Iran and Afghanistan (1800–1870)

From 1796 the Qajar dynasty ruled Iran. In the war with Russia in 1826–1828 Iran was defeated and under the Treaty of Turkmenchay in 1828 lost territory in the Caucasus. From 1848 there were uprisings by followers of a religious movement called the Babis; the shah’s army suppressed them within a few years. In 1856–1857 Iran took Herat, which led to war with Britain, and under the Treaty of Paris of 1857 Iran gave up Herat. In Afghanistan, in 1709 Mir Wais rose at Kandahar against the Safavids, and in 1747 Ahmad Shah Durrani founded an independent state. Dost Mohammad ruled Kabul from 1826 (later taking the title of emir); in the First Anglo-Afghan War of 1838/39–1842 a British force marched in and suffered heavy losses in its retreat from Kabul in early 1842. In 1855 and 1857 Dost Mohammad made treaties with Britain.