| Hazarajat Campaign of 1843 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Dost Mohammad's campaigns | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Emirate of Kabul | Principality of Bamiyan Behsud Dai Kundi Dai Zangi | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Dost Mohammad Akram Khan [2] | Local Amirs | ||||||
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.
In the First Anglo-Afghan War, deposed Durrani ruler, Shah Shuja Durrani, wished to regain the throne and restore the Sadozai Dynasty in power of Afghanistan once again. Shah Shuja successfully invaded in 1839 with the aid of the British. Shah Shuja would rule from 1839 to 1842 before being defeated by the sons of Dost Mohammad Khan, notably Wazir Akbar Khan. Dost Mohammad was restored to the throne of Kabul following this, and began to plan the re-conquest of territories that had split as a result of the war such as Bamyan and Behsud, [3] as well as aiming to conquer other Hazara tribes in the region. [4]
The campaign began shortly after the failed subjugation attempt of Kunar led by Akbar Khan and Afzal Khan. [5] [6] Mohammad Akram Khan, another son of Dost Mohammad Khan, was assigned a force by Dost Mohammad and he set out in 1843. Akram Khan in a matter of months re-conquered Bamyan and Behsud, and also conquered the Hazara tribes of Dai Kundi and Dai Zangi in the process. [6] [7] [5] When Akram Khan eventually returned to Kabul following the conquest, he brought many gifts for Dost Mohammad including livestock, rugs, and taxes. [5]
Following these conquests, Dost Mohammad Khan was able to expand his realm and later lay claim to territories such as Balkh beyond the Hindu Kush from Bamyan in 1845. [8]
European influence in Afghanistan has been present in the country since the Victorian era, when the competing imperial powers of Britain and Russia contested for control over Afghanistan as part of the Great Game.
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The Third 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.
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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.
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