Amir

Amir a title of dignity given to a high ranking army officer of the Muslim state, Mughal or pre-Mughal. In the Muslim nobility the title of Amir was in between the Sipah Salar and Malik. bughra khan while advising his son Kaikobad (Sultan of Delhi, 1287-1290) describes the army organisation in the following manner: a sar-i-khail has ten horsemen under him, a sipah salar directs ten Sar-i-Khails, an Amir has authority over ten Sipah Salars, a Malik has authority over ten Amirs and a Khan commands the forces of ten Maliks. So an Amir commanded at least 1000 horsemen. During the time of akbar a provincial governor was also called an Amir. [Abdul Karim]