The Qizilbash cavalry regiments of Dost
Muhammad Khan
The present ruler of Cabool is Dost Mahomed Khan the
first of his tribe, who assumed a few years ago the title of Ameer. The
Chiefship comprehends the country extending from Hindoo Koosh to the southward of
Ghuzni, and from Bameean to the mountains of Khyber. The eastern portion, or
Julalabad is an addition since I wrote in 1832, and has increased this Chief’s
revenues from eighteen to twenty-four lacs of rupees per annum. This territory
is apportioned, in separate Governments, to the different sons of the Ameer, a
policy which is more wise than popular. The brother who ruled Ghuzni, Ameer
Khan, is dead, and that district is also held by one of his own family. The
distribution is as follows: ― Meer Ufzul Khan, the eldest son, holds Zoormut,
and agricultural district east of Ghuzni. Mahomed Akbar Khan Sirdar, the
favorite son, has Julalabad, and is constituted Chief of the Ghiljees; Azam
Khan has charge of Bameean, Beesoot, and the Huzaras, tributary to Cabool;
Hyder Khan has Ghuzni, and the son of Ameer Khan has charge of the Kohistan,
having lately been ejected from Ghuzni to make way for the Ameer’s son, and
when another of the youths is old enough, he will probably be again removed to
make way for him. The Ameer himself governs Cabool, where he usually resides,
and along with him is his brother the Nawab Jubar Khan. He has a park of 45
guns, all of which are serviceable, about 2500 “juzzalchees” or infantry, armed
with a musket as large as a wall-piece, which is used with a rest, and twelve
or thirteen thousand horse, 1-12th of whom are Kuzzilbashes. About
9,000 of these are highly efficient. Three thousand ride the Government horses,
and receive pay; a system of raising troops called “Umlaee,” new in
Affghanistan, and in which Dost Mahomed Khan consider a great portion of his
strength to lie. Such is a brief account of the means of offence and defence
possessed by the Chief of Cabool.
Reports and Papers, Political, Geographical, & Commercial Submitted
to Government by Alexander Burnes, Lieutenant Leech, Doctor Lord, and
Lieutenant Wood, Employed on Missions in the Years 1835-36-37 in Scinde,
Affghanisthan, and Adjacent Countries. — Calcutta: G.H. Huttmann, Bengal Military
Orphan Press, 1839, pp. 14—15.
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