Mahmud Tarzi
Mahmud Tarzi | |
---|---|
Foreign Minister of Afghanistan | |
In office 1924–1927 | |
Monarch | Amanullah Khan |
Preceded by | Sardar Shir Ahmad |
Succeeded by | Ghulam Siddiq Khan Charkhi (acting) |
In office 1919–1922 | |
Monarch | Habibullah Khan |
Preceded by | Sardar Mohammed Aziz Khan |
Succeeded by | Mohammad Wali Khan Darwazi |
Personal details | |
Born | August 23, 1865 Ghazni, Afghanistan |
Died | November 22, 1933 Istanbul, Turkey | (aged 68)
Nationality | Afghan, Turkish |
Mahmud Tarzi (
Early years
Tarzi was born August 23, 1865, in
Tarzi began to explore the Middle East. He made a pilgrimage to
A year after Abdur Rahman Khan's death in 1901, Habibullah Khan invited the Tarzi family back to Afghanistan. Tarzi received a post in the government. There he began to introduce Western ideas in Afghanistan. Tarzi's daughter, Soraya Tarzi, married King Amanullah Khan and become Queen of Afghanistan.[4]
Journalism and poetry
One of Tarzi's earliest works was the Account of a Journey (Sayahat-Namah-e Manzum), which was published in Lahore, British India (now Pakistan). However, Tarzi's most influential work – and the foundation of journalism in Afghanistan – was his publishing of Seraj-al-Akhbar. This newspaper was published bi-weekly from October 1911 to January 1919.[5] It played an important role in the development of an Afghan modernist movement, serving as a forum for a small, enlightened group of young Afghans, who provided the ethical justification and basic tenets of Afghan nationalism and modernism under of the very first political party, Party of the Afghan Youth, ideologically secularist, monarchist and state nationalist with a right-of centre political direction, in opposition to the later Constitutional Party, a second political party whose ideologically liberal democratic, reformist, progressive with a constitutional monarchist and left-wing nationalist direction maintaining a strong anticlerical secularist state and within centrist politics. Tarzi also published Seraj-al-Atfal (Children's Lamp), the first Afghan publication aimed at a juvenile audience.[4]
Tarzi was the first who introduced the
Although age has its normal limits, it may be extended by two things-the study of history and by travel. Reading history broadens one's perception of the creation of the world, while travel extends one's field of vision.[1]
Politics
Like most other Afghan leaders, Tarzi was an Afghan nationalist who held many government positions in his life. He was a reform-minded individual amongst his extended family members whom ruled Afghanistan at the beginning of the 20th century and not unlike his father
Afghanistan's 1919 Independence
Tarzi effectively guided the second movement of the young constitutionalists called Mashroota Khwah. This led to reviving the first suppressed movement of the constitutionalists in Afghanistan.[4]
Afghan Peace Conferences
During the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919, when Tarzi served as Foreign Minister, British India bombarded Kabul and Jalalabad. Over a ton of munitions hit Jalalabad in a single day.[1] Tarzi was appointed head of the Afghan Delegation at the peace conferences at Mussoorie in 1920 and Kabul in 1921.[citation needed] The British, who had dealt with Tarzi before, attempted to reduce his position.[citation needed] After four months the talks collapsed because of the Durand Line. Sir Henry Dobbs led the British delegation to Kabul in January, 1921 – Mahmud Tarzi headed the Afghan group. After 11 months of discussions, the British and Afghans signed a peace treaty normalizing their relations. Although Afghanistan was the winner of the conference – as the British accepted Afghanistan's independence – Tarzi's diplomacy was shown as the British sent a message afterwards to Tarzi, giving their good will toward all tribes.[1]
Death
Tarzi died on November 22, 1933, at the age of 68 in Istanbul, Turkey.[citation needed]
See also
- Soraya Tarzi
- Reforms of Amānullāh Khān and civil war
References
- ^ a b c d e Biography of Mahmud Tarzi Archived 2007-10-06 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Adamec, Ludwig W. "ḤABIB-ALLĀH". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- ^ a b Schinasi, May. "ṬARZI, MAḤMUD". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Farhad Azad (ed.). "An Afghan Intellect: Mahmoud Tarzi". Afghan Magazine Article: July – Sept. 1997, by Yama Atta & Hashmat Haidari. afghanmagazine.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- ^ Chronology: the reigns of Abdur Rahman Khan and Habibullah, 1881–1919 Archived 2007-07-15 at the Wayback Machine