The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c19.63

v4.c19.63

The good work done by his army under his eyes was confirmed by his happy choice of an extraordinarily capable governor for Afghānistān. Amīr Khān, the son of Khalil-ullah, was appointed viceroy of Kābul in 1677 and continued to govern the province with signal ability and success till his death in 1698. He set himself to win the hearts of the Afghāns and enter into social relations with them with such success that the chiefs of the clans gave up their shy and unsocial manners and began to visit him without any suspicion. Every one of them looked up to him for advice in conducting his domestic affairs. Under his astute management, they ceased to trouble the imperial government and spent their energies in internecine quarrels. Once he broke up a confederacy under Akmal Afrīdī by secretly instigating that chieftain’s followers to ask him to divide the conquered territory among them. When Akmal declined on the ground of the insufficiency of the land, the disappointed hill-men began to return home. And when at last he did make a division, his other followers left him because of his having shown greater favour to his own clansmen. Much of Amīr Khān’s administrative success was due to the wise counsel, tact and energy of his wife Sāhibjī, a daughter of ‘Alī Mardān Khān.