The Qizilbashes of the Kabul city (Edward Thornton, 1844)

The Qizilbashes of the Kabul city

In the south-west quarter of the town is a strongly fortified district, called Chandol, inhabited by the Kuzzilbashes, or Persians, descendants of those settled here by Nadir Shah, and who have continued a distinct and important class, though exposed to the jealousy and ill-will of the Afghans. For the existence of these feelings there are two causes. The Kuzzilbashes are regarded both as foreigners and heretics. Both Kuzzilbashes and Afghans are indeed Mahometans, but the former are Shias, or votaries of Ali, while the Afghans are furious Sonnees. In spite of these circumstances, however, the Kuzzilbashes contrive to maintain their position and exercise considerable influence. Their number is estimated at between 10,000 and 12,000.¹ They have sometimes supplied a body-guard to the sovereign, and they exclusively manage diplomatic affairs, every Afghans of importance having a Kuzzilbashes secretary.² They appear to be decidedly superior to the Afghans, both in talent and civilization, but are reproached with being inferior to them in personal bravery. The Afghans do not in any respect appear to regard them in the light of inferiors, and freely intermarry with them. The mother of Dost Mohamed Khan was of this stock. The people of Kabool, according to Kennedy, who, as a medical man, may be supposed to have particularly directed his attention to their physique, present the Jewish type in “their tall figures, dark black eyes, marked features, and western complexion.” In fine weather the men live much abroad, so that then the streets are greatly crowded. Women, to whose humanizing influence Christians owe much of their superiority to the rest of the world, here seldom appear out of doors, and when visible they are enveloped from head to foot in the boorku, a covering which has a net-work over the eyes and an opening for breathing, but which so completely enwraps the figure, that not a glimpse either of the features or the shape can be obtained. The women of Kabool,  however, enjoy the reputation of possessing both beauty of face and elegance of form.

¹12,000 familien, according to Ritter, (Erdkunde von Asien, v. 317); but this, allowing five to each family, would make the number of Kuzzilbashes amount to 60,000, equal to the whole amount of the population. The account here given is carefully collected from the report of Burnes.

²Burnes, Persians in Kabool, 7-13.

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)