KHAMTIS

khamtis, a tribe of the north-east frontier of india, dwelling in the hills bordering the lakhimpur district of assam. they are of shan origin, and appear to have settled in their present abode in the middle of the 18th century. in 1839 they raided the british outpost of sadiya, but they have since given no trouble. their headquarters are in a valley 200 m. from sadiya, which can be reached only over high passes and through dense jungle. in 1901 the number of speakers of khamti was returned as only 1490, mostly in burma. khan (from the turki, hence persian and arabic _khan_), a title of respect in mahommedan countries. it is a contracted form of _khaqan_ (khakan), a word equivalent to sovereign or emperor, used among the mongol and turki-nomad hordes. the title khan was assumed by jenghis when he became supreme ruler of the mongols; his successors became known in europe as the great khans (sometimes as the chams, &c.) of tatary or cathay. khan is still applied to semi-independent rulers, such as the khans of russian turkestan, or the khan of kalat in baluchistan, and is also used immediately after the name of rulers such as the sultan of turkey; the meaning of the term has also extended downwards, until in persia and afghanistan it has become an affix to the name of any mahommedan gentleman, like esquire, and in india it has become a part of many mahommedan names, especially when pathan descent is claimed. the title of khan bahadur is conferred by the british government on mahommedans and also on parsis.