Return of a King: The Epic Struggle for Afghanistan in the 1840s

Mark H.: Return of a King is an outstanding work that is exhaustively researched, beautifully written, and lays bare the manifold colonial conceits that led the British into an epic disaster.

The utter lack of risk awareness on the part of British decision makers is astounding. The principal culprits (Auckland, McNaughten, Elphinstone, others) are willfully ignorant of culture, terrain, weather and other factors, yet blunder ahead with blind arrogance against of the wise counsel of those with far more knowledge and experience. Catastrophe is inevitable, and it unfolds dramatically and inexorably in the second half of the book.

Dalrymple unearthed works by Afghan poets that colorfully describe numerous events, a wonderful highlight of this book. As with every Dalrymple work, I made a list of dozens of words that I didn’t recognize, to look up later. Dalrymple is a master of his craft.

United States on Nov 25, 2023

Gordon: I read a lot of popular history books - some are informative but dry; others easy reads but more like sensational journalism

So the Return of a King being both an engaging read and factually researched and presented is a rare gem. A book that was a delight to read.

Dalrymple brings the characters to life, both the European and Afghani. His research of not only the UK sources but the Russian and Afghani is presented in a informative and accessible way. In part I suspect this is due to his genuine empathy for the area and its people.

And of course there were lesson not learnt for the recent engagement in Afghanistan. In particular Dalrymple demonstrates how the events of 1839-41 reverberate in the Afghani psyche in their attitude to foreign occupiers.

A enjoyable and informative read

Australia on Nov 04, 2021

Sandy: My interest in this book piqued around the time of "Taliban's return to power" in Afghanistan on 15 Aug 2021. The subsequent, withdrawal of troops from its soil by 31 Aug, remind us of the First Anglo-Afghan War, which had eerily similar outcome although with much more devastating consequences for the British in loss of lives.

William Dalrymple has written a very lucid account of the first Afghan war and you will not be disappointed to read it like a triller novel if you may so choose to do. I was able to read through the entire book in a matter of days without ever feeling bored. This is a very good book to keep in your repertoire of classical thrillers.

India on Aug 29, 2021

dmiguer: "You have brought an army into the country, but how do you propose to take it out?" - An Afghan Tribal Chief

"I cannot understand why the rulers of so vast an empire should have gone across the Indus to deprive me of my poor and barren country." - Dost Mohammad Khan, Deposed and Restored Ruler of Afghanistan

William Dalrymple starts this account of the First Anglo-Afghan War in 1808 as the British approach Kabul offering gifts and alliance with Shah Shuja, the ruler of Afghanistan. The dynasty was founded by his grandfather who seized Delhi's plunder from the Persian warlord Nader Shah. Britain learned of a treaty between Napoleon and the Tsar of Russia to attack India over the Hindu Kush. France had planned an invasion through Suez but it's fleet was sunk by Nelson at the Nile in 1798. The embassy was sent by Lord Wellington who would go on to defeat Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815.

Shuja became a pawn in the East India Company's 'Great Game'. Persians were promised his lands by the French for passage through Iran. His rule in decline, tribal intrigues forced him to flee to British Punjab. After Napoleon's death in 1821 Russia became a concern, and spy networks...

United States on Apr 24, 2021

Giovanni Maraini: avvincente e critica revisione storica della tragica invasione inglese dell'Afganistan del 1840. Come negli altri libri di Darlymple ritengo molto accurata e ben documentata la ricostruzione storica ed imparziale il commento. Una lettura interessante ed avvincente, da consigliare vivamente a tutti quelli interessati alla storia della dominazione inglese in India.

Italy on Jun 28, 2015

Joe Blow: Every ruler, officer, diplomat and civil servant should read and absorb the lessons from this remarkable scholarship.
During the Russian occupation, I was befriended by a Dari speaking Afghan who was no warrior, but he told me that "The Russians will be thrown out, they do not understand us, we fight for our independence until the last child throws the last stone".
And this was long before the USA got involved.
David S. Simclair
Canada

Canada on Sep 07, 2014

UGP: Better be kept on the shelf on display for ready reference. Just in case politicians of the future suggest to invade Afghanistan to establish whatever will be the reasoning for military intervention then.
Some of the reasons and justifications given by the British imperialists at the middle of the 19th century sound very similar to what was said in the 21st.

Germany on Oct 02, 2013

LesLein: In Hollywood the "idiot plot" is a story that can only progress if key characters behave like complete idiots. In this case it refers to the British invasion of Afghanistan in the 1840s, not this excellent book by William Dalrymple.

Dalrymple provides plenty of background. During the Napoleonic wars the French and Russians plotted an attempt to invade India through Central Asia. While the scheme never went too far, the British lived in needless fear that Russian involvement in Afghanistan would threaten their empire. British intrigue brought about the Russian diplomatic moves that they feared. As a result, the British invaded Afghanistan to replace Dost Mohammed, an effective though despotic ruler, with Shah Shujah, the "rightful" king of Afghanistan. Shujah wasn't a bad man, he just lacked the popularity and political skill that Dost Mohammed had. Dalrymple gives Shujah more credit than he usually gets; if the British had followed his advice they would have at least survived their invasion.

Problems started with the invasion. The British were unprepared for the Afghans' guerilla attacks, as well as the weather and geography. Once established in Kabul they managed...

United States on May 04, 2013