One of the first Afghans in London – inspired by true events.
In 1895, the despotic Amir Abdul Rahman Khan, nicknamed ‘The Iron Amir’ who had united Afghanistan through a reign of terror, espionage and retribution had intended to undertake a state visit to England to pay his respects to the ageing Queen Victoria. However, his health prevented him from making the trip, and so instead he sent his youngest son Prince Shahzada Nasrullah Khan to represent him in the court at Windsor Palace.
His aim was for Afghanistan to become an autonomous region, which would have allowed him to make foreign policy decisions and other matters regarding relations with countries that surrounded Afghanistan. The Queen refused because of the expansionist ambitions of Czarist Russia. Russia could easily have invaded the crown jewel of Great Britain, India by invading defenceless Afghanistan first. This was a risk she did not want to take.
Nasrullah being so upset, and in defiance of Queen Victoria’s rejection ordered his 100 plus men to take up arms and start shooting from every corner and window of Dorchester House where they were staying. As a result, London descended into chaos and very quickly after, the disgruntled Prince left London deeply disappointed and in disgrace.
Rattling the Jewel in The Crown
Genre: Historical Fiction / Victorian / India / Afghanistan / Suspense
Published: Summer 2023
Paperback ISBN: 9781739185756
eBook: Amazon HERE Apple Here KOBO HERE SCRIBD HERE
Price: £10.00
About the Author: Khalil Nouri
Author Khalil Nouri is one of the most renowned US based experts on Afghanistan. He was born into an Afghan political family. It was his great-grandfather Nour Mohammad Khan, uncle to King Nader-Shah and governor of Kandahar in 1830, who signed the British exit treaty leaving the last Afghan territory unoccupied in the second Anglo-Afghan war.
He takes pride in his family lineage specifically with the last name “Nouri” surnamed from his great-grandfather “Nour Mohammad Khan” uncle to King Nader-Shah.
His father, uncles, and cousins were all career diplomats in the Afghan government. His father was amongst the very first in 1944 to open the Afghan Embassy in Washington D.C., and subsequently his diplomatic career was in Moscow, Pakistan, London, and Jakarta.
Since the 1960’s, Khalil grew up exposed to Afghan politics and foreign policy and over the past 35 years he has been closely following the unfolding situation in Afghanistan. His years of observations of the complex Afghan political strife and his recognized tribal roots gave him a unique understanding of the reasons for the situation in Afghanistan.
In that regard, he sees himself being part of the solution for a stable and a prosperous Afghanistan, like the one he once knew. One of his major duties at the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2002 was advisory role to Lieutenant General Hagenbeck. He has worked closely with the Afghan tribes and his tribal experience is well suited for unobstructed cross-cultural communication within all Afghan ethnicities.