Silver chapra, or belt plate, Afghan (1856)

Title	Silver chapra, or belt plate
Nationality	Afghan
Period	1856

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This chapra celebrates the appointment of Abd al-Rahman Khan as Crown Prince to the throne of Afghanistan in 1856 at the age of 13. It carries the engraved titles 'Asad al-dawla' (Lion of the State), 'Mumtaz al-Mulk (Excellence of Sovereignty) and 'Abd al-Rahman Khan', together with the date 1856 in both the Hijri and Gregorian calendar.

Abdur Rahman Khan was born in Kabul sometime between 1840 and 1844, third son of Mohammad Afzal Khan, and grandson of Dost Mohammad Khan. He is celebrated in the Ballad of the King's Mercy by Kipling as the 'Iron Amir' of Afghanistan, ruling as Amir from 1880 to 1901, backed by both the British and the Russians, dying peacefully in bed! He was considered to be a strong ruler, who re-established the writ of the Afghan government after the disarray that followed the second Anglo-Afghan war, and ruled over a period of relative stability. There is a six-page article on him on Wikipedia with photographs.

The plate (130 x 100 mm) is of heavy (it weighs 212 grams) unmarked silver (though there is a tiny mark which may be some sort of Afghan hallmark) and has a large hook and two stud fittings on the reverse.

Apart from two bruises, it is in extremely fine condition.

If you want to comment on this item—re quality, age, etc—please email me.

[Militaria : Badges : Afghan : 19th Century]

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