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The Aga Khan III (1877-1957) was laid to rest in a mausoleum on a hillside overlooking Aswan. Visitors

to Egypt's southernmost city invariably trek the winding sandy path in order to contemplate his serene white marble grave. Few know that besides his love for Egypt and his passion for Aswan, the titular leader and third holder of the title of Imam of the Shiite Nizari Ismailis was for an ephemeral moment a candidate to the throne of Egypt.

 

A governor of a small province in Persia, the first Aga Khan had been an unsuccessful insurgent against his sovereign. Having fled Persia in 1840 Hassan Ali Mahallati (Aga Khan I) found sanctuary under the protection of the British Raj (today, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afganistan ). In Afghanistan he provided mercenary services to the invading British army. In return he received a pension and an honoray title from the British Government.

Under the British Raj Hassan Ali Mahallati established his religious authority over a small Muslim "Khojah" community of converted Hindus living on the west coast of India many of whom would later emigrate to East Africa.

In 1866, the fate of this Moslem community was institutionalized when magistrate Sir Joseph Arnold decreed the Aga was its undisputed religious leader. At about this time Hassan Ali Mahallati reportedly guided his flock towards the doctrine of his ancestors: the Ithna'ashriyyah persuasion of the Shi'a sect of Islam. When he died in 1881, the Aga was succeeded by his son Ali (Aga Khan II) whose leadership lasted four years ending in 1885. His untimely death catapulted the Aga Khan III to the Imamate at eight years of age.

In 1898 the young Aga Khan III visited Europe for the first time. If at Istanbul's Ottoman court he involved himself with the fate of Palestine, in Europe he professed to represent the fate of the Moslems at large. His forte howevr lay with the sub-continent of India where his services were sought by the British. Like his grandfather the new Aga Khan was rewarded with one of the highest decorations possible for any Indian subject. It was therefore as Sir Aga that the Aga Khan III led the British Indian delegation to the Round Table Conference held in London. Moreover, in 1937 he was allowed to represent the British Indian government in the League of Nations which he ultimately headed up until its demise in WW2.

The other Moslem at the League was Egypt's representative Ali Chamsi Pasha. He knew the Aga well for by now the latter had become a regular visitor to Aswan always occupying the same suite at the legendary Cataract Hotel designed by H. Favarger in 1901 for account of its first owner the world's premier tourist promoter Thomas Cook.

During his leadership of the Ismailis the heavy set Aga Khan III was literally weighed annually by his followers against (depending on the occasion): Silver at Bombay, Gold at Nairobi, industrial Diamonds at Dar-al-Salaam, and finally, in Platinum in Cairo. The Aga Khan retaliated to his community with welfare projects using the monies collected during these nominal ceremonies.

During his 72 year Imamate the Aga Khan benefitted his followers when he introduced a series of social and economical reforms. And through adept financial management he became one of the richest men on earth. A leading breeder, his horses made history between 1930 and 1936 winning several prestigious European racing events. Likewise, the Aga was a connoisseur and charmer of women. Married four times his wives were renown for their striking beauty.

At a very young age, in 1896, the Aga fell in love with his cousin Shahzadi Begum. Their marriage was celebrated in typical oriental splendor in India's Poona district. In 1908 the Aga much more mature in the arts of courtship was smitten by the youthful ballerina Teresa Ginetta Magliano of the Monte Carlo Opera. Two sons arrived. The eldest--Guissepe Mahdi-- died while Ali Salomone, who lived to be a legendary playboy marrying Rita Hayworth, died from a car accident in 1960. The Aga's third marriage in 1929 was to a French brunette Andree Carron from whom he begot prince Sadr al-Din. In 1938 while on a visit to Egypt, the 60 year old Aga met Yvette Labrusse, a tall French beauty 29 years his junior. She had been Miss Lyon in 1930 and a Miss Universe contender in 1931. They were soon married and the new Begum Aga Khan would become the legendary Um Habiba.