Amir, meaning "lord" or "commander-in-chief", is derived from the Arabic roota-m-r, "command". Originally simply meaning "commander”, it came to be used as a title of leaders, governors, or rulers of smaller states. In modern Arabic the word is analogous to the title “Prince". The word entered English in 1593, from the Frenchémir. It was one of the titles or names of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
All members of the House of Saud have the title of emir.
The caliphs first used the title Amir al-Muminin or "Commander of the Faithful", stressing their leadership over the Islamic empire, especially over the militia. The title has been assumed by various other Muslim rulers, including sultans and emirs. For Shia Muslims, they still give this title to the Caliph Ali as Amir al-Muminin.
The Abbasid CaliphAr-Radi created the post of Amir al-Umara for Ibn Raik; the title was used in various Islamic monarchies; see below for military use
Formerly in Lebanon, the ruling emir formally used the style al-Amir al-Hakim, specifying it was still the ruler's title. Note that the title was held by Druze and Christians as well.
The word emir is also used less formally for leaders in certain contexts. For example, the leader of a group of pilgrims to Mecca is called an emir hadji, a title sometimes used by ruling princes which is sometimes awarded in their name. Where an adjectival form is necessary, "emiral" suffices.
Amirzade, the son of a prince, hence the Persian princely title mirza.
The traditional rulers of the predominantly Muslim northern regions of Nigeria are known as emirs, while the titular sovereign of their now defunct empire is formally styled as the Sultan of Sokoto, Amir-al-Muminin.
The temporal leader of the Yazidi people is known as an emir or prince.
Amīr al-Baḥr is considered to be the etymological origin of the English admiral, the French amiral and similar terms in other European languages.
From the start, emir has been a military title. In the 9th century the term was used to denote a ruler of a state i.e. Italy's Emirate of Sicily. In certain decimally-organized Muslim armies, Amir was an officer rank. For example, in Mughal India, the Amirs commanded 1000 horsemen, ten of them under one malik. In the imperial army of Qajar Persia:
Amir-i-Nuyan
Amir Panj, "Commander of 5,000"
Amir-i-Tuman, "Commander of 10,000"
The following posts referred to "amir" under medieval Muslim states include:
Amir al-umara, "Amir of Amirs" or 'Commander of Commanders'
Amir-i-Iel designates the head of an Il in imperial Persia.
The masculine Amir and feminine Amira are Arabic-language names common among both Arabs regardless of religion and Muslims regardless of ethnicity, much as Latin Rex and Regina are common in the Western world. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the female name Emira, often interpreted as "princess", is a derivative of the male name Emir.
The masculine Amir and feminine Amira are Hebrew-language names that are relatively common in Israel. In Hebrew the word can also mean "bundle of grain" or "treetop" depending on the spelling.
