AHMAD YĀR KHĀN ṬIWĀṆĀ (d. 1829), second son of Khān Muhammad Khān, the Ṭiwāṇā chief of Miṭṭhā Ṭiwāṇā, in Shāhpur district, measured swords with Sikhs more than once during Mahārājā Raṇjīt Siṅgh's time. Ahmad Yār Khān revolted against his father and, having succeeded in attracting most of the tribe to his side, compelled him to surrender the chiefship to him. In 1817, Mahārājā Raṇjīt Siṅgh dispatched troops under the command of Misr Dīvān Chand against the Ṭiwāṇā chief at Nūrpur Ṭiwāṇā. The fort was conquered and Ahmad Yār Khān ran away to Jhaṇḍāvālā, situated in the Mankerā territory. On the withdrawal of the Sikh army, with some troops having been left behind under Jasvant Siṅgh Mokal in Nūrpur for guarding the fort, Ahmad Yār Khān came back and recovered control of the country, but he had to withdraw for the second time and again run back to Jaṇḍiālā. The Nawāb of Mankerā gave him no quarter, turned him out from there and imprisoned his sons. He then yielded to the authority of the Mahārājā who granted him a jāgīr worth Rs 10, 000, subject to the service of sixty horse. In 1821, Mahārājā Raṇjīt Siṅgh left on a campaign against Hāfiz Ahmad Khān, the Nawāb of Mankerā, when Ahmad Yār Khān readily took the opportunity to join him in the enterprise just to settle some old scores with the Nawāb. The assistance rendered by Ahmad Yār Khān and his tribe, the Ṭiwāṇās, during this campaign was of crucial importance. The Mahārājā was especially struck with the handsome and manly bearing of his men and their bold riding, and insisted upon a troop of Ṭiwāṇā horse returning with him to Lahore. Ahmad Yār Khān died in 1829.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

    Sūrī, Sohan Lāl, Umdāt-ut-Twārīkh. Lahore, 1885-89

G. S. Nayyar