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Timur Shah Durrani

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Timur Shah Durrani
تیمور شاہ درانی
Shah of the Durrani Empire
2nd Emir of the Durrani Empire
Reign4 June 1772 – 18 May 1793
Coronation1772
PredecessorAhmad Shah Durrani
SuccessorZaman Shah Durrani
Born1748
Mashhad, Iran[1]
Died18 May 1793 (aged 45)
Kabul, Afghanistan
Burial19 May 1793
Maqbara-i-Timur Shah, Kabul
SpouseGauhar-un-Nissa Begum
Maryam Begum[2]
Gauhar Shad Begum[3]
Ayesha Durrani[4]
IssueZaman Shah Durrani
Mahmud Shah Durrani
Shah Shujah Durrani
Names
Timur Shah Abdali Dur-e-Durran
DynastyDurrani
FatherAhmad Shah Durrani
MotherMimtta
ReligionSunni Islam


Timur Shah Durrani, (Pashto/Dari: تیمور شاہ درانی; 1748– May 18, 1793) was the second ruler of the Durrani Empire, from 4 June 1772 until his death in 1793.[5] An ethnic Pashtun, he was the second child and eldest son of Ahmad Shah Durrani.

Early life

Timur Shah was born in 1748, in Mashhad, and had a quick rise to power by marrying the daughter of the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II.

Victory of Punjab

Coin of Timur Shah Durrani as Nizam of the Punjab, minted in Lahore, dated 1757/8

He received the city of Sirhind as a wedding gift and was later made the Governor of Punjab, Kashmir and the Sirhind district in 1757 (when he was only 9 years old), by his father Ahmad Shah Durrani for one year, from May 1757 until April 1758. Ahmad Shah Durrani had immediately appointed Toryal Khan Afridi, the eldest son of his army's commander and his most trustworty soldier Awalmir Khan Afridi to teach horseback riding and swordsmanship to Timur Shah Durrani. Toryal Khan Afridi also had the responsibility for safety & protection of Timur Shah Durrani so he used to stay with Timur Shah Durrani round the clock in the royal palace. Timur Shah Durrani was later defeated by the Baba Deep Singh in the Battle of Gohalwar (Amritsar,1757).

The Sikhs, also assisted by Adina Beg Khan, Governor of the Julundur Doab, along with Raghunath Rao who was leading the Maratha Empire, forced Timur Shah and Jahan from Punjab and put in place their own government under Adina.

Heir of the Abdali Durrani dynasty

When Timur Shah Abdali succeeded his father in 1772, Like his father he secured Afghanistan. He was noted for his use of the Bala Hisar Fort in Peshawar, as the winter capital of the Durrani Empire[6]

Reforms

During his reign, he shifted the capital from Kandahar to Kabul and chose Peshawar as the winter capital in 1776.[7] His court remained influenced by Persian culture and he became reliant on the Qizilbash bodyguard for his personal protection.

Expulsion of Abdul Qadir Khan Durrani

In 1776, Timur Shah compelled his uncle Abdul Qadir Khan Durrani to leave Afghanistan. Abdul left Afghanistan and sent his family including his: wife Zarnaab Bibi, sisters Azer Khela and Unaar Khela, brother Saifullah Khan Durrani, nephews Mohammad Umer Durrani, Basheer Ahmad Khan Durrani and Shams ur Rehman Durrani and two sons, Faizullah Khan Durrani and Abdullah Khan Durrani to Akora Khattak, in present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He himself went to Damascus (Syria), where he (Abdul Qadir Khan Durrani) died in 1781.

Capture of Territories

He secured Multan from the Sikhs in 1780, his forces then defeated the Sikhs at Rohtas, he then secured Bhawalpur and Kashmir.[8]

Attempts to rescue Shah Alam II

By 1788 he even attempted unsuccessfully to ford the plains of Punjab to rescue his brother-in-law the emperor Shah Alam II who was blinded by Ghulam Qadir, unable to succeed he wrote a letter to Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, requesting that the British protect the Mughal dynasty.[9]

Personal life

Timur Shah himself left twenty-four sons,[7] and the succession struggle that followed his death began the process of undermining the authority of the Durrani authority.[7] Under Timur Shah's eventual successor, Zaman Shah Durrani, the empire disintegrated.[7] In 1797 Shah Zaman, like his father and grandfather before him, decided to revive his fortunes and fill his treasuries by ordering a full-scale invasion of Hindustan.[7]

Timur Shah prided himself on being a man of taste. He revived the formal gardens of the Bala Hisar Fort in Kabul, first constructed by Shah Jahan's Governor of Kabul.[10] In this endeavour, he was inspired by his senior wife, Gauhar-un-Nissa Begum, a Mughal princess, the daughter of Emperor Alamgir II,[11] who had grown up in the Delhi Red Fort with its remarkable courtyard.[7] Furthermore, like his Mughal in-laws, he had a talent for dazzling display, such as in the way he dressed and groomed himself. The conflict between his sons Mahmud Shah Durrani, Zaman Shah Durrani, and Shah Shujah Durrani continued after his death.

Death and Legacy

Timur Shah died in 1793 and was initially succeeded by his fifth son, Zaman Shah Durrani, before a series of civil wars fracturing the empire carried out by numerous other sons.[12]: 107  His tomb is located in Kabul.

References

  1. ^ Dalrymple, William; Anand, Anita (2017). Koh-i-Noor: The History of the World's Most Infamous Diamond. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4088-8885-8.
  2. ^ McChesney, Robert; Mehdi Khorrami, Mohammad (December 19, 2012). The History of Afghanistan (6 vol. set): Fayż Muḥammad Kātib Hazārah's Sirāj al-tawārīkh. BRILL. p. 89. ISBN 978-9-004-23498-7.
  3. ^ Dani, Ahmad Hasan; Mikhaĭlovich Masson, Vadim (January 1, 2003). History of Civilizations of Central Asia: Development in contrast : from the sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century. UNESCO. p. 289. ISBN 978-9-231-03876-1.
  4. ^ Wdl
  5. ^ Timur Shah, Ruler of Afghanistan.
  6. ^ Caroe, Olaf (1957) The Pathans.
  7. ^ a b c d e f William Dalrymple Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan pp 9 Bloomsbury Publishing, 4 Feb. 2013 ISBN 140882843X
  8. ^ Gandhi, Rajmohan (14 September 2013). Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten. ISBN 9789383064410.
  9. ^ Gandhi, Rajmohan (14 September 2013). Punjab: A History from Aurangzeb to Mountbatten. Aleph Book Company. ISBN 9789383064410 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ William Dalrymple (4 February 2013). Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-4088-2843-4.
  11. ^ Sarkar, Jadunath (1950). Fall of the Mughal Empire, Volume 2. M. C. Sarkar. p. 92.
  12. ^ Barfield, Thomas (2010). "Conquering and Ruling Premodern Afghanistan". Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-14568-6.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Timur Shah Durrani.
Preceded by Emir of Afghanistan
4 June 1772 – 18 May 1793 		Succeeded by

Early life

Timur Shah was born in 1748, in Mashhad, and had a quick rise to power by marrying the daughter of the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II.

Coin of Timur Shah Durrani as Nizam of the Punjab, minted in Lahore, dated 1757/8

He received the city of Sirhind as a wedding gift and was later made the Governor of Punjab, Kashmir and the Sirhind district in 1757 (when he was only 9 years old), by his father Ahmad Shah Durrani for one year, from May 1757 until April 1758. Ahmad Shah Durrani had immediately appointed Toryal Khan Afridi, the eldest son of his army's commander and his most trustworty soldier Awalmir Khan Afridi to teach horseback riding and swordsmanship to Timur Shah Durrani. Toryal Khan Afridi also had the responsibility for safety & protection of Timur Shah Durrani so he used to stay with Timur Shah Durrani round the clock in the royal palace. This would prepare Timur Shah for his prepared succession of the Durrani Empire.

Ahmad Shah Durrani's invasions of India

Ahmad Shah Durrani, seeking revenge and retribution had invaded india for the fifth time in 1759, they first met the Sikh and Maratha armies at the Battle of Lahore (1759), where the Sikh and Maratha armies had repelled the Afghan army, Ahmad Shah Durrani and Timur Shah had then went to meet the Maratha army at the Second Battle of Sikanderabad, where the Afghan army had proven victorious.[1] With the Marathas on their back foot, Ahmad Shah Durrani had pressed ahead and met the combined Maratha force at the Third Battle of Panipat, with his Rohilla allies, Ahmad Shah Durrani was able to inflict a decisive victory. Timur Shah had led portions of Durrani's army during the battle, and had led regiments of cavalrymen to cut down people fleeing and deserting the battle, Timur Shah was ahead with his father, Ahmad Shah Durrani amongst commanding the army while they were engaging the Marathas.[2] [3] [4]

After Panipat, Ahmad Shah Durrani did not follow up on his victories and returned to Afghanistan, with Timur Shah left to govern Punjab, he fought a battle with the Sikhs at the Battle of Sialkot (1761), in this battle Timur Shah was defeated by the Sikhs, who had engaged in guerilla warfare hit and run tactics, they had also lead a blockade of the city, and when an opening came, Timur Shah was forced to flee the city, with the Sikhs not chasing in pursuit but capturing the city instead. [5]

After this, Timur Shah had spent most of his time governing Herat before his fathers death. [6]

Declaration of succession

Ahmad Shah had seen his death coming, as a result he had to choose a candidate to become king of the Durrani Empire. Ahmad Shah had summoned Timur Shah from Herat to Kandahar, and had declared him heir to the Durrani throne, this decision had enraged many government officials and tribal leaders, as Ahmad Shah did not consult them on this decision. Many nobles and tribal leaders had argued that Suleiman should be the heir to the throne, being his eldest son, and urged Ahmad Shah to reverse his decision. Ahmad Shah had ignored these pleas and insisted on Timur Shah to ascend to the throne after his death, claiming Timur Shah being a much better and more capable leader then Suleiman. Ahmad Shah's decision may have been influenced by his illness, which had impacted his mental state and brain, however him choosing Timur Shah was likely an attempt to curtail power of Senior generals and the Durrani tribal council, as he saw them as future threats to his dynasty. [7]

This declaration as a result had caused a divide that would plunge the Durrani Empire into decline, having attempted to consolidate power through unpopular methods, including Timur Shah succeeding over Suleiman, this as well had prevented Timur Shah from opening positive relations with the Pashtun tribes and Tribal leaders, leaving them secluded from the affairs of government. [8]

Reign

Drawing of Timur Shah Durrani

Ahmad Shah Durrani, Timur Shah's father had died on June 4th 1772. Timur Shah succeeded him and started his reign on the Durrani throne. [9]

[10]

Sulaimon's march on Kandahar

Despite Timur Shah being declared successor by Ahmad Shah Durrani, Sulaimon Mirza had marched on Kandahar and declared himself King of the Durrani Empire, he was declared by the Afghan court in Kandahar. However his triumph was short lived, Timur Shah had marched on Kandahar with the backing of the Durranis, Barakzai, and Aimaqs. The grand vizier had attempted to mobilize an army to support Mirza, but failed, which as a result he gave in and submitted to Timur Shah. Timur Shah, having been declared King of the Durrani realm and seeing Kandahar's disloyalty to him had also lodged him to move the capital to Kabul.[11]

Reforms

During his reign, he shifted the capital from Kandahar to Kabul due to intense revolts, disloyalty in Kandahar, and to appeal to the other ethnic groups of Afghanistan such as the Tajiks, which as a result alienated Pashtun tribal aristocracy and brought civil war to the Durrani realm, with eternal strife plaguing the empire beyond Timur's reign and brought his successors into conflict. [12] [13]

Rebellion of Arsalan Khan

Early to Timur Shah's reign, conspirators and people against him were constant, with Fayz Allah Khan having orchestrated a prepared revolt to place his brother, Sikander, on the throne of the Durrani Empire and in 1778 when Timur Shah was visiting Peshawar, many Sardars and Fayz Allah Khan, having planned the revolt marched on the palace. The Conspirators were nearly successful, they had murdered the guards of the palace and forced Timur Shah into refuge of the Upper story of the Palace. However the Royal guard had assembled and smashed the rebelling Sardars. Arsalan had managed to escape, and he had fled to his base in the Kyber Pass.[14] [15]

As a result, Timur Shah, noticing the inflicting problems, as well as having to deal with the open rebellions throughout the empire had led ahead a army of 15,000 Durrani men, marching to Arsalan's fort in the Khyber pass, they had begun sieging the fort, however Arsalan Khan had fled again. Timur Shah, having been fed up with trying to chase him had sworn an oath on the Quran, promising him to be forgiven. Arsalan Khan had returned to Peshawar expecting to be forgiven as promised by Timur Shah, however Timur Shah had ordered his throat cut, this stained Timur Shah's image over breaking an oath on the Quran, and as a result triggered more widespread revolts throughout the empire. [16] [17]

March to Punjab and insurgency of Sindh

Timur Shah had attempted to repeat his fathers success in India, and had succeeded in halting a Sikh offensive, however Timur Shah lost Multan and major parts of Punjab. Timur Shah had returned to capture Multan in 1780, having heard the Sikhs rallying over 60,000. He met the Sikhs at Multan and defeated them, recapturing Multan, he then met the Sikh army at Rohtas Fort and successfully defeated them. With these string of victories, he was able to secure Bhawalpur and Kashmir. However after these campaigns, he did not attend to quell the Sindh rebellions brought on as a result of the Sikh offensive in 1772, and he had returned to Kabul, it was not until 1786 where he had dispatched a force under Dilawar Khan to quell the insurgents. However the Talpur had united against him, and as a result Dilawar Khan's force was defeated. however Sindh had negotiated toward recognizing Timur Shah's suzerainty and payed him tribute. The Talpur had tied off from Durrani Suzerainty in a matter of 3 years from that point.[18] [19] [20]

March to Bokhara

Having dealt with Sindh, Timur Shah had become more of a less pressured and lenient leader. As a result, the King of Bokhara, Shah Morad had lead open revolt against Timur Shah, with the efforts of trying to consolidate his dominions against Timur Shah's overlaying territories. Timur Shah had marched with a large army to Kunduz, meeting the Bukharan armies under Shah Morad. The two armies met, ready for battle, however Shah Morad had offered to retreat back to Bokhara with him recognizing Durrani Suzerainty over Balkh, Timur Shah agreed to this. [21]

Second March to Punjab

After successfully quelling the Sikhs, Timur Shah returned to the heartland of Afghanistan, unbeknownst to him his governors in Punjab, Rukn al-Din Muhammad Bahawul Khan Bahadur ʿAbbasi and Nusrat Jang Hafiz al-Mulk, had orchestrated a revolt, with their administration ship in Sindh and Punjab growing larger from the capture of more districts, they eventually had suspended the payment of tribute and taxes to the Shah and declared independence. Timur Shah, learning of this was angered and then had marched on Punjab for a second time. Timur shah had led his forces to Multan and Bahawalpur, quelling these revolts by his governor and restoring order in the Durrani owned territories.[22]

Rebellion of Azad Khan

After his subduing of the Sikhs and dealing with the orchestrated revolts in Punjab, Azad Khan, the governor of Kashmir had orchestrated a revolt, he first started by doing many of the things the Shah disliked, such as drafting Sikhs into the army as Nawkars.[23] With this, Azad Khan led his forces against a small Afghan Garrison in the region, and took out the force. Timur Shah, having heard the news was furious, he left from Peshawar with a large army, from there he sent Sardar Madad Khan Ishaqzaʾi and other Sadars to root out Azad Khans army. This army had acrossed Attock and camped near Kashmir. Azad Khan resisted these campaigns and fought skirmishes with the Durrani army. Eventually however, Madad Khan, a Afghan Sadar had managed to convince Azad Khan's supporters to flee from his army, promising them reconciliation, as a result they deserted. The much larger and overwhelming Durrani army had met Azad Khans now small and quelled army and had defeated them, killing Azad Khan admist the battle as well. [24]

Instability and Civil War

During Timur Shah's early reign, he gave up effective control of Sindh and major parts of Bactria, which only remained through feudal ties to the Durrani Empire. With the Sadozai monarchy and Pashtuns losing influence, Timur Shah was put to blame, flaming massive orchestrations of infighting and rebellion throughout the empire. As a result Timur Shah had attempted to host a National consensus to bring stability to the ailing empire, it went to no avail.[25]

Timur Shah's shift of the capital from Kandahar to Kabul had drastic consequences, it alienated Pashtun tribal aristocracy, and he had appealed to other ethnic groups such as the Tajiks. which had rallied massive support against him due to the Tajiks also gaining more influence within the Durrani army. As a result, Timur shah led most of his reign fighting civil war and precarious Revolts to prevent the Durrani Empire from collapsing. The Pashtun lower class was also burdened with taxes, and with no effort of reconciliation. All of these problems combined with the toiling empire prevented Timur Shah from leading further campaigns in Punjab and Hindustan. [26]

Death and Legacy

Tomb of Timur Shah Durrani in Kabul

Timur Shah Durrani died on May 20th 1793, Timur Shah fell ill while he was returning to Kabul from Peshawar. After his death his son, Zaman Shah Durrani had succeeded him, with an election hosted, and Zaman Shah Durrani also supported by the Barakzai Payandah Khan.

Timur shah left a blackmark on the Durrani Empire, his reign was filled with his attempts to consolidate power through unpopular methods, and appeal to the other ethnic groups giving them more power and influence, as a result, this balance left unchecked fragmented the Durrani realm spiraling into civil war. Timur Shah had successful campaigns in Punjab, however it availed to little while the realm fragmented under his successors fighting for power. As Timur Shah had over 24 sons competing for power within the Durrani Realm and to be king of the Durrani Empire.[27] [28] [29][30] 5 of his sons would eventually become rulers in their own right or contendents for power. According to Fayz Muhammad those sons were as follows (notable sons are in bold):

  1. Humayun Mirza (would rebel after Timur Shah's death in Kandahar and would attempt to take the throne on 3 separate occasions)[31]
  2. Mahmud Shah (ruled Afghanistan 1801-1803 and 1809-1818, ruled from 1818 to 1829 in Herat)[32]
  3. Ahmad Mirza
  4. Zaman Shah (ruled Afghanistan 1793-1801)
  5. Sultan Mirza
  6. Nurdah Mirza
  7. Malik Gawhar
  8. Akbar Mirza
  9. Husayn Mirza
  10. Hasan Mirza
  11. 'Abbas Mirza
  12. Buland Akhtar
  13. Shahrukh Mirza
  14. Shahpur Mirza
  15. Jahan Wala
  16. Firuz al-Din Mirza (ruled Herat virtually independent from 1801 to 1818)[32]
  17. Ibrahim Mirza
  18. Farrokh Mirza
  19. Shuja ul-Mulk (ruled Afghanistan 1803-1809), controlled Peshawar briefly in 1810, fled into Sikh and later British protection, made an unsucessful attempt to conquer Kandahar in 1834, was installed as ruler of Afghanistan by the British from 7 August 1839 until his assassination on 5 April 1842)
  20. Khawar Mirza
  21. Ayyub Mirza
  22. Mirza Miran
  23. Mirza Kohandil
  24. Nader Mirza

References

  1. ^ http://www.10000battles.com/battles2.php?bat=9063
  2. ^ https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battles-of-Panipat#ref337121
  3. ^ https://panipat.gov.in/third-battle/
  4. ^ Shejwalkar, Trimbak (1961). Panipat 1761. p. 682. ISBN 9788174346421.
  5. ^ https://books.google.ca/books?id=kxtEFA5qqR8C&q=charat+singh&pg=PA15&redir_esc=y
  6. ^ Drahmad_Abdelfattah. Afghanistan A History From 1260 To The Present.
  7. ^ Drahmad_Abdelfattah. Afghanistan A History From 1260 To The Present.
  8. ^ Drahmad_Abdelfattah. Afghanistan A History From 1260 To The Present.
  9. ^ https://iranicaonline.org/articles/afghanistan-x-political-history#prettyPhoto
  10. ^ https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/history-of-afghanistan/the-accession-to-the-throne-of-his-highness-timur-shah-COM_000034
  11. ^ Malleson, George (1878). History of Afghanistan: From the Earliest Period to the Outbreak of the War of 1878. p. 293. ISBN 0343739771. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  12. ^ https://www.iias.asia/reviews/kabul-history
  13. ^ https://iranicaonline.org/articles/afghanistan-x-political-history#prettyPhoto
  14. ^ https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/history-of-afghanistan/the-insurrection-of-fayz-allah-khan-khalil-in-peshawar-and-his-murder-COM_000035#note1
  15. ^ Malleson, George (1878). History of Afghanistan: From the Earliest Period to the Outbreak of the War of 1878. p. 298. ISBN 0343739771. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  16. ^ McChesney, R.D. "Arsala(n) Khan Mohmand's Uprising and Death". Referenceworks brill online. R.D. McChesney. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  17. ^ Malleson, George (1878). History of Afghanistan: From the Earliest Period to the Outbreak of the War of 1878. p. 299. ISBN 0343739771. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  18. ^ https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/browse/history-of-afghanistan
  19. ^ https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/history-of-afghanistan/his-highness-timur-shah-marches-against-multan-and-punishes-the-sikhs-COM_000036
  20. ^ Malleson, George (1878). History of Afghanistan: From the Earliest Period to the Outbreak of the War of 1878. p. 296. ISBN 0343739771. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  21. ^ Malleson, George (1878). History of Afghanistan: From the Earliest Period to the Outbreak of the War of 1878. p. 297. ISBN 0343739771. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  22. ^ https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/history-of-afghanistan/his-highness-timur-shah-marches-again-to-multan-and-conquers-bahawulpur-COM_000037
  23. ^ https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/history-of-afghanistan/the-rebellion-of-azad-khan-the-son-of-hajji-karimdad-subahdar-of-kashmir-COM_000039
  24. ^ https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/history-of-afghanistan/his-highness-timur-shah-marches-on-kashmir-in-person-the-suppression-of-azad-khans-insurrection-and-the-outcome-of-the-whole-affair-COM_000040
  25. ^ https://iranicaonline.org/articles/afghanistan-x-political-history#prettyPhoto
  26. ^ https://iranicaonline.org/articles/afghanistan-x-political-history#prettyPhoto
  27. ^ https://iranicaonline.org/articles/afghanistan-x-political-history#prettyPhoto
  28. ^ https://www.google.ca/books/edition/History_of_Afghanistan/0ec2AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover
  29. ^ Malleson, George (1878). History of Afghanistan: From the Earliest Period to the Outbreak of the War of 1878. p. 300. ISBN 0343739771. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  30. ^ Fayz Muhammad Kitab Hazarah (2012). The History Of Afghanistan Fayż Muḥammad Kātib Hazārah’s Sirāj Al Tawārīkh By R. D. Mcchesney, M. M. Khorrami (trans.,ann.).
  31. ^ Drahmad_Abdelfattah. Afghanistan A History From 1260 To The Present.
  32. ^ a b Christine Noelle-Karimi (2014). The Pearl In Its Midst By Christine Noelle Karimi.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Timur Shah Durrani.
Preceded by Emir of Afghanistan
4 June 1772 – 20 May 1793 		Succeeded by
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