Ghulam Haidar Khan | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Ghulam Haidar Khan | |
| Native name | غلام حيدر خان |
| Born | |
| Died | 1897 Kabul, Emirate of Afghanistan |
Ghulam Haidar Khan Charkhi [a] was the commander-in-chief for Emir Abdur Rahman Khan, formerly the commander of the border forces at Ali Masjid under Emir Mohammad Yaqub Khan and commander of the central forces under the reign of Emir Sher Ali Khan until the latter's death on 21 February 1879. [1]
Ghulam Haidar Khan Charkhi was born in Charkh into the Yusafzai tribe of the Pashtuns, to his father Samad Khan Charkhi.
Under Emir Sher Ali Khan, Charkhi was commander of the Central Forces, and led the Afghan Army against the invading British forces at the Battle of Ali Masjid during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, [2] and later joined the National Party alongside many senior leaders against the Afzalids. However, following the defeat of the Afghan Army and the deposition of Mohammad Yaqub Khan and his son Mohammad Musa Khan, he later served under Abdur Rahman Khan, and was the only loyalist to not get punished. [3]
In 1882, Charkhi suppressed the rebellion of Sayyid Mahmud Kunari, the son-in-law of Mohammad Akbar Khan in Kunar, forcing him to flee. He had also served in various capacities in Kandahar, Ghazni, Nuristan, and Jalalabad to consolidate Abdur Rahman Khan's rule.
As governor of Turkistan, Charkhi played a major role in defeating Mohammad Ishaq Khan during the revolt of 1892, and won the rank of commander-in-chief after defeating him. Charkhi would continue to lead the Afghan Army against the Hazara rebels during the Shinwari, Ghilji, and Hazara uprisings. [4] The emir was pleased with his military prowess, and used his strength to be a military commander during the Conquest of Kafiristan, assigned a task to command the second force to march into Kafiristan from Asmar and Chitral. [5]
According to historical records, Ghulam Haidar Khan Charkhi was first poisoned and then died in 1897 as a result of a British conspiracy.