George Scott Robertson - Revision history

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← Older revision		Revision as of 15:15, 22 October 2022
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	[[File:George_Scott_Robertson.jpg\|thumb\|right\|G.S. Robertson]]		[[File:George_Scott_Robertson.jpg\|thumb\|right\|G.S. Robertson]]
	'''Sir George Scott Robertson''', {{postnominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|KCSI}} (22 October 1852 – 1 January 1916) was a British soldier, author, and administrator who was best known for his arduous journey to the remote and rugged region of [[Kafiristan]] in what is now northeastern [[Afghanistan]] and for his overall command of British Empire forces during the [[Chitral Expedition\|Siege of Chitral]]. He chronicled his Kafiristan experience in the book ''[[The Kafirs of the Hindu Kush]]''. Some have suggested that Robertson's year-long expedition and subsequent book (originally published in 1896) provided background and inspiration for [[Rudyard Kipling]]'s short story ''"[[The Man Who Would Be King]]"''. However, Kipling's work was originally published in 1888, predating Robertson's travels to the region.		'''Sir George Scott Robertson''', {{postnominals\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|KCSI}} (22 October 1852 – 1 January 1916) was a British soldier, author, and administrator who was best known for his arduous journey to the remote and rugged region of [[Kafiristan]] in what is now northeastern [[Afghanistan]] and for his overall command of British Empire forces during the [[Chitral Expedition\|Siege of Chitral]]. He chronicled his Kafiristan experience in the book ''[[The Kafirs of the Hindu Kush]]''. Some have suggested that Robertson's year-long expedition and subsequent book (originally published in 1896) provided background and inspiration for [[Rudyard Kipling]]'s short story ''"[[The Man Who Would Be King]]"''. However, Kipling's work was originally published in 1888, predating Robertson's travels to the region.
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	==Later years==		==Later years==
	Robertson continued in the Indian Service until his retirement in 1899. He then returned to Great Britain where he made an unsuccessful bid for political office as a [[Liberal party (UK)\|Liberal party]] candidate in [[Stirlingshire (UK Parliament constituency)\|Stirlingshire]] at the [[1900 United Kingdom general election\|1900 general election]],<ref name="craig1885-1918">{{cite book\|last=Craig\|first=F. W. S.\|author-link= F. W. S. Craig\|title=British parliamentary election results 1885–1918\|orig-year=1974\|edition= 2nd\|year=1989\|publisher= Parliamentary Research Services\|location=Chichester\|isbn= 0-900178-27-2\|page=561}}</ref> but later was elected in [[Bradford Central (UK Parliament constituency)\|Central Bradford]] in [[1906 United Kingdom general election\|1906]].<ref>Craig, op. cit., page 79</ref> He held his seat in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom\|House of Commons]] until his death on New Year's Day, 1916.<ref>{{Rayment-hc\|b\|4\|date=March ~~2022~~}}</ref>		Robertson continued in the Indian Service until his retirement in 1899. He then returned to Great Britain where he made an unsuccessful bid for political office as a [[Liberal party (UK)\|Liberal party]] candidate in [[Stirlingshire (UK Parliament constituency)\|Stirlingshire]] at the [[1900 United Kingdom general election\|1900 general election]],<ref name="craig1885-1918">{{cite book\|last=Craig\|first=F. W. S.\|author-link= F. W. S. Craig\|title=British parliamentary election results 1885–1918\|orig-year=1974\|edition= 2nd\|year=1989\|publisher= Parliamentary Research Services\|location=Chichester\|isbn= 0-900178-27-2\|page=561}}</ref> but later was elected in [[Bradford Central (UK Parliament constituency)\|Central Bradford]] in [[1906 United Kingdom general election\|1906]].<ref>Craig, op. cit., page 79</ref> He held his seat in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom\|House of Commons]] until his death on New Year's Day, 1916.<ref>{{Rayment-hc\|b\|4\|date=March 2012}}</ref>

	He was elected a Fellow of the [[Royal Botanic Society]] of London in November 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times \|title= Court News \|date=27 November 1902 \|page=10 \|issue=36936}}</ref>		He was elected a Fellow of the [[Royal Botanic Society]] of London in November 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times \|title= Court News \|date=27 November 1902 \|page=10 \|issue=36936}}</ref>

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← Older revision		Revision as of 03:14, 12 July 2021
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	[[File:George_Scott_Robertson.jpg\|thumb\|right\|G.S. Robertson]]		[[File:George_Scott_Robertson.jpg\|thumb\|right\|G.S. Robertson]]
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	==Siege of Chitral==		==Siege of Chitral==
	In 1893, after his travels in Kafiristan, Surgeon Major Robertson was reassigned to the then-independent [[State of Chitral]], this time as a political agent. In 1895 he brought a force of around 400 soldiers, under the direct command of Captain [[Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend]], from Gilgit to oversee the transfer of power in Chitral following the death of its ruler, [[Aman ul-Mulk]]. After his arrival, Robertson engaged in a series of complex political and military maneuvers, during which hostility from local tribesmen led to his forces to move into [[Chitral Expedition\|Chitral Fort]] for protection. The six-week siege that followed included an unsuccessful sortie on 3 March 1895, when the British led forces took heavy losses.<ref>{{Cite book\|title=Much Sounding of Bugles: The Siege of Chitral\|last=Harris\|first=John\|date=1975\|publisher=Hutchinson\|pages= 47–59}}</ref> The siege was raised on 19 April when a relief force, under Colonel Kelly, arrived and dispersed the armed tribesmen. For his service during the famous [[Chitral Expedition\|siege]] Robertson was made a [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]<ref>{{London Gazette\|issue= 26644\|date= 16 July 1895\|page=4021\|city= London}}</ref> and appointed British agent in Gilgit. It was he who took the important decision of installing and recognising [[Shuja ul-Mulk]] as the provisional Mehtar of [[Chitral (princely state)\|Chitral]], subject to approval of the Government.<ref>{{Cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IH2-BAAAQBAJ~~&q=aman%252520ul%252520mulk%252520chitral~~&pg=PA1\|title=The Chitral Campaign\|last=Thomson\|first=H. C.\|date=2012-11-19\|publisher=Andrews UK Limited\|isbn=9781781513491\|pages=3–9\|language=en}}</ref> He later wrote a book by the title ''[[Chitral; the Story of a Minor Siege]]'' recounting the intense and dramatic events in Chitral.<ref>{{Cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BlUwAQAAIAAJ~~&q=chitral+the+story+of+a+minor+siege~~\|title=Chitrál: the story of a minor siege\|last=Robertson\|first=Sir George Scott\|date=2001\|publisher=Bhavana Books & Prints\|isbn=9788186505526\|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Syg9jwEACAAJ~~&q=chitral+the+story+of+a+minor+siege~~\|title=Chitral the Story of a Minor Siege\|last=Robertson\|first=George Scott\|date=2016-01-02\|publisher=Ishi Press\|isbn=9784871875288\|language=en}}</ref>		In 1893, after his travels in Kafiristan, Surgeon Major Robertson was reassigned to the then-independent [[State of Chitral]], this time as a political agent. In 1895 he brought a force of around 400 soldiers, under the direct command of Captain [[Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend]], from Gilgit to oversee the transfer of power in Chitral following the death of its ruler, [[Aman ul-Mulk]]. After his arrival, Robertson engaged in a series of complex political and military maneuvers, during which hostility from local tribesmen led to his forces to move into [[Chitral Expedition\|Chitral Fort]] for protection. The six-week siege that followed included an unsuccessful sortie on 3 March 1895, when the British led forces took heavy losses.<ref>{{Cite book\|title=Much Sounding of Bugles: The Siege of Chitral\|last=Harris\|first=John\|date=1975\|publisher=Hutchinson\|pages= 47–59}}</ref> The siege was raised on 19 April when a relief force, under Colonel Kelly, arrived and dispersed the armed tribesmen. For his service during the famous [[Chitral Expedition\|siege]] Robertson was made a [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]<ref>{{London Gazette\|issue= 26644\|date= 16 July 1895\|page=4021\|city= London}}</ref> and appointed British agent in Gilgit. It was he who took the important decision of installing and recognising [[Shuja ul-Mulk]] as the provisional Mehtar of [[Chitral (princely state)\|Chitral]], subject to approval of the Government.<ref>{{Cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IH2-BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA1\|title=The Chitral Campaign\|last=Thomson\|first=H. C.\|date=2012-11-19\|publisher=Andrews UK Limited\|isbn=9781781513491\|pages=3–9\|language=en}}</ref> He later wrote a book by the title ''[[Chitral; the Story of a Minor Siege]]'' recounting the intense and dramatic events in Chitral.<ref>{{Cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BlUwAQAAIAAJ\|title=Chitrál: the story of a minor siege\|last=Robertson\|first=Sir George Scott\|date=2001\|publisher=Bhavana Books & Prints\|isbn=9788186505526\|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Syg9jwEACAAJ\|title=Chitral the Story of a Minor Siege\|last=Robertson\|first=George Scott\|date=2016-01-02\|publisher=Ishi Press\|isbn=9784871875288\|language=en}}</ref>

	==Later years==		==Later years==
	Robertson continued in the Indian Service until his retirement in 1899. He then returned to Great Britain where he made an unsuccessful bid for political office as a [[Liberal party (UK)\|Liberal party]] candidate in [[Stirlingshire (UK Parliament constituency)\|Stirlingshire]] at the [[1900 United Kingdom general election\|1900 general election]],<ref name="craig1885-1918">{{cite book\|last=Craig\|first=F. W. S.\|author-link= F. W. S. Craig\|title=British parliamentary election results 1885–1918\|orig-year=1974\|edition= 2nd\|year=1989\|publisher= Parliamentary Research Services\|location=Chichester\|isbn= 0-900178-27-2\|page=561}}</ref> but later was elected in [[Bradford Central (UK Parliament constituency)\|Central Bradford]] in [[1906 United Kingdom general election\|1906]].<ref>Craig, op. cit., page 79</ref> He held his seat in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom\|House of Commons]] until his death on New Year's Day, 1916.<ref>{{Rayment-hc\|b\|4\|date=March 2012}}</ref>		Robertson continued in the Indian Service until his retirement in 1899. He then returned to Great Britain where he made an unsuccessful bid for political office as a [[Liberal party (UK)\|Liberal party]] candidate in [[Stirlingshire (UK Parliament constituency)\|Stirlingshire]] at the [[1900 United Kingdom general election\|1900 general election]],<ref name="craig1885-1918">{{cite book\|last=Craig\|first=F. W. S.\|author-link= F. W. S. Craig\|title=British parliamentary election results 1885–1918\|orig-year=1974\|edition= 2nd\|year=1989\|publisher= Parliamentary Research Services\|location=Chichester\|isbn= 0-900178-27-2\|page=561}}</ref> but later was elected in [[Bradford Central (UK Parliament constituency)\|Central Bradford]] in [[1906 United Kingdom general election\|1906]].<ref>Craig, op. cit., page 79</ref> He held his seat in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom\|House of Commons]] until his death on New Year's Day, 1916.<ref>{{Rayment-hc\|b\|4\|date=March 2012}}</ref>

	He was elected a Fellow of the [[Royal Botanic Society]] of London in November 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times \|articlename= Court News \|day_of_week=Thursday \|date=27 November 1902 \|page_number=10 \|issue=36936\| }}</ref>		He was elected a Fellow of the [[Royal Botanic Society]] of London in November 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times \|articlename= Court News \|day_of_week=Thursday \|date=27 November 1902 \|page_number=10 \|issue=36936\| }}</ref>

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2021-04-22T18:13:30Z

add details on civic appointment

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}
[[File:George_Scott_Robertson.jpg|thumb|right|G.S. Robertson]]
'''Sir George Scott Robertson''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|KCSI}} (22 October 1852 – 1 January 1916) was a British soldier, author, and administrator who was best known for his arduous journey to the remote and rugged region of [[Kafiristan]] in what is now northeastern [[Afghanistan]] and for his overall command of British Empire forces during the [[Chitral Expedition|Siege of Chitral]]. He chronicled his Kafiristan experience in the book ''[[The Kafirs of the Hindu Kush]]''. Some have suggested that Robertson's year-long expedition and subsequent book (originally published in 1896) provided background and inspiration for [[Rudyard Kipling]]'s short story ''"[[The Man Who Would Be King]]"''. However, Kipling's work was originally published in 1888, predating Robertson's travels to the region.

==Travels to Kafiristan==
Robertson was born in London and received his education at the Westminster Hospital Medical School (now Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London). In 1878 he entered the Indian Medical Service and served throughout the Second Anglo-Afghan War of 1878–80. In 1888, he was attached to the Indian Foreign Office and assigned as agency surgeon in [[Gilgit]], in northern India, now [[Pakistan]]. According to his book it was around this time, during the war and while in Gilgit, that Robertson became interested in the land and way of life of the Kafir people. He asked the Government of [[British Raj|India]] for permission to journey to Kafiristan, and by October 1889 was on his way, departing from [[Chitral]] in what is now northwest Pakistan in the company of several Kafir headmen of the Kam tribe. His journey lasted just over a year, ending in 1891, and providing Robertson with first-hand experience of what to him were the strange customs and colorful people of Kafiristan.

He was made a [[Companion of the Order of the Star of India]] in 1892.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue= 26291|date= 25 May 1892|page=3138|supp= y|city= London}}</ref>

==Siege of Chitral==
In 1893, after his travels in Kafiristan, Surgeon Major Robertson was reassigned to the then-independent [[State of Chitral]], this time as a political agent. In 1895 he brought a force of around 400 soldiers, under the direct command of Captain [[Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend]], from Gilgit to oversee the transfer of power in Chitral following the death of its ruler, [[Aman ul-Mulk]]. After his arrival, Robertson engaged in a series of complex political and military maneuvers, during which hostility from local tribesmen led to his forces to move into [[Chitral Expedition|Chitral Fort]] for protection. The six-week siege that followed included an unsuccessful sortie on 3 March 1895, when the British led forces took heavy losses.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Much Sounding of Bugles: The Siege of Chitral|last=Harris|first=John|date=1975|publisher=Hutchinson|pages= 47–59}}</ref> The siege was raised on 19 April when a relief force, under Colonel Kelly, arrived and dispersed the armed tribesmen. For his service during the famous [[Chitral Expedition|siege]] Robertson was made a [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]<ref>{{London Gazette|issue= 26644|date= 16 July 1895|page=4021|city= London}}</ref> and appointed British agent in Gilgit. It was he who took the important decision of installing and recognising [[Shuja ul-Mulk]] as the provisional Mehtar of [[Chitral (princely state)|Chitral]], subject to approval of the Government.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IH2-BAAAQBAJ&q=aman%252520ul%252520mulk%252520chitral&pg=PA1|title=The Chitral Campaign|last=Thomson|first=H. C.|date=2012-11-19|publisher=Andrews UK Limited|isbn=9781781513491|pages=3–9|language=en}}</ref> He later wrote a book by the title ''[[Chitral; the Story of a Minor Siege]]'' recounting the intense and dramatic events in Chitral.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BlUwAQAAIAAJ&q=chitral+the+story+of+a+minor+siege|title=Chitrál: the story of a minor siege|last=Robertson|first=Sir George Scott|date=2001|publisher=Bhavana Books & Prints|isbn=9788186505526|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Syg9jwEACAAJ&q=chitral+the+story+of+a+minor+siege|title=Chitral the Story of a Minor Siege|last=Robertson|first=George Scott|date=2016-01-02|publisher=Ishi Press|isbn=9784871875288|language=en}}</ref>

==Later years==
Robertson continued in the Indian Service until his retirement in 1899. He then returned to Great Britain where he made an unsuccessful bid for political office as a [[Liberal party (UK)|Liberal party]] candidate in [[Stirlingshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Stirlingshire]] at the [[1900 United Kingdom general election|1900 general election]],<ref name="craig1885-1918">{{cite book|last=Craig|first=F. W. S.|author-link= F. W. S. Craig|title=British parliamentary election results 1885–1918|orig-year=1974|edition= 2nd|year=1989|publisher= Parliamentary Research Services|location=Chichester|isbn= 0-900178-27-2|page=561}}</ref> but later was elected in [[Bradford Central (UK Parliament constituency)|Central Bradford]] in [[1906 United Kingdom general election|1906]].<ref>Craig, op. cit., page 79</ref> He held his seat in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] until his death on New Year's Day, 1916.<ref>{{Rayment-hc|b|4|date=March 2012}}</ref>

He was elected a Fellow of the [[Royal Botanic Society]] of London in November 1902.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |articlename= Court News |day_of_week=Thursday |date=27 November 1902 |page_number=10 |issue=36936| }}</ref>

==''The Kafirs of the Hindu-Kush''==
In 1896, Lawrence & Bullen Ltd published ''[[The Kafirs of the Hindu Kush]]'' written by Sir George Scott Robertson. The book provided a detailed account of Sir George Robertson's tour throughout [[Kafiristan]]. Although its descriptions of the Kafirs of the [[Hindu Kush]] are written in an outdated and colonial (and, from the perspective of modern sensibilities, discriminatory) style, the work contains some of the only accounts of the region from that time period. The book is accompanied by illustrations by [[Arthur David McCormick]] and was dedicated by the author to his wife.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
*Robertson, George Scott (1896) ''The Kafirs of the Hindu-Kush.'' Lawrence & Bullen, LTD., London.
*Mohammad Afzal Khan ''Chitral and Kafirstan, a personal study.'' Peshawar, Pakistan. {{ISBN|4871875210}}
*1911 Encyclopædia Britannica (11th Edition): ''Sir George Scott Robertson''

== External links ==
* {{Hansard-contribs | sir-george-robertson | George Scott Robertson}}
* {{Wikisource author-inline}}
* [https://archive.org/details/kafirshindukush00robe The Káfirs of the Hindu-Kush] (online book)

{{S-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{Succession box
| title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Bradford Central (UK Parliament constituency)|Bradford Central]]
| years = [[1906 United Kingdom general election|1906]] – [[1916 Bradford Central by-election|1916]]
| before = [[James Leslie Wanklyn]]
| after = [[Sir James Hill, 1st Baronet|James Hill]]
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robertson, George S}}
[[Category:1852 births]]
[[Category:1916 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Medical Service officers]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the Second Anglo-Afghan War]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the Chitral Expedition]]
[[Category:Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1906–1910]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1910]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1910–1918]]
[[Category:Politics of Bradford]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Star of India]]