reform and repression, 1901–19closest advisers. During the six-hour meeting, the envoys argued the case
for Afghanistan joining Germany on the grounds of the Caliph’s fatwa. The
Amir in return questioned the mission’s credentials, declared his dissat-
isfaction that the Kaiser’s letter was typed rather than handwritten and
criticized the envoys for being too young to be taken seriously. Though
they were probably unaware of it, the Amir planned to exploit the Germans’
presence in Kabul to extract more money and weapons from the British
and compared the mission to tradesmen trying to sell their wares. The
Amir’s ploy succeeded for the Viceroy eventually increased his subsidy
by two lakh rupees.
In response to the Germans, the Amir pointed out the practical difficul-
ties of declaring war on India. Not only would he lose the British subsidy,
but Afghanistan ran the risk of being partitioned by Britain and Russia,
who were now allies, and the dismemberment of the country. This scenario
had already taken place in Iran, for when the First World War broke out,
and in accordance with the Anglo-Russian Convention, Russian and British
forces had occupied northern and southern Iran respectively. The Amir
therefore demanded as a precondition of joining the war that Germany
and Turkey pay him a substantial sum in gold bullion and provide him
with guns, ammunition and troops. The meeting ended inconclusively and
the Amir postponed further negotiations until he had called an assembly
Amir Habib Allah Khan’s pavilion in the Bagh-i Babur after restoration by the Aga Khan
Trust for Culture. The German Mission was housed in this building, which was well away
from the old city with high walls surrounding its gardens.