The dynasty led Afghanistan from 1826 to 1973 and on that period it
battled foreign intervention, imperialism, traditionalism, and tribalism
resulting to eventful and turbulent reigns of its rulers.
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| Dost Mohammad, Founder of the Barakzai Dynasty |
Foundation of the Barakzai Dyansty
The Barakzai clan belonged to the Durrani Pashtun tribes that
established an Empire in 1747. Barakzai, though a very large clan, decided to
give way to their fellow Durrani Pashtuns – the Sadozai – to establish the
first ruling dynasty of the Empire. They then served as powerful allies and
servants of the Sadozai monarchs until the dawn of the 19th century.
Dost Mohammad, the founder of the Barakzai dynasty, grew up in a time
of upheaval as various Afghan tribes started to fight each other for supremacy.
Sibling rivalry between the Sadozai clan led to this division and the position
of the Barakzai became more influential. They became either a vital ally or a
grave threat in the eyes of the Sadozai rulers. Dost Mohammad’s father, Payenda
Khan, after serving as a military commander fell in the hands of his Sadozai
ruler Zaman Shah in 1800. Then followed Dost’s brother Fateh who served as
another military commander to Sadozai ruler Mahmud Shah until being seen as a
threat. Mahmud Shah’s son Kamran Khan mistrusted Fateh and moved towards
undermining the Barakzai head until finally convincing his father to have him
killed. This led to Dost Mohammad and his brothers to rise up in rebellion and
topple the Sadozai Dynasty. After which he and his brothers carved up
Afghanistan into domains with themselves as local rulers.
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| Dost Mohammad |
Dost Mohammad gained Ghazni and build up his power base and network of
supporters. In 1824, he succeeded adding Kabul to his domains and after gaining
support from its elders, he finally elevated himself to the position of Emir.
Emir Dost Mohammad of Afghanistan worked to consolidate his power and
that of his family both in home and abroad. With sheer ruthlessness he had his
opponents imprisoned, tortured, or killed while he also embarked in military
campaigns to expand his dominion to cover the whole of Afghanistan. His
exploits with foreign affairs coincided with the growing imperial rivalry
between the Russians and the British. Afghanistan laid in the middle of the 2
giant and powerful empires desiring to expand and protect their realms. This
rivalry that became known as the Great Game threatened the foundations of the
dynasty and even brought it on the brink of immediate downfalls with the First Anglo-Afghan War. Dost Mohammad’s reign came to a brief end to his reign in
1839. However, by 1843, the British
failed to cement their control over Afghanistan and pulled out allowing Dost Mohammad
to retake his throne and rule until his death in 1863. The careful steering of
Afghanistan during the Great Game defined a long part of the Barakzais.
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| Afghan forces attacking British troopers |
The second reign of Dost Mohammad marked another second chance to
consolidate the Barakzai into power. He worked to reestablish authority across
the Emirates and ensure cordial relations, not just with the British, but with
the Russians as well. In 1863, right after the recapture of the major eastern
Afghan city of Herat, Dost Mohammad passed away leaving a mixed legacy of
success and failures.
The Barakzai Rulers
Instability and civil war once again descended into Afghanistan after
Dost Mohammad’s death. The Barakzai founder failed to enact administrative
reforms and establish institutions capable of maintaining order after his
passing. Moreover, his reign held a fragile unity based on his personality
rather than an idea of nationalism. Hence, When Sher Ali took the position of
Emir, he contended with his brothers for the position from 1866 until 1868.
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| Sher Ali |
Sher Ali moved towards modernization to strengthen Barakzai from within
and without. He established a professional military aimed to move towards a
military force loyal to the emir and not to different tribal chiefs. He also
worked for the establishment of a modern administration through creation of
specialized ministries and an advisory Council of Elders. He also founded
modern schools and allowed the publication of the first Afghan newspapers.
Foreign policies of Sher Ali moved towards friendly ties with other
countries especially the British and the continuous steady steering of the
country in the midst of the Great Game. Under him, Afghanistan began to receive
financial aids and subsidies from the Ottoman Empire which would last even
during its successor state the Republic of Turkey. British assistance also
flowed into the country helping the modernization efforts of the military vital
to the strengthening of Afghanistan as a stable state and a viable ally against
Russian expansionism. Russia on the other hand made worrying gains from 1864 to
1868 as it advanced up to the banks of the Amu Darya – Afghanistan’s northern
frontier. Sher Ali met with Lord Mayo in Ambala to receive guarantees for
Afghanistan’s defense and recognition of his heir. In 1872, an Anglo-Russian
agreement secured Afghanistan’s status as a buffer zone, however, tensions
mounted in 1873 between the British and Afghanistan when Lord Lytton came to
power as the new Viceroy of India. The new Viceroy had an agenda of aggressive
British expansion and a collision with Sher Ali culminated with the Second Anglo-Afghan War that erupted in 1878.
The Second Anglo-Afghan War
A Russian embassy arrived in Kabul in 1878 sparking what became the
Second Anglo-Afghan War. Envoys arrived in the midst of the Congress of Berlin in
Europe to discuss a peace settlement between Russia, Great Britain, and the
Ottoman Empire. With an objective of opening a front in India to distract the
British, the Russians wanted to secure Afghan support in exchange for security
of the country and recognition of Sher Ali’s heir. Sher Ali, on the hand,
tempted to agree, but the deal never materialized as news of the peace
agreement in Berlin led to the withdrawal of the Russians embassy. Lord Lytton,
nevertheless, heard news of the embassy and demanded Sher Ali to allow a
British embassy in Kabul, unknowing that the Russians forced themselves into
the capital rather than welcomed. He demanded the stationing of British troops
in Northern Afghanistan as well as a permanent resident mission in Kabul. The
demands coincided with the death of Sher Ali’s son resulting to delayed replies
which the Viceroy considered as an insult. Thus, British imperial forces
mobilized and invaded Afghanistan.
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| Afghan Victors of Battle of Maiwand |
Before 1878 passed, Sher Ali decided to go to St. Petersburg to plea to
the Czar himself for assistance. However, his entry denied by the Russians and
on February 21, 1879 he passed away leaving his country at war.
Ayub Khan assumed the position of Emir after Sher Ali’s passing. He
already held the position of regent being appointed by his father before
leaving for St. Petersburg. On May 26, 1879, he sued for peace with the British
that led to the signing of the Treaty of Gandamak.
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| Ayub Khan |
The Treaty of Gandamak marked Afghanistan’s fall into the British
sphere of influence. It did gave Afghanistan back the major cities of Jalalabad
and Kandahar, but stationed British forces in strategic passes into
Afghanistan. Most importantly, however, Afghanistan loss its sovereignty to
handle its own foreign affairs to London. Hence, it also led to the appointment
of a permanent British envoy to Kabul. The Treaty, however, failed to end
hostilities completely.
Sir Louis Cavagnari arrived in Kabul to serve as the permanent British
envoy. However, Afghan discontent and hatred of the British prompted an attack
on the mission resulting to Cavagnari’s death and hostilities restarted between
the 2 countries. Yaqub fled and captured by the British and sent into exile in
India where he died in 1923.
British retribution sparked stronger resistance and rebellions. Just as
in the First Anglo-Afghan War, the British once again dived into a quagmire that
they found difficult to leave without losing face to the world. They then
sought an Afghan ally to guarantee their safe withdrawal from Afghanistan, and
they found it on Abdur Rahman, the nephew of the late Emir Sher Ali.
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| Abdur Rahman |
Abdur Rahman went into the spot light of the Barakzai Dynasty’s and
Afghanistan’s history. Gaining the support of the northern tribes, this allowed
him to declare himself as Emir on July 20, 1880. Ending the Anglo-Afghan War
became his primary objective.
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| Cartoon representing the Great Game |
The ending of the Anglo-Afghan War transpired with more bloodshed. On
July 27, 1880, an army of disciplined well-armed and well trained British army
suffered a massacre in the hands of rowdy, lightly armed, and disorganized
Afghan army in the Battle of Maiwand. Yet again, the Afghans inflicted on the
British another humiliating defeat. The Battle of Maiwand then transcended in
Afghan history as a moment of pride, a legendary battle that defined the
strength of Afghan resolved and dedication to their independence against
foreign imperialist. The battle led to a decision by the British to leave the
country and to allow the Afghan to settle their internal affairs at ease.
However, the British maintained its control of Afghan foreign affairs, which
kept the country virtually a part of Great Britain’s sphere of influence.
See also:
Bibliography:
Wahab, Shaista & Barry Youngerman. A Brief History of Afghanistan. New York, New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2010.
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