The Qizilbashes of
Afghanistan
Scarcely
any country of the same extent has such a mixture of races constituting its
population as is observable in Afghanistan. The two leading divisions set down
by Elphinstone are Afghans, properly so called, and Taujiks, which last term,
he observes, is applied to all who, living where Pushtoo is most generally
spoken, have Persian as their vernacular language. To these should be added
Hindkees, or persons of Hindoo descent and Hindustani dialect, most numerous in
the eastern part, and, Huzareh, or those of Tartar descent, most numerous in
the north-west. The Kuzzelbaushes,1 a highly influential body, in
proportion to their numbers, though often deemed Persians, are not actually of
that stock, being members of that colony of Toorks2 who now
predominate in Persia. They were settled here under the governments of Nadir
and of Ahmed Shah, and owe much of their influence to the diplomatic affairs3
of Afghanistan being in a great measure in their hands. But so great is the
variety of language and race4 in this singular country, that besides
Pushtoo, the great national tongue, no fewer than ten dialects are enumerated
as spoken vernacularly, and this extent of variety often occurs in districts at
no great distance from each other.
1Burnes’ Pers. Fac. In Kabool, 7.
2The Kazal-bashi (red heads), under which denomination
of military force these colonists were classed, are considered to be the
descendant of the captives given to Shaikh Haidar by Tamerlane, and who wore
red caps as a mark of distinction. ― Shakespear in v. قزل باشی
3Burnes on Persians in Kabool, 6.
4Elph. 309.
Edward Thornton — Gazetteer of the Countries Adjacent
to India on the Northwest including Sinde Afghanistan Beloochistan The Punjab
and the Neighbouring States. Vol. [01] (1844)
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