Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-12-27
ABDUR RAHMAN KHAN.
The Ameer of Afghanistan Whose
Death Is Reported.

Abdur Rahman Khan, ameer of
AfghaniStan, was a son of the Ameer
AfZool Khan who died in 1867, and Il
grandson of Dost Mohammed, or, as
the Afghans still call him, the Great
Ameer," who died in 1868.
Even before he was elevated 70 the
throne he was regarded as one of the
most prominent among the numerous
descendants of his distinguished
grandfather. OF his early life little
or nothing is known. He is said to
have been born about 1890 and to have
taken part in the second campaign in
the Puniaub, when Abkor Khan
1863 the death of his GRANDPA ther was
the signal for the commencement of
disturbances. which, in the following
year. declared themselves in a civil
war.
The first campaign between Shere
ALI whom Dost Mohammed had Sc
lected as his successor, and the elder
brother, Afzool Khan, Abdur Rah-
mans father, closed with the diScom,
future of Afzool, who was nothing
loath, after his defeat, to come to an
understanding with his successful
brother. An agreement was accord
ingly arranged between them ut Balkh,
and, while Afzool swore fealty t0
Shere Ali on the Koran, the latter took
similar oath to spare Afzools life.
The arrangement was of short dura-
ton, owing chiefly, it is believed, to
Adbur Hartmann, who was utterly dis.
satisfied with the surrender Of his
fathers pretcntions. At all events The
tranquility of the camp of Ballih was
soon disturbed by the arrest of Afzool
and the flight of Abdur Rahman.
While Shere Ali returned with his
captive brother to Cabuol to march
against other rebels, Abdur Rahman
sought refuge in Bokhara, where he
was well received. He remained there
until Sherc Ali had driven Aim Khan
into English territory; but when he
found that Shcre Ali, instead of fol
lowing up his successes, was sunk in
a state of apathy at Candahar, he
crossed the OXuS with an irregular
force and easily established his au
thority in Balkh. In February, 1866,
he had been joined by his uncle,
Aim, and was in the close neiGhbor
hood of Cabool, held at that time by
Ibrahim Shcre Ali'S second son. Ca
bool surrendered in March of the
year, and Aim was made temporary
ruler. Shere ATS forces were defeated
ut Shen.pod, Arzool was released and
GhuZnee fell before the victor, and he
achieved his browning victory at the
battle of Khelat-i-Ghelzai.
Soon after Afzool was proclaimed
ameer at Bala IIiSsar he degenerated
into Il worthless drunkard, and he died
while Oh an extended debauch. Aim,
who had already become a petty ty-
rant, was finally recognized as ameer
by Abdurrahman, who left the king
dom in disgust and retired to Afghan
Turkcstan. Abdurrahman soon led
hostile force against Aim, but was
crushingIy defeated. and sought asy-
lum in Russia, where he was granted
an annual pension Of 10000 rubles.
III lSiJ-Su Iue bEltlSH-AlSudll WAY
brought Abdurrahman again to the
front. Notwithstanding his long resi-
dcnce in Russian territory and his
pension from that government, he re.
entered his country, with following
that increased with every step, and
sent word to the English commander
that he was ready to submit to the
British After making himself master
Of the country north of the Hindoo
Koosh, he dismissed his army and en-
tered into negotiations with an Eng,
fish commission, which resulted in his
recognition in August, 1880, as ameer
of Afghanistan.