Ghulam Haidar Khan Charkhi
Ghulam Haidar Khan | |
|---|---|
| غلام حيدر خان | |
 Portrait of Ghulam Haidar Khan | |
| Born | |
| Died | 1897 Kabul, Emirate of Afghanistan |
Ghulam Haidar Khan Charkhi[a] was the commander-in-chief for Emir Abdur Rahman Khan, formerly the commander of the border forces at Ali Masjid under Emir Mohammad Yaqub Khan and commander of the central forces during the reign of Emir Sher Ali Khan until the latter's death on 21 February 1879.[1]
Early life
[edit]Charkhi was born to Samad Khan Charkhi, in Charkh, into a Tajik family.[2]
Rise to power
[edit]Under Emir Sher Ali Khan, Charkhi was commander of the central forces, and led the Afghan Army against the invading British forces at the Battle of Ali Masjid during the Second Anglo-Afghan War,[3] and later joined the National Party alongside many senior leaders against the Afzalids. However, following the defeat of the Afghan Army and the deposition of Mohammad Yaqub Khan and his son Mohammad Musa Khan, he later served under Abdur Rahman Khan, and was reportedly the only loyalist who avoided punishment.[4]
In 1882, Charkhi suppressed the rebellion of Sayyid Mahmud Kunari, the son-in-law of Mohammad Akbar Khan in Kunar, forcing him to flee. He also served in various capacities in Kandahar, Ghazni, Nuristan, and Jalalabad to consolidate Abdur Rahman Khan's rule.
As governor of Turkistan, Charkhi played a major role in defeating Mohammad Ishaq Khan during the revolt of 1892, and won the rank of commander-in-chief after defeating him. Charkhi would continue to lead the Afghan Army against the Hazara rebels during the Shinwari, Ghilji, and Hazara uprisings.[5] The emir was pleased with his military prowess, and used his strength to be a military commander during the Conquest of Kafiristan, assigned a task to command the second force to march into Kafiristan from Asmar and Chitral.[6]
According to historical records, Ghulam Haidar Khan Charkhi was first poisoned and then died in 1897 as a result of a British conspiracy.
Notes
[edit]- ↑
- Pashto: غلام حيدر خان څرخي, romanized: Ğulām Haidar Xān Śarxi [ɣu.lɑm (h)äɪ.d̪äɾ xɑn t͡säɾ.xi]
- Persian: غلام حیدر خان چرخی, romanized: Ghulām Haydar Khān Charkhī [ɣʊ.lɑ́ːm (h)äj.d̪áɾ xɑːn t͡ʃäɾ.xíː]
References
[edit]- ↑ Hazārah, Fayż Muḥammad Kātib; McChesney, R. D.; Khorrami, Mohammad Mehdi (2013). The History of Afghanistan: Fayż Muḥammad Kātib Hazārah's Sirāj al-Tawārīkh. Brill. ISBN 9789004234925.
- ↑ Lee, Jonathan L. (2022-03-08). Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present. Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1-78914-019-4.
- ↑ BritishEmpire.co.uk, Ali Masjid
- ↑ Kakar, M. Hasan (2006). A Political and Diplomatic History of Afghanistan, 1863-1901. Brill. p. 10. ISBN 978-90-04-15185-7.
- ↑ Lee, Jonathan L. (2018). Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present. Reaktion Books. ISBN 9781789140101.
- ↑ Khan, Abdur Rahman; Khan, Sultan Mahomed. The Life of Abdur Rahman, Emir of Afghanistan.