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Ameer Habibullah Khan and Viceroys of India 1901-1919

Unlock the Secret Archives: The Definitive Diplomatic Correspondence of Afghanistan, 1901-1919

For over a century, the most intimate and consequential dialogues between the Afghan monarchy and the British Raj have remained shrouded in official secrecy, their details fragmented and their full significance largely absent from the public and academic spheres. Now, this monumental silence is broken with the publication of “Confidential Correspondence Between Amir Habibullah Khan and the Viceroys of India, 1901-1919.”

Presented across three meticulously compiled volumes, this landmark work unveils hundreds of secret, official letters, telegrams, and memoranda exchanged between Afghanistan’s ruler, Amir Habibullah Khan, and the successive Viceroys of India. This collection stands as one of the most significant and under-examined primary sources for understanding modern Afghan and South Asian history.

A Treasure Trove of Unfiltered History
Move beyond secondary accounts and historical conjecture.Within these pages lies the raw, unfiltered record of high-stakes diplomacy during a pivotal era—from Habibullah’s accession after his father’s assassination, through the delicate neutrality of World War I, to the dawn of Afghan independence. The correspondence offers an unprecedented, dual-perspective lens on critical issues:

· Political & Diplomatic Manoeuvring: Witness the intricate dance of sovereignty, subsidy, and suspicion as the Amir navigates the pressures of the “Great Game,” balancing internal court politics with external imperial demands.
· Economic & Military Strategy: Discover the detailed negotiations over British subsidies, arms supplies, and infrastructural projects, revealing how material support was intertwined with political leverage and Afghanistan’s quest for modernisation.
· Internal & Regional Dynamics: Gain insight into British concerns about pan-Islamism, tribal unrest across the Durand Line, and Afghan relations with Ottoman Turkey, Germany, and Russia, framing Afghanistan not as an isolated kingdom but as a central actor in regional geopolitics.

Redefining Afghan Historiography
This collection is more than a simple archival compilation;it is a transformative scholarly resource. For decades, the historiography of early 20th-century Afghanistan has been written with one eye closed, relying heavily on British colonial records or later Afghan narratives. This work provides the critical missing link—the Afghan sovereign’s own direct voice and the confidential British responses.

It offers a new window for review, challenging long-held assumptions and enabling a balanced, nuanced analysis of:

· Amir Habibullah Khan’s often-misunderstated statecraft and his strategy for preserving Afghan autonomy.
· The true nature of the Anglo-Afghan relationship beyond public treaties and confrontations.
· The internal decision-making processes within the Afghan court regarding modernization, foreign policy, and national identity.

An Indispensable Resource
“Confidential Correspondence Between Amir Habibullah Khan and the Viceroys of India, 1901-1919″is an indispensable resource for historians, political scientists, diplomats, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Afghanistan’s past, which continues to echo powerfully in its present. It is a foundational text that promises to revitalize academic discourse and provide an authentic, authoritative voice to a crucial chapter in the history of Afghanistan and the Indian subcontinent.

Delve into these volumes and witness the clandestine conversations that shaped a nation and a regi