The Chitral Expedition (Urdu:چترال فوجی مہم) was a military expedition in 1895 sent by the
British authorities to relieve the
fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
at
Chitral, which was under
siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...
after a local coup following the death of the old ruler. An intervening British force of about 400 men was besieged in the fort until it was relieved by two expeditions, a small one from
Gilgit
Gilgit (; Shina: ; ur, ) is the capital city of Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan. The city is located in a broad valley near the confluence of the Gilgit River and the Hunza River. It is a major tourist destination in Pakistan, serving as a h ...
and a larger one from
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
.
Background to the conflict
In the last phase of
the Great Game
The Great Game is the name for a set of political, diplomatic and military confrontations that occurred through most of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century – involving the rivalry of the British Empire and the Russian Empi ...
attention turned to the unclaimed mountainous area north of
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
along the later Sino-Soviet border. Chitral was thought to be a possible route for a
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
invasion of India, but neither side knew much about the local geography. The British sent people like
George W. Hayward
George Jonas Whitaker Hayward (c. 1839 – 18 July 1870) was a well-known nineteenth-century English explorer. Information for all but the final few years of his life is scarce. His exploration efforts and eventual murder in South Asia during " ...
,
Robert Shaw and probably some
Pundits
A pundit is a person who offers mass media opinion or commentary on a particular subject area (most typically politics, the social sciences, technology or sport).
Origins
The term originates from the Sanskrit term ('' '' ), meaning "knowle ...
north to explore. The ruler of Chitral may have had some involvement in Hayward's murder. From 1871 there were Russian explorers in the
Pamir Mountains
The Pamir Mountains are a mountain range between Central Asia and Pakistan. It is located at a junction with other notable mountains, namely the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, Hindu Kush and the Himalaya mountain ranges. They are among the world ...
to the north. Around 1889 some Russians entered Chitral territory as well as
Hunza Hunza may refer to:
* Hunza, Iran
* Hunza Valley, an area in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan
** Hunza (princely state), a former principality
** Hunza District, a recently established district
** Hunza River, a waterway
** Hunza Peak, a mou ...
to the east and
Gabriel Bonvalot
Pierre Gabriel Édouard Bonvalot (13 July 1853 – 10 December 1933) was a French explorer of Central Asia and Tibet. Bonvalot was born in the commune of Épagne in the Aube department in north-central France. He was the son of Pierre Bonvalo ...
reached Chitral from Russian territory. From around 1876 Chitral was under the protection of the
Maharaja of Kashmir
The Dogra dynasty of Dogra Rajputs from the Shiwalik Himalayas created Jammu and Kashmir when all dynastic kingdoms in India were being absorbed by the East India Company. Events led the Sikh Empire to recognise Jammu as a vassal state in 1820, ...
to the southeast and therefore in the British sphere of influence but there was no
British Resident
A resident minister, or resident for short, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indi ...
. At this time Chitrali power extended east to the
Yasin Valley
Yasin ( ur, ''Yāsīn''), also known as Babaye-i-Yasen () or Worshigum ( khw, ''Worśigūm''), is a high mountain valley in the Hindu Kush mountains, in the northern part of Gupis-Yasin District in the territory of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. ...
about half way to Hunza. The British established the
Gilgit Agency
The Gilgit Agency ( ur, ) was an agency of the British Indian Empire consisting of the subsidiary states of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir at its northern periphery, mainly with the objective of strengthening these territories agains ...
about 175 miles east in 1877. In 1891 the British
occupied Hunza north of Gilgit.
From 1857 to 1892 the ruler (Mehtar) was
Aman ul-Mulk
Aman ul-Mulk (; 1 January 1821 – 30 August 1892) was the Mehtar of Chitral, Ghizer, Yasen and Ishkoman and Suzerain of Kafiristan. He ruled the State of Chitral from 1857 to 1892. His rule saw Chitral reach its territorial peak, extending from ...
of the
Katoor Dynasty
The Katoor dynasty (also spelled Katur and Kator) was a dynasty, which along with its collateral branches ruled the sovereign, later princely state of Chitral and its neighbours in the eastern Hindu Kush region for over 450 years, from around ...
. When the old ruler died in 1892 one of his sons,
Afzal ul-Mulk
Afzal ul-Mulk (1 January 1867 – 6 November 1892) was the ''Mehtar'' (ruler) of the princely state of Chitral who briefly ruled following the death of his father the ''Mehtar'' Aman ul-Mulk, usurping the right of his elder brother Nizam ul-M ...
, seized the throne, consolidating his rule by killing as many of his half-brothers as he could.
The old ruler's brother,
Sher Afzal Khan, who had been in exile at Kabul in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
about 150 miles southwest, secretly entered Chitral with a few supporters and murdered
Afzal ul-Mulk
Afzal ul-Mulk (1 January 1867 – 6 November 1892) was the ''Mehtar'' (ruler) of the princely state of Chitral who briefly ruled following the death of his father the ''Mehtar'' Aman ul-Mulk, usurping the right of his elder brother Nizam ul-M ...
. Another of the old ruler's sons,
Nizam ul-Mulk
Abu Ali Hasan ibn Ali Tusi (April 10, 1018 – October 14, 1092), better known by his honorific title of Nizam al-Mulk ( fa, , , Order of the Realm) was a Persians, Persian scholar, jurist, Political philosophy, political philosopher and Vizier ...
, who had fled to the British at Gilgit, advanced westward from
Gilgit
Gilgit (; Shina: ; ur, ) is the capital city of Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan. The city is located in a broad valley near the confluence of the Gilgit River and the Hunza River. It is a major tourist destination in Pakistan, serving as a h ...
, accumulating troops as he went, including 1200 men Sher had sent against him. Seeing the situation was hopeless, Sher fled back to
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and
Nizam
The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, Mar ...
took the throne with British blessing and a British political resident called Lieutenant
B.E.M Gurdon. Within a year
Nizam ul-Mulk
Abu Ali Hasan ibn Ali Tusi (April 10, 1018 – October 14, 1092), better known by his honorific title of Nizam al-Mulk ( fa, , , Order of the Realm) was a Persians, Persian scholar, jurist, Political philosophy, political philosopher and Vizier ...
was murdered on the orders of his brother,
Amir ul-Mulk
Amir ul-Mulk (1 January 1877 – 23 December 1923) was the Mehtar (ruler) of the princely state of Chitral. He assumed power after arranging for the murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excu ...
, while the two were out hunting.
Umra Khan
Khan Umara Khan of Jandol (c. 18601904), also called "The Afghan Napoleon", was a Pashtun chief on the north-western frontier of British India, who was chiefly responsible for the Chitral Expedition of 1895.
Life
He was the younger son of the Kha ...
, a tribal leader from
Bajour
Bajaur District ( ps, باجوړ ولسوالۍ, ur, ) is a district in Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Until 2018, it was an agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, then during restructuring that merg ...
to the south marched north with 3,000
Pathans
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
either to assist Amir ul-Mulk or replace him. Surgeon Major
George Scott Robertson
Sir George Scott Robertson, (22 October 1852 – 1 January 1916) was a British soldier, author, and administrator who was best known for his arduous journey to the remote and rugged region of Kafiristan in what is now northeastern Afghanistan an ...
, the senior British officer at Gilgit, gathered 400 troops and marched west to Chitral and threatened Umra Khan with an invasion from Peshawar if he did not turn back.
[ ]Amir ul-Mulk
Amir ul-Mulk (1 January 1877 – 23 December 1923) was the Mehtar (ruler) of the princely state of Chitral. He assumed power after arranging for the murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excu ...
began negotiating with Umra Khan so Robertson replaced him with his 12-year-old brother Shuja ul-Mulk
His Highness Sir Shuja ul-Mulk KCIE (1 January 1881 – 13 October 1936) was the Mehtar (from fa, ) of the princely state of Chitral, and reigned it for 41 years until his death in 1936. He belonged to the royal Katur dynasty, which rule ...
. At this point Sher Afzul Khan re-entered the contest. The plan seems to have been that Sher would take the throne and Umra Khan would get part of the Chitral territory. Robertson moved into the fortress for protection which increased local hostility. Since Umra Khan
Khan Umara Khan of Jandol (c. 18601904), also called "The Afghan Napoleon", was a Pashtun chief on the north-western frontier of British India, who was chiefly responsible for the Chitral Expedition of 1895.
Life
He was the younger son of the Kha ...
and Sher Afzul continued their march secret messengers were sent out requesting help.
Siege of Chitral
The Chitral Fort
The Chitral Fort is a fortification in Chitral town, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The fort is situated on the banks of the Chitral River. The fort has a commanding position on the river and is believed to have been built in 1774 during the reig ...
was 80 yards square and built of mud, stone and timber. The walls were 25 feet high and eight feet thick. There was a short covered way to the river
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
, the only water source. The fort held 543 people of whom 343 were combatants including five British officers. The units were the 14th Sikhs and a larger detachment of Kashmiri Infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
. Artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
support was 2 RML 7 pounder Mountain Gun
The Ordnance RML 7-pounder Mk IV "Steel Gun" was a British rifled muzzle-loading mountain gun. 7-pounder referred to the approximate weight of the shell it fired.
History
Development began in 1864 to replace the RBL 6-pounder gun of , which ...
without sights and 80 rounds of ammunition. There were only 300 cartridges per man and enough food for a month. There were trees and buildings near the walls and nearby hills from which sniping was possible with modern rifles. Captain Charles Townshend
Charles Townshend (28 August 1725 – 4 September 1767) was a British politician who held various titles in the Parliament of Great Britain. His establishment of the controversial Townshend Acts is considered one of the key causes of the Ame ...
, later of Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
fame, commanded the fort.
On 3 March a party was sent out to determine the enemy strength. Its loss was 23 killed and 33 wounded. Harry Frederick Whitchurch
Harry Frederick Whitchurch (22 September 1866 – 16 August 1907) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth ...
was awarded a Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
for aiding the wounded. At about the same time a small relief force from Gilgit
Gilgit (; Shina: ; ur, ) is the capital city of Gilgit–Baltistan, Pakistan. The city is located in a broad valley near the confluence of the Gilgit River and the Hunza River. It is a major tourist destination in Pakistan, serving as a h ...
was defeated and the ammunition and explosives they were carrying captured. By 5 April the Chitralis were 50 yards from the walls. On 7 April they set fire to the south-east tower which burned for 5 hours but did not collapse. Four days later the Chitralis began digging a tunnel in order to blow open the fort. The tunnel started from a house where the Chitralis held noisy parties to hide the sounds of digging. By the time sounds of digging were heard it was too late to dig a counter mine
Tunnel warfare involves war being conducted in tunnel and other underground cavities. It often includes the construction of underground facilities (mining or undermining) in order to attack or defend, and the use of existing natural caves and ...
. One hundred men rushed out of the eastern gate, found the mouth of the tunnel, bayoneted the miners, blew up the tunnel with explosives and returned with a loss of eight men. On the night of 18 April someone shouted over the wall that the besiegers had fled. The next morning a heavily armed party found that this was true. Kelly's relief force entered Chitral on 20 April and found the besieged "walking skeletons". The siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...
had lasted a month and a half and cost the defenders 41 lives.
Relief
When the British heard of Robertson's
Robertson's is a British brand of marmalades and fruit preserves that was founded by James Robertson in 1864. The firm was run as a partnership until 1903, when it was incorporated as a limited company - James Robertson & Sons, Preserve Manufactu ...
situation they began assembling troops around Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
, but they were not in a hurry since they assumed that Umra Khan
Khan Umara Khan of Jandol (c. 18601904), also called "The Afghan Napoleon", was a Pashtun chief on the north-western frontier of British India, who was chiefly responsible for the Chitral Expedition of 1895.
Life
He was the younger son of the Kha ...
would back down. When reports became more serious they ordered Colonel James Graves Kelly at Gilgit to act. He gathered what troops he could: 400 Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
Pioneers - mostly road-builders, 40 Kasmiri sappers
A sapper, also called a pioneer or combat engineer, is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing fie ...
with 2 Mountain Guns
Mountain guns are artillery pieces designed for use in mountain warfare and areas where usual wheeled transport is not possible. They are generally capable of being taken apart to make smaller loads for transport by horses, humans, mules, tractor ...
, 900 Hunza Hunza may refer to:
* Hunza, Iran
* Hunza Valley, an area in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan
** Hunza (princely state), a former principality
** Hunza District, a recently established district
** Hunza River, a waterway
** Hunza Peak, a mou ...
Irregulars
Irregular military is any non-standard military component that is distinct from a country's national armed forces. Being defined by exclusion, there is significant variance in what comes under the term. It can refer to the type of military orga ...
, all hearty mountain men, and a number of hired coolie
A coolie (also spelled koelie, kuli, khuli, khulie, cooli, cooly, or quli) is a term for a low-wage labourer, typically of South Asian or East Asian descent.
The word ''coolie'' was first popularized in the 16th century by European traders acros ...
s to carry the baggage. Although his force was small he had the advantage that the Chitralis did not think that anyone would be fool enough to cross 150 miles of mountains in late winter. He left Gilgit on 23 March, probably up the valley of the Gilgit River
The Gilgit River () is a tributary of the Indus River, and flows through the Gupis-Yasin, Ghizer and Gilgit districts of Gilgit-Baltistan. The Gilgit River starts from Shandur Lake, and joins the Indus River at near towns of Juglot and Bunji ...
, and by 30 March had crossed the snowline at 10,000 feet. Seeing what they were in for, the coolies deserted with their laden ponies but were soon rounded up and kept under guard. The main problem was the 12,000 foot Shandur Pass Shandur Pass( ur, ) is a pass located in Ghizer, District of Gilgit Baltistan . It is often called 'Roof of the World.
During the annual ' Shandur Polo Festival,' there are polo matches played in Shandur Polo Ground on Shandur Top, between the ...
at the head of the Gilgit River which was crossed in the waist-deep snow dragging mountain guns on sled
A sled, skid, sledge, or sleigh is a land vehicle that slides across a surface, usually of ice or snow. It is built with either a smooth underside or a separate body supported by two or more smooth, relatively narrow, longitudinal runners ...
ges (1 to 5 April). Fighting began the next day when the Chitralis became aware of them. By 13 April they had driven the enemy from two main positions and by 18 April the enemy seemed to have disappeared.
Meanwhile, the British had assembled 15,000 men at Peshawar under Major-General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
Sir Robert Low, with Brigadier General Bindon Blood serving as his Chief of the Staff. They set off about a week after Kelly
Kelly may refer to:
Art and entertainment
* Kelly (Kelly Price album)
* Kelly (Andrea Faustini album)
* ''Kelly'' (musical), a 1965 musical by Mark Charlap
* "Kelly" (song), a 2018 single by Kelly Rowland
* ''Kelly'' (film), a 1981 Canadi ...
left Gilgit. Accompanying Low was Francis Younghusband
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband, (31 May 1863 – 31 July 1942) was a British Army officer, explorer, and spiritual writer. He is remembered for his travels in the Far East and Central Asia; especially the 1904 British ...
who was officially on leave and serving as a special correspondent for the London ''Times
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events, and a fundamental quantity of measuring systems.
Time or times may also refer to:
Temporal measurement
* Time in physics, defined by its measurement
* Time standard, civil time speci ...
''. On 3 April they stormed the Malakand Pass
The Malakand Pass Peshawar with chitral ( ps, درہ ملاکنډ; ur, ) is a mountain pass in Malakand District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
The pass road begins at Dargai. The road across the pass is in good condition, but may often beco ...
which was defended by 12,000 local warriors. There were significant engagements 2 and 10 days later. On 17 April Umra Khan's men prepared to defend his palace at Munda, but finding themselves greatly outnumbered, they slipped away. Inside the fortress the British found a letter from a Scottish firm offering Maxim gun
The Maxim gun is a recoil-operated machine gun invented in 1884 by Hiram Stevens Maxim. It was the first fully automatic machine gun in the world.
The Maxim gun has been called "the weapon most associated with imperial conquest" by historian ...
s at 3,700 rupees and revolver
A revolver (also called a wheel gun) is a repeating handgun that has at least one barrel and uses a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold up to six roun ...
s at 34 rupees each. The firm was ordered to leave India. Low was still crossing the Lowari Pass
Lowari Pass ( ur, درہ لواری), or Lowari Top, (el. 10,230 ft.) is a high mountain pass that connects Chitral with Dir in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Lowari Top is a relatively low pass, by far the lowest pass to enter Chitral, ...
on the day Kelly entered Chitral. Although Kelly got to Chitral first, it was the massive size of Low's force that forced the enemy to withdraw. The first person from Low's force to reach Chitral was Younghusband who, without permission, rode out ahead of the troops. (Max Hastings
Sir Max Hugh Macdonald Hastings (; born 28 December 1945) is a British journalist and military historian, who has worked as a foreign correspondent for the BBC, editor-in-chief of ''The Daily Telegraph'', and editor of the ''Evening Standard'' ...
performed the same stunt in 1982.) That night Younghusband, Robertson, and Kelly shared the garrison
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
's last bottle of brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
.
Aftermath
Umra Khan
Khan Umara Khan of Jandol (c. 18601904), also called "The Afghan Napoleon", was a Pashtun chief on the north-western frontier of British India, who was chiefly responsible for the Chitral Expedition of 1895.
Life
He was the younger son of the Kha ...
fled with eleven mule-loads of treasure and reached safety in Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. Sher Afzul ran into one of his foes and was sent into exile in India. Robertson was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:
# Knight Grand Commander (GCSI)
# Knight Commander ( KCSI)
# Companion ( CSI)
No appointments ...
. Kelly was made a Personal aide-de-camp to the Queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
and made a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Companion may refer to:
Relationships Currently
* Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance
* A domestic partner, akin to a spouse
* Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach
* Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...
. Eleven Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...
s (DSOs) were awarded, along with Whitchurch's VC, and all ranks who took part in the siege were given six months extra pay and three months leave. Townshend later became a Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
and at least nine participants became Generals. There was talk of building a road from Peshawar, but this was rejected because of the expense and the fear that the Russians could use the road too. Two battalions were stationed at Chitral and two at the Malakand Pass. In the spring of 1898 Captain Ralph Cobbold was on "hunting leave" in the Pamirs and learned that the Russians had planned to occupy Chitral if the British abandoned it.
British and Indian Army forces who took part received the India Medal
The India Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1896 for issue to officers and men of the British and Indian armies.
The India Medal was awarded for various minor military campaigns in India, chiefly for service on the North-West Frontier duri ...
with either the clasp Defence of Chitral 1895 or Relief of Chitral 1895.
Chitral remained at peace after 1895 and Shuja ul-Mulk
His Highness Sir Shuja ul-Mulk KCIE (1 January 1881 – 13 October 1936) was the Mehtar (from fa, ) of the princely state of Chitral, and reigned it for 41 years until his death in 1936. He belonged to the royal Katur dynasty, which rule ...
, the 12 year old installed as Mehtar by Robertson, ruled Chitral for the next 41 years until his death in 1936.
Appraisal
The Chitral Expedition is a much celebrated event, remembered in British history as a chapter in gallantry and valour, which has drawn wide appraisal.
See also
* Chitral Fort
The Chitral Fort is a fortification in Chitral town, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The fort is situated on the banks of the Chitral River. The fort has a commanding position on the river and is believed to have been built in 1774 during the reig ...
* :British military personnel of the Chitral Expedition
Notes
Sources
* ''The Great Game'' by Peter Hopkirk
Peter Stuart Hopkirk (15 December 1930 – 22 August 2014) was a British journalist, author and historian who wrote six books about the British Empire, Russia and Central Asia.
Biography
Peter Hopkirk was born in Nottingham, the son of Frank St ...
, John Murray Ltd. (1990)
* '' The Relief of Chitral'' by Major General Sir George J. Younghusband and Sir Francis E. Younghusband, Macmillan & Co (1896)
* ''With Kelly to Chitral
''With Kelly to Chitral'' is a book written by Major General Sir William George Laurence Beynon and originally published by Edward Arnold Publishers Ltd at 37 Bedford Street London in 1896.
The author, immediately before writing the book was ...
'' by Major General Sir William G.L. Beynon , Arnold Publishers (1896)
* ''Campaigns on the North West Frontier'' by Captain H L Nevill, Naval & Military Press (1912)
* ''Chitral; the Story of a Minor Siege
''Chitral; the Story of a Minor Siege'' is a book written by Sir George Scott Robertson on the Siege of Chitral and published by Methuen Publishing in 1898.
Overview
The book presents an account of Chitral's growing geographical significance ...
'' by Sir George Scott Robertson, KCSI, Methuen Publishing (1898)
* ''Townshend of Chitral and Kut'' by Erroll Sherson John (1928)
* '' Much Sounding of Bugles: The Siege of Chitral 1895'', John Harris, Hutchinson (1975)
* '' The Chitral Campaign: A Narrative of Events in Chitral, Swat and Bajour'' by Harry Craufuird Thomson, Heinemann Publishers (1895)
* Huttenback, Robert A. "The Siege of Chitral and the “Breach of Faith Controversy”—The Imperial Factor in Late Victorian Party Politics." ''Journal of British Studies'' 10.1 (1970): 126-144.
External links
''Illustrated London News''
Further reading
* - historical fiction
{{Authority control
History of Chitral
Battles involving British India
1895 in India
Battle honours of the King's Royal Rifle Corps
19th-century military history of the United Kingdom
Conflicts in 1895
Military history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The Great Game
Battles involving the princely states of India