Amb (princely state)


Amb also known as Feudal Tanawal was a princely state of the former British Indian Empire ruled over by chiefs of the Tanoli tribe of Pashtun descent. The Tanoli submitted to British colonial rule in the 1840s. Following Pakistani independence in 1947, and for some months afterwards,The nawabs of Amb remained unaligned. At the end of December 1947 the nawab of Amb state acceded to Pakistan, while retaining internal self-government. Amb continued as a Princely state of Pakistan until 1969, when it was incorporated into the North West Frontier Province now.
The state was named after the town of Amb. In 1972, recognition of the royal status of the Nawab was ended by the Government of Pakistan.

History

Contemporary research and scholarship stresses that 'Ambolina/Embolina' might have been Greco-Roman pronunciations of an ancient settlement that existed in this location near the banks of the Indus River since early Hindu times; and it is most probable that this settlement was named as Ambhalina, or Ambalena, after the deity Amba Devi, also identified as Maha Devi, Shakti, Durga, Bhavani, Parvati, etc., several manifestations of the ancient Mother-goddess of Hinduism, who was specially venerated by the Gujjars and other tribes inhabiting the hill regions.
Amb State, once known as Mulk e Tanawal, was the home of the Tanoli. The early history of the region goes back to the centuries within the Mughal Empire, when around 1647 the Tanoli tribe conquered it and settled here on the banks of the Indus River and a wide area around it, which thus came to be known as Tanawal.
In 1854 British frontier officer General James Abbott postulated that Aornos was located on the Mahaban range south of modern Buner District. He proposed, as had Ranjit Singh's mercenary General Claude Auguste Court in 1839, to recognise Embolina as the village of Amb situated on the right bank of the Indus eight miles east of Mahaban. Be as it may, this is probably the location from which the Nawabs of Amb took their title much later.
, Sahibzada Sir Abdul Qayyum Khan. Nawabzada Muhammad Farid Khan Tanoli.

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Descent and ruling dynasty

The Tanoli describe themselves as purportedly Pashtuns from the Ghazni area but are Barlas Turks. The Tanoli submitted to British colonial rule in the 1840s.
, Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan listen the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawab Sir Muhammad Farid Khan Tanoli and Begum Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan. He was a popular chief, and it was during his tenure that the fort at Shergarh was constructed, along with Dogah and Shahkot Forts. His rule was a peaceful time for Tanawal, with no major conflicts. He opposed to construct schools in the state, a advice that was given by British.
Nawab Sir Muhammad Khan Zaman Khan Tanoli: Nawab Khanizaman Khan Tanoli succeeded his father, taking over the reins of power in Tanawal in Amb. He helped the British in carrying out the later Black Mountain expeditions.
Nawab Sir Muhammad Farid Khan Tanoli:
Nawab Sir Muhammad Farid Khan Tanoli KBE had good relations with Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan. His contributions to the Pakistan movement have been acknowledged by letters from the Quaid e Azam. In 1947 the Nawab of Amb, Mohammad Farid Khan Tanoli, acceded his state to Pakistan by signing the Instrument of Accession in favour of Pakistan.In 1969, the State was incorporated into the North West Frontier Province and in 1971 the Government of Pakistan ceased to recognize the royal status of the Nawab.
Nawab Muhammad Saeed Khan Tanoli:
Nawab Muhammad Saeed Khan Tanoli, son of Muhammad Farid Khan Tanoli, the last Nawab of Amb, studied at the Burn Hall School in Abbottabad and the Gordon College in Rawalpindi. Nawab Saeed Khan Tanoli ruled for a period of just three years.
Nawabzada Salahuddin Saeed Khan Tanoli:
Nawabzada Salahuddin Saeed Khan Tanoli is the present titular Chief of Tanolis and the nominal Nawab of Amb He is the son of Nawab Muhammad Saeed Khan Tanoli.
He holds the record of being the youngest parliamentarian ever to be elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan and then went on to be elected five times to the National Assembly of Pakistan, a feat only achieved by seven other Pakistani parliamentarians, including the former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
TenureChiefs of Tanawal and later Rulers of Amb
1772 – 1803 Haibat Khan Tanoli
1803–1809 Hashim Ali Khan Tanoli
1809–1818 Nawab Khan Tanoli
1818–1844 Painda Khan Tanoli
1844–1868Nawab Jahandad Khan Tanoli - Amb State founded in 1858 by British government recognition
1868–1907Nawab Muhammad Akram Khan Tanoli
1907 – 26 February 1936Nawab Khanizaman Khan Tanoli
26 February 1936 – 1971Nawab Muhammad Farid Khan Tanoli -- Amb State ended and merged with NWFP Pakistan in 1971-72

Amb State Postal Service

Existing alongside British India were hundreds of Princely States, some 565 in all, but most of them did not issue postage stamps. Only around forty of the States issued their own postage stamps, and Amb State was one of them, having its own Postal Service. The rest used the stamps of the All India Postal Service.

Present geography

Amb State consisted of the following present day Union Councils of Mansehra, Torghar and Haripur Districts:
Mansehra and Torghar Districts:
Haripur District: