King’s Physician

Senzil Nawid (Ph.D. 1987), University of Arizona, was professor at the same institution. She is the author of Religious Response to Social Change in Afghanistan (Mazda, 1999), as well as numerous articles, book chapters and encyclopedia entries on Afghanistan.

• ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgementsList of IllustrationsAbbreviationsNote on Transliteration and the Spelling of Names1 Introduction: Lillias Anna Hamilton1 Nineteenth-Century English Women Voyagers to the East2 Hamilton’s Early Life, Professional Training and Travel to India3 Unexpected Opportunity and Relocation to Afghanistan4 Purpose and Structure5 Note on Sources2 Amir ʿAbd al-Rahman: Z̤ia al-Millat wa al-Dȋn (Light of Nation and Religion), r. 1880–19011 Afghanistan and the British Empire2 ʿAbd Al-Rahman Khan’s Ascendance to the Throne3 Amir ʿAbd Al-Rahman’s Early Life4 British Observers’ View of Amir ʿAbd Al-Rahman5 Relations with the British6 The Rule of the Iron Amir7 The Amir’ Court8 Foreign Employees of the Amir3 At the Royal Harem: Lillias Hamilton and Bibi Halima1 Hamilton’s Audience with the Amir and the Sultana2 Harem Life in Nineteenth-Century Afghanistan3 Amir ʿAbd Al-Rahman’s Harem and Household4 Bibi Halima, the Crowned Lady of the Harem5 A Resolute Feminist and a Powerful Queen: Hamilton and the Sultana6 Hamilton and the Amir’s Household4 Lillias Hamilton and Afghan Women1 Hamilton on the Elite Women and Harem Life in Kabul: Idleness and Intrigue2 Hamilton on Marriage and Polygamy3 Hamilton on Female Slaves and Non-elite Women4 Female Slaves in Hamilton’s Novels5 Hamilton on Women in the Countryside5 The King’s Physician1 Appointment to the Royal Court2 Hamilton’s Involvement in Court Politics3 Amir ʿAbd Al-Rahman’s Invitation to England4 Hamilton’s Appointment to Nasr-Allah Khan’s Mission5 Continuing Efforts to Discredit Hamilton and Prevent Her Return to Kabul6 Escalation of Tensions with the Sultana7 Hamilton’s Impressions of the Royal Court6 Amir ʿAbd al-Rahman through the Eyes of Lillias Hamilton1 A Charming, Intelligent Man of Good Taste2 The Amir’s Views on Religion3 A Ruthless but Astute Ruler4 Establishment of Law and Order5 Modernizing Tyrant6 Progress in the Field of Medicine7 Centralization of Power and Unification of Afghanistan8 Hamilton’s Defense of the Occupation of Kafiristan9 The Question of Succession7 Departure from AfghanistanEpilogueAppendix: ʿAbd al-Rahman’s Wives, Concubines and ChildrenGlossary of TermsBibliographyIndex