Shere Ali Khan
Ameer of Afghanistan; born in 1825; succeeded his father, Dost Mohammed, in 1863.
During the earlier part of his reign he passed through many vicissitudes, but by 1868 he was fully established on the throne of Kabul. In 1869 he entered into friendly relations with the Indian Government. In 1878 a Russian mission was received with honor at Kabul, and shortly afterward permission was refused for a British mission to cross the frontier.
Thereupon the British invaded Afghanistan and took possession of the Khyber Pass and the Kuram Valley. Shere Ali fled from Kabul, accompanied by the members of the Russian mission. He died in Afghan Turkestan, Feb. 21, 1879. He was succeeded by his second son, Yakub, who, however, on account of the Cavagnari massacre, was speedily deposed and deported to India, and was succeeded by his cousin, Abdurrahman, in 1880, who died Oct. 3, 1901. See AFGHANISTAN.