Durrani Empire: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|1747–1823 Afghan empire founded by Ahmad Shah Durrani}}

| status                = [[Empire]] (1747–1823; 1839–1842)

| year_end              = 1842

| p4                    = Khanate of Bukhara

| flag_p4                = War flag of Khanate of Bukhara.svg

| s4                    = Principality of Qandahar

| life_span              = {{ubl|1747–1823|1839–1842}}

| flag_caption          = [[Flag of Afghanistan|Flag]] (1818–1842)

| image_map              = File:Durrani Empire 1761.png

| image_map_caption      = The Afghan Empire at its height under [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]], 1761

| capital                = {{ubl|[[Kandahar]] (1747–1776)|[[Kabul]] (1776–1823, 1839–1842)|[[Peshawar]] (1776–1823; winter capital)<ref name="Stanford">{{cite book |last=Hanifi |first=Shah Mahmoud |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kh1hpPLSpcEC |title=Connecting Histories in Afghanistan: Market Relations and State Formation on a Colonial Frontier |publisher=[[Stanford University Press]] |year=2011 |page=185 |isbn=9780804777773 |access-date=2012-08-04 |quote=Timur Shah transferred the Durrani capital from Qandahar in 1775–76. Kabul and Peshawar then shared time as the dual Durrani capital cities, the former during the summer and the latter during the winter season.}}</ref><ref name="Singh">{{cite book |last=Singh |first=Sarina |year=2008 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zn8I4qEew9oC |title=Pakistan and the Karakoram Highway |page=191 |isbn=9781741045420 |access-date=2012-08-10 |quote=Like the [[Kushan Empire|Kushans]], the Afghan kings favoured Peshawar as a winter residence, and were aggrieved when the upstart Sikh kingdom snatched it in 1818 and levelled its buildings.}}</ref>|[[Herat]] (1823–1862)<ref>{{cite book |last=L. Lee |first=Jonathan |title=The Ancient Supremacy: Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731–1901 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nYaamE_3kD4C&pg=PA116 |access-date=March 8, 2013 |year=1996 |publisher=BRILL |edition=illustrated |isbn=9004103996 |page=116 |quote=[The Sadozai kingdom] continued to exist in Herat until the city finally fell to Dost Muhammad Khan in 1862.}}</ref>}}

| common_languages      = {{ubl|[[Pashto language|Pashto]] (poetry, initially used in bureaucracy){{efn|Ahmad Shah Durrani wrote poetry in Pashto.{{sfn|Schimmel|1975|p=12}}}}{{sfn|Schimmel|1975|p=12}}<ref name="Green">{{cite book |last1=Green |first1=Nile |author-link1=Nile Green|editor1-last=Green |editor1-first=Nile |editor-link1=Nile Green |title=The Persianate World: The Frontiers of a Eurasian Lingua Franca |date=2019 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0520972100 |page=42 |chapter=The Rise of New Imperial and National Languages (ca. 1800 – ca. 1930) |quote=Despite Ahmad Shah Durrani's flirtations with founding a Pashto-based bureaucracy, when the capital moved from Qandahar to Kabul in 1772, Durrani and post-Durrani Afghanistan retained Persian as its chancery and chief court language.}}</ref>|[[Persian language|Persian]] (chancery, chief court language)<ref name="Green"/>}}

| leader2                = Humayun Mirza (Disputed with Timur Shah)

| year_leader7          = 1809–1818 (Disputed in 1810)

| year_leader8          = 1810–1810 (Disputed)

| stat_year1            =  

| stat_area1            =  

| stat_pop1              =  

 

Ahmad was the son of Muhammad Zaman Khan (an [[Afghan (ethnonym)|Afghan]] chieftain of the [[Durrani|Abdali tribe]]) and the commander of [[Nader Shah|Nader Shah Afshar]]. Following Afshar's death in June 1747, Ahmad secured Afghanistan by taking [[Kandahar]], [[Ghazni]], [[Kabul]], and [[Peshawar]]. After his accession as the nation's king, he changed his tribal name from ''Abdali'' to ''Durrani''. In 1749, the [[Mughal Empire]] had ceded sovereignty over much of northwestern India to the Afghans; Ahmad then set out westward to take possession of [[Mashhad]], which was ruled by the [[Afsharid dynasty]] under [[Shahrokh Shah]], who also acknowledged Afghan suzerainty.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9o0IRPpvDjkC&pg=PA164 |title = Boundary Politics and International Boundaries of Iran<!-- omit the subtitle: the one given at Google Books is truncated and the full one, visible at Universal Publishers, is too long --> |isbn = 9781581129335|last1 = Mojtahed-Zadeh |first1 = Pirouz |year = 2007}}</ref> Subsequently, Ahmad sent an army to subdue the areas north of the [[Hindu Kush]] down to the [[Amu Darya]], and in short order, all of the different [[Pashtun tribes|Afghan tribes]] began to join his cause. Under Ahmad, [[Indian campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani|the Afghans invaded India on four separate occasions]], subjugating parts of [[Kashmir]] and the majority of [[Punjab]]. In early 1757, he sacked [[Delhi]], but permitted Mughal emperor [[Alamgir II]] to remain in nominal control as long as he acknowledged Afghan suzerainty over the regions south of the [[Indus River]].

Following Ahmad's death in 1772, his son [[Timur Shah Durrani]] became the next ruler of the [[Durrani dynasty]]. Under Timur, the city of Kabul became the new capital of the Durrani Empire while Peshawar served as its [[List of countries with multiple capitals#More than one capital in the past|winter capital]]; however, the empire had begun to crumble by this time.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Malleson |first1=George |title=History of Afghanistan: From the Earliest Period to the Outbreak of the War of 1878 |date=1878 |isbn=0343739771 |page=298 |url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/History_of_Afghanistan/0ec2AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover |access-date=31 July 2021}}</ref> The dynasty would become heirs of Afghanistan for generations, up until [[Dost Mohammad Khan|Dost Muhammad Khan]] and the [[Barakzai dynasty]] deposed the Durrani dynasty in Kabul, leading to its supersession by the [[Emirate of Afghanistan]]. The Durrani Empire is considered to be the foundational polity of the modern [[Nation state|nation-state]] of Afghanistan, with Ahmad being credited as its [[Father of the Nation]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/afghanistan/ |title=Afghanistan |access-date=2010-08-25 |publisher=[[CIA]] |work=[[The World Factbook]] }}</ref>

In 1709 [[Mirwais Hotak]], chief of the [[Ghilji]] tribe of [[Kandahar Province]], gained independence from the [[Safavid dynasty|Safavid]] Persians. From 1722 to 1725, his son [[Mahmud Hotak]] briefly ruled large parts of [[Iran]] and declared himself as ''Shah of Persia''. However, the [[Hotak dynasty]] came to a complete end in 1738 after being toppled and banished by the [[Afsharid dynasty|Afsharids]] who were led by [[Nader Shah Afshar]] of [[Persia]].

The year 1747 marks the definitive appearance of an Afghan political entity independent of both the Persian and [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] empires.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://iranicaonline.org/articles/afghanistan-x-political-history |title=Afghanistan: x. Political History |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]] |author=D. Balland |date=December 15, 1983|access-date=2012-08-08}}</ref> In July of that year a ''[[loya jirga]]'' (grand council) was called into session. The ''[[loya jirga|jirga]]'' lasted for nine days and two chief contestants emerged: Hajji Jamal Khan of the Mohammadzai lineage and Ahmad Khan of the Sadozai. Mohammad Sabir Khan, a noted ''darwish'' (holy man), who had earlier predicted that Ahmad Khan would be the leader of the Afghans, rose in the ''jirga'' and said

{{Quote|Why all this verbose talk? God has created Ahmad Khan a much greater man than any of you; his life is the most noble of all the Afghan families. Maintain, therefore, God's work, for His wrath will weigh heavily upon you if you destroy it.}}

Ahmad Khan reputedly hesitated to accept the open decision of the ''jirga'', so Sabir Khan again intervened. He placed some wheat or barley sheaves in Ahmad Khan's turban, and crowned him ''Badshah, Durr-i-Dauran'' (Shah, Pearl of the Age).<ref>{{cite book |last=Dupree |first=Louis |date= 1980|title=Afghanistan |publisher=Princeton University Press |page=333 |isbn=0-691-03006-5}}</ref> The ''jirga'' concluded near the city of Kandahar with [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] being selected as the new leader of the Afghans, thus the Durrani dynasty was founded. Despite being younger than the other contenders, Ahmad Shah had several overriding factors in his favor. He belonged to a respectable family of political background, especially since his father had served as [[list of governors of Herat|Governor of Herat]] who died in a battle defending the Afghans.

[[File:Kandahar City during 1839-42.jpg|thumb|City of [[Kandahar]], its principal bazaar and citadel, as seen from the Nakkara Khauna]]

One of Ahmad Shah's first military actions was to capture [[Qalati Ghilji]] and [[Ghazni]] from the [[Ghilji]], and wrest [[Kabul]] and [[Peshawar]] from Mughal-appointed governor Nasir Khan. In 1749, the Mughal Emperor [[Ahmad Shah Bahadur]] was induced to cede [[Sindh Province|Sindh]], the [[Punjab region]] and the important trans [[Indus River]] to Ahmad Shah Durrani in order to save his capital from Afghan attack.<ref name="Runion 2007">{{cite book |first=Meredith L. |last=Runion |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aZk9XzqCFGUC&q=ahmad+shah+durrani+1749+sindh+and+punjab&pg=PA69 |title=The History of Afghanistan |page=69 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |year=2007 |isbn=978-0313337987}}</ref>{{rp|69}} Having thus gained substantial territories to the east without a fight, Ahmad Shah turned westward to take possession of [[Mashhad]], which was ruled by Nader Shah Afshar's grandson, [[Shahrukh Afshar]]. Ahmad Shah next sent an army to subdue the areas north of the [[Hindu Kush]] mountains. In short order, the powerful army brought under its control the [[Tajik people|Tajik]], [[Hazara people|Hazara]], [[Uzbeks|Uzbek]], [[Turkmen people|Turkmen]], and other tribes of northern Afghanistan. Ahmad Shah invaded the remnants of the Mughal Empire a third time, and then a fourth, consolidating control over the Kashmir and Punjab regions, with [[Lahore]] being governed by Afghans. He sacked Delhi in 1757 but permitted the Mughal dynasty to remain in nominal control of the city as long as the ruler acknowledged Ahmad Shah's suzerainty over Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir. Leaving his second son [[Timur Shah Durrani|Timur Shah]] to safeguard his interests, Ahmad Shah left India to return to Afghanistan.

Alarmed by the expansion of China's [[Qing Dynasty]] up to the eastern border of Kazakhstan, Ahmad Shah attempted to rally neighboring Muslim khanates and the Kazakhs to unite and attack China, ostensibly to liberate its western Muslim subjects.<ref>{{cite book|title= Holy war in China: the Muslim rebellion and state in Chinese Central Asia, 1864–1877 |last1=Kim |first1=Ho-dong |year=2004|publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=978-0-8047-4884-1 |page=20|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9kfJ6MlMsJQC|access-date=2010-08-25}}</ref> Ahmad Shah halted trade with Qing China and dispatched troops to [[Kokand]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Empire and the Khanate: a political history of Qing relations with Khoqand c. 1760–1860 |last1=Newby |first1=Laura J. |year=2005 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-14550-4 |page=34 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KTmO416hNQ8C |access-date=2010-08-25}}</ref> However, with his campaigns in India exhausting the state treasury, and with his troops stretched thin throughout Central Asia, Ahmad Shah lacked sufficient resources to do anything except to send envoys to [[Beijing]] for unsuccessful talks.

The [[Mughal power]] in northern India had been declining after the death of Emperor [[Aurangzeb]], who died in 1707. In 1751–52, the ''Ahamdiya'' treaty was signed between the [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]] and [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]], when [[Balaji Bajirao]] was the [[Peshwa]].<ref name="Panipat">Patil, Vishwas. ''Panipat''.</ref>{{fcn|date=August 2021}} Through this treaty, the Marathas controlled virtually the whole of India from their capital at [[Pune]] and the Mughal rule was restricted only to Delhi (the Mughals remained the nominal heads of Delhi). Marathas were now straining to expand their area of control towards the Northwest of India. Ahmad Shah sacked the Mughal capital and withdrew with the booty he coveted. To counter the Afghans, Peshwa Balaji Bajirao sent [[Raghunathrao]]. He defeated the Rohillas and Afghan garrisons in Punjab and succeeded in ousting Timur Shah and his court from India and brought Lahore, Multan, Kashmir and other subahs on the Indian side of Attock under Maratha rule.<ref name=K.RoyIHB>{{cite book | last=Roy |first=Kaushik |title=India's Historic Battles: From Alexander the Great to Kargil |year=2004 |publisher=Permanent Black, India |pages=80–81 |isbn=978-81-7824-109-8}}</ref> Thus, upon his return to Kandahar in 1757, Ahmad was forced to return to India and face the formidable attacks of the Maratha Confederacy.

Ahmad Shah declared a [[jihad]] (or [[Islam]]ic holy war) against the [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]], and warriors from various Afghan tribes joined his army, including the [[Baloch people]] under the command of [[Khan of Kalat]] Mir [[Nasir I of Kalat]]. [[Suba Khan Tanoli]] (Zabardast Khan) was selected as army chief of all military forces. Early skirmishes were followed by victory for the Afghans against the much larger Maratha garrisons in Northwest India and by 1759 Ahmad Shah and his army had reached Lahore and were poised to confront the Marathas. Ahmad Shah Durrani was famous for winning wars much larger than his army. By 1760, the Maratha groups had coalesced into a big enough army under the command of Sadashivrao Bhau. Once again, [[Panipat]] was the scene of a confrontation between two warring contenders for control of northern India. The Third Battle of Panipat (14 January 1761), fought between largely Muslim and largely Hindu armies was waged along a twelve-kilometer front. Despite decisively defeating the Marathas, what might have been Ahmad Shah's peaceful control of his domains was disrupted by many challenges. As far as losses are concerned, Afghans too suffered heavily in the Third Battle of Panipat. This weakened his grasp over Punjab which fell to the rising [[Sikh]] [[misls]]. There were rebellions in the north in the region of [[Bukhara]]. The Durranis decisively defeated the Marathas in the [[Third Battle of Panipat]] on 14 January 1761.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jpXijlqeRpIC&pg=PA84 |title=India's Historic Battles: From Alexander the Great to Kargil |first=Kaushik |last=Roy |publisher=Orient Blackswan |year=2004 |pages=84–94|isbn=9788178241098 }}</ref> The defeat at Panipat resulted in heavy losses for the Marathas, and was a huge setback for Peshwa Balaji Rao. He received the news of the defeat of Panipat on 24 January 1761 at [[Bhilsa]], while leading a reinforcement force. Besides several important generals, he had lost his own son [[Vishwasrao]] in the Battle of Panipat. He died on 23 June 1761, and was succeeded by his younger son [[Madhavrao I|Madhav Rao I]].<ref name="GSC_2005">{{cite book |first=G. S. |last=Chhabra |title=Advance Study in the History of Modern India |at=Volume 1: 1707–1803, pp. 29–47 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UkDi6rVbckoC&pg=PA19 |date=1 January 2005 |publisher=Lotus Press |isbn=978-81-89093-06-8}}</ref>

rebellions in the north, and eventually he and the Uzbek Emir of [[Emirate of Bukhara|Bukhara]] agreed that the Amu Darya would mark the division of their lands. Ahmad Shah retired to his home in the mountains east of Kandahar, where he died in 1772.<ref>{{cite book|title=Inside Afghanistan: end of the Taliban era? |last1=Reddy |first1=L. R. |year=2002|publisher=APH Publishing |isbn=978-81-7648-319-3 |page=65|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NubtDf2T3cAC|access-date=2010-08-25}}</ref> He had succeeded to a remarkable degree in balancing tribal alliances and hostilities, and in directing tribal energies away from rebellion. He earned recognition as Ahmad Shah Baba, or "Father" of Afghanistan.<ref name="Singh"/>

==Other Durrani rulers (1772–1823)==

A few months before his death, [[Ahmad Shah Durrani|Ahmad Shah]] summoned Timur Shah from [[Herat]] and publicly declared him heir to the Durrani Empire. Ahmad Shah made this decision without consulting with his tribal council, as a result the authority of the Durrani Emperor was put into question and created a growing rift that would toil the Durrani empire for years to come, as the tribal council had in majority, supported Ahmad Shah's eldest son and Timur Shah's brother, Sulaiman, the governor of Kandahar. Prominent figures in court who supported the Sulaiman faction were Shah Wali Khan, Ahmad Shah's Wazir, and Sardar Jahan Khan. The court had attempted to urge Ahmad Shah to reconsider his decision, coinciding with the fact that the eldest son should ascend to the throne. Ahmad had ignored this, and quoted: "Timur Shah was infinitely more capable of governing you then his brother". As well as accusing Sulaiman of being "Violent without clemency", and out of favour with the Kandahari [[Durranis]]. Ahmad Shah's decision could have been influenced by his illness, which had affected his brain and his mental state, however choosing of succession to Timur Shah was likely to restrict power to the Senior Generals and the Durrani Tribal Council, to which he deemed as a threat to his dynasty in the future.<ref name="Drahm">{{cite journal |last1=Drahm |first1=Abdel |title=Afghanistan A History From 1260 To The Present |journal=AAF |date=2020 |page=144 |url=https://archive.org/details/Book_1094 |access-date=4 October 2021}}</ref>

When Ahmad Shah was on his death bed, Sadar Jahan Khan had capitalized on Timur Shah's far proximity with him ruling over Herat, and poisoned the ear of the Shah. This had worked as Timur Shah was denied an by Ahmad Shah on his deathbed, as a result, Timur Shah had begun mobilizing his forces for the inevitable conflict with his brother. Timur Shah's plans were stalled however, as a rebellion by Darwish Ali Khan under the Sunni Hazaras, likely instigated by the Sulaiman faction had risen up. Timur Shah had crushed this revolt quickly and Darwish Khan was imprisoned, however he had escaped. Timur Shah had then lured him into [[Herat]], offering pardon, where then Timur Shah had ordered his execution where his nephew, Muhammad Khan would be appointed in his place.{{sfn|Drahm|2020|p=145}}

During the revolt of Darwish, Ahmad Shah had died of his illness in 1772. Shah Wali Khan and Sardar Jahan Khan kept the Shah's death a secret by placing the body on a palanquin covered by thick curtains.{{sfn|Drahm|2020|p=145}} They had then left the King's mountain, taking as much treasure as they could and marched to Kandahar. Shah Wali Khan had also announced to everyone that the king was ill and had given orders to not disturb him except his trusted officials. To make the deception more believable, Ahmad Shah's chief eunuch, Yaqut Khan had brought food for the "Sick" Ruler. Shah wali Khan had then notified Sulaiman that Ahmad Shah was dead and proclaimed Sulaiman as king. However, many of the Amirs including Mahadad Khan had disliked Shah Wali's ambitions, and thus had fled to Timur's side, also notifying him of the ongoing situation at [[Kandahar]].<ref name="Fayz">{{cite journal |last1=Muhammad Katib Hazarah |first1=Fayz |title=The History Of Afghanistan Fayż Muḥammad Kātib Hazārah's Sirāj Al Tawārīkh By R. D. Mcchesney, M. M. Khorrami |journal=AAF |date=2012 |page=131 |url=https://archive.org/details/the-history-of-afghanistan-fayz-muhammad-katib-hazarahs-siraj-al-tawarikh-by-r.-/page/n255/mode/2up?view=theater |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> Timur Shah had then marched toward [[Kandahar]] to face Shah Humayun.{{sfn|Muhammad Katib Hazarah|2012|p=55}} Shah Wali, fearing of Timur's march had consulted with Shah Humayun, and had agreed on him marching out to Prince Timur Shah to welcome him. He left [[Kandahar]] with over 150 horsemen and had arrived at Prince Timur's force at [[Farah, Afghanistan|Farah]]. Having not sent word, once Shah Wali had dismounted, Timur Shah ordered the killing of Shah Wali. Angu Khan Bamiza'i assassinated Shah Wali Khan and his two sons, including 2 of his sisters children.{{sfn|Muhammad Katib Hazarah|2012|p=56}} Shah Sulayman surrendered the throne to Timur Shah following this, and became a loyal follower of him according to the depiction of Amir Habibullah Khan.{{sfn|Muhammad Katib Hazarah|2012|p=56}} Timur Shah ascended the throne in November 1772.<ref>{{cite thesis |last1=Khan Malik |first1=Ajmal |title=UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN |date=1993 |volume=01 |page=158 |publisher=University of Peshawar, Pakistan |url=http://prr.hec.gov.pk/jspui/handle/123456789/6261 |access-date=4 December 2021|type=Thesis }}</ref>

{{main|Timur Shah Durrani|Battle of Rohtas (1779)}}

After his father, [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]]'s death, he fought his brother Humayun Mirza for the throne, with Humayun supported by Shah Wali Khan. Shah Wali was killed by Timur Shah as he attempted to ride into his camp and beg for peace and mercy. Timur Shah then marched to [[Kandahar]], forcing Humayun to either flee or stay as a devout supporter for Timur Shah. With his throne secured, he began consolidating his power, with efforts to drive power away from the Durrani Pashtuns, and more toward the growing influential [[Qizilbash]] and Mongol guards consisted in his army. Timur Shah would also move the capital of the Durrani Realm from [[Kandahar]] to [[Kabul]], as a better base of operation to combat any threat arriving from anywhere, as Kabul was essentially the heart of the empire. After consolidating his power, Timur Shah marched against the Sikh's in 1780 in a [[Jihad]], and decisively defeated the Sikhs, forcing them to return [[Multan]] toward Durrani Suzerainty after it was seized after the death of [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]]. Timur Shah, having secured [[Punjab]], also faced recurring rebellions against him, including an assassination attempt earl yin his reign at [[Peshawar]]. Timur Shah would encounter harsh resistance and rebellion, prominently those of Fayz Allah Khan, Azad Khan, and Arsalan Khan. Timur Shah in his reign also fought against [[Shah Murad]], the ruler of Bukhara who attempted raids into Afghan Turkestan and Khorasan, often harassing the Durrani vassal of the [[Afsharid dynasty]] centred in [[Mashhad]]. In conclusion, Timur Shah spent most of his reign consolidating the empire, while also fighting off rebellion, he prove himself as a competent leader from holding the unstable empire apart. Timur Shah died on 20 May, 1793, succeeded by his son, [[Zaman Shah Durrani]]

[[File:The main street in the bazaar at Caubul.jpg|thumb|The main street in the bazaar at [[Kabul]], 1842 James Atkinson watercolour painting.]]

 

Zaman's downfall was triggered by his attempts to consolidate power. Although it had been through the support of the Barakzai chief, Painda Khan Barakzai, that he had come to the throne, Zaman soon began to remove prominent Barakzai leaders from positions of power and replace them with men of his own lineage, the Sadozai. This upset the delicate balance of Durrani tribal politics that Ahmad Shah had established and may have prompted Painda Khan and other Durrani chiefs to plot against the shah. Painda Khan and the chiefs of the [[Nurzai]] and the [[Alizai tribe|Alizai]] Durrani clans were executed, as was the chief of the [[Qizilbash]] clan. Painda Khan's son fled to Iran and pledged the substantial support of his Barakzai followers to a rival claimant to the throne, Zaman's younger brother, [[Mahmud Shah Durrani|Mahmud Shah]]. The clans of the chiefs Zaman had executed joined forces with the rebels, and they took Kandahar without bloodshed. [[Mahmud Shah Durrani|Mahmud Shah]] had then proceeded to march to Kabul, where he met Zaman Shah and his army on the way from Ghanzi to Kabul, Zaman Shah was decisively defeated, including portions of his army fleeing to Mahmud Shah's cause. Mahmud Shah ordered the lancing of Zaman Shah's eyes, and had succeeded Zaman Shah on the throne of the Durrani Empire.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Book_1094/page/n161/mode/2up|title = Afghanistan a History from 1260 to the Present}}</ref>

Zeman Shah's overthrow in 1801 was not the end of civil strife in Afghanistan, but the beginning of even greater violence. Mahmud Shah's first reign lasted for only two years before he was replaced by [[Shuja Shah Durrani|Shuja Shah]].

Ali Shah was another son of [[Timur Shah Durrani|Timur Shah]]. He seized power for a brief period in 1818–1819. in 1818 or 1819, He was strangled by his brother, Isma'il.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/Book_1094/page/n155/mode/2up|title = Afghanistan a History from 1260 to the Present}}</ref>

== See also ==

*{{cite book |last=Malleson |first=George Bruce |year=1879 |title=History of Afghanistan, from the Earliest Period to the Outbreak of the War of 1878 |publisher=W. H. Allen & Co. |location=London |isbn=9781402172786 |oclc=4219393 |url=https://www.google.com/books?id=pqNGBEmHUd4C |via=Google Books}}

*{{cite book |first=AnneMarie |last=Schimmel |title=Pain and Grace: A study of Two Mystical Writers of Eighteenth-Century Muslim India |publisher=Brill |year=1975 }}

[[Category:Muslim empires]]