'Report on Sistan and the Country Between It and Mashad' [‎6v] (17/118)

2
In 1800 Mahmud invaded Afghanistan from Persia, and, with the assist
ance of the Arab chief of Kain and the Cayani, Shahreki, and Sarbandi chie s
of Sistan, seized Kandahar and Kabul.
In 1833 the Sistanis took part in the defence of Herat against the
Persians. Prom that time up to 1845 Sistan remained subject to Kohndil
Khan, the chief of Kandahar, and the Sarbandi under Muhammad Ruza Were
the dominant clan. . , . i r
In 1848 Muhammad Ruza died and was succeeded by ns son, woe an^
his allegiance to Herat. . , , , .i
Kohndil sent an army into the country, captured Herat assis e J
"Ma li vnA Tin,Inch, and made AH Khan, a brother of Muhammad Ruza, Govei
of Sistan. . . -rv^
Soon after Kohndil Khan and Ali Khan began to intrigue with Persia,
each on his own account.
In 1855 Kohndil died, and Ali Khan hoisted the Persian flag.
About this time the Persians, who were again besieging Herat, took the
opportunity to occupy the Lash Juwain country by the help of A
of Mir Alum Khan of Kain, and even tried to capture barah.
At the conclusion of the war they continued to hold the Lash Juwain
country, hut subsequently abandoned it in consequence of the demands of the
Amir of Kabul, backed by the British Government, and retired west of the
Helmund. ^ ,
Then the Sistanis, finding themselves brought under Persian rule contrary
to their wishes, rebelled against Ali Khan, and set up his nephew Taj
Muhammad Khan, who attacked Sihkuha, the capital, and slew his uncle.
Tai Muhammad ruled independently till 1862, when he tendered his sub
mission to Persia. In 1866, in consequence of his mtngues with Afghan
istan, he was attacked by a Persian army and by Mir Alum Khan of Kain,
and was taken prisoner to Tehran. ,
Sharif Khan, Nahroe, was made Governor, and the Persians built the
fort of Nasirabad to secure their position in the country.
From this time the Persians made steady encroachments eastwards,
intriguing with the chiefs of Chakansur and Lash.
Mir Alam Khan soon succeeded Sharif Khan as Governor, and his efforts
to further Persia's designs east of the Helmund led to such a threa emng
attitude on the part of the Amir of Afghanistan that the Shah appealed to
the British Government. The British Government at first refused to interfeie,
hut eventually an Arbitration Commission was agreed upon, and Loione,
Goldsmid was appointed to delimitate the boundaries m 187-L
His award was as follows
“ The main bed of the Helmund below Kohuk should be the eastern
boundary of Persian Sistan, and the line of frontier from Kohuk to the hills
south of the Sistan desert should be so drawn as to include within the Afghan
limits all cultivation on both hanks of the river from the bund upwards.
«The Malik Siah Kuh appears a fitting point north of Sistan. The
southern limit of the Naizar should be the frontier towards Lash Jnwam.
Persia should not cross the hamun in that direction. A line drawn from the
Naizar to the Kuh Siah hill near Bandun would clearly define her possession.