Khushal Khan Khattak: poet and chief

Life and leadership

Khushal Khan Khattak lived from 1613 to 1689. A Pashtun poet and hereditary Khattak chief, he became chief in 1641. During the earlier part of his career he served the Mughal Empire, rather than opposing it throughout his life. His political position changed over time. [1]

Captivity and opposition

Aurangzeb ordered his arrest in 1664. Khushal spent more than two years in custody in India and wrote poetry during his imprisonment. In the 1670s he joined resistance to Mughal authority. His writing also appealed to a Pashtun identity extending beyond the interests of an individual tribe. [1]

A wide literary legacy

Khushal wrote on subjects including ethics, leadership, family life, and falconry, as well as composing poetry. His Pashto prose work Dastar-nama discusses the qualities expected of a leader. Traditional claims about the enormous number of books he wrote are not secure totals. Studying individual works and reliable editions gives a firmer picture of his literary achievement. [1]