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could have been peacefully arrived at by calling a Jirgah, i.e. a national assembly. But he was unfortunately too sure of his own strength and misled by many of his inexperienced courtiers decided to punish the rebels and consequently declared war upon them. The present King of Afghanistan, then Marshal Mohammad Nadir Khan, Commander-in-Chief of the Afghan forces, the only man who had fully appraised the strength of the southern tribes and who realized the futility of a campaign against them, protested strongly against the intentions of the Government. But the King had young blood in his veins. He did not like to be opposed in his actions particularly as some of his courtiers only helped him to have an exaggerated sense of his own importance. The war was, therefore, declared. It was an unwise and rash step and Marshal Nadir Khan resigned in protest. It was not long before the King realized his folly. He could not cope with the situation and was unable to suppress the rising. He lost a large number of his men and would have lost his throne as well but for a piece of sheer good luck which 3