The Role of Sayyid Noor Mohammad Shah in Afghanistan's Foreign Policy during the Reign of Amir Shir Ali Khan (1869-1877)

Abstract

Sayyid Noor Mohammad Shah was one of the prominent political and diplomatic figures of Afghanistan during the reign of Amir Sher Ali Khan, who played an important role in the country's foreign policy between 1869 and 1877. Despite his important position as Afghanistan's first prime minister, coherent and independent information about his life and political activities has received little attention in historical sources. The purpose of this research is to examine the role and position of Sayyid Noor Mohammad Shah in Afghanistan's foreign policy and analyze his diplomatic activities during the reign of Amir Sher Ali Khan. This research is conducted with a historical-analytical method and is based on the study of documents and library resources. The findings of this research show that Sayyid Noor Mohammad Shah played an effective role in defending national interests, maintaining Afghanistan's political independence and managing relations with regional and international powers as the special envoy of Amir Shir Ali Khan in important events such as the Ambala Conference, the Sistan issue, the Simla Conference and the Peshawar Conference. The results of the research show that he was one of the most influential political and diplomatic figures of the nineteenth century in Afghanistan and made a significant contribution to the formation and advancement of the country's foreign policy. Therefore, recognizing his personality and political career can contribute to the enrichment of studies of Afghanistan's political and diplomatic history.