Kalat Khanate's war against the Hotak–Kalhora alliance (Pashto:د کلات خانې د هوتک-کلهور اتحاد پر ضد جګړه) (Sindhi: هوٽڪ ڪلهوڙي اتحاد خلاف قلات خانات جي جنگ) took place between Khanate of Kalat and the allied forces of Hotak and Kalhora dynasties, over the contested territories of Kandahar, Quetta and Kachhi after Kalat attack against Hotak Dynasty.
| Kalat Khanate's War Against Hotak-Kalhora Alliance | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Khanate of Kalat |
Hotak dynasty Kalhora Dynasty | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Mir Abdullah Khan Ahmadzai |
Shah Hussain Hotak Mian Noor Mohammad Kalhoro | ||||||||
Background
editMir Abdullah Khan Ahmadzai's confrontation with the Hotak rulers of Kandahar was a pivotal event during his reign. Following the Makran campaigns in 1724, the Khanate forces, led by Mir Feroz Raisani, successfully occupied Pishin, causing the Hotak governor to flee to Kandahar. Another force, commanded by Mir Sultan Shahwani, took control of Shorawak, incorporating it into the Khanate.
Emboldened by these victories, Mir Abdullah Khan Ahmadzai assembled a new force, led by Mullah Issa Raisani, to expand the Khanate's territory north of Pishin. This move was strategically instigated by Nader Shah Afshar, who aimed to distract the Hotaks in Kandahar and prevent them from forming an alliance with the Abdalis of Herat.[1][2]
Course of War
editThe Battle of Chaman was a pivotal conflict between the Kalat forces and the Hotak Army, led by Shah Hussain Hotak, the ruler of Kandahar. The Hotak Army's victory was decisive, with the Kalat forces suffering heavy losses, including the death of their commander, Mullah Issa Raisani.
The defeat was shocking, and the Khanate forces regrouped to launch a revenge attack on Kandahar in 1725. However, the Kandahar Army was defeated in the Battle of Spin Boldak, and Shah Hussain fled to the safety of Kandahar Fort.
The conflict escalated, with the Kalhora rulers in Sindh and the Hotak rulers in Kandahar forming an alliance to limit the Khanate's expansion. The allies launched a pincer attack on the Khanate forces, leading to the Siege of Kotra and the Battle of Pishin.[3][4]
The conflict ultimately ended with the withdrawal of the Kalhora forces from Quetta valley in December 1725, setting the stage for a showdown between the Kalat and Hotak forces in Shal. However, the Kandahar Army unexpectedly withdrew from Quetta valley in January 1726, possibly due to the threat of the Afsharids ending Siege of Quetta.[1][2]
Aftermath
editMir Abdullah Khan Ahmadzai launched a campaign to drive the Kalhoras out of Kachhi in 1731. However, he was killed in the ensuing Battle of Kachhi, which he had initiated to assert the Khanate of Kalat's dominance in the region.[1][2]
References
edit- ^ a b c Dashti, Naseer (2012-10-08). The Baloch and Balochistan: A Historical Account from the Beginning to the Fall of the Baloch State. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4669-5897-5.
- ^ a b c Mihr, G̲h̲ulām Rasūl (1958). Tārīk̲h̲-i Sindh (in Urdu). Sindhī adabī borḍ.
- ^ Baluchistan. Sang-e-Meel Publications. 2002. ISBN 978-969-35-1335-6.
- ^ The Pakistan Gazetteer. Cosmo Publications. 2000. ISBN 978-81-7020-889-1.