Dictionary of Indian Biography/Afghanistan, Abdur Rahman, Amir of
AFGHANISTAN, ABDUR RAHMAN, AMIR OF (1844–1901)
Son of Afzal Khan, and grandson of the Amir Dost Muhammad : confirmed by Shir Ali, in 1863, in a government in Turkistan : took part in the civil war between his father and his uncle Shir Ali (q.v.) : escaped to Bokhara when his father was imprisoned in 1864 : collected a force and defeated Shir Ali at Shekhabad in May, 1866, and recovered Kabul for his father : on the latter's death, in 1867, became C. in C. to his uncle Muhammad Azim : retired to Balkh : he was defeated at Tinak Khan, by Yakub on behalf of Shir Ali, on Jan. 3, 1869, and made for Bokhara, receiving an allowance from Russia : remained for 10 years at Samar-kand. In 1880 he watched events from Balkh, and, when Yakub Khan abdicated and was sent to India, negotiations were opened with Abdur Rahman, who proceeded to Charikar, was recognised as Amir of Kabul by the British Government in July, 1880, and finally nominated Amir on Aug. 10 : he subsequently occupied Kandahar when evacuated by the British forces, lost it to his uncle Ayub Khan (q.v.) in 1881, but personally recovered it from Ayub in Sep. 1881 : established his power throughout Afghanistan, and had frontier disputes with Russia : visited the Viceroy, Lord Duf-ferin, at Rawul Pindi, March, 1885, to discuss Afghan affairs, and was then made G.C.S.I. At the time of the Penjdeh incident with Russia, in April, 1885, he showed great forbearance. He had to repress risings in various parts of the kingdom : defeated his cousin Ishak, Governor of Turkistan. In 1893 he received Sir M. Durand's mission to settle a number of frontier questions, which at times had nearly led to hostilities with the British. He ruled with a rod of iron. GC.B., 1895 : disappointed at not being allowed to have a diplomatic agent resident in London, for which he asked through his son Nasrulla, in 1895. During his reign he employed English firms and experts to work for him at Kabul, and greatly strengthened his kingdom and military power, but maintained the traditional Afghan policy of keeping foreigners in general out of his country: in an autobiography he showed his confidence in the British alliance : he died Oct. 3, 1901.