Abdullah Khan Barha

Nawab Sayyid Abdullah Khan I also known as Sayyid Mian I, was the father of Hassan Ali Khan Barha and Hussain Ali Khan Barha, the two famous Sayyid Brothers. His full name was Sayyid Abdullah Khan Tihanpuri, Tihanpur was the ancestral village of this branch of Sayyids in Patiala Punjab.

Sayyid Mian, was a loyal serviceman of Aurangzeb, he became famous as a commander during the Siege of Bijapur for planning the trenches and leading assaults during the Siege of Bijapur. Due to his services he was appointed the first Mughal Subahdar of Bijapur.

Ancestry
Barha dynasty, to which Syed Mian belonged, was of peasant origins, and his ancestors had moved at an uncertain date from their homeland in Punjab to a barren region in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Although Barhas claimed to be descendants of Muhammad, or Sayyids, this claim was always dubious. Emperor Jahangir, although noting that people questioned their lineage, considered their bravery as a proof of their claims. They took much pride in their Indian ancestry, and according to the American historian Richard M. Eaton, were "as native to India as were Jats, Rajputs or Marathas." By the time of the Emperor Aurangzeb, the dynasty was firmly regarded as "Old Nobility" and enjoyed the unique status of holding the premier realms of Ajmer and Dakhin.

Biography
Abdullah Khan Barha served in the succession war between Aurangzeb and his Brother Dara Shikoh, on the side of Dara. After Dara's defeat, the Emperor Aurangzeb pardoned Abdullah Khan and allowed him to continue his military service in allegiance to him.

Abdullah Khan rose to fame during the Siege of Bijapur and afterwards was made the first Subedar of Bijapur. He later came to be made the Subedar of Ajmer and granted the title of "Sayyid Mian" by the Emperor Aurangzeb. His sons Hassan Ali Khan and Hussain Ali Khan served with the Imperial Prince of Azim-U-Shan son of the Imperial Prince Mu'azzam. After helping Mu'azzam ascend to the throne of Delhi as Bahdur Shah I. The new emperor awarded the bravery of the brothers for their service in the Battle of Agra, 1707, by giving them the Subedari of Allahabad and latter Patna.