Page "Abdur Rahman Khan" Paragraph 18

Abdur Rahman died on October 1, 1901, being succeeded by his son Habibullah Khan.

He had defeated all enterprises by rivals against his throne ; he had broken down the power of local chiefs, and tamed the refractory tribes ; so that his orders were irresistible throughout the whole dominion.

His government was a military despotism resting upon a well-appointed army ; it was administered through officials absolutely subservient to an inflexible will and controlled by a widespread system of espionage ; while the exercise of his personal authority was too often stained by acts of unnecessary cruelty.