Victory of the Afghans in the Battle of Maiwand p1
Abdul Rahman Khan writes that a tribal leader who supported him had written a message to the British saying that Ferangi should leave our country. Otherwise we will drive you out or we will die fighting in doing so. Another Sardar also demanded that the British should pay one hundred crore rupees as compensation for the destruction of Afghan cannons and forts. Otherwise we will not let a single Englishman reach Peshawar alive. Another pro-Abdur Rahman Khan tribal leader addressed the British as “traitors and infidels” and wrote that you have occupied India by trickery.
Now you want to usurp Afghanistan in the same way? We will resist you and then another power like Russia will join us and fight against you. Friends, these were the thoughts of Abdul Rahman Khan’s supporters. However, Abdul Rahman Khan did not declare jihad against the British. By his manner, the British got the same impression that Abdul Rahman Khan was ready to compromise with the British. However, Abdul Rahman Khan and Ayub Khan were enemies of each other.
Their fathers namely Sher Ali and Afzal Khan had fought each other for the throne of Afghanistan. Now his son was competing for the same throne. In this Game of Thrones, the role of kingmaker, King Gur was in the hands of the British. That is, he had to decide the next emir of Afghanistan. Obviously, the British gave a decision in favor of Abdul Rahman because they seemed ready to compromise, Ayub Khan wanted nothing but a fight with the British.
Yes, the British must have had a little hesitation. That is, because Abdul Rahman Khan had been a guest of the Russians during his exile and it was feared that after becoming rich, he would become friends with Russia against the wishes of the British. So the British offered Abdul Rahman Khan that if he broke his ties with Russia, they would recognize him as the Afghan Emir, rather they would make him the king of Afghanistan. Started regular negotiations with the British. During the same negotiations,
Abdul Rahman Khan advanced from northern Afghanistan and reached the area of Charikar near Kabul. On the 20th of July in Charikar, Afghan scholars and tribal chiefs pledged allegiance to him and recognized him as the new emir of Afghanistan. Two days later, on July 22, the British also held a ceremony in Kabul and declared him the Amir of Afghanistan. Now Abdul Rahman Khan started to be called Ameer Abdul Rahman. However, terms were yet to be settled between the Amir and the British.
Amir Abdul Rahman was writing a letter to the British saying that my people ask what will be the boundaries of my state? Will it include Kandahar or not? In exchange for the friendship of the British government, which enemy of the British government will they have to push back? What benefits will the British government bring to them and their countrymen and what kind of services will they want from us in return? Amir Abdul Rahman Khan claims that he had gathered three hundred thousand warriors in Charikar.
These warriors were ready to fight the British but the Amir replied that there was no need because the British themselves were inviting them to come and take over the throne of Kabul. But friends, no deal had been finalized between the British and the new emir when Ayub Khan, the third player of the game, made his move. He left Herat and went to conquer Kandahar. Then there was a battle that became a legend in Afghan history. My Curious Fellow Ayub Khan had announced Jihad in Herat and gathered an army of about twenty five thousand.
He was also receiving financial support from Iran for the expenses of this army. Iran was helping the Afghans because it had lost Herat due to British intervention in the past. Now perhaps he was settling old scores with the British by helping Ayub Khan. So now, with the help of Iran, Ayub Khan prepared this army and left for the capture of Kandahar, at that time Kandahar was occupied by the British. A few thousand British and Indian soldiers were stationed in Kandahar. Ayub Khan was confident that he would easily defeat this army and capture Kandahar.
