First Herat War

First Herat War
	Part of The Great Game
	; A Qajar lacquer book cover depicting preparations for the Siege of Herat.
Date	13 November 1837–9 September 1838; (9 months, 2 weeks and 3 days)
Location	Herat, Afghanistan34°22′25.86″N 62°10′45.05″E / 34.3738500°N 62.1791806°E
Result	Persian withdrawal
Belligerents
Emirate of Herat; East India Company Supported by:; British Empire; Aimaq tribesmen; Maimana Khanate; Andkhui Khanate; Sheberghan Khanate; Sar-i Pul Khanate; Bukhara Emirate; Khiva Khanate	Persia Supported by:; Russian Empire; Principality of Qandahar
Commanders and leaders
Yar Mohammad Khan Alakozai Lt. Eldred Pottinger;	Mohammad Shah; General Berowski †; Asef al-Dowleh;
Strength
~ 45,000 total troops Bombay Army: 500; Afghan Army: 22,000; Sunni Confederacy: 15,000; Ships: HMS Semiramis;	40,000 total troops Persian Army (Oct. 1837): 30,000+; Reinforcements (Jan. 1838): 10,000;
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown
	class=notpageimage\| Location within Afghanistan

The First Herat War (Persian: جنگ اول هرات, romanized: Jang-e Avval-e Herāt, 1837–1838) was an attack on the Principality of Herat by Qajar Iran during the Great Game. Herat was held by Kamran Shah and his vizier Yar Mohammad Khan Alakozai. The Shah of Persia was Mohammed Shah Qajar. Four Europeans were involved: the British, Sir John McNeill and Eldred Pottinger as well as the Russians, Count Simonich and Jan Prosper Witkiewicz. Sher Mohammad Khan Hazara, an ally of Kamran and chieftain of the Qala-e Naw Hazaras, helped form a Sunni confederacy of Aimaq, Turkmen, and Uzbek tribes and played a crucial role in defending Herat when the city was besieged.^[6] The siege ended when neither side gained a clear advantage, the British threatened to take military action and the Russians withdrew their support.

^ L.Lee, Johnathan (1996). The 'Ancient Supremacy': Bukhara, Afghanistan & the Battle for Balkh, 1731–1901. Brill Publishers. p. 150. ISBN 978-90-04-10399-3. ISSN 0929-2403.
^ Allen, H. Wm. (1844). A Gazetteer of the Countries Adjacent to India on the North-West; Including Sinde, Afghanistan, Beloochistan, the Punjab and the Neighbouring States in Two Volumes Compiled by the Authority of the Hon. Court of Directors of the East-India Company and Chiefly from Documents in Their Possession. Vol. 1 pp. 231–233.
^ Kelly, John Barrett (1968). "[1]" Britain & The Persian Gulf 1795–1880. pp. 295.
^ Yusuf, Mohamed (1988). A History of Afghanistan, from 1793 A.D. to 1865 A.D. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1466222417.
^ Nelson, John Carl (1976). "[2]" The Siege of Herat: 1837–1838. Culminating Projects in History. pp. 45.
^ Lee, Jonathan L. (1996-01-01). The "Ancient Supremacy": Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731–1901. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-10399-3.

[1] L.Lee, Johnathan (1996). The 'Ancient Supremacy': Bukhara, Afghanistan & the Battle for Balkh, 1731–1901. Brill Publishers. p. 150. ISBN 978-90-04-10399-3. ISSN 0929-2403.

[allen-2] Allen, H. Wm. (1844). A Gazetteer of the Countries Adjacent to India on the North-West; Including Sinde, Afghanistan, Beloochistan, the Punjab and the Neighbouring States in Two Volumes Compiled by the Authority of the Hon. Court of Directors of the East-India Company and Chiefly from Documents in Their Possession. Vol. 1 pp. 231–233.

[kelly-3] Kelly, John Barrett (1968). "[1]" Britain & The Persian Gulf 1795–1880. pp. 295.

[:25-4] Yusuf, Mohamed (1988). A History of Afghanistan, from 1793 A.D. to 1865 A.D. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 1466222417.

[nelson-5] Nelson, John Carl (1976). "[2]" The Siege of Herat: 1837–1838. Culminating Projects in History. pp. 45.

[:0-6] Lee, Jonathan L. (1996-01-01). The "Ancient Supremacy": Bukhara, Afghanistan and the Battle for Balkh, 1731–1901. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-10399-3.

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