Afghan Qizilbash

Afghan Qizilbash (Əfqanıstan qızılbaşları) are a Turkic ethnic group in Afghanistan. The Afghan Qizilbash are descendants of the Qizilbash, which were a militant group mostly made up of Turkomans. Their language is Dari. They follow Twelver Shia Islam.

Structure
The Qizilbash were a confederation of 7 Turkic tribes (Shamlu, Rumlu, Ustajli, Tekali, Afshar, Qajar, Zulgadar, Baharlu) who wore red cloths on their heads, earning the name Qizilbash which meant "red head".

Afghan Qizilbash belong to various tribes: Afshars, Javanshirs, Muradkhans, as well as Bayat, Shahsevan, Ansarlu, and Shahagha. The Javanshirs are originally from Shusha and constitute the bulk of the Afghan Qizilbash. Afshari Bala neighborhood in Kabul, Nahagchi and Tepe villages between Kabul and Herat, are connected with the Afshars. Abshar and Abshara villages around Herat are also associated with the Afshars. Qizilbash have a large number in the Chindawol neighborhood of Kabul where they live alongside Hazaras. Sources from the end of the 19th century mention that Qizilbash are spread around in Kabul, Herat, Kandahar and Afghan Turkestan.

In 1885, they were reported as having preserved their own Turkic language and also were bilingual in Persian.

History
Some Qizilbash descend from the troops left behind the Safavids, and by the Afsharids. Others came to the country during the Durrani Empire. Afghan Qizilbash held many important roles in the government in history.

Sir Mountstuart Elphinstone described the Afghan Qizilbash in Kabul in the early 19th century as "a colony of Turks," who spoke "Persian, and among themselves Turkish." They were also described as "in fact Persianized Turks".

The large and powerful roles of Qizilbash in the Afghan government caused dissatisfaction among the ruling Pashtun tribes, and it worsened worse after the Qizilbash sided with the British during the First Anglo-Afghan War.

Among the Monarchy's personal servants and guards, Qizilbash predominated. English traveler Alexander Byors noted that the Qizilbash were the personal guard of the Kings and were one of the leading forces of the state.

Y. Gankovsky mentioned the presence of Nader Shah's close relatives and former Nawabs of Awadh in the highest posts of the Durrani Empire. The Nawabs of Awadh were descendants of the Qaraqoyunlu, related to the Qizilbash. The younger brothers and children of Qizilbash officials formed the basis of the ruling court of Herat.

The Nizam of Lahore was appointed in 1757 before Timur Shah Durrani became Shah. At that time, his army consisted of local Lahori Muslims as well as Qizilbash.

The Qizilbash were considered the richest, most educated and most powerful people in Kabul at one point. They formed the basis of cavalry units and artillery troops. They were also found in some Indian irregular cavalry units. Among them were merchants, those engaged in petty trade, doctors, secretaries and other officials.

As early as 1857, the Qizilbash managed to maintain their power and they headed a big faction in the government of Kabul. According to Major Hastings, in the second half of the 19th century, the influence and power of the Qizilbash was still strong, but it decreased from the previous period.

Later, the Qizilbash, being Shia Muslims, were subjected to the terror and oppression of Abdur Rahman Khan, who declared them and the Hazaras as "enemies of the state". Much later, the Afghan Qizilbash would also be victims of attacks by the Taliban. The Qizilbash lost most of their power during the rule of Abdur Rahman Khan and lost the rest during the Taliban period. However, it was still possible to see Qizilbash in high positions during the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan which came after the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001.