{"collection":"Islam","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/isl/spa/spa16.htm","path":"isl/spa/spa16.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/isl/spa/spa16.htm","text":"Selections from the Poetry of the Afghans, by H.G. Raverty, [1868]\nA\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h, the founder of the Durr\u0101n\u012b monarchy, rose from the mere character of a partisan, to a distinguished command in the service of the Persian conqueror, N\u0101dir Sh\u0101h. Of the family of the Saddoz\u012bs, and chief of the tribe of Abd\u0101l\u012b, the most illustrious family of the Afgh\u0101ns, he was, in his youth, imprisoned in a fortress, with his elder brother Z\u016b-l-fi\u1e33\u0101r Kh\u0101n, by Husain Kh\u0101n, governor of Kandah\u0101r for the Ghalz\u012bs, which powerful tribe of Afgh\u0101ns, after overrunning the whole of Persia, had, a few years previously, trodden the throne of the \u1e62\u016bfis in the dust, and conquered that mighty empire.\nA\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h and his brother, whose tribe were at feud with the Ghalz\u012bs, owed their freedom to N\u0101dir Sh\u0101h, who in the year a.d. 1736-37, laid siege to \u1e32andah\u0101r, which he captured. The brothers, with a powerful body of their clansmen, followed the fortunes of the conqueror, and greatly distinguished themselves in the war with the Turks; and were rewarded with the lands now held by the Durr\u0101n\u012b tribe in the vicinity of \u1e32andah\u0101r.\nOn the day subsequent to the murder of N\u0101dir Sh\u0101h, (the particulars of which, as belonging to Persian history, need not be here detailed, although one among the causes of it has been attributed to his attachment to the Afgh\u0101n troops in his service) a battle ensued\nbetween the Persians on the one side, and the Afgh\u0101ns and Uzbaks on the other; but the event does not appear to have decided any thing. But after this affair, A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h saw that no time was to be lost in looking to the safety of himself and clansmen, and he accordingly fought his way through the greater part of Khur\u0101s\u0101n with a small force of between 2000 and 3000 horsemen, and repaired, by rapid marches, to \u1e32andah\u0101r, which had now become the head-quarters of the Abd\u0101l\u012b tribe, and chief city of southwestern Afgh\u0101nist\u0101n. Here he intercepted an immense treasure, which had been sent from India for the use of N\u0101dir Sh\u0101h, which A\u1e25mad appropriated, after compelling the Durr\u0101n\u012bs, who had first seized upon it, to give it up.\nIn October of the same year, A\u1e25mad, then but twenty-three years old, assumed the title of Sh\u0101h or King of Afgh\u0101nist\u0101n, and was crowned at \u1e32andah\u0101r, with great pomp, the different chiefs of the various Afgh\u0101n tribes, with but few exceptions, and the Kazalb\u0101shes, Bal\u016bch\u012bs, and Haz\u0101rahs, assisting; thus laying the foundation of the Durr\u0101n\u012b monarchy. And although the warlike and independent people, who now became his subjects, had never been accustomed to a sovereign's yoke, save in being compelled to pay tribute to a foreign ruler; yet such were his energy and capacity for government, that he was successful in gaining the affection of his own tribe; and with the exception of the Ghalz\u012bs, ever a most turbulent and unruly sept, he succeeded in instilling among the other Afgh\u0101n tribes a spirit of attachment to their native monarch; and also in others, not Afgh\u0101ns, but dwelling in Afgh\u0101nist\u0101n. With the Bal\u016bch and Haz\u0101rah tribes, his neighbours, he formed an offensive and defensive alliance.\nHaving first brought the refractory Ghalz\u012bs into subjection, A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h began his conquests; and such was the uninterrupted tide of his success, that by the summer of 1751 he had conquered the whole of the countries, extending as far west as Nish\u0101p\u016br in\n[paragraph continues] Persian Khur\u0101s\u0101n. In 1752 he conquered K\u0101shm\u012br, and obtained from the Mughal Emperor of Hind\u016bst\u0101n, a cession of the whole of the tract of country as far, east as Sirhind, thus laying the foundation of a kingdom, which soon became formidable to surrounding nations.\nA\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h had now leisure to turn his attention to internal affairs, and to the settlement of Afgh\u0101nist\u0101n and the newly-acquired provinces. He thus passed the next four years in tranquillity, and appears to have had time to devote himself to literature. He used to hold, at stated periods, what is termed a Majlis-i-\u00e6ulam\u0101, or Assembly of the Learned, the early part of which was generally devoted to divinity and civil law\u2014for A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h himself was a Molaw\u012b *\u2014and concluded with conversations on science and poetry. He wrote a Collection of Odes in Pus\u2019hto, his own native tongue, tinged, as usual, with the mysticisms of the \u1e62\u016bfis, and from that work the following specimens have been taken. The work is scarce, particularly in eastern Afgh\u0101nist\u0101n. He was also the author of several poems in the Persian language.\nIn the year 1756 A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h had again to buckle on the sword, and advance into the Panj\u0101b, which the Mughals about this time attempted to recover; but he quickly regained all that had been lost; drove them out of the Panj\u0101b; and advanced straight upon Dilh\u012b, which he entered after but a faint opposition. His troops having become sickly, from passing the whole of the hot season in India, warned A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h to return, which he did soon after, having compelled the Mughal Emperor to bestow the Panj\u0101b and Sindh upon his son T\u012bm\u016br, who had already been married to a Mughal princess. A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h passed the next winter at \u1e32andah\u0101r; but was obliged to set out soon after, for the purpose of quelling disturbances in Persia and T\u016brkist\u0101n.\nDuring the next year, matters had gone on badly in India; and Prince Tamar was unable to stem the tide of Mah\u0101ra\u1e6da conquest, which had now rolled upon the Panj\u0101b. The Mah\u0101ra\u1e6das had taken Sirhind, and were advancing from the west, which put Prince T\u012bm\u016br under the necessity of retiring across the Indus with his troops. The Mah\u0101ra\u1e6das, being now unopposed, pushed on as far as the Hydaspes or Jh\u012blum, and also detached a force to take possession of Mult\u0101n.\nThese events happened in the summer of 1758; and A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h was preparing to march into India, when he was detained by the rebellion of the Bal\u016bch\u012bs; and although this matter was subsequently settled by negotiation, it was not until the winter of 1759 that he could cross the Indus and advance towards Hind\u016bst\u0101n, the Mah\u0101ra\u1e6das retreating before him towards Dilh\u012b, with the intention of covering that city. After totally defeating them at Budl\u012b, A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h again captured Dilh\u012b. He afterwards pursued his conquests in the Do-\u0101b; but subsequently encamped at a place near An\u016bp-shahr, where, being joined by the Waz\u012br of Hind\u016bst\u0101n, with the few available troops of the Mughal Emperor, he prepared for passing the monsoon, or rainy season, and for the final struggle with the Mah\u0101ra\u1e6das, upon which the fate of India rested.\nThe strength of A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h's army consisted of 41,800 horse, his own subjects, on whom he chiefly relied; 28,000 Rohilahs\u2014Afgh\u0101ns, who were descended from those tribes who had emigrated from Afgh\u0101nist\u0101n at different periods, and settled in India *\u2014and about 10,000 Hind\u016bst\u0101n\u012b troops, under their own chiefs. He had also 700 zamb\u016braks, or camel swivels, small pieces carrying balls of about a pound weight, and a few pieces of artillery.\nThe Mah\u0101rata army, under Wisw\u0101s R\u0101o, and Sheddasheo R\u0101o\u2014\nbetter known as the Bhow\u2014consisted of about 70,000 horse, 15,000 infantry, trained after the European fashion, and 200 pieces of artillery, besides numberless shuturn\u0101ls, or zamb\u016braks.\nAt length, on the 7th of January 1761, after facing each other for some months, the Mah\u0101ra\u1e6das, who had been blockaded in their own intrenched camp at P\u0101n\u012bpatt, a few miles from Dilh\u012b, were, from the extremities to which they were put, for want of food and forage, under the necessity of attacking the Durr\u0101n\u012b army. The details of this great and important battle need not be enlarged on here: suffice it to say, that A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h was completely successful. The Mah\u0101ra\u1e6das were entirely defeated and put to flight; and Wiw\u0101s Rao, the heir-apparent of the Mah\u0101rata empire, and almost the whole of the army, perished in the flight or pursuit.\nThe crowning victory at P\u0101n\u012bpatt, which was fatal to the power of the Mah\u0101ra\u1e6das, laid Hind\u016bst\u0101n at the feet of A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h; but he, seeing the difficulty of retaining so remote a dominion, adhered to the wise plan ha had, from the first, carved out, and contented himself with that portion of India that had formerly been ceded to him, bestowing the rest on such native chiefs as had aided him in the struggle.\nIn the spring of 1761, A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h returned to Kab\u016bl; and from that period, up to the spring of 1773, was actively employed against foreign and domestic foes; but at that time his health, which had been long declining, continued to get worse, and prevented his engaging in any foreign expeditions. His complaint was a cancer in the face, which had afflicted him first in 1764, and at last occasioned his death.; He died at Murghah, in Afgh\u0101nist\u0101n, in the beginning of June 1773, in the fiftieth year of his age.\nThe countries under his dominion extended, at the time of his death, from the west of Khur\u0101s\u0101n, to Sirhind on the Jumn\u0101, and from the Oxus to the Indian Ocean, all either secured by treaty, or in actual possession.\nThe character of A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h has been so admirably depicted by Mountstuart Elphinstone, * that I shall not hesitate to give it here in full.\n\"The character of A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h appears to have been admirably suited to the situation in which he was placed. His enterprise and decision enabled him to profit by the confusion that followed the death of Nadir, and the prudence and moderation, which he acquired from his dealings with his own nation, were no less necessary to govern a warlike and independent people, than the bold and commanding turn of his own genius.\n\"His military courage and activity are spoken of with admiration, both by his own subjects, and the nations with whom he was engaged, either in wars or alliances. He seems to have been naturally disposed to mildness and clemency; and though it is impossible to acquire sovereign power, and perhaps, in Asia, to maintain it, without crimes; yet the memory of no Eastern Prince is stained with fewer acts of cruelty and injustice.\n\"In his personal character he seems to have been cheerful, affable, and good-natured. He maintained considerable dignity on state occasions, but at other times his manners were plain and familiar; and with the Durr\u0101n\u012bs he kept up the same equal and popular demeanour which was usual with their Kh\u0101ns or Chiefs before they assumed the title of King. He treated Moollahs and holy men with great respect, both from policy and inclination. He was himself a divine and an author, and was always ambitious of the character of a saint.\n\"His policy towards the different parts of his dominions was to rely principally on conciliation with the Afgh\u0101ns and Bal\u016bch\u012bs; with this difference between the nations, that he applied himself to the whole people in the first case, and only to the chief in the\nother. His possessions in T\u016brkist\u0101n he kept under by force; but left the Tartar chiefs of the country unremoved, and used them with moderation. The Indian provinces were kept by force alone; and in Khur\u0101s\u0101n he trusted to the attachment of some chiefs, took hostages from others, and was ready to carry his arms against any who disturbed his plans.\nThe handsome tomb of A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h stands near the palace at \u1e32andah\u0101r. It is held in great estimation by the Durr\u0101n\u012bs, and is respected as a sanctuary, no one venturing to touch one who has taken refuge there. It is not uncommon for persons of even the highest rank, to give up the world, and spend their lives at the monarch's tomb; and certainly, if ever an Asiatic King deserved the gratitude of his country, it was A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h, the \"Pearl of the Durr\u0101n\u012bs.\"\nA\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h was the grandfather of the unfortunate Sh\u0101h-Sh\u016bja\u00e6-ul-Mulk, whom the British re-seated on the throne of the Durr\u0101n\u012bs in 1839, which affair terminated so unfortunately for all concerned.\n287:* Durr-i-Durr\u0101n signifies, \"The Pearl of the Durr\u0101n\u012bs,\" a name which the Abd\u0101l\u012bs acquired from wearing pearls in their ears.\n289:* A term equivalent to Doctor of Literature or Divinity.\n290:* Also called Patt\u0101ns in India; but the name, like that of Rohilah, is applicable to Afgh\u0101ns generally.\n292:* \"Account of the Kingdom of Caubul.\"","title":"Selections from the Poetry of the Afghans: A\u1e25mad Sh\u0101h, Abd\u0101l\u012b, Sh\u0101h Durr-i-Durr\u0101n: Introduction","type":"page"}