Muhammad Umar Khan

Muhammad Umar Khan was the Khan of Kokand from until his subsequent illness and death in . He studied at a madrassa after completing his primary education before seizing power from his brother Alim Khan. His poetry written under the pen name "Amir" touched on subjects spanning from humanism, culture, and enlightenment in diwans covering twelve genres. His teenage son Muhammad Ali Khan was given the title of Khan after his death.

Family Umar was the son of the Khan Narbuta Bey who reigned from 1774 to 1798. Umar took the title of Khan from his brother Alim Khan with the help of several co-conspirators. In 1810 Umar and his companions spread a rumor in Tashkent that Alim had been killed and took on the title of Khan. Alim, hearing of the rumors on a military mission, returned to Kokand immediately, only to be ambushed by the Umar faction with Kambar Mirza shooting Alim. Whilst visiting the tomb of Khoja Akhmet Yassawi he declared himself to be the Amir al-Mu'minin, Leader of the Faithful. The clergy were given a substantial amount of power and sharia was used to justify suppressing political dissent.