qadian and fought for the Sikh Empire and later the British Raj
Mirza Kuchak Khan was a Persian revolutionary who led the Jungle Movement in the northern jungles of Gilan Province
Mirza Najaf Khan, Indian Courtier and Commander in Chief of the Mughal Imperial Army.
Mirza Hadi Baig Punjabi nobleman of Turco-Mongol origin who was granted 80 villages by Babur because of family relations
Khan Muhammad Mirza, Architect during the Mughal Era.
Mirza Delibašić, Bosnian Basketball Player on the Olympic team of Yugoslavia
Mirza Begić, Slovenian Olympic Basketball player
Sania Mirza, Indian Tennis Player
Mirza Teletović, Bosnian Basketball Player on Brooklyn Nets
Fadi Merza, is an Austrian middleweight Muaythai fighter, kickboxer and boxer.
Mirza Samina Baig is a Pakistani high-altitude mountaineer.
Mirza – The Untold Story
Mirzya (film)
