afghanistanand clothing off his wives and maidservants, and raped any woman who
took their fancy. Among Dost Muhammad’s victims was Shah Mahmud’s
daughter. Once a measure of order had been restored, she sent a messenger
to her father with her bloodstained pantaloons and demanded he avenge
the family’s honour. When her brother Kamran Mirza heard what had
happened, he swore to expunge the shame but Dost Muhammad, hearing
of Kamran’s threat, fled for his life to Kashmir.
Once in charge of Herat, Wazir Fateh Khan expelled the Persian
ambassador and brusquely told him to inform Fateh ‘Ali Shah that Shah
Mahmud was now the sovereign. When Shah Mahmud heard what his
wazir had done he was terrified that Persia would use this as an excuse
to annex the province, so he sent Kamran Mirza post-haste to the Shah’s
camp bearing a letter repudiating Fateh Khan’s insulting behaviour and
apologizing for the expulsion of the Persian ambassador. Meanwhile the
governor of Mashhad marched out to reclaim Herat. In an indecisive battle
Fateh Khan was knocked from his horse by a spent musket, whereupon his
troops, thinking he had been killed, broke off the engagement and returned
to Herat, while the Persian army returned to Mashhad to await the arrival
of Fath ‘Ali Shah with reinforcements.
Fortunately, Shah Mahmud’s letter reached the Shah’s camp before he
arrived at Herat. Fath ‘Ali agreed not to pursue the attack provided the
Persian ambassador was readmitted and Shah Mahmud punish Fateh Khan.
Kamran Mirza was sent to Herat with a decree dismissing Fateh Khan as
wazir and ordering him to surrender the city. Fateh Khan, however, defied
the royal command. ‘I twice placed Mahmud upon the throne,’ he bragged,
‘and his kingdom is now in the hands of my kinsmen; who is Kamraun,
therefore, that in a dream he should think of injuring me.’ 39
The death of Wazir Fateh KhanKamran returned to Kabul, where he gave the king an account of Fateh
Khan’s rebellion, his insolence, the pillage of Herat and the rape of Shah
Mahmud’s daughter. A furious Shah Mahmud ordered Kamran to set out
for Herat immediately, take the city by any means in his power and punish
the rebel Barakzai. Kamran mustered a substantial army and deceived
Fateh Khan about his intentions by sending him messages claiming he was
coming to convey the king’s personal congratulations for his victory over
Persia. When Kamran reached Herat he continued to dissimulate, treating
Fateh Khan with honour and kindness and even persuading him to attend
on him daily for the morning meal.