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DICTIONARY OF INDIAN BIOGRAPHY

the Life and Teachings of Muhammad, The Spirit of Islam, The Ethics of Islam, A Short History of the Saracens, Personal Law of the Muhammadans, Students' Handbook of Muhammadan Law, Muhammadan Law : was joint author of A Commentary on the Indian Evidence Act, and of A Commentary on the Bengal Tenancy Act : has frequently written articles in The Nineteenth Century, and is engaged on a History of Muhammadan Civilization in India.

AMHERST OF ARAKAN, WILLIAM PITT, FIRST EARL (1773–1857)

Governor-General : born in Jan. 1773 : sent on an embassy to China in 1816 : arrived in Calcutta as Governor-General, Aug. 1, 1823 : it devolved on him to allay the excitement caused by the action of the Government towards the Press and Mr. J. S. Buckingham (q.v.) In Feb., 1824, the Burmese having occupied countries near Bengal and attacked British territory, Amherst declared war and despatched an expedition, which captured Rangoon, Martaban and Prome : peace was made by the treaty of Yandaboo, 1826, by which Assam and Tenasserim were ceded to the British. In Jan., 1826, the capture of Bhartpur by Lord Combermere took place, when the British Government restored the youthful Raja Balwant Singh, whom Government had recognized, to the throne, which had been seized by a cousin, Durjan Sal. Lord Amherst was made an Earl. He was the first Governor-General to spend, in 1827, the summer in Simla : left India March 10, 1828 : died March 13, 1857.

AMIR ALI KHAN, NAWAB BAHADUR (1810–1879)

Born at Barh, March 10, 1810 : appointed, 1829, Assistant to the Ambassador of Nasiruddin Hyder, King of Oudh : in 1838 Deputy Assistant Superintendent in the Presidency Special Commissioner's Court at Calcutta : in 1845, Government Pleader in the Sadr Diwani Adalat : in 1857, Personal Assistant to the Commissioner of Patna : in 1864 Khan Bahadur and Member of the Bengal Legislative Council : entered the service of the late ex-King of Oudh, and appointed a Commissioner to settle the debts of the late Nawab Nazim of Bengal : in 1875 made Nawab : in 1878 the Sultan of Turkey made him a Companion of the Order of the Osmanli : died Nov., 1879.

AMIR KHAN (1790?–after 1877)

A wealthy banker and money-lender of Patna : was arrested and tried as a member of a Wahabi conspirary, at Patna, in 1871, on various charges of attempting to wage war against the Queen : convicted and sentenced to transportation for life, with forfeiture of property, and released on the proclamation of the Queen as Empress of India, Jan. 1, 1877.

AMIR KHAN ( ? –1834)

Born in Rohilkund, of Afghan parents : at 20 went with followers to Malwa : took service under Bhopal : next under the Mahrattas : from 1799 to 1806 commanded the army of Jaswant Rao Holkar : next under the Raja of Jaipur : always committing plunder and depredations : attacked the Mahrattas, in Nagpur, but returned to his own capital, Sironj, to defend it against the British : he was essentially a Pindari : when the British entered Malwa in 1817, negotiations passed between them and Amir Khan, which resulted in his abandoning the predatory system, dismissing his army, and being allowed to keep the lands he held under grants from Holkar : he received territory and a gift of money from the British : and, by the Treaty of Nov. 15, 1817, was confirmed in his possessions. The Principality of Tonk was thus established, and Amir Khan's descendants are still Nawabs there : he died 1834.

AMOS, ANDREW (1791–1860)

Lawyer : born in India, 1791 : son of James Amos, merchant : educated at Eton, and Trinity College, Cambridge : Fellow, 1813 : called to the bar by the Middle Temple : had a large practice : Recorder of Oxford, Nottingham, and Banbury : a member of the Criminal Law Commission for some years : Professor of English Law at University College, London, 1829–37 : Legal Member (succeeding Macaulay) of the Supreme Council of the Governor-General, 1838–42 : had much to do with the abolition of slavery in India, and the framing of the Penal Code. On return to England he