Zain Khan Koka

{{short description|Moghul Empire official}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = Zain Khan Koka.jpg

| caption = Late 16th century painting of Zain Khan Koka

| office = Subahdar of Kabul

| term_start = 1596

| term_end = 1601

| death_date = 1601

| children = Khas Mahal

| allegiance = Mughal Empire

| serviceyears = 1585–1601

| branch = Mughal Army

| battles = {{collapsible list|title = {{nobold|See list}}|{{tree list}}

• Mughal–Afghan Wars
• Battle of the Malandari Pass

{{tree list/end}}

}}

}}

Zain Khan Koka (died 1601) was a leading official in the Mughal Empire under Akbar, including serving for a time as governor of Kabul.

Zain Khan was the son of Akbar's wetnurse and thus received the title "Koka" which means foster brother. He was of Iranian heritage.Farah Samrin and Professor Shireen Moosvi (2009) [https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/144510090.pdf Subah of Kabul under the Mughals] Centre of Advanced Study Aligarh Muslim University Zain Khan was a musician besides being a failed military leader. In 1585 he was made one of the leaders of the Mughal forces fighting to bring the Yusufzai Afghan tribe under Mughal control. But his subsequent failure at the Battle of the Malandari Pass due to undermining the strength of Yusufzai, refusal to agree with Birbal and other commanders in that battle and his run from the battle field to save his life, somewhat earned him a reputation of being an incompetent military leaderAkbarnama by Abu’l Fazl

Volume: translated by Henry Beveridge, Volume III (also known as Ain-i-Akbari in some translations, though technically different). near Chapter 46–47, under “Campaign against the Yusufzais”.

Anecdotes of Aurangzib and Historical Essays by Jadunath Sarkar, Essay/Section: Discussion on Mughal military campaigns and Akbar’s reign. . Still, in 1596, he was made governor of Kabul, likely due to him being Akbar's Foster brother.