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Kamran Mirza Durrani

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Kamran Mirza Durrani
Ruler of Herat
TenureSummer 1826 – 1842
PredecessorMahmud Shah Durrani
SuccessorYar Muhammad Khan Alakozai
Died1842
HouseDurrani dynasty
FatherMahmud Shah Durrani
ReligionSunni Islam

Kamran Mirza Durrani (Pashto/Persian: کامران میرزا دورانی) was the last Durrani ruler of Herat from 1826 to 1842. He was the son and successor of Mahmud Shah Durrani (r. 1801–1084, 1809–1818).

During Kamran Mirza's early life, a lengthy struggle for control of Kabul occurred between his father and the latters half-brother, Shah Shujah Durrani (r. 1804–1809). During both of Mahmud Shah's rules in Kabul, Kamran Mirza held the governorship of Kandahar. During this period, Kamran Mirza's brother Firuz al-Din Mirza governed Herat under Iranian suzerainty but rebelled twice, in 1807 and 1814. During the second time, Kamran Mirza defeated him.

In 1818, the Durrani minister Fateh Khan Barakzai deposed Firuz al-Din Mirza, leading to the plunder of Herat and the rape of Kamran Mirza's sister by Fateh Khan's brother Dost Mohammad Khan. Kamran vowed revenge and, under the guise of reconciliation, captured and imprisoned Fateh Khan, who was executed some months later. This lead to the destabilization of the Durrani kingdom, caused by the rebellions of Fateh Khan's brothers, forcing Mahmud Shah and Kamran Mirza to retreat to Herat, which became the last Durrani stronghold.

Since Herat was under loose Iranian control, they attempted twice to strengthen their rule during Kamran Mirza's reign. In 1833, the crown prince Abbas Mirza besieged Herat, but his death ended the siege, resulting in a settlement where Kamran Mirza retained autonomy while acknowledging nominal Iranian suzerainty. A second siege occurred in 1837–1838 under Mohammad Shah Qajar (r. 1834–1848), but British intervention forced the Iranians to withdraw. In February 1841, after the British embassy left Herat, Kamran Mirza renewed his allegiance to Iran.

Most assessments are negative about Kamran's personality and style of government, with European and Persian records typically referring to his traits as being related to debauchery. He was completely reliant on his minister Yar Muhammad Khan Alakozai to run his administration. The latter had been slowly reducing Kamran Mirza's authority, ultimately killing him in 1842, thus marking the end of the Durrani dynasty.

Background and early career

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Mahmud Shah Durrani (r. 1801–1084, 1809–1818), the father of Kamran Mirza

Kamran Mirza is referred to as "prince" in both Afghan and Iranian texts, although they use distinct words. 19th-century Afghan sources use the term "Shahzada Kamran", while the 19th-century Iranian historian Mohammad Taqi Sepehr uses "Kamran Mirza".[1] Kamran Mirza was a son of Mahmud Shah Durrani (r. 1801–1084, 1809–1818), and the brother of Firuz al-Din Mirza Durrani.[2] They belonged to the Afghan Durrani dynasty,[1] established in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani.[3] During Kamran Mirza's early life, a lengthy struggle for control of Kabul occurred between his father and the latters half-brother, Shah Shujah Durrani (r. 1804–1809). During both of Mahmud Shah's rules in Kabul, Kamran Mirza held the governorship of Kandahar.[1]

Qajar Iran, which had helped Mahmud Shah and Firuz al-Din Mirza, held onto its weak hold on Herat in despite the intense dynastic struggles within the Durrani family.[4] Uncertainty over Herat's status as an Iranian tributary influenced many developments in the early 19th century.[5] In 1807 and 1814, Firuz al-Din Mirza, who governed Herat, attempted to rebel against Iran, but was defeated both times. During the second time, he was defeated by Kamran Mirza. Firuz al-Din Mirza fled to the Iranian general Ismail Khan Damghani, who convinced Kamran Mirza to stop from pursuing Firuz al-Din Mirza, and had the latter restored in Herat under Iranian suzerainty.[4]

In April 1818, the Durrani minister Fateh Khan Barakzai deposed Firuz al-Din Mirza and took over Herat.[6][7] During this incident, soldiers entered the city, raping and plundering the inhabitants. Fateh Khan and his brother Dost Mohammad Khan entered Firuz al-Din Mirza's harem, tearing jewels and clothing and raping any woman who caught their attention. This included Kamran Mirza's sister, who was raped by Dost Mohammad Khan.[8] After Kamran Mirza was informed of the incident by a letter from his sister, he vowed to avenge her. Hearing about this, Dost Mohammad Khan fled to Kashmir.[9] In Herat, the Iranian ambassador was driven out by Fateh Khan, who instructed him to notify Fath-Ali Shah that Mahmud Shah had assumed power. Mahmud Shah was worried that Iran would use this as a pretext to conquer Herat. Therefore he quickly sent Kamran Mirza to Fath-Ali Shah's camp with a letter apologizing for the Iranian ambassador's removal and condemning Fateh Khan's behavior.[9] Fath-Ali Shah pressed Kamran Mirza to prove his friendship by either blinding Fateh Khan or surrendering him as a prisoner.[10]

Once back in Kabul, Kamran Mirza told Mahmud Shah of Fateh Khan's insubordination, the plundering of Herat, and the rape of Mahmud Shah's daughter. Kamran Mirza was subsequently ordered to capture Herat and punish Fateh Khan. Kamran Mirza sent messages to Fateh Khan that he came to deliver Mahmud Shah's congratulations on his victory over Iran, hiding his real purpose. In Herat, he acted accommodating, making Fateh Khan feel welcome and persuading him to share breakfast with him every day.[9] Fateh Khan disregarded the warnings from his advisors that Kamran Mirza was untrustworthy. One morning, Fateh Khan attended breakfast with Kamran Mirza, only to find himself surrounded by enemies. After enduring their insults, he tried to leave but was attacked, blinded with a dagger, and imprisoned. Days later, his eyes were gouged out, and the wounds cauterized. Some months later, he was executed. His execution was politically devastating for the Durrani dynasty. His brothers, holding important Durrani governorships, rebelled upon hearing of his death, aiming to put an end to the Durrani dynasty.[11]

Conflict with his father

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As a result, Mahmud Shah, accompanied by his family (including Kamran Mirza) and a handful of loyal followers, withdrew to Herat,[12] which became their last stronghold.[10] Expelled from Herat's fortress by Kamran Mirza in 1819, Mahmud Shah sought safety at the Shrine of Khwaja Abd Allah in the Gazurgah village. He later raised an army at Maymana and laid siege to Herat. After several months of deadlock, Kamran Mirza allowed him back into Herat, but only on the condition that he renounced any control over the government.[12]

In July 1826, during another struggle against his father, Kamran Mirza requested the direct aid of the Iranian prince-governor of Khorasan, Hasan Ali Mirza, who had earlier supplied him with 500 cavalry soldiers. Before the latter and his forces arrived, Kamran Mirza defeated Mahmud Shah. Following that, Hasan Ali Mirza was invited inside the city by Kamran Mirza and his nobles, who also gave him the keys to the fortress and the city.[10] Hasan Ali Mirza took advantage of the situation to establish a stronger Iranian presence in Herat, even though he only received a carnelian ring from Kamran. He stationed his son Arghun Mirza at the head of 5,000 cavalry soldiers and three cannons, returning to Mashhad in August 1826.[13] Mahmud Shah stepped away from politics, while Kamran Mirza became the new ruler of Herat.[1]

Reign

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The first siege of Herat

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Portrait of Abbas Mirza, who ordered the Siege of Herat in 1833

After Hasan Ali Mirza was summoned back to Tehran in January 1827, his achievements were reversed after less than three months under the governorship of his son Hulaku Khan.[14] Less than a decade later, widespread anti-Iranian tensions in Herat and Britain's increasing engagement in Afghanistan started to heavily endanger Iran's rule over Herat. The British East India Company had started to advocate for Herat's autonomy as a buffer state between northwestern India, Russia and Iran, even though they had previously supported Iranian rule over the city.[4] In late 1831, the Iranian crown prince Abbas Mirza received the governorship of Khorasan, which amongst other things led to growing hostilities with Kamran Mirza. The latter received an ultimatum from Abbas Mirza at the beginning of 1833 with two options: either have the name of the Iranian shah (king) mentioned on coin engravings and Friday prayers, pay taxes, and release hostages, or relinquish Herat and appear at the Iranian court.[15]

Kamran Mirza responded by offering a "gift" of 15,000 toman in gold coins, cautioning Abbas Mirza to prepare for war if he wanted more.[16] In the summer of 1833, Abbas Mirza sent an army to besiege Herat.[17] Abbas Mirza wanted to capture to Herat to both show his military capabilities and to advance the eastern objectives of the Russian Empire, following diplomatic directives from the court in Tehran. Iran's control of Herat was seen by the Russians as a threat to British India and a challenge to British objectives in Afghanistan. The Iranian army against Herat was led by Abbas Mirza's sons Mohammad Mirza and Khosrow Mirza, as well as his minister Abol-Qasem Qa'em-Maqam.[4]

As a result, Kamran Mirza made an alliance with the British, whose operatives convinced him to oppose a military takeover by Iran. Capturing a portion of Iranian territory in Sistan was something he also considered. Mohammad Mirza was forced to end the siege and return to Tehran after learning of Abbas Mirza's death in Mashhad in November 1833. There, he was crowned the new crown prince.[4] In late November 1833, Mohammad Mirza summoned the minister of Herat, Yar Muhammad Khan Alakozai, to Mashhad and put him in charge of negotiating a deal with Herat. A treaty was shortly made afterwards, in which Kamran Mirza was required to send one of his sons as a hostage, have the name of the Iranian shah mentioned on coin engravings and Friday prayers, and provide 15,000 toman and 50 rolls of cashmere wool as a "gift".[17]

Even though Herat was officially under Iranian control due to the Iranian shah being mentioned on coin engravings and Friday prayers, the income generated from there had significantly decreased compared to 1817 and was insignificant when compared to the income generated by the provinces that were more well-established in Iran.[17]

The second siege of Herat

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An Iranian lacquer book cover depicting preparations for the 1837–1838 siege of Herat, dated c. 1865

On 7 November 1834, Mohammad Mirza (now known as Mohammad Shah) succeeded Fath-Ali Shah and quickly renewed Abbas Mirza's plans for Khorasan.[17] He insisted that Kamran Mirza abandon the title of shah, mention his name on coin engravings and Friday prayers, and pay an annual fee. Kamran Mirza declined, claiming that it was right due to his ancestor Saddu Khan being named Mir-i Afghaniha and given the title of sultan by an Iranian ruler. He added that "the Afghans will never permit any other person to rule over them so long as a single Afghan remains alive in Herat."[18] A military victory over Herat was seen by Mohammad Shah as essential for both securing his kingship and appeasing Simonitch, the Russian envoy to his court. Kamran Mirza and Yar Muhammad Khan had also been supporting Afghan and Turkmen raids against Iran.[19] Mohammad Shah ordered the gathering of troops in July 1837, disregarding advise by John McNeill, the British envoy in Tehran.[4][20] On 21 November 1837, Mohammad Shah's forces besieged Herat.[19]

The 1814 treaty between Iran and Britain stated that the latter would not interfere in any conflict between Iran and the Afghans, and therefore the Iranian siege of Herat put Britain in a difficult situation. In an attempt to convince Mohammad Shah to change his mind, McNeill dispatched his military secretary Charles Stoddart to go with the Iranian troops.[18] The Iranian army, consisting of 30,000 soldiers and 90,000 camp followers, only succeeded in depriving Herat and its environs of supplies. Iranian approaches was characterized by an intense amount of artillery fire, the effectiveness of which has been disputed. In romanticized Iranian reports, the bombardment was so heavy that not even a bird or crow would land on the city's outer walls. British reports questioned the precision of the Iranian artillery, despite attesting to its strength, and alleged that hundreds of rounds of ammunition were wasted in the early phases of the siege.[19]

In addition to conflicts between the several Iranian commanders, the choice of the Iranian prime minister Haji Mirza Aqasi to only block two of Herat's five gates in the first two months also hindered military advancement.[19] The siege had barely advanced by the spring of 1838. The city walls resisted the frequent artillery barrages, and the Iranian attacks were repelled.[21] Herat's efforts were also strengthened by British officer Eldred Pottinger, who had by coincidence been in Herat at the start of the siege.[19] In British imperial mythology, Pottinger was considered to have single-handedly helped Herat survive the siege, and was thus called the "Hero of Herat". According to the modern historian Jonathan L. Lee; "He did indeed rally Herat's dispirited defenders and organize its defences, but his real achievement was cajoling Shah Kamran and Wazir Yar Muhammad Khan not to surrender."[22]

In April 1838, at Mohammad Shah's camp, McNeill arrived, volunteering to act as a mediator between Iran and Kamran Mirza. His attempts to promote peace are described in Iranian accounts as a facade to support Herat's interests. They claimed that McNeill went into Herat twice to support Kamran Mirza and Yar Muhammad Khan both financially and morally, rather than pursuing peace negotiations.[19] According to McNeill, Mohammad Shah's stance on Herat's acknowledgment of Iranian suzerainty was the reason why the negotiations failed. The stakes were also raised beyond reason when Kamran Mirza started demanding the evacuation of Ghuriyan,[19] which had been captured by another Iranian force, led by the governor of Khorasan, Asef al-Dowleh.[23]

On 3 June 1838, McNeill severed diplomatic ties with Iran and left Mohammad Shah's camp after failing to persuade the latter.[19] McNeill had warned Mohammad Shah to get ready for war with Britain, claiming that the Iranian consent to Russian assistance for the siege of Herat was against the terms of the 1814 treaty.[24] However, a month earlier, a British naval mission had been sent to capture Iran's Kharg Island, so the war had already unofficially begun.[25] On 24 June, with the backing of Russian officers, Mohammad Shah's forces attempted to storm Herat, but were repelled six days after, suffering many casualties.[26]

Arriving at the Iranian camp on August 11, Stoddart delivered a letter to Mohammad Shah, which stated that the occupation of Kharg would persist until the siege of Herat ended and Aqasi issued a formal apology for the mistreatment of a British envoy. On 9 September 1838, Mohammad Shah ended the siege. Ghuriyan was also soon evacuated by Iran due to pressure from both Russia and Britain. Despite this, Mohammad Shah described his expedition as a victory in fixing Iran's eastern frontiers in an effort to lessen the Iranian losses. He upheld his claims to Herat, despite not having the funds for another military expedition.[26]

Later reign and death

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Herat was prepared to restore its previous relationship with the Iranian government.[26] In early 1839, Yar Muhammad Khan turned back to Iran, asking for assistance against Dost Mohammad Khan.[4] In February 1841, after the British embassy left Herat, Kamran Mirza and Yar Muhammad Khan reinstated their earlier promises of allegiance to Iran. Kamran Mirza, in a letter to Mohammad Shah, officially declared Herat as a part of Khorasan and consequently, to Iran; "It is obvious that Herat is a part of Khurasan... and that the king has left this realm at our disposal. I hereby attest to the fact that Herat is connected with Iran." Despite their formal pledge of allegiance, the Iranian evacuation of Ghuriyan on 31 March 1841 played a key role in separating the interests of Iran and Herat.[26] In 1842, Kamran Mirza was overthrown and killed by Yar Muhammad Khan, who considered him an annoyance and had been slowly reducing his authority. This marked the end of the Durrani dynasty.[1][4]

Personality

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Some assessments, such as the one by George William Forrest, are positive about Kamran's personality and style of government. However, European and Persian records typically refer to Kamran Mirza's traits as being related to debauchery. The 19th-century Afghan historian Mohammad Khalis considered Kamran Mirza to have been the embodiment of Durrani decline. He considered Kamran Mirza to have been a despot, who extorted local traders and had bribes kidnapped. Kamran Mirza was also completely reliant on Yar Muhammad Khan to run his administration.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Noelle-Karimi 2010, pp. 439–440.
  2. ^ Noelle-Karimi 2014, p. 130 (note 212).
  3. ^ Balland 1995, pp. 513–519.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Amanat 2003, pp. 219–224.
  5. ^ Noelle-Karimi 2014, p. 218.
  6. ^ Lee 2019, p. 177.
  7. ^ Noelle-Karimi 2014, p. 221.
  8. ^ Lee 2019, pp. 177–178.
  9. ^ a b c Lee 2019, p. 178.
  10. ^ a b c Noelle-Karimi 2014, p. 222.
  11. ^ Lee 2019, p. 179.
  12. ^ a b Lee 2019, p. 181.
  13. ^ Noelle-Karimi 2014, p. 222–223.
  14. ^ Noelle-Karimi 2014, p. 223.
  15. ^ Noelle-Karimi 2014, pp. 224.
  16. ^ Noelle-Karimi 2014, pp. 224–225.
  17. ^ a b c d Noelle-Karimi 2014, p. 225.
  18. ^ a b Lee 2019, p. 215.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h Noelle-Karimi 2014, p. 226.
  20. ^ Lee 2019, p. 214.
  21. ^ Lee 2019, pp. 216.
  22. ^ Lee 2019, pp. 217.
  23. ^ Lee 2019, pp. 215–216.
  24. ^ Lee 2019, pp. 226–227.
  25. ^ Lee 2019, pp. 228.
  26. ^ a b c d Noelle-Karimi 2014, p. 227.

Sources

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  • Amanat, Abbas (2003). "Herat vi. The Herat question". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume XII/2: Hedāyat al-mota'allemin–Herat VII. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 219–224. ISBN 978-0-933273-75-7.
  • Balland, Daniel (1995). "Dorrānī". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume VII/5: Divorce IV–Drugs. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 513–519. ISBN 978-1-56859-023-3.
  • Lee, Jonathan L. (2019). Afghanistan: A History from 1260 to the Present. Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1-78914-010-1.
  • Noelle-Karimi, Christine (2010). "Kāmrān b. Shah Maḥmud". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume XV/4: Kafir Kala–Ḵamsa of Jamāli. London and New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 439–440. ISBN 978-1-934283-26-4.
  • Noelle-Karimi, Christine (2014). The Pearl in its Midst: Herat and the Mapping of Khurasan (15th-19th Centuries). Wien: Austrian Academy of Sciences. ISBN 978-3700172024.

Further reading

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