Dictionary of Indian Biography/Afghanistan, Shir Ali, Amir of
AFGHANISTAN, SHIR ALI, AMIR OF (1820–1879)
Fifth son of Dost Muhammad (q.v.), whom he accompanied in exile to India : succeeded him on his death, at Herat, in 1863, being recognised by the Government of India : civil war ensued between him and his brothers. He lost his eldest son, Muhammad Ali, in the battle of Kajhbaz, in 1865, when he defeated his brother Muhammad Amir and took Kandahar : lost Kabul to his nephew, Abdur Rahman : imprisoned, 1864, his brother Afzal, who regained his freedom after the battle of Shekhabad in May, 1866, was proclaimed Amir, but died 1867. Shir Ali at one time had lost Kabul and Kandahar, but, having recovered Kabul from his brother Muhammad Azam, defeated Abdur Rahman (q. v.), son of Afzal, on Jan. 3, 1869, drove him out and was recognised as Amir by the Government of India. Lord Mayo received him in darbar at Umbala in 1869. Shir Ali returned disappointed from the darbar, and showed resentment at the failure of his requests and his subsequent treatment by the British Government : in 1873 he sent an envoy, Saiyad Nur Muhammad, to India, to make certain proposals, which were not accepted : negotiations took place in 1877 between the envoy and Sir L. Pelly, on behalf of the Governor-General, Lord Lytton, but were fruitless. Abdullah Jan, named in 1873 as his heir, died in 1877. In 1878 Shir Ali was found to have received, at Kabul, a Russian mission under General Stolietoff : he stopped Sir Neville Chamberlain's mission at Ali Masjid, and the second Afghan war ensued. On the approach of the British forces. Shir Ali fled from Kabul and died at Mazar-i-Sharif, in Afghan Turkistan, on Feb. 21, 1879.