sayyids migrated many centuries ago from different parts of the middle east, central asia (turkestan), during the invasion of the mongols, and other periods of turmoil such as during the periods of the ghaznavid dynasty, delhi sultanate, and mughal empire, encompassing a timespan of roughly until the late 19th century. sayyids migrated to sindh, uch and attock khurd (punjab) in the north and settled there very early. other early migrant sayyids moved deep into the south, to the deccan sultanates located in the deccan plateau region in the time of the bahmani sultanate, and later the qutb shahi kings of golkonda, nizam shahi of ahmednagar, and other kingdoms of bijapur, bidar, and berar. several visited india as merchants or escaped from the abbasid, umayyad, safavid, and ottoman empires. their names figure in indian history at the breakup of the mughal empire, when the sayyid brothers created and dethroned emperors at their will (1714–1720). the first muslims appointed to the council of india and the first appointed to the privy council were both sayyids.