Saiyid Brothers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[edit] History
The Saiyid Brothers were a conspiratorial group which played a significant role in the politics of the Mughal Empire after the reign of the emperor Aurangzeb. The Saiyid Brothers were most infamous for reducing legitimate Mughal princes to puppets. This would be achieved by disabling the princes who refused to play along by gouging their eyes. They professed to be Saiyids or descendants of the prophet - but this seems to have been a political move to help gain power - rather than an authentic religious credential. They had arrived in India with the army of Amir Timur, and had entered Mughal nobility during the reign of emperor Aurangzeb. They exploited the power vacuum after the death of Aurangzeb to usurp much of the power of the Mughals themselves, gaining much power and wealth.
Ultimately they were able not only to influence the affairs of state but also to choose who became the next emperor, they used their wealth to build their own armies and had a loyal band of men who did their bidding. The armies of the Saiyid brothers were the means by which they became kingmakers - it also meant they could force the emperor to follow their agenda.
They did much to undermine the authority of the state, and helped in the fragmentation of the empire - they were later overthrown and executed. The damage done by them to the Mughal Empire may have been more monumental than that caused by external foes, such as the Marathas.
[edit] Also known as
There are several different spellings and terms for the Saiyid Brothers.
- Saiyad brothers
- Sayads of Barha
- Saadat Bara
- Saiyids of Barha
- Saiyids of Baraha
- Saiyids of Bara
- Saeeds of Barha
- Saids of Barha
- Sayeeds of Barha
- Sayids of Barha
- Sayeed brothers
- Saeed brothers
[edit] See Also
Saadat-e-Bara These villages may have been originally settled by the Saiyid brothers.
Saadat_Khan He played a major role in the overthrow of the Saiyid Brothers.
