Treaty of Gandamak

The Treaty of Gandamak, signed on May 26, 1879, was a pivotal agreement between the United Kingdom and Afghanistan. This treaty recognized Yaʿqūb Khan as the emir of Afghanistan. Under its terms, he agreed to host a permanent British embassy in Kabul and to manage Afghanistan's foreign relations according to British guidance. This arrangement marked a significant, though temporary, British triumph in asserting influence over the region. However, the agreement was short-lived, as the British envoy and his escort were murdered in Kabul just months later, leading to further British military intervention and Yaʿqūb Khan's abdication and exile. The treaty was part of the broader context of the Second Anglo-Afghan War.12