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eBook Category: History
eBook Description: The Kingdom of Afghanistan is purportedly a "record of the most important incidents in the history of the Afghans and their relations with neighbouring States," but the bulk of the book concerns only two centuries: the 18th and 19th. After an opening chapter on Afghanistan's geography, and three summary chapters on its history before the 18th century, Chapters V-XIX give a blow-by-blow account of the emergence, expansion, and decline of the Afghan kingdom, and its repeated clashes with Britain. This long section vividly portrays the reign (1747-1773) of Ahmad Shah, first emir of Afghanistan, whose wars of conquest extended his country to encompass what is now Pakistan and parts of India and Persia. It depicts in detail the palace rivalries and civil wars that plagued the country after Ahmad Shah's death, conflicts that often ended with the grisly blinding of defeated foes (such as Shah Zaman in 1800). It recounts the first two wars between Britain and Afghanistan (1838-1842 and 1878-1880), which were brought on by British competition with Russia for control of Central Asia, a contest known as the Great Game. Finally it describes Afghanistan's transformation into a buffer state between the British and Russian empires up to 1901, the year of the death of two monarchs, Queen Victoria and Afghan emir Abdur Rahman Khan. The last chapter focuses on Afghanistan's language and literature, and touches on its religion.

eBook Publisher: World Digital Library, Published: 2002
Fictionwise Release Date: April 2004

Available eBook Formats [Secure - What's this?]:
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Microsoft Reader ISBN: 0594101387
Adobe Reader ISBN: 0594101395
Mobipocket Reader ISBN: 059410551X   What's this?

CHAPTER I.

THE COUNTRY OF AFGHANISTAN.

BETWEEN the Russian Dominions in Asia and the Indian Empire of Great Britain, Afghanistan is placed, like a nut, between the levers of a cracker. The notoriously unwholesome quality of the kernel, however, will perhaps continue to preserve it from being shared by its powerful neighbours. The disorganised condition of Persia relieves the Ruler of Afghanistan of all fears of military aggression, but it is not unlikely to be the cause of considerable anxiety to His Majesty the Amir. The progress of modern ideas, and the aspirations of the Persians in the direction of some form of constitutional government, which apparently has terminated the old established despotism of the Shahs, must, in course of time, filter across the border into Afghanistan; and the democratic nature of the people would seem to render them peculiarly susceptible to the movement, which has reformed the governments of the Kingdom of Turkey (the head of Islam) and Persia. The restrictions placed upon trade by the late Amir, and, therefore, to the influx of foreigners into his country, may possibly have been designed as a precaution also against the introduction of modern ideas among his subjects, which would greatly increase the difficulties with which the rulers have always had to contend in the administration of that State.

The rivalry (that has happily, of late years, subsided) between the great powers which are the neighbours of the Afghans has led to the careful demarcation of the boundaries of that State, with the exception of a short and unimportant length on the west and east. The generally accepted area of 243,000 square miles, therefore, may be regarded as correct. While, however, a fairly accurate general knowledge exists with regard to the geography of Afghanistan, very little is known as to the number of the inhabitants the country supports. From observations made in Seistan, in 1904, there is reason to believe that an average density of 50 souls to a square mile, is not an excessive estimate, or (say) 12,000,000 souls for the population of the country. The richer lands in the wider valleys drained by the principal rivers of the country carry the densest population. In the more elevated and poorer districts, there are fewer inhabitants, and they are to a certain extent migratory. Those who are able to avoid the rigorous winter descend to the lower levels on the approach of that season. Above these districts, again, are others to which shepherds resort in the spring, and in which, during the summer, a considerable population is to be found. These tracts are vacated as winter draws on. The flocks are driven down to warmer districts, where fodder is procurable and in which during the early spring (the lambing season), the climate is not too severe for the young stock.