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all ; so that if the comparative strength of the number
of households of Barakazai and Sauduzais were to be
judged, the former was almost one ninth or one tenth times grea-
ter than the later. The historians seem to think that the reason of the
election of Ahmed Shah to the throne was really due to the fact
that his clan was very small, and, therefore, so that if he (Ahmed
Shah) behaved contrary to the interests of the entire clans, then it
would be the more easy to dethrone him from the rulership of the whole.
In any case, the qualities, which could be appreciated in the
Sadu zai Sirdar, he was elected to rule. He was designated as
His Majesty Ahmed Shah carrying the title of Duray duran, mea-
ning "the Pear of Lusture" ; and the nation styled him as the
Father of the Nation. Haji Jamal Khan, the leader of the powerful
clan of Barakzais, who had a great chance for being elected, tram-
pling under foot the self-seeking desires-a disease which had over-
taken practically all the leaders of the nation of the time - accepting
the leadership of the Saduzai leader as the ruler of entire Afghan-
istan, thus strengthening the foundation of national integrity .His action,
at a very critical time of Afghan history, has left a noble mark
upon the annals of our country. Ahmed Shah, on his part, till the
end of his time did not fail to respect the valuable services of his
great cooperator, and bestowed all consideration consonant with the
Elders position and sacrifice; so that from the very smallest to the
greatest issues of the realm the the advice of Jamal Khan was
constantly sought by the king.
King Ahmed Shah died in the year 1773. A. H. and was soon
followed by his devoted friend Haji Jamal Khan. Circumstances so
contrived that, after a brief readjustment, Tamur Shah on one side
and Payanda Khan on the other - as the respective sons of the older
friends - were cast upon the stage in time to perform their duties.
Haji Jamal Khan had four sons; Rahim Dad Khan, Payanda Khan,
Haroun Khan and Bahadur Khan. Although after the death of Ahmed
Shah, the deceased king's minister - one named Shah Wali Khan -
placed Sulaiman Shah, his son-in-law and the younger of the sons
of Ahmed Shah Durrani, yet much time had not passed that
Prince Tamur arriving from Herat, in defference to the wishes of a
Roughly two thirds of characters agree with a modern printed edition of the same text. Much of the disagreement is editorial, not misreading. Treat the transcription as a finding aid and read the page image before quoting. How this was measured.