First Anglo-Afghan War

Quick Facts: Who was First Anglo-Afghan War?

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First Anglo-Afghan War

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The 1838–1842 conflict fought over Afghan succession and Great Game influence.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The First Anglo-Afghan War was fought between the Durranis backed by the British Empire and the Sikh Empire, and the Barakzais of Kabul and Kandahar, alongside their regional allies, from 1838 to 1842. The British intervened in a succession dispute stemming from the Durrani succession struggle and backed former king Shuja Shah Durrani, whom they restored to the throne after occupying Kabul in August 1839. It was one of the first major conflicts during the Great Game, the 19th century competition for power and influence in Central Asia between Britain and Russia. The British-led force and its camp followers were later almost completely destroyed during the 1842 retreat from Kabul, which was later avenged by a widely termed "Army of Retribution." The British forces left Afghanistan after recovering prisoners. Shuja Shah Durrani was succeeded by his son Fateh Jang Durrani following his assassination.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Fateh Jang later abdicated and passed the throne to his younger brother Shahpur Mirza Durrani, whose brief reign supervised by Mohammad Akbar Khan, ended with the return of Dost Mohammad Khan from exile in India. The 19th century was a period of diplomatic competition between the British and Russian empires for spheres of influence in South Asia known as the "Great Game" to the British and the "Tournament of Shadows" to the Russians. With the exception of Emperor Paul (whose 1800 order to invade India was cancelled after his assassination in 1801), no Russian tsar ever seriously considered invading India. However, for most of the 19th century, Russia was viewed as "the enemy" in Britain; any Russian advance into Central Asia, into what is now Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, was always assumed (in London) to be directed towards the conquest of India, as the American historian David Fromkin observed, "no matter how far-fetched" such an interpretation might be. In 1832, the First Reform Bill lowering the franchise requirements to vote and hold office in the United Kingdom was passed, which the ultra-conservative Emperor Nicholas I of Russia openly disapproved of, setting the stage for an Anglo-Russian "cold war", with many believing that Russian autocracy and British democracy were bound to clash.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1837, Lord Palmerston and John Hobhouse, fearing the instability of Afghanistan, the Sindh, and the increasing power of the Sikh kingdom to the northwest, raised the spectre of a possible Russian invasion of British India through Afghanistan. The British tended to misunderstand the foreign policy of the Emperor Nicholas I as anti-British and intent upon an expansionary policy in Asia; whereas in fact though Nicholas disliked Britain as a liberal democratic state that he considered to be rather "strange", he always believed it was possible to reach an understanding with Britain on spheres of influence in Asia, believing that the essentially conservative nature of British society would retard the advent of liberalism. The main goal of Nicholas's foreign policy was not the conquest of Asia, but rather upholding the status quo in Europe, especially by co-operating with Prussia and Austria, and in isolating France, as Louis Philippe I, the King of the French was a man whom Nicholas hated as an "usurper". The duc d'Orleans had once been Nicholas's friend, but when he assumed the throne of France after the revolution of 1830, Nicholas was consumed with hatred for his former friend who, as he saw it, had gone over to what he perceived as the dark side of liberalism. The idea that Russia was a threat to the East India Company is one version of events.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1800: 1800 Milestone — With the exception of Emperor Paul (whose 1800 order to invade India was cancelled after his assassination in 1801), no Russian tsar ever seriously considered invading India.
2. 1830: 1830 Milestone — The duc d'Orleans had once been Nicholas's friend, but when he assumed the throne of France after the revolution of 1830, Nicholas was consumed with hatred for his former friend who, as he saw it, had gone over to what he perceived as the dark side of liberalism.
3. 1832: 1832 Milestone — In 1832, the First Reform Bill lowering the franchise requirements to vote and hold office in the United Kingdom was passed, which the ultra-conservative Emperor Nicholas I of Russia openly disapproved of, setting the stage for an Anglo-Russian "cold war", with many believing that Russian autocracy and British democracy were bound to clash.
4. 1837: 1837 Milestone — In 1837, Lord Palmerston and John Hobhouse, fearing the instability of Afghanistan, the Sindh, and the increasing power of the Sikh kingdom to the northwest, raised the spectre of a possible Russian invasion of British India through Afghanistan.
5. 1838: 1838 Milestone — The First Anglo-Afghan War was fought between the Durranis backed by the British Empire and the Sikh Empire, and the Barakzais of Kabul and Kandahar, alongside their regional allies, from 1838 to 1842.
6. 1839: 1839 Milestone — The British intervened in a succession dispute stemming from the Durrani succession struggle and backed former king Shuja Shah Durrani, whom they restored to the throne after occupying Kabul in August 1839.
7. 1842: 1842 Milestone — The British-led force and its camp followers were later almost completely destroyed during the 1842 retreat from Kabul, which was later avenged by a widely termed "Army of Retribution.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: First Anglo-Afghan War

True or False: “The primary cause of the First Anglo-Afghan War was a direct military invasion by Russia into British India.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The conflict was primarily driven by British imperial competition with Russia (the Great Game) and local Afghan succession disputes, not a direct Russian invasion.

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