Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎167v] (24/174)

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REWARDS TO SHERE ATI’s ADHERENTS. ISMAIL’S DISCONTENT.
I mav' - I86 S-
(May i§09_
381 One act of Sliere All’s caused considerable scandal.
The late Ameer Afzul had for some wordly advantage married the widow
of Nazir Nasir Khan, who had died m Shere Ah s, service. Shore Ali now
decided that the woman was the right of Nasir Khan s nephew, and. gave her to
him accordingly. People generally condemned this act, both factions having
hitherto abstained from acts injurious to the honor of their opponents. This
then was thought a pernicious innovation.
332. Distribution of good things among Shere A Us adherents ; and faction
among them.
* Diary ending 8th September.
The Governorship of Ghuznee was at
once* given to Khodai Nuzzur Khan of
the Wurduk tribe.
That of Jellalabad to Meer Akhor Ahmud.
That of Koorum and Zoormut to Ursulla Ivhan Ghilzai : and the revenue
demand on Koorum was reduced by
. Diary ending 16th September. ^ 14,000,* probably as a faVOT to him.
That of Koonur to Syud Baha-ood-deen, commonly called Baboo Jan, on
his payment of a nuzzur.
That of Cabul to Mahomed Hussain Khan, Uslum’s brother, and the
Ameer’s half-brother.
TJslum himself was thus early known to be the Ameer’s principal counsellor.
Now the British Agent remarked he had always spoken thankfully of the
British Government, and had striven to deserve its good wishes and good offices.
333. Ismail, within ten days of the Ameer’s restoration, manifested
symptoms of discontent, thinking of course that no amount of recognition
could be too great for the services he had tardily rendered. On the 5th
October the Agent wrote that he and all the sons of the late Ameer cherished
the hope of succeeding to the throne. They were one and all waiting the turn
of events for an opportunity to realize their ambitious views.
384. Another person there was to whom the Ameer’s obligations were
immense—one sure, therefore, to be discontented and dangerous—the Ameer’s
own able son, Yacoob Khan, but for whom he would probably not have
recovered his throne. His story may best be treated in a separate Section;
but that of Ismail may most conveniently be disposed of at once, though it
will carry us on into the middle of 1870.
* Dipj-y ending 18th September.
335. The Ameer tried to appease his
first symptoms of discontent by kind
speeches at a private interview.*
On the 1st February he quarrelled with Uslum, and accused him of corre
sponding with Azim.
Somewhat later he seems to have quarrelled with Yacoob, for, in the diary
of the 20th May, there is an entry that the two were friends again. Ismail, h
was said, had still a large force at his command, who looked to him as their
head. 336
336. On the 27th May he was offered his choice between the civil Gover
norship of part of Toorkistan, North-West of Muzar-i-Shureef, or the con
tinuance of his present military command. If he chose the latter, he word
have to remain on at Cabul. Anxious though he was for a Governorship, he
w as very unwilling to “ give up his military career.”
On the 5th May there was a long interview between him and the Anieei,
and it v T as believed that Ismail had accepted the civil Governorship. At n
events the command of the foot and horse artillery was then made over to
eiamez. To Ismael’s chagrin, how r ever, he was not sent to replace Alum