Aurora:Qandahar: Difference between revisions
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=== Prehistory === | === Prehistory === | ||
Excavations of prehistoric sites by archaeologists such as [[Louis Dupree (professor)|Louis Dupree]] and others suggest that the region around Kandahar is one of the oldest human settlements known so far.<blockquote>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 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 of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology|University Museum, University of Pennsylvania]], 1969, 1971; W, Trousdale, [[Smithsonian Institution]], 1971 – 76). Stylistically the finds from Deh Morasi and Said Qala tie in with those of pre-[[Indus Valley civilisation|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. | Excavations of prehistoric sites by archaeologists such as [[Louis Dupree (professor)|Louis Dupree]] and others suggest that the region around Kandahar is one of the oldest human settlements known so far.<blockquote>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 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 of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology|University Museum, University of Pennsylvania]], 1969, 1971; W, Trousdale, [[Smithsonian Institution]], 1971 – 76). Stylistically the finds from Deh Morasi and Said Qala tie in with those of pre-[[Indus Valley civilisation|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. | ||
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=== Alexandria === | === Alexandria === | ||
The now "[[Old Kandahar]]" was founded in 330 BC by [[Alexander the Great]], near the site of the ancient city of [[Mundigak]] (established around 3000 BC). 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 ''[[Pakthas|Pakhtas]]'', an ancient Indo-Iranian tribe, who may be among the ancestors of today's [[Pashtuns]]. Kandahar was named ''[[Alexandria in Arachosia|Alexandria]]'', a name given to cities that Alexander founded during his conquests. | The now "[[Old Kandahar]]" was founded in 330 BC by [[Alexander the Great]], near the site of the ancient city of [[Mundigak]] (established around 3000 BC). 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 ''[[Pakthas|Pakhtas]]'', an ancient Indo-Iranian tribe, who may be among the ancestors of today's [[Pashtuns]]. Kandahar was named ''[[Alexandria in Arachosia|Alexandria]]'', a name given to cities that Alexander founded during his conquests. | ||
Kandahar has been 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 was established eventually between the Greeks and the [[Maurya Empire|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). | Kandahar has been 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 was established eventually between the Greeks and the [[Maurya Empire|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 the empire, [[Chandragupta Maurya]], confronted a Macedonian invasion force led by [[Seleucus I Nicator|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, a fragment of [[Edicts of Ashoka|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 uses the word [[Eusebeia]] ("[[Piety]]") as the Greek translation for the ubiquitous "[[Dharma]]" of his other Edicts written in [[Prakrit]]. | |||
Islamic period | |||
In the 7th century [[AD]], [[Islamic conquest of Afghanistan|Arab armies]] conquered the region with the new religion of Islam but were unable to succeed in fully converting the population. The leader of the expedition that conquered the city was [[Abbad ibn Ziyad]], who governed Sijistan between 673 and 681. In AD 870, [[Ya'qub-i Laith Saffari|Yaqub ibn Layth Saffari]], a local ruler of the [[Saffarids|Saffarid dynasty]], conquered Kandahar and the rest of the nearby regions in the name of Islam. | |||
It is believed that the [[Zunbils|Zunbil dynasty]] were probably the rulers of the Kandahar region from the 7th century until the late 9th century AD. Kandahar was taken by [[Mahmud of Ghazni|Sultan Mahmud]] of [[Ghazni]] in the 11th century followed by the [[Ghurids]] of [[Ghor]]. | |||
Kandahar appears to have been renamed ''Teginābād'' in the 10th-12th centuries, but the origin of the new name is unclear. During this period, nearby [[Panjwayi District|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 al-Din Husayn|Ala ad-Din Husayn Jahansuz]] sacked [[Lashkari Bazar]], near [[Lashkargah|Bost]]. Again, the reason for the name change is not clear. | |||
Kandahar was besieged by a [[Mongol Empire|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-uddin Muhammad Kurt I|Shams ad-Din Mohammad Kart]] of the [[Kart dynasty]]. However, the city is mentioned as being under [[Chagatai Khanate|Chagatai]] control in 1260–61; Kandahar didn't come under Kart control until 1281. Later, in 1318, a Chagatai prince raised an army from Kandahar against the [[Ilkhanate|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 bin Jahangir Mirza|Pir Muhammad]] as governor of Kandahar in 1390. Following his death in 1405, the city was ruled by other Timurid governors. Kandahar was entrusted to the [[Arghun Dynasty|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. | |||
Tamerlane's descendant, [[Babur]], the founder of the [[Mughal Empire]], annexed Kandahar in 1508. In 1554, Babur's son, [[Humayun]], handed it over to 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]]<nowiki/>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 the Safavid retreat. In the [[Mughal–Safavid War (1649–1653)|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 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. | |||