nadir shah and the afghans, 1732–47situated on a plain and its walls were no defence against modern artillery.
Kabul, on the other hand, was surrounded by high mountains and defend-
able passes and already had a strong Mughal citadel, the Bala Hisar, which
was located on the eastern slopes of the Sher Darwaza hill. This fortress had
a double line of thick, stone-faced walls punctuated by bastions, barbicans
large enough for the mounting of artillery, as well as hooded fire points
for musketeers. 4 The fortress itself enclosed an area of many hectares and
included the Mughal governor’s palace, which became the king’s new resi-
dence. It also contained sufficient barracks to house a substantial garrison
and various other civic buildings, including a mosque and a large bazaar.
It even had its own water supply. Not far away, on the north-facing slopes
of Sher Darwaza, was Chindawal, the walled mahala of the Jawanshir
Qizilbash ghulams.
Kabul at this era was an important emporium for the trade between
Bukhara and the Indus, and the city’s revenues, derived mostly from
customs duties, were somewhat higher than that of Kandahar. 5 The city was
also home to a substantial number of Jews, Armenians and Hindu bani-
yas, who acted as brokers, bankers and moneylenders. Since Islamic law
forbids Muslims to lend money at interest to fellow believers, these non -
Muslims provided an important credit service, not just for the mercantile
community but for the king, too.
Situated in a large valley some 2,000 metres (6,560 ft) above sea level,
Kabul was also a far more pleasant place to live, for unlike Kandahar it was
not plagued by malaria or sandfly fever. The urban sprawl, squalor and pollu-
tion that are the hallmark of modern Kabul makes it difficult to grasp that
in the late eighteenth century the town was famed for its mild climate and
natural beauty, a beauty enhanced by the Timurids and Mughals who had
planted at least nine ornamental gardens along the banks of the Kabul river.
The change of capital meant that senior Durrani officials had to choose
whether to move to Kabul or remain in Kandahar. In either case, the power
of Durrani chiefs to mount a challenge to Timur Shah was undermined.
The move to Kabul meant they were cut off from their tribal base, yet if they
remained in Kandahar they were isolated from the centre of political power.
In order to reduce the Durrani threat even further, Timur Shah recruited
thousands of additional Turco-Mongolian ghulams and purchased six
hundred Nubian slaves to swell the ranks of his ghulam khana. At the
same time, Timur Shah wisely did not strip the Durranis of their hereditary
privileges or titles and even increased their state allowances.
Dilawar Khan Ishaqzai, who had rebelled against Ahmad Shah, became
commander-in-chief of the army and was accorded the title of Madad