Former unrecognized state in Central Asia
The
Emirate of Afghanistan
was an
unrecognized state
ruled by the
Saqqawists
that existed from January to October 1929.
Habibull?h Kalak?ni
became the state's only
emir
on 18 January 1929.
[2]
After the fall of Kalak?ni on 13 October 1929, the Emirate ended.
Their rule is known in the
history of Afghanistan
as the
Saqqawist period
.
[3]
History
[
edit
]
The emirate emerged during the
Afghan Civil War of 1928?1929
, a conflict between
Saqqawist
forces led by
Habibull?h Kalak?ni
and opposing tribes and monarchs within Afghanistan. After early Saqqawist victories, the capture of Kabul in January 1929 marked the establishment of the Saqqawist emirate. Habibull?h Kalak?ni's rule, known as the Saqqawist period, was marked by social unrest and military engagements. Eventually,
Mohammed N?dir Kh?n
captured Kabul on 13 October 1929 and disestablished the emirate. The war's aftermath saw Nadir Khan ascend to the throne and the re-establishment of the
Kingdom of Afghanistan
.
[
citation needed
]
Administrative divisions
[
edit
]
By 1929, Afghanistan had 9 provinces, consisting of 5 major provinces (
wilayats
) and 4 minor provinces (
Hukumat-i Alas
).
[4]
The major provinces were:
[4]
- Kabul province
/ Central Province
- Qandahar Province
- Herat Province
- Turkestan Province
- Qataghan-Badakhshan Province
The minor provinces were:
[4]
- Eastern Province
- Southern Province
- Farah Province
- Meymaneh Province
Although these provinces were
de jure
all part of the emirate, in practice the Saqqawist territories were in a constant state of flux, and never encompassed the entire country. In particular, the Saqqawists never penetrated into the Farah or Meymaneh provinces.
Government
[
edit
]
Top-level decision-making essentially fell to two individuals:
Habibull?h Kalak?ni
, the leader of the Saqqawists, and his partner and virtual equal in matters of government,
Sayyid Husayn
.
[5]
Officeholders
[
edit
]
After taking over Kabul, Kalak?ni appointed a number of people into office, including:
[6]
Civilian policy
[
edit
]
Once in power, the Saqqawists abolished conscription and taxation, and closed down schools.
[7]
On 9 May 1929, Kalak?ni passed a decree in Kabul which forbade citizens of Kabul from moving out of the city without permission, even into the government-controlled Bandar-i Arghandah, Charasya, Bini Hisar, Butkhak, Kutal-i Pay Manar, Kutal-i Khayr Khanah, Maydan, Jalriz, Logar, Khurd Kabul, Tangi Gharu or Dih Sabz.
[8]
Economy
[
edit
]
For a while, Kalak?ni relied on the royal treasury to pay his army, without levying taxes. However, when the treasury ran out, taxation was reinstated in order to cover the expenses of his army. Revenue was also collected by forcing wealthy Tajik merchants to contribute to his treasury.
[7]
Military
[
edit
]
The Saqqawists maintained a military during their period of control. On 14 April 1929, Fayz Muhammad estimated the Saqqawists to number 20,000.
[9]
Culture
[
edit
]
The Saqqawist government celebrated
Afghan Independence Day
for five days (instead of the usual eight) starting on 19 August 1929. Kalakani spent 60,000 Afghan rupees on the celebrations, and hoped he could use the occasion to try to win over the Afghan populace. Kalakani gave a speech on 19 August – the contents of the speech are unknown, but Fayz Muhammed remarked that Kalakani "stood there telling lie after lie about the way things really were."
[10]
International relations
[
edit
]
Despite taking control of Kabul, the Saqqawist government of Afghanistan was unable to obtain any diplomatic recognition.
[11]
Nonetheless, the Saqqawists allied themselves with the
Basmachi movement
, allowing them to operate in Northern Afghanistan. and revoking the "Pact of Neutrality and Non-Aggression" that Afghanistan had signed with the
Soviet Union
following the end of the
Urtatagai conflict
, which obligated Afghanistan to restrain Basmachi border raids.
[12]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Ali, Mohammed (1933).
Progressive Afghanistan
. Punjab Educational Electric Press. pp.
29
.
- ^
Mu?ammad, Fayz?; Haz?rah, Fayz? Mu?ammad K?tib (1999).
Kabul Under Siege: Fayz Muhammad's Account of the 1929 Uprising
. Markus Wiener Publishers. p. 1.
ISBN
9781558761551
.
- ^
Mu?ammad, Fayz?; McChesney, R. D. (1999).
Kabul under siege: Fayz Muhammad's account of the 1929 Uprising
. Markus Wiener Publishers. p. 81.
ISBN
9781558761544
.
- ^
a
b
c
Haz?rah, Fayz? Mu?ammad K?tib (1999).
Kabul Under Siege: Fayz Muhammad's Account of the 1929 Uprising
. Markus Wiener Publishers. pp. xii.
ISBN
978-1-55876-154-4
.
- ^
Mu?ammad, Fayz?; McChesney, R. D. (1999).
Kabul under siege: Fayz Muhammad's account of the 1929 Uprising
. Markus Wiener Publishers. p. 24.
ISBN
9781558761544
.
- ^
Mu?ammad, Fayz?; McChesney, R. D. (1999).
Kabul under siege: Fayz Muhammad's account of the 1929 Uprising
. Markus Wiener Publishers. pp. 57, 58.
ISBN
9781558761544
.
- ^
a
b
Miraki, Mohammed (2000). "Chapter 6: The Anarchy of Habibullah (Bacha-e-Saqao) from January 1929 to October 1929".
Factors of underdevelopment in Afghanistan, 1919?2000
.
- ^
Mu?ammad, Fayz?; Haz?rah, Fayz? Mu?ammad K?tib (1999).
Kabul Under Siege: Fayz Muhammad's Account of the 1929 Uprising
. Markus Wiener Publishers. p. 137.
ISBN
9781558761551
.
- ^
Mu?ammad, Fayz?; Haz?rah, Fayz? Mu?ammad K?tib (1999).
Kabul Under Siege: Fayz Muhammad's Account of the 1929 Uprising
. Markus Wiener Publishers. p. 163.
ISBN
9781558761551
.
- ^
Mu?ammad, Fayz?; Haz?rah, Fayz? Mu?ammad K?tib (1999).
Kabul Under Siege: Fayz Muhammad's Account of the 1929 Uprising
. Markus Wiener Publishers. pp. 238, 239, 240, 241.
ISBN
9781558761551
.
- ^
Mu?ammad, Fayz?; McChesney, R. D. (1999).
Kabul under siege: Fayz Muhammad's account of the 1929 Uprising
. Markus Wiener Publishers. p. 236.
ISBN
9781558761544
.
- ^
Ritter, William S. (1990). "Revolt in the Mountains: Fuzail Maksum and the Occupation of Garm, Spring 1929".
Journal of Contemporary History
.
25
(4): 547?580.
doi
:
10.1177/002200949002500408
.
ISSN
0022-0094
.
JSTOR
260761
.
S2CID
159486304
.