The Aga Khan, what a great gig

Muahahaha

Was just watching the reopening of the Curragh with the new stand named after the Aga Khan who was there for the opening ceremony. So did a bit of reading on him and good jesus this chap really has things sewn up nicely for a cushy life of fast women and slow horses, all of which are paid for by other people.

He is basically a royal without a kingdom and is considered to be in the 10 wealthiest royals in the world. He is the spiritual leader of a sect of Shia Islam called the Ismaili who have 15 million followers worldwide and he claims family lineage all the way back to the Prophet Mohammed. As a result these 15m Ismaili followers put faith in his religious views and see him as a kind of demi-god by his blood line back to Mohammed

But not only that one of the rules of the Ismaili religion is that they must donate 10% of their annual gross salary to the Aga Khan, I mean these folk want to get to heaven so they need to pony up. So the Aga Khan gets huge sums of money pouring into his bank account every single year. And his father before him, grandfather before him and so on back over hundreds of years since the 8th century all got 10% of the gross salary of 15m people which is then controlled by his family and handed on to the next generation. Forbes places his wealth at somewhere between $800m and $3bn but given everything with him is so secretive nobody really knows his true wealth.

What is known is that he has used this free money to live a lifestyle that is the complete anti-thesis of what Islam stands for. Frivolous spending on superyachts, Caribbean islands, stud farms, private estates and luxury hotel chains all feature in his spending with horse breeding being another expensive hobby. Previous marriages include a British model and a German pop singer, both of which ended up in divorces costing tens of millions in payouts. He is a notorious philanderer and has a love of women, lots and lots of women. ,

What a gig, you'll never have to work a day in your life if you can get 15m people to pony up 10% of their salary to you every year and your ancestors did the same for the last 1,200 years then happy bloody days.

Serious respect to the Aga Khan, as for the 15m followers, what a bunch of idiots they are.

Captain Red Beard

The Khans, a great bunch of lads.

Trigger Happy

Yeah, but is he happy?
(Probably)

His followers are from a specific sect called the Nizari. From Wikipedia:

Nizari teachings emphasize human reasoning, or ijtihad—using educated, independent reasoning

They do in me hole.

wandererz

Ever heard of the pope and the Vatican?
Ever wonder where the Vaticans money comes from??
No?

About a billion or more fools every Sunday.

Fr_Dougal

Although the late Aga Khan did not start breeding until the 1920s, this particular region of Ireland was identified as prime land, and he later admitted that he “would probably never have been known as an owner west of Suez”, but for the influence of his friend Lord Wavertree.

Sheshoon, with the incorporation of the Brownstown property, is the oldest continuously operative stud in Ireland or England and was the first Irish farm purchased by the Aga Khan in 1923. Sir Henry Greer, the manager of the newly formed Irish National Stud, agreed to manage Sheshoon for the Aga Khan and was assisted by Colonel Tommy Peacocke, a man with extensive experience handling remounts in India.

Between them, Greer and Peacocke guided the stud through its formative years and established uncompromising management standards that have been upheld since. Numerous champions were raised at Sheshoon, including Dastur, Firdaussi, Udaipur, Taj Kasra and Bahram, whilst Mumtaz Mahal, the foundation mare of the breeding operation, was based there throughout her career as a broodmare.

The initial purchase of Sheshoon amounted to some 200 acres. Thereafter, the policy was to buy adjoining parcels of land as they became available. Acquisitions included Duggan’s Yard and Brophy’s Yard. By the time of his death, the Aga Khan had expanded Sheshoon to 750 acres. Nowadays the property stands at 1200 acres, the latest addition being a large portion of Brownstown, acquired from the McGrath Trust in 1988.

A second stud farm, also in County Kildare, was bought by the Aga Khan III at the beginning of his breeding activity. Ballymany Stud, located near The Curragh, Ireland’s main racecourse and training grounds, was bought from Major Cape in 1926. Later on in 1944, the dimensions of the late Aga Khan’s breeding operation led him to purchase yet another farm in County Kildare, Gilltown Stud.

When the Aga Khan IV took over the studs from the estate of his father Prince Aly Khan in 1960, his inheritance included six farms in Ireland: Sheshoon, Ballymany, Ongar, Gilltown, Sallymount and Williamstown.

When it became apparent that these land holdings needed to be streamlined in order to facilitate more efficient management, the Aga Khan disposed of Ongar and Williamstown in the sixties and sold Gilltown and adjoining Sallymount to Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone in the 1970s. 18 years later when Gilltown and Sallymount came back on the market, and now needing more land, the Aga Khan bought them back, thus a total surface of more than 1400 acres. The same year he sold Ballymany Stud to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Gilltown Stud is steeped in history and reflects the lore of the past. Gilltown and Sallymount are the sites of two ancient forts dating back, respectively, to Neolithic and Viking times. In the 12th century, they were part of a very large land holding which Dermot McMurrough, King of Leinster, presented to the Cistercian monks of Baltinglass Abbey. The monks were displaced in the 16th century when Henry VIII, who had declared himself head of the Church in Ireland, enacted legislation in parliament suppressing the monasteries. By the end of the century, Gilltown had passed into the possession of the Borrowes family who had received a baronetage from Charles I. Borrowes' descendants lived there into the 20th century.

Gilltown assumed a new role when it became a stud farm, first under Captain RB Brassey and then Viscount Furness. When the farm was acquired by the Aga Khan III, he retained the services of its then stud manager Georges Smithwick and after his death, Smithwick's widow.

Great attention has always been paid to the overall care and upkeep of these studs. Today Gilltown, Sallymount and Sheshoon are nature sanctuaries with a great variety of wildlife, flowers and rare mature trees. The Aga Khan thinks of these properties as part of Ireland's national heritage and a legacy for future generations.

Fr_Dougal

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Although the late Aga Khan did not start breeding until the 1920s...

That's very coarse if you don't mine my saying.

"Making love"

Snotty

But have you seen his Wrath?

kneemos

wandererz wrote: »

Ever heard of the pope and the Vatican?
Ever wonder where the Vaticans money comes from??
No?

About a billion or more fools every Sunday.

He's more akin to a televangelist to be fair.

Bizzare what folk will believe in.

wandererz

I knew people who are of his faith.
He does support his people as well. I saw myself how they were able to get financial support & loans to start their businesses or help their families.

It's a two way street & it seems to work well.

I believe that in Islam in general people are urged to contribute 5-10% of their income to charity. You'd wonder if & where that all goes.

Beanntraigheach

tabby aspreme

How is his successor chosen, is it always the eldest son

Blinky Plebum

Ain't nobody was a great song.

The donations of money are worth it when it produces masterpieces like that.

Allinall

[quote="Muahahaha;110279754"

What a gig, you'll never have to work a day in your life if you can get 15m people to pony up 10% of their salary to you every year and your ancestors did the same for the last 1,200 years then happy bloody days.

.......[/quote]

Margaret Cash has the same gig, without the hassle of training fees etc.

NewbridgeIR

I keep confusing the Aga Khan with the Dalai Lama.

TheValeyard

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

I keep confusing the Aga Khan with the Dalai Lama.

Celebrity deathmatch?

Outlaw Pete

I know a few men in Finglas that would give him a run for his momey on the fast women and slow horses front.


When I say fast women, I mean women that dabble in a bit of speed of course.

tipptom

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

Although the late Aga Khan did not start breeding until the 1920s, this particular region of Ireland was identified as prime land, and he later admitted that he “would probably never have been known as an owner west of Suez”, but for the influence of his friend Lord Wavertree.

Sheshoon, with the incorporation of the Brownstown property, is the oldest continuously operative stud in Ireland or England and was the first Irish farm purchased by the Aga Khan in 1923. Sir Henry Greer, the manager of the newly formed Irish National Stud, agreed to manage Sheshoon for the Aga Khan and was assisted by Colonel Tommy Peacocke, a man with extensive experience handling remounts in India.

Between them, Greer and Peacocke guided the stud through its formative years and established uncompromising management standards that have been upheld since. Numerous champions were raised at Sheshoon, including Dastur, Firdaussi, Udaipur, Taj Kasra and Bahram, whilst Mumtaz Mahal, the foundation mare of the breeding operation, was based there throughout her career as a broodmare.

The initial purchase of Sheshoon amounted to some 200 acres. Thereafter, the policy was to buy adjoining parcels of land as they became available. Acquisitions included Duggan’s Yard and Brophy’s Yard. By the time of his death, the Aga Khan had expanded Sheshoon to 750 acres. Nowadays the property stands at 1200 acres, the latest addition being a large portion of Brownstown, acquired from the McGrath Trust in 1988.

A second stud farm, also in County Kildare, was bought by the Aga Khan III at the beginning of his breeding activity. Ballymany Stud, located near The Curragh, Ireland’s main racecourse and training grounds, was bought from Major Cape in 1926. Later on in 1944, the dimensions of the late Aga Khan’s breeding operation led him to purchase yet another farm in County Kildare, Gilltown Stud.

When the Aga Khan IV took over the studs from the estate of his father Prince Aly Khan in 1960, his inheritance included six farms in Ireland: Sheshoon, Ballymany, Ongar, Gilltown, Sallymount and Williamstown.

When it became apparent that these land holdings needed to be streamlined in order to facilitate more efficient management, the Aga Khan disposed of Ongar and Williamstown in the sixties and sold Gilltown and adjoining Sallymount to Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone in the 1970s. 18 years later when Gilltown and Sallymount came back on the market, and now needing more land, the Aga Khan bought them back, thus a total surface of more than 1400 acres. The same year he sold Ballymany Stud to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Gilltown Stud is steeped in history and reflects the lore of the past. Gilltown and Sallymount are the sites of two ancient forts dating back, respectively, to Neolithic and Viking times. In the 12th century, they were part of a very large land holding which Dermot McMurrough, King of Leinster, presented to the Cistercian monks of Baltinglass Abbey. The monks were displaced in the 16th century when Henry VIII, who had declared himself head of the Church in Ireland, enacted legislation in parliament suppressing the monasteries. By the end of the century, Gilltown had passed into the possession of the Borrowes family who had received a baronetage from Charles I. Borrowes' descendants lived there into the 20th century.

Gilltown assumed a new role when it became a stud farm, first under Captain RB Brassey and then Viscount Furness. When the farm was acquired by the Aga Khan III, he retained the services of its then stud manager Georges Smithwick and after his death, Smithwick's widow.

Great attention has always been paid to the overall care and upkeep of these studs. Today Gilltown, Sallymount and Sheshoon are nature sanctuaries with a great variety of wildlife, flowers and rare mature trees. The Aga Khan thinks of these properties as part of Ireland's national heritage and a legacy for future generations.

The McGraths had their own unique way of gathering money from the people with the nod from the ruling party while pretending that they used it to fund our hospitals and using the government to help them smuggle there tickets illegally to the US.

Beat that your Highness.

Muahahaha

tabby aspreme wrote: »

How is his successor chosen, is it always the eldest son

No I think the current Aga Khan chooses the next one but not necessarily the eldest son and it can skip a generation too. Nonetheless this bunch of royals have had 1,200 odd years of free money rolling into the family bank account. The Swiss must roll out the red carpet for them.

I wouldnt mind but many of the members of his religious sect live in Tajikistan in pretty dire poverty while their supreme leader swans around the world on super yachts with supermodels. All in the name of the Prophet Mohammad of course.

darlett

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

I keep confusing the Aga Khan with the Dalai Lama.

I thought this was going to be about a certain aged singer having had a comeback concert somewhere in Dublin this weekend. But no. That thread would have been titled "Chaka Khan, what a gig".

Whoops.

Ipso

If anyone can, Khan can.

Guy:Incognito

wandererz wrote: »

I knew people who are of his faith.
He does support his people as well. I saw myself how they were able to get financial support & loans to start their businesses or help their families.

It's a two way street & it seems to work well.

I believe that in Islam in general people are urged to contribute 5-10% of their income to charity. You'd wonder if & where that all goes.

"Give me a chunk of your money and I'll occasionally give you back some of it as a loan"

Not sure how thats mutually beneficial. Surely theyd be better off keeping all their own money and using a bank?

Muahahaha

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

"Give me a chunk of your money and I'll occasionally give you back some of it as a loan"

Not sure how thats mutually beneficial. Surely theyd be better off keeping all their own money and using a bank?

Thats just the crux of the scam he is running, pretending to put the money back into the community when the reality of his playboy lifestyle looks very different.

These are poor people he is taking donations off, more fool them for donating but thats religion for you

topper75

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

His followers are from a specific sect called the Nizari. From Wikipedia:
Nizari teachings emphasize human reasoning, or ijtihad—using educated, independent reasoning

They do in me hole.

They reasoned that it would be great if they got loads of people to pay loads of money to them.
By me, their reasoning is sound.

Bob Harris

Followers who give you 10% of their gross salary certainly trump followers on Twitter/Instagram and other such shíte.