February 20 1919 – Amir of Afghanistan Habibullah Khan is Assassinated

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Just months after the end of World War I, the nation of Afghanistan was thrown into turmoil by the assassination of Amir Habibullah Khan on February 20, 1919. Pinned between Russia and British India, the country had gone through tremendous change under his reign, but his neutrality in the worldwide conflict cost him his life before he picked a successor, creating a scramble for the seat of power. Habibullah took over as the leader of Afghanistan after the death of his father in October 1901. For much of the previous century, the nation was a battlefield in one form or another. Armed conflicts with the British or Russians were a regular occurrence, with ongoing political maneuvering by both sides to gain control of the various tribal leaders within Afghan borders. Six years after he took his seat, Habibullah and his fellow Afghans felt as though their sovereignty had been insulted when diplomats from Britain and Russia held a conference detailing an end to the violation of Afghanistan’s borders without including any representatives from the country itself. Despite the mutual promise with Russia to stay out of Afghanistan militarily, British officials still applied intense pressure on Habibubullah and Afghan leadership to guide foreign policy. Despite intense anti-British sentiment within the country, particularly among the younger generation, Habibullah believed Western investment would be the key to bringing modern conveniences to his impoverished people. More secular than his father, Habibullah drove Afghanistan forward through the introduction of electricity and cars, as well as vastly improved medical services and dental care. Further, he altered national law, pulling punishments away from the harsh sentences demanded by Islamic tradition. As World War I raged in Europe and eastern Asia, Habibullah steadfastly refused to allow his armies to join the fight. Other Muslim nations, especially Turkey, called for support in the battle against the Allies. In some Islamic circles within Afghanistan, the conflict was regarded as a holy war between Christians and Muslims — not unlike the Anglo-Afghan wars in the middle of the 19th century — and Habibullah’s denial of its importance was considered a grave sin. The insult would not be forgotten. Unwilling to forgive Habibullah for his perceived cowardice in the face of an opportunity to unite the Muslim nations of the region, a small group of twentysomething Afghans plotted an assassination. Tired of bowing down to the British against their own ideals, the young men followed him on a hunting trip into Laghman Province, in the secluded mountain passages east of the Afghan capital, Kabul. There, on February 20, 1919, Habibullah was shot and killed. Without a pre-selected heir, the throne went to Habibullah’s brother, Nasrullah. In just six days, Afghan elites positioned Amanullah, Habibullah’s third son and a more aggressive political ideologist, as the new leader and removed Nasrullah. Three months later, Afghanistan would declare war on Great Britain at Amanullah’s urging, gaining independence in August 1919. Also On This Day: 1339 – The army of Milan takes on St. George’s Mercenaries at the Battle of Parabiago 1872 – The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens in New York City 1933 – Adolf Hitler meets with German businessmen in search of financing for the Nazi Party’s political campaign 1935 – Caroline Mikkelsen, of Denmark, becomes the first woman to set foot on Antarctica 1962 – John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth, making three trips around the planet aboard Friendship You may also like : February 20 1986 – The Soviet Union launches the Mir space station, which remains in orbit for 15 years February 20, 1986 – Mir Launched