The Conquest of Kandahar took place on 14 November 1855, and its consolidation lasted as long as September 1856. Following the death of Kohandil Khan, the ruler of Kandahar under the Dil brothers, the region had fallen into a succession crisis between Rahmdil Khan, the brother of Kohandil, and Kohandil's sons, who wished to gain power for themselves. Dost Mohammad Khan, the ruler of the Emirate of Afghanistan, sought to take advantage of the anarchy and chaos, and conquer Kandahar for himself.
in 1852, Kohandil Khan, the ruler of Kandahar, was disturbed by the punishment of the Tokhi and Hotaks of Qalat by Dost Mohammad Khan. Kohandil Khan was worried that this would see the rise of greater influence from Dost Mohammad in the region and possibly stake claim to Kandahar and intervene in the region, ultimately to conquer it and unite the two Barakzai realms.[5] Due to this, Kohandil Khan deployed his younger brother, Mihrdil Khan, with 4,000 men toward Qalat. Kohandil Khan also dispatched several field pieces to fortify the Qalat citadel so that if Dost Mohammad ever attempted to seize Qalat, the citadel could hold out, thus challenging Dost Mohammad.[6][7] Upon hearing this, Dost Mohammad dispatched Sher Ali from Ghazni to Qalat, also sending Sardar Haidar Khan from Kabul with an army. The two brothers united armies while marching on Kandahar. The forces of Haidar Khan and Sher Ali reached Qalat, and Haidar Khan's cavalrymen rode up to the walls, but were driven off by cannon fire by forces under Mihrdil Khan.[6] Haidar Khan relayed news of what occurred to Dost Mohammad. Dost Mohammad placed Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan as Regent in Kabul, and marched for Qalat along with Nawab Jabbar Khan, Sultan Muhammad Khan, Pir Muhammad Khan, and Sa'id Muhammad Khan.[6] As Dost Mohammad encroached further towards Qalat and news of this came to Mihrdil, Mihrdil Khan further entrenched himself in defensive positions and prevented entry through the gate of Qalat.
Dost Mohammad set out to flank the citadel and bypass it by setting up camp and placing his artillery on a hill overlooking the city, which could pour artillery fire unto the defenders.[6] As Dost Mohammad marched past the citadel, his forces were harassed by Mihrdil Khan's artillery, leading to heavy casualties. Once Dost Mohammad reached a place out of range from Mihrdil Khan's cannons, he established camp and ordered his men to take positions on the hill.[6] Dost Mohammad then became weary of the Kandahar road to Qalat, in anticipation that Kohandil Khan would march to Qalat and relieve the city from its siege.[6]
When the forces of Kohandil Khan reached Jaldak and made camp. Nawab Jabbar Khan alongside Haidar Khan hoped to make peace with both sides.[8] Kohandil Khan, believing he could not match the strength of Dost Mohammad's armies, drew up peace with Dost Mohammad. Dost Mohammad also accepted a proposal by Haidar Khan to destroy the citadel of Qalat, but later planned to rebuild it when the opportunity came.[8] The following day, the citadel was destroyed. This peace left Qalat as neutral territory between both realms of Kandahar and Kabul.[7]
On 21 July 1855, Kohandil Khan died, sparking a succession crisis and eventually a civil war, which allowed Dost Mohammad to capitalize off of the instability and launch a campaign to conquer the region.[1]
Conquest
Sketch of Dost Mohammad Khan
Upon news of the crisis in Kandahar, Dost Mohammad ordered Sher Ali to march from Ghazni to Kandahar, which was done. Dost Mohammad departed from Kabul shortly after.[9] During this time, the infighting of Kandahar broke out between the sons of Kohandil Khan and Rahmdil Khan. The Ulama argued that Rahmdil Khan should take over government since he was the oldest family member of the Dil brothers. The sons of Kohandil rejected this and staked claim for themselves.[10] When Sher Ali reached the city, he was greeted by the Kandahar Sardars and was escorted to the English cantonment there. Each day, Sher Ali would conduct business and dispatch himself with 100 men into the city, but returned only with 50, leaving fifty men each time as incognito soldiers. Towards the end of this, Sher Ali successfully brought in over 880 soldiers without the knowledge of anyone.[9]
While Dost Mohammad continued his march to Kandahadr, letters from Rahmdil Khan attempted to alleviate him and make him return to Kabul to abandon his march, claiming that the sons of Kohandil Khan had given up their claim. Dost Mohammad did not believe these letters, and even learned from further reports that Rahmdil Khan was incapable of ruling, with anarchy prevailing inside the city.[11]
Dost Mohammad finally reached the city and was greeted by many of the Sardars and on 14 November, called upon the incognito troops that were dispatched into the city, and prepared to enter it. Dost Mohammad claimed to enter the city for the reason to hold a prayer for the death of Kohandil Khan.[9] He thus took control of the citadel.[3] Dost Mohammad took effective control of the city and then divided revenues to the Kandahar Sardars-based on the revenues of Kandahar due to Dost Mohammad not allowing any of the Kandahar Sardars any effective role in the new government he was imposing in Kandahar.[3]
In January 1856, Dost Mohammad's rule in Kandahar became increasingly unstable due to the opposition from many of the Kandahar Sardars.[3] Rahmdil Khan left Kandahar and raided a grain caravan, while Sultan Ali, Khushdil Khan, and Muhammad Umar were established firmly at Mala Khan in Garmser with over 600 men, and attempted a conspiracy against Dost Mohammad, however it failed.[3]
Dost Mohammad began to silence critics by imprisoning religious dignitaries, notably Sahibzada Gudri, Qazi Ghulam, and Akhundzada Azizullah.[12] This only worsened his stability over the domain of Kandahar, as the remaining Ulama of Kandahar voiced negative opinions of Dost Mohammad and even declared Jihad against him.[12]
Dost Mohammad Khan's situation in Kandahar relaxed after Hafiz Ji led successful negotiations with Rahmdil Khan, and managed to induce him alongside all his sons back to loyalty toward Dost Mohammad, and even brought all to return to Kandahar.[12] Alongside this, one of Dost Mohammad Khan's sons, Muhammad Sharif Khan defeated Muhammad Umar, and his companions were brought to Kandahar. Dost Mohammad Khan also convinced Saddiq Khan after he gave up his resistance in Baluchistan and returned to Kandahar in early August.[12] With the open rebellion ended, Dost Mohammad Khan faced other issues such as meeting the expectations of Rahmdil Khan's annual revenues for their loyalty to the regime. During his negotiations with Hafiz Ji, he negotiated for 500,000 rupees in exchange for giving up claim of Kandahar to Haidar Khan, one of his sons.[12] Despite this settlement, the agreed revenues often were reduced, such as to 1,000 Rupees per month, and in 1857, it was increased to 80,000 rupees.[12]
The resistance of the Qandahar Sardars began to spark once again when Dost Mohammad Khan left the city in September 1856, giving the governorship of Kandahar to his son, Haidar Khan.[12] In early October Saddiq Khan took advantage of the Persian siege of Herat to seize the city of Farah from its governor, Khairullah Khan.[12] In a letter sent to Mirakhor Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Saddiq threatened to give the city of Farah to the Persians unless his demands were met. Saddiq Khan demanded that his former Jagir was restored to his governorship, and that aid would be given in rebuilding the fort of Mahmudabad, along with 500 houses that were demolished by Dost Mohammad. Saddiq Khan also demanded an active allowance of 80,000 rupees.[12] Haidar Khan did not take these demands well, and sent Jalal al-Din Khan accompanied by 2,000 cavalry, one infantry regiment, and six guns to Farah. Saddiq Khan raised a force equally as strong, and further reinforced by aid from Herat raised by Muhammad Umar Khan, Sultan Ali, and Muhammad Alam Khan. Muhammad Saddiq also further raised the support of certain Barakzai, Achakzai, Ishaqzai, and Nurzai chiefs.[13] Despite the support, Muhammad Saddiq Khan was defeated by Jalal al-Din on 30 October, four days after the fall of Herat to the Persians.[13] With Saddiq defeated, Farah was reconquered by Haidar Khan.[13]
Aftermath
With the conquest of Kandahar, Dost Mohammad Khan had significantly expanded his realm from the past 15 years from just Kabul and surrounding environs to now include cities like Balkh, and Sheberghan. While with the conquest of Kandahar, Dost Mohammad had advanced his realm as far as Shindand, which would be key in his future conquests.[14]
Emir Dost Mohammad Khan Barakzai, nicknamed the Amir-i Kabir, was the founder of the Barakzai dynasty and one of the prominent rulers of Afghanistan during the First Anglo-Afghan War. With the decline of the Durrani dynasty, he became the Emir of Afghanistan in 1826. He was the 11th son of Payendah Khan, chief of the Barakzai Pashtuns, who was killed in 1799 by King Zaman Shah Durrani.
Sher Ali Khan was Amir of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1866 and from 1868 until his death in 1879. He was one of the sons of Dost Mohammed Khan, founder of the Barakzai dynasty in Afghanistan.
Zaman Shah Durrani, or Zaman Shah Abdali, was ruler of the Durrani Empire from 1793 until 1801. He was the grandson of Ahmad Shah Durrani and the fifth son of Timur Shah Durrani. An ethnic Pashtun of the Sadozai clan, Zaman Shah became the third King of the Durrani Empire.
Sultan Ahmad Khan bin Sardar 'Azim Mohammadzai, also known as Sultan Jan was the ruler of the Principality of Herat from September 1857 to April 1863. He was a nephew of Dost Mohammad Khan. In 1855-56, Sultan Ahmad Khan sent a petition to the Shahanshah. If they would support Sultan Ahmad Khan with an army he would overthrow the Amir-i Kabir and annex Afghanistan into the Guarded Domains. He was intercepted by Dost Mohammad Khan though and exiled Sultan Ahmad Khan to Iran. When the Anglo-Persian War ended he was installed as ruler of Herat by the Iranians. On May 24, 1857, he arrived in Herat. The Iranians evacuated Herat in September 1857 in accordance with the Treaty of Paris. During his reign, he was completely dependent on Iran and not only minted coins in the Shahanshah's name, but also repeatedly given support upon request against the Mohammadzais. Naser al-Din Shah bestowed the title of Sirkar on Sultan Ahmad Khan and bestowed the title of Amir Panji on Sultan Ahmad Khan's son, Shah Nawaz Khan.
Mohammadzai, also spelled Moḥammadzay, is a Pashtun sub-tribe or clan of the Barakzai which is part of the Durrani confederacy of tribes. They are primarily centered on Kandahar, Kabul and Ghazni in Afghanistan. The Mohammadzai ruled Afghanistan from 1823 to 1978, for a total of 155 years. The monarchy ended under Mohammad Zahir Shah when his brother in law Sardar Daoud Khan took power via a coup.
Mohammad Afzal Khan was the governor of Afghan Turkestan from 1849 to 1863 and Emir of Afghanistan from May 1866 to October 1867. The oldest son of Dost Mohammad Khan, Afzal Khan was born in Kabul in 1815. His father died on 9 June 1863 followed by a civil war between Dost Mohammad Khan's sons. In May 1866 he seized power from his brother Sher Ali Khan and captured Kabul. A year later he contracted cholera and died on 7 October 1867. Following Afzal Khan's death, Mohammad Azam Khan was proclaimed Amir of Afghanistan. He was an ethnic Pashtun and belonged to the Barakzai tribe.
Alakozai is a Pashtun tribe in Afghanistan. They are one of the four tribes of the Zirak tribal confederacy of Durrani Pashtuns.
The Barakzai dynasty also known as the Muhammadzai dynasty(The ruling sub-clan of the Barakzai) ruled modern day Afghanistan from 1823 to 1978 when the monarchy ended de jure under Musahiban Mohammed Zahir Shah and de facto under his cousin Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan. The Barakzai dynasty was established by Dost Mohammad Khan after the Durrani dynasty of Ahmad Shah Durrani was removed from power.
Bārakzai is the name of a Pashtun tribe from present-day, Kandahar, Afghanistan. '"Barakzai" is a common name among the Pashtuns and it means "son of Barak" in Pashto. According to the Encyclopædia Iranica, "In the detailed Pashtun genealogies there are no fewer than seven instances of the ethnic name Bārakzī, at very different levels of tribal segmentation. Six of them designate simple lineages within six different tribes located in the Solaymān mountains or adjacent lands... The seventh instance, on the other hand, designates one of the most important Pashtun tribes in numbers and historic role, part of the Zīrak branch of the Dorrānay confederation.
Sultan Mohammad Khan, also known as Ghazi Sardar Sultan Mohammad Talaei, and known by his epithet, Sultan Mohammad Khan the Golden was an Afghan chief minister and regent. He was a powerful brother of Emir Dost Mohammad Khan, the eventual ruler of Afghanistan who seized control of Kabul from him. Prior to and during the reign of Dost Mohammad Khan, Sultan Muhammad Khan Telai was chief minister and governor of various regions of Afghanistan, including Kabul, Peshawar and Kohat. He was the first of the Musahiban, a Mohammadzai dynasty that began with him and ruled Afghanistan for more than 150 years, in various forms such as emir, king or president from 1823 to 1978.
Amir Ali Ahmad Khan, Shaghasi was an Afghan king from the Shaghasi family of the Barakzai tribe who was declared king of Afghanistan twice in 1929. He was first declared amir of Afghanistan by and influential cleric, Naqib Sahib on 20 January 1929, in eastern Afghanistan, but was defeated by Kalakani at Jagdalak on 19 February 1929. He was also declared as the amir of Afghanistan for the second time on 23 June 1929 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, by another highly influential Mufti Abd. Wasi Kandahari, but was defeated and captured by Kalakani on 3 July 1929.
The Herat campaign of 1862–1863 was a conflict between the Principality of Herat and the Emirate of Afghanistan, from March 1862, when Sultan Jan captured Farah from the Muhammadzai Emirs and continued through the 10-month long siege of Herat, ending on May 27, 1863, when the city fell to the Amir-i Kabir, thus completing the unification of Afghanistan.
The Principality of Herat, the Emirate of Herat, the Herat Khanate or simply Herat was a state in Afghanistan from 1793 to 1863, and one of the 3 main khanates in 19th century Afghanistan.
The Afghan Civil War was fought from 9 June 1863 to January 1869. It began as a result of Dost Mohammad Khan's death on 9 June 1863 and the subsequent power struggles among his sons. Dost Mohammad consolidated his power in the second half of his reign within his inner family. His sons were appointed governors of provinces and effectively acted autonomous from the central government. This would inevitably lead to his sons fighting for control after his death.
The Expedition of Shuja ul-Mulk began in January 1833, whilst the siege of Kandahar began on 10 May 1834, and ended on 1 July 1834. The expedition was led by Shah Shuja Durrani, the deposed Afghan Emperor who wished to re-claim his throne. Shah Shuja rallied forces while in exile in the Sikh Empire and marched through Sindh to Kandahar, besieging it. Shah Shuja would be defeated by the Barakzai rulers of Kandahar and Kabul.
The Hazarajat Campaign of 1843 began as a result of the post First Anglo-Afghan War situation in Afghanistan. Behsud and Bamiyan had broken away from Afghan rule as a result of the war, and Dost Mohammad sought to reconquer it following his resumption of power in Kabul.
Dost Mohammad's Campaign to Jalalabad (1834) took place in Early 1834, prior to the summer invasion of Shah Shuja Durrani in Kandahar. Dost Mohammad Khan wished to raise troops and subjugate the regions around Jalalabad, which was ruled by many different polities, one of the most significant being Mohammad Zaman Khan, who was centred in Jalalabad. This invasion from Dost Mohammad would be opposed by the rulers of Kunar, and the Mohmand tribe.
The Second Anglo-Afghan Treaty was signed in 1857, prior to the Indian Rebellion of 1857. This treaty saw significant gains for Dost Mohammad Khan. Following the signing of the treaty, Dost Mohammad Khan was pressured after the Sepoy Mutiny was began in India. This was emphasized internally from the Ulama, and Afghan chiefs, while externally, Bukhara threatened conflict with Dost Mohammad if he did not declare war on the British.
Shaghasi are the second most prominent & powerful sub-tribe of Barakzai, they belong to the Zirak branch of the Durrani confederacy, and are primarily centered around Kandahar. They can also be found in other provinces throughout central Afghanistan.
Fateh Khan Barakzai or Wazir Fateh Khan or simply, Fateh Khan, was Wazir of the Durrani Empire during the reign of Mahmud Shah Durrani until his torture and execution at the hands of Kamran Shah Durrani, the son of the ruler of the Durrani Empire, and Mahmud Shah Durrani, and other prominent conspirators such as Ata Mohammad Khan. Fateh Khan was of the Barakzai tribe, and his death caused the enmity of his tribe, leading to his tribe revolting and the eventual deposition of Mahmud Shah Durrani.
↑ Noelle, Christine (1997). State and Tribe in Nineteenth Century Afghanistan The Reign of Amir Dost Muhammad Khan (1826–1863). Psychology Press. p.15. ISBN9781138982871.
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Emirate of Afghanistan 
