ABD - UR- RAHMAN ('Ann AL-13All al AN) KHAN, niin or kiln (1830-1901). Ammer of Afghanistan from 1880 to 1901. In the •onfu sion -,uveeeding the death of his grandfather, Host (q.v.) (1863), he supported the pretensions of his father, Afdai, against his uncle. Shere Ali, who had been named as his suc •essor by the late Ameer. The rebellion was at first sueeessful, and Abd-ur-Rahmnn was in stalled as Governor of Balkh. where lie showed himself a wise ruler. in 1868 Shere Ali over threw his rivals and Abd-ur-Rahman took refuge in Russian territory, living at Samareand upon a liberal Russian pension. In 1879 he returned to his old province of 13alkh. which had always been well disposed toward him. Yakut), the son of Shere Ali. who had been set up as ameer by the English. and then left to shift for himself, was unable to maintain order, and a new war with the English was followed by his deposition. Abd-ur-Rahman, in July, 1880, was recognized as ameer by the leading chiefs and was confirmed by the Anglo-Indian Government, from whom he received a subsidy of L160.000 a year and much in the way of military equipment. It had been feared from his previous relations with Russia that lie would be favorable to Russian designs; but he at once resumed the pro-English policy of his grandfather, and, by a firm and skillful control of the tribes of his realm, he preserved the integrity of Afghanistan and maintained peaceful relations with his powerful neighbors. In 189:3 the mountainous district of
Kafiristan, in the Hindu Kush, was ceded to trim by the Anglo-Indian Government, and in 1896 he completed the subjugation of the tribes in habiting it. lie was an intelligent, well-meaning ruler, of a masterly- habit, which stood him in good stead in dealing with his hall-barbarous people. Ile was made by the British Govern ment a Grand Commander of the Bath and also of the Star of India. Ile died October 3, 1901, after a brief illness, and was succeeded by his eldest son. Habib Ullah Khan, who for some time had borne an active part in the govern ment and shown much administrative ability. See AFUHANISTAN, Consult: J. A. Gray. the Court of the Ameer (London, 1895) ; Wheeler, The A nicer bdu•rahman (London, 1895) ; :Mo hammed Khan (Mir Munshi Sultan), The Life of Abdur Rahman, .1mcce of Afghanistan (Lon don, 1900).