Nanakali (tribe)

The Nanakali were historically Yarsani. Historical sources indicated that the Nanakali accompanied Nader Shah on his way back to Mashhad.^[1] In 1791–92, groups of Nanakali joined the army of Lotf Ali Khan along with the Mafi tribe.^[2] In 1798, Ali Hemmat Khan and his brother Baba Khan of the Nanakali tribe were executed by Fath-Ali Shah Qajar after they supported Soleyman Khan, the pretender to the Iranian throne.^[3] The Nanakali tribe mainly lived around its traditional lands near Kermanshah, although they were also present in the region around Tehran.^[4] They were also considered a Lak tribe.^[5] The "Nanakalivand" were mentioned in a list of the "Vand tribes".^[6] In the 19th century, the Nanakali were estimated at 700 tents.^[7]