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74-698: Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1855 in Peshawar Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1879 in Gandamak Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1893 in Kabul Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919 in Rawalpindi Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Anglo-Afghan Treaty . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

148-556: A Chagatai prince raised an army from Kandahar against the Ilkhanid governor of Sistan . Kandahar was described by Ibn Battuta in 1333 as a large and prosperous town three nights journey from Ghazni . Timur the Great , founder of the Timurid Empire , captured Kandahar in 1383. He appointed his grandson Pir Muhammad as governor of Kandahar in 1390. Following his death in 1405, the city

222-524: A Shia mosque in the city . The Arghandab River runs along the west of Kandahar. The city has 15 districts and a total land area of 27,337 hectares. The total number of dwellings in Kandahar is 61,902. Only 64% of families in Kandahar have access to safe drinking water; 22% of households have access to safe toilet facilities; and 27% of households have access to electricity, with the remainder dependent on public power. Kandahar's transportation infrastructure

296-411: A Taliban suicide bomber who had hidden explosives inside his turban . On 27 July 2011, the mayor of the city, Ghulam Haider Hamidi , was assassinated by another Taliban militant who had hidden explosives in his turban. Two deputy mayors had been killed in 2010, while many tribal elders and Islamic clerics have also been assassinated in the last several years. The overwhelming majority of the victims in

370-477: A diplomatic victory for him. Qandahar Kandahar ( English: / ˈ k æ n d ə h ɑːr / ; Pashto : کندهار , romanized:  Kandahār ; Dari : قندهار , romanized:  Qandahār ) is a city in Afghanistan , located in the south of the country on Arghandab River , at an elevation of 1,010 m (3,310 ft). It is Afghanistan's second largest city , after Kabul , with

444-500: A dissatisfied regiment of the Amir's army from Herat stormed the mission compound. The massacre set the stage for another British invasion of Afghanistan and the expulsion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan to India. It culminated in the British appointment of Abdur Rahman (ruled 22 July 1880 – 1 October 1901), a patrilateral cousin of Yaqub, as Amir of Afghanistan. Abdur Rahman accepted the provisions of

518-514: A fragment of Edict 13 in Greek, as well as a full Edict, written in both Greek and Aramaic has been discovered in Kandahar. It is said to be written in excellent Classical Greek, using sophisticated philosophical terms. In this Edict, Ashoka the great used the word Eusebeia (" Piety ") as the Greek translation for the ubiquitous " Dharma " of his other Edicts written in Prakrit . Islamic conquest Until

592-405: A governing authority through the imposition of a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Formal education for girls was banned as well as the consumption of TV, films, music with instrumental accompaniments , and the playing of sports. In December 1999, a hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 plane by Pakistani militants loyal to Harkat-ul-Mujahideen landed at Kandahar International Airport and kept

666-553: A local ruler of the Saffarid dynasty , conquered Kandahar and environs in the name of Islam. Ghanavids It is believed that the Zunbil dynasty were the rulers of the Kandahar region from the 7th century until the late 9th century AD. Kandahar was taken by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century followed by the Ghurids of Ghor . Kandahar appears to have been renamed Teginābād in

740-563: A months-long campaign of carpet bombing and bulldozing by the Soviets and Afghan communist soldiers in 1987. Kandahar International Airport was used by the Soviet Army during their ten-year troop placement in the country. The city also became a battle ground for the US and Pakistani-backed forces against the pro-Communist government of Afghanistan. Kandahar underwent a complete sociopolitical collapse in

814-615: A name given to some cities that Alexander founded during his conquests. Kandahar was a frequent target for conquest because of its strategic location in Asia, controlling the main trade route linking the Indian subcontinent with the Middle East and Central Asia . The territory became part of the Seleucid Empire after the death of Alexander. It is mentioned by Strabo that a treaty of friendship

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888-752: A natural cause. A new city was laid out by Ahmad Shah and is dominated by his mausoleum, which is adjacent to the Mosque of the Cloak in the centre of the city. By 1776, his eldest son Timur Shah had transferred Afghanistan's main capital, due to several conflicts with various Pashtun tribes, from Kandahar to Kabul, where the Durrani legacy continued. From 1818 to 1855, Kandahar was ruled by half-brothers of Dost Mohammad Khan as an independent principality . In September 1826, Syed Ahmad Shaheed 's followers arrived to Kandahar in search of volunteers to help them wage jihad against

962-559: A population of about 614,118. It is the capital of Kandahar Province and the centre of the larger cultural region called Loy Kandahar . Kandahar is the founding city and spiritual center of the Taliban . Despite the capital of Afghanistan being Kabul, where the government administration is based, Kandahar is the seat of power in Afghanistan as the supreme leader and his spiritual advisers are based there. Kandahar has therefore been called

1036-1540: Is believed to be linguistically corrupted form of a word Gandhāra ( Sanskrit : गंधार ), which was used between 2000-1700 BCE.   Macedonia 330 BC–312 BC   Seleucid Empire 312 BC–304 BC   Maurya Empire 304 BC–204 BC   Seleucid Empire 204 BC–c. 180 BC   Greco-Bactrian Kingdom 180 BC-c. 150 BC   Yavana Kingdom c. 150 BC–142 BC   Indo-Scythians 142 BC–32 BC   Parthian Empire 32 BC–19 CE   Indo-Parthian Kingdom 19–36   Kushan Empire 36–230   Sasanian Empire 230–645   Rashidun Caliphate 645–661   Umayyad Caliphate 661–750 [REDACTED] Abbasid Caliphate 750-861   Saffarid dynasty 861–977   Ghaznavid Empire 977–1175   Ghurid dynasty 1175-1207   Khwarazmian Empire 1207–1222   Mongol Empire 1222-1256 [REDACTED] Ilkhanate 1256-1347   Kart dynasty 1347-1382 [REDACTED] Timurid Empire 1382-1507 [REDACTED] Mughal Empire 1507–1649 [REDACTED] Safavid Empire 1649-1711 [REDACTED] Hotak dynasty 1711–1738 [REDACTED] Afsharid Empire 1738–1747   Durrani Empire 1747–1818 [REDACTED] Principality of Kandahar 1818-1839 [REDACTED] United Kingdom ( Company Raj ) 1839-1842 [REDACTED] Principality of Kandahar 1842-1855 [REDACTED]   Afghanistan 1855–present Excavations of prehistoric sites by archaeologists such as Louis Dupree and others suggest that

1110-705: Is preserved in the epic poem Qandahār-nāma ("The Campaign Against Qandahār"), a major work of Saib Tabrizi which is a classic of Persian literature. Mirwais Hotak , chief of the Ghilji tribe, revolted in 1709 by killing Gurgin Khan , an ethnic Georgian subject and governor of the Shia Safavid Persians. After establishing the Hotak dynasty in Kandahar, Mirwais and his army successfully defeated subsequent expeditions by Kay Khusraw and Rustam Khán. Mirwais resisted attempts by

1184-465: Is that the word "kand" or "qand" in Persian and Pashto (the local languages) is the origin of the word " candy ". The name "Candahar" or "Kandahar" in this form probably translates to candy area. This probably has to do with the location being fertile and historically known for producing fine grapes, pomegranates , apricots , melons and other sweet fruits. Ernst Herzfeld claimed Kandahar perpetuated

1258-605: The Battle of Kandahar in 1880 the treaty was reaffirmed and the British appointed Abdur Rahman , a British opponent, as Emir of Afghanistan. Later during Abdur Rahman's reign, he constantly opposed the British and forced them to concede and support him in his foreign policy and internal rule. On 22 July 1878, a Russian delegation arrived in Kabul without the explicit invitation of the Afghan emir Sher Ali Khan . In early August 1878 to counteract

1332-496: The Battle of Kandahar . Kandahar remained peaceful for the next 100 years, except during 1929 when loyalists of Habibullah Kalakani (Bache Saqqaw) placed the fortified city on lock-down and began torturing its population. Nobody was allowed to enter or leave from within the city's tall defensive walls, and as a result of this many people suffered after running out of food supplies. This lasted until October 1929 when Nadir Khan and his Afghan army came to eliminate Kalakani, known as

1406-582: The British Government of India at a British army camp near the village of Gandamak , about 70 miles (110 km) east of Kabul . The treaty was ratified by Lord Edward Robert Bulwer-Lytton , Viceroy of India , on 30 May 1879. Most historical writings consider the Treaty of Gandamak as the prelude to the second phase of the Second Anglo-Afghan War , 1879–1880. As result of the British victory at

1480-503: The Khyber Pass and Quetta towards Jalalabad and Qandahar , respectively. Unable to offer effective military resistance, on 23 December 1878, the Afghan emir left Kabul for Turkestan , intending to seek Russian aid for the defence of his domains. Sher Ali died on 21 February 1879 near Balkh and his son, Mohammad Yaqub Khan , declared himself Emir of Afghanistan . On 26 May 1879, after preliminary correspondence with Cavagnari prior to

1554-742: The Ottoman Empire , and the German Empire . Abdur Rahman also wrote in pamphlets, encouraging Jihad against the British and the Russians, claiming both wished to end Afghanistan as a state. Senior British officials found it extremely difficult to further cooperate with Abdur Rahman Khan and Afghanistan due to the Turkestan atrocities, as well as his actions against the Hazaras . The British believed they had no other alternative but to support Abdur Rahman Khan, scoring

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1628-647: The Safavid Shah Tahmasp in return of 12,000 soldiers he received from the Shah to reconquer India. In 1595, Humayun 's son Akbar the Great reconquered the city by diplomacy. Akbar died in 1605 and when this news reached the Persian court, Shah Abbas ordered his army to besiege the city which continued until early 1606 and finally failed due to the reinforcements sent by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir that forced

1702-576: The Sikh invaders to what is now Pakistan. Led by Ranjit Singh , the Sikhs had captured several of Afghanistan's territories in the east, including what is now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir . More than 400 local Kandahar warriors assembled themselves for the jihad. Sayed Din Mohammad Kandharai was appointed as their leader. British war British-led Indian forces from neighbouring British India invaded

1776-572: The 10th-12th centuries, but the origin of the new name is unclear. During this period, nearby Panjway served as the administrative center for the area. However, Kandahar was of much more strategic importance, to the extent that Minhaj-i-Siraj attributes the downfall of the Ghaznavids to the loss of Kandahar. The city's name was changed back to Kandahar by the 13th century, after Ala ad-Din Husayn Jahansuz sacked Lashkari Bazar , near Bost . Again,

1850-543: The 9th century, Kandahar and other regions ruled by the Zunbils were considered part of the Indian Subcontinent , though it was an Eastern Iranic realm which followed Zurvanism . In the 7th century AD , Arab armies conquered the region but failed to convert the entire population to Islam.The leader of the expedition was Abbad ibn Ziyad , who governed Sijistan between 673 and 681. In AD 870, Yaqub ibn Layth Saffari ,

1924-617: The Afghan emir must apologize for the effrontery and provide a satisfactory explanation. Sher Ali's response of 19 November 1878, delayed by his own son and heir apparent's death on 17 August, did not reach the Viceroy of India until 30 November, and lacked an apology. On 21 November the British Raj declared war on Afghanistan, occupied the Korram valley and the Paywar pass , and moved its armed forces via

1998-515: The Afghan police force for the prevention of a Taliban comeback in Kandahar, the militants' "spiritual birthplace" and a strategic key to ward off the Taliban insurgency , as a part of a larger effort that also aimed to deliver services such as electricity and clean drinking water that the Taliban could not provide – encouraging support for the government in a city that was once the Taliban's headquarters. The most significant battle between NATO troops and

2072-568: The Alikozai and Barakzai, refused to give up their lands. Only the Popalzai finally offered him his pick of their lands. The foundations for the city were laid in June, 1761. Once begun, the city was built with grand proportions. It was laid out in the form of a regular rectangle with a circumference of three miles; walls 30 feet thick at the bottom and 15 feet at the top, rose 27 feet high to enclose it. Outside,

2146-505: The British attempting to prop up Afghanistan as a key ally, Abdur Rahman Khan often acted against the British, with atrocities horrifying even Queen Victoria . Abdur Rahman also refused to give information regarding his troops, with his own autobiography criticizing British policy, while also violating the Lyall agreement by instead of allowing the British to oversee his diplomatic affairs, held them himself with numerous countries including Iran ,

2220-483: The British withdrawal from most occupied Afghan territories, Muhammad Yaqub's request for permission to visit the British military camp was accepted, and so he proceeded there to sign the Treaty of Gandamak, considered one of the most humiliating ever accepted by an Afghan ruler, essentially making the Afghan emir a feudatory of the British Crown . "His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan and its depen-dencies engages, on

2294-721: The Korram and Pishin valleys, the Sibi district, and the Khyber pass were transferred to the British. The treaty provided for increased commercial contacts and the establishment of a telegraph line between Kabul and British India. Mohammad Yaqub Khan was to issue amnesty to all those who had collaborated with the British occupying forces. The British Mission led by Cavagnari arrived in Kabul on 24 July 1879, but less than two months later Cavagnari and all members of his Mission were massacred when on 3 September 1879

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2368-700: The Persian government who were seeking to convert the Afghans from Sunni to the Shia sect of Islam. He died of a natural death in November 1715 and was succeeded by his brother Abdul Aziz , but after being suspected of giving Kandahar's sovereignty back to the Persians he was killed by his nephew Mahmud Hotak . In 1722, Mahmud led an army of Afghans to the Safavid capital Isfahan and proclaimed himself King of Persia. The Hotak dynasty

2442-525: The Russian initiative, the British Government of India informed Sher Ali that he must receive a special mission that included members of other European states "with all becoming honors." The mission was denied entry into Afghanistan at a military post commanded by Ali Masjid in the Khyber pass on 21 September. In retaliation, the British Government of India issued an ultimatum that by 20 November 1878

2516-575: The Safavid retreat. In the Mughal–Safavid War , Kandahar was once again lost to the Safavids. In 1698, Mughals under Samandar Khan of Kalat State captured Kandahar again. Kandahar was regarded as important to the Mughal Empire because it was one of the gateways to India, and Mughal control over Kandahar helped to prevent foreign intrusions. The memory of the wars fought over Kandahar at this time

2590-639: The Tajik bandit from the village of Kalakan in northern Kabul Province. During Zahir Shah 's rule, the city slowly began expanding by adding modern style streets and housing schemes. In the 1960s, during the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, Kandahar International Airport was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers next to the city. The U.S. also completed several other major projects in Kandahar and in other parts of southern Afghanistan. In

2664-543: The Taliban lasted throughout the summer of 2006, culminating in Operation Medusa . The Taliban failed to defeat the Western troops in open warfare, which marked a turn in their tactics towards IED emplacement. In June 2008, it was reported that over 1,000 inmates had escaped from Sarposa prison . In Spring 2010, the province and the city of Kandahar became a target of American operations following Operation Moshtarak in

2738-455: The Treaty of Gandamak - with the condition that the British abandon their objective of maintaining a British resident in Kabul which was accepted. Despite attempts from the British to dissuade Afghanistan from Russian influence, Abdur Rahman Khan adopted an autocratic government similar to the Tsars of Russia, inspired by Peter the Great from his time in exile in Turkestan. Alongside this, despite

2812-503: The advice and wishes of the British Government. His Highness the Amir will enter into no engagements with Foreign States, and will not take up arms against any Foreign State, except with the concurrence of the British Government. On these conditions the British Government will support the Amir against any foreign aggression with money, arms, or troops, to be employed in whatsoever manner the British Government may judge best for this purpose. Should British troops at any time enter Afghanistan for

2886-400: The area. About a month later, the Taliban began surrendering in mass numbers to a private militia that had been formed by Gul Agha Sherzai and Hamid Karzai . Kandahar once again fell into the hands of Sherzai, who had control over the area before the rise of the Taliban. He was transferred in 2003 and replaced by Yousef Pashtun until Asadullah Khalid took the post in 2005. Toryalai Wesa

2960-509: The assassination city of Afghanistan after witnessing many targeted killings. In July Ahmed Wali Karzai , brother of President Hamid Karzai, was shot by his long time head of security. Soon after the Quetta Shura of the Taliban claimed responsibility. The next day an Islamic cleric (mulla) of the famous Red Mosque in the Shahr-e Naw area of the city and a number of other people were killed by

3034-440: The attacks are ordinary Afghan civilians. On 6 June 2012, at least 21 civilians were killed and 50 others injured when two Taliban suicide bombers on motorcycles blew themselves up in a market area near Kandahar International Airport. On 4 May 2020 , a policewoman was assassinated in the centre of Kandahar, making her the fifth policewoman to be killed during the previous two months in Kandahar. No group claimed responsibility for

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3108-468: The city has plants for canning, drying, and packing fruit, and is a major source of marijuana and hashish . The region around Kandahar is one of the oldest known human settlements. A major fortified city existed at the site of Kandahar, probably as early as c. 1000–750 BC, and it became an important outpost of the Achaemenid (Persian) Empire in the 6th century BC. Alexander the Great had laid-out

3182-524: The city in 1839, during the First Anglo-Afghan War , but withdrew in 1842. In November 1855, Dost Mohammad Khan conquered Kandahar. The British and Indian forces returned in 1878 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War . They emerged from the city in July 1880 to confront the forces of Ayub Khan , but were defeated at the Battle of Maiwand . They were again forced to withdraw a few years later, despite winning

3256-432: The city, and fighting in 1993. During this time, banditry, rape, and murder became rampant in Kandahar, creating a demand for a more moral and unified alternative. This led to the rise of the talibs (students), who eventually formed the Taliban movement. By the spring of 1994, the nucleus of the Taliban emirate had begun to take shape, and that year, they launched operations to dismantle warlord militia checkpoints around

3330-490: The city. Government and Soviet troops surrounded the city and subjected it to heavy air bombardment in which many civilians lost their lives. In January 1982 indiscriminate shelling and bombing by the Soviets killed hundreds. 300 civilians were killed during Soviet bombings in July 1984. It was under siege again in April 1986. The city's population was reduced from 200,000 before the war to no more than 25,000 inhabitants, following

3404-471: The city. The talibs gained considerable popularity and legitimacy during this period by defeating these predatory warlords. In August 1994, the Taliban, under Mohammed Omar Mujahid , captured Kandahar from commander Mullah Naqib almost without a fight and turned the city into their headquarters. The capture of Afghanistan's second-largest city marked the Taliban's transformation from a fledgling militia into an Islamic emirate, solidifying their legitimacy as

3478-670: The country. The 205th Corps of the Afghan National Army was based at Kandahar and provided military assistance to the south of the country. The Canadian Forces maintained their military command headquarters at Kandahar, heading the Regional Command South of the NATO led International Security Assistance Force in Kandahar Province . The Taliban also had supporters inside the city reporting on events. NATO forces expanded

3552-482: The de facto capital of Afghanistan , though the Taliban maintain Kabul is the capital. Kandahar is one of the most culturally significant cities of the Pashtuns community and has been their traditional seat of power for more than 300 years. It is a major trading center for sheep, wool , cotton, silk, felt , food grains , fresh and dried fruit . The region produces fine fruits, especially pomegranates and grapes, and

3626-545: The early 1990s, driven in part by the divide-and-rule tactics of the communist governor-general, Nur ul-Haq Ulumi , who manipulated rival mujahideen factions against each other, and by the rampant greed within both the communist and mujahideen militias. After the Soviet withdrawal and the collapse of Najibullah 's government in 1992, Kandahar fell to local mujahideen commander, Gul Agha Sherzai . However Sherzai lacked authority against other local commanders which led to lawlessness in

3700-510: The empire, Chandragupta Maurya , confronted a Macedonian invasion force led by Seleucus I in 305 BC and following a brief conflict, an agreement was reached as Seleucus ceded Gandhara and Arachosia and areas south of Bagram to the Mauryas. During the 120 years of the Mauryas in southern Afghanistan, Buddhism was introduced and eventually become a major religion alongside Zoroastrianism and local pagan beliefs. Inscriptions made by Emperor Ashoka,

3774-438: The exchange of the ratifications of this Treaty, to publish a full and complete amnesty, absolving all his subjects from any responsibility for intercourse with the British forces during the war, and to guarantee and protect all persons of whatever degree from any punishment or molestation on that account. His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan and its depen-dencies agrees to conduct his relations with Foreign States in accordance with

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3848-575: The finds from Deh Morasi and Said Qala tie in with those of pre- Indus Valley sites and with those of comparable age on the Iranian Plateau and in Central Asia, indicating cultural contacts during this very early age. British excavations in the 1970s discovered that Kandahar existed as a large fortified city during the early 1st millennium BC; while this earliest period at Kandahar has not been precisely dated via radiocarbon , ceramic comparisons with

3922-462: The foundation for a new town to be built next to the destroyed ancient city, naming it " Naderabad ". His rule ended in June 1747 after being murdered by his Persian guards. Ahmad Shah Durrani, chief of the Durrani tribe, gained control of Kandahar and made it the capital of his new Afghan Empire in October 1747. Initially, Ahmad Shah had trouble finding land on which to build his city. His own tribe had no extensive lands and others who had, such as

3996-399: The foundation of what is now Old Kandahar (which is in the southern section of Kandahar city) in the 4th century BC and gave it the Ancient Greek name Ἀλεξάνδρεια Ἀραχωσίας ( Alexandria of Arachosia ). Historically, this province is considered as an important political area for Afghanistan revelations. Many empires have long fought over the city due to its strategic location along

4070-431: The killing of the policewomen by the end of the day of the reported event. On 12 August 2021, the Taliban captured Kandahar . After days of brutal clashes with ANA soldiers retreating from the city, the Taliban were finally able to capture the city. It became the twelfth provincial capital to be seized by Taliban as part of the wider 2021 Taliban offensive . On 15 October 2021, four suicide bombers killed dozens at

4144-407: The latest period at the major Bronze Age city of Mundigak have suggested an approximate time-frame of 1000 to 750 BC. This fortified city became an important outpost of the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th to 4th centuries BC, and formed part of the province of Arachosia . Foundation of city and Greek invasion The now known " Old Kandahar " was founded in 330 BC by Alexander the Great , near

4218-499: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anglo-Afghan_Treaty&oldid=828950332 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1879 It was signed on 26   May 1879 by King Mohammad Yaqub Khan of Afghanistan and Sir Louis Cavagnari of

4292-442: The meantime, Soviet engineers were busy building major infrastructures in other parts of the country, such as Bagram Airfield and Kabul International Airport . During the 1980s, Soviet–Afghan War , Kandahar city (and the province as a whole) witnessed heavy fighting as it became a centre of resistance as the mujahideen forces waged a strong guerrilla warfare against the Soviet-backed government , who tightly held on control of

4366-442: The name of the Indo-Parthian king Gondophares , who re-founded the city under the name Gundopharron. However, modern historians and linguists generally find this derivation implausible. An alternative etymology derives the name of the city from Gandhara , the name of an ancient Hindu-Buddhist kingdom located between the Kunar River and Abaseen River, centred on the Peshawar Valley . The name Kandahar ( Sanskrit : कंधार )

4440-414: The neighbouring Helmand Province . In March 2010, U.S. and NATO commanders released details of plans for the biggest offensive of the war against the Taliban insurgency. In May 2010, Kandahar International Airport became subject of a combined rocket and ground attack by insurgents, following similar attacks on Kabul and Bagram in the preceding weeks. Although this attack did not lead to many casualties on

4514-472: The passengers hostage as part of a demand to release three Pakistani militants from prison in India. In October 2001, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom , the United States Navy began hitting targets inside the city by precision-guided cruise missiles that were fired from the Persian Gulf . These targets were the airport and buildings that were occupied by the Taliban, including Arab families who had arrived several years earlier and were residing in

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4588-400: The purpose of repelling foreign aggression, they will return to their stations in British territory as soon as the object for which they entered has been accomplished." — First section of the treaty Under the provisions of the treaty the Amir surrendered control over Afghan foreign relations policy and allowed for a British Mission, with European members, to reside in Kabul. Jurisdiction over

4662-475: The reason for the name change is not clear. Mongols Kandahar was besieged by a Mongol army in 1221, although Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu defeated them. In 1251, upon accession to the Mongol throne, Möngke Khan granted Kandahar, along with other lands in Afghanistan, to Shams ad-Din Mohammad Kart of the Kart dynasty . However, the city is mentioned as being under Chagatai control in 1260–61; Kandahar didn't come under Kart control until 1281. Later, in 1318,

4736-422: The region around Kandahar is one of the oldest known human settlements known so far. Early peasant farming villages came into existence in Afghanistan ca. 5000 B.C., or 7000 years ago. Deh Morasi Ghundai, the first prehistoric site to be excavated in Afghanistan, lies 27 km (17 mi) southwest of Kandahar (Dupree, 1951). Another Bronze Age village mound site with multiroomed mud-brick buildings dating from

4810-530: The same period sits nearby at Said Qala (J. Shaffer, 1970). Second millennium B.C. Bronze Age pottery , copper and bronze horse trappings and stone seals were found in the lowermost levels in the nearby cave called Shamshir Ghar (Dupree, 1950). In the Seistan , southwest of these Kandahar sites, two teams of American archaeologists discovered sites relating to the 2nd millennium B.C. (G. Dales, University Museum, University of Pennsylvania , 1969, 1971; W, Trousdale, Smithsonian Institution , 1971 – 76). Stylistically

4884-404: The side of NATO forces, it did show that the militants are still capable of launching multiple, coordinated operations in Afghanistan. In June 2010, a shura was held by Afghan President Hamid Karzai with tribal and religious leaders of the Kandahar region. The meeting highlighted the need for support of NATO-led forces in order to stabilize parts of the province. By 2011, Kandahar became known as

4958-412: The site of the ancient city of Mundigak (established around 3000 BC era). Mundigak served as the provincial capital of Arachosia and was ruled by the Medes followed by the Achaemenids until the arrival of the Macedonians. The main inhabitants of Arachosia were the Pakhtas , an ancient Indo-Iranian tribe, who might have been among the ancestors of today's Pashtuns . Kandahar was named Alexandria ,

5032-505: The trade routes of southern , central and western Asia . In 1709, Mirwais Hotak made the region an independent kingdom and turned Kandahar into the capital of the Hotak dynasty . In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani , founder of the Durrani dynasty , made Kandahar the capital of the Afghan Empire . The modern name of the city derives from the name of the original city built here, Alexandria . This city (often referred to as Alexandria in Arachosia to distinguish it from other Alexandrias )

5106-450: The walls were ringed by a moat 24 feet wide. Six mammoth gateways pierced these walls: the Eid Gah Gate on the north, the Shikarpur Gate on the south; the Herat and Top Khana Gates on the west; and, the Bar Durrani and Kabul Gates on the east. At its peak, Ahmad Shah's empire included present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Khorasan and Kohistan provinces of Iran, along with Punjab in India. In October 1772, Ahmad Shah retired and died from

5180-528: Was appointed Governor of the province by President Hamid Karzai in December 2008 after Rahmatullah Raufi 's four-month rule. In 2002, Kandahar International Airport started to be used by members of the United States armed forces and NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). NATO began training the newly formed Afghan National Police and provided security responsibility of the city. The military of Afghanistan , backed by NATO forces, gradually expanded its authority and presence throughout most of

5254-410: Was established eventually between the Greeks and the Mauryas (Indians). The city eventually became part of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (250 BC – 125 BC), and continued that way for two hundred years under the later Indo-Greek Kingdom (180 BC – 10 AD). While the Diadochi were warring amongst themselves, the Mauryas were developing in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent . The founder of

5328-528: Was eventually removed from power by a new Persian ruler, Nader Shah . In 1738, Nader Shah invaded Afghanistan and destroyed the now Old Kandahar , which was held by Hussain Hotak and his Ghilji tribes. In the meantime, Nader Shah freed Ahmad Khan (later Ahmad Shah Durrani ) and his brother Zulfikar who were held prisoners by the Hotak ruler. Before leaving southern Afghanistan for Delhi in India, Nader Shah laid out

5402-449: Was founded after the invasion of Alexander the Great in 330 BC. The name "Alexander" in the local Pashto language is rendered as "Iskandar". It is believed that over time this transformed into "Scandar" , and eventually the modern "Kandahar" . The change of the name from "Scandar" to Candar is mentioned by the 16th-century Portuguese historian João de Barros in his most famous work, Décadas da Ásia . A folk etymology offered

5476-698: Was ruled by other Timurid governors. Kandahar was entrusted to the Arghuns in the late 15th century, who eventually achieved independence from the Timurids. Guru Nanak , the founder of Sikhism , is believed to have visited the town (c. 1521 AD) during his important journey between Hindustan and Mecca in Arabia. Mughal and Safavid Era Tamerlane's descendant, Babur , the founder of the Mughal Empire , annexed Kandahar in 1508. In 1554, Babur's son, Humayun , handed it over to

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