Mozaffar-Hosayn Mirza

Mozaffar-Hosayn Mirza (1563–1600; Persian: مظفر حسین میرزا) was an Iranian nobleman from the Safavid dynasty that held the governorship of Kandahar from 1578 until his defection to India in 1595.

[2][3] His family were initially loyal to the imperial line; Soltan Hosayn had been treated kindly by his uncle, Tahmasp I, and was awarded with the governorship of Kandahar in 1558.

[5][a] Ismail prevented the governorship to be passed down to Soltan Hosayn's sons, and instead appointed Fulad Khalifa of the Shamlu tribe to rule over Kandahar.

[5] According to the contemporary historian Iskandar Beg Munshi, Ismail had sent the orders for the murder of Mozaffar and his remaining brothers, but he died in 1577, before the royal agents could carry out the plot.

[10] Since Mozaffar and Rustam were young, fifteen and twelve respectively, Hamza Beg Zul-Qadr known as Kur (blind) became their joint vakil (regent).

[12][13] The division of Kandahar caused hostilities between the two brothers, as Mozaffar possessed the richer parts of the province and Rustam was unsatisfied with his share.

[11] Sistan had once been ruled by their uncle, Badi-al Zaman Mirza, but the new ruler of the region was Najm al-Din Mahmud, a nobleman from the local Mihrabanid dynasty.

[14][11] External pressure from all sides forced Rustam Mirza to leave Iran for India in 1593, which allowed Mozaffar to take control of Zamindawar.

[17] According to Iskandar Beg, Mozaffar always harboured a desire to return to Iran and felt disenchanted by India, this caused some estrangement between him and Akbar.