The Qizilbash cavalry of Dost Muhammad Khan (Edward Thornton, 1844)

The Qizilbash cavalry of Dost Muhammad Khan

Kabool, a province of Afghanistan,¹ of which the city of Kabool is the chief town, once the centre of an extensive but short-lived monarchy. This ephemeral empire was founded by Ahmed Abdalli (subsequently Durani), an Afghan, after the assassination of Nadir Shah,² in 1747. It comprised, at the death of its founder, Afghanistan, Beloochistan, Khorasan, Turkestan, Sinde, and the Punjab. After his decease it rapidly declined, and, in 1809, on the expulsion of the sovereign, Shah Shooja, by his insurgent chieftains, it fell totally to pieces. Herat was erected into a separate state under Shah Mahmood, brother of Shah Shoojah; Peshawur and the Damaun were overrun by the Sikhs; Kandahar became independent under the Sirdars; the brother of Dost Mahomed Khan, and the last-named personage, seized the province of Kabool.

This province extends from Hindoo Koosh, on the north, to some distance south of Ghuznee; and from Bamian in the west, to the Khyber mountains in the east. Its length is about two hundred miles from east to west; its breadth one hundred and fifty from north to south; its superficial extent probably about ten thousand square miles. The principal towns are Kabool, the capital, Istalif, Ghuznee, and Jelalabad. Dost Mahomed is reputed to have drawn from it a revenue of twenty-four lacs of rupees, or 240,000l. per annum;³ but Masson⁴ states the amount at only fifteen lacs, or 150,000l. per annum. The military force of Dost Mahomed Khan amounted to 2,500 heavy infantry, armed with the formidable jezails or long muskets, fired with a rest, and 12,000 or 13,000 horse, about 1,000 of whom were Kuzzilbashes, or descendants from the colonists planted here by Nadir Shah. About 9,000 of these were considered highly effective, and 3,000 received regular pay. The late violent and well-known revolutions and struggles, and the utter confusion which yet prevails, render it as impracticable to give any account of the present condition of this immature and feeble state, as to indulge in any rational speculation as to its future destiny. The information existing respecting the country over which it extended will be found under the head Afghanistan.

¹App. iii. To Burnes Pers. Narr.

²Malcolm, ii. 100; Elph. 540-599.

³Burnes, ut supra, 370.

⁴i. 407.

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)