3-057-163 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

His Highness the Amir Shere Ali, c1878. Sher Ali Khan (1824-1879) succeeded to the throne of Afghanistan in 1863, and was ruler until 1866. He returned to the throne in 1869, until his death in 1879. The second Afghan War broke out during his second reign. The British wanted a permanent representative in Afghanistan. Sher Ali's offer of an Afghani conducting diplomatic business on Britain's behalf, was not enough for the British. In 1877 the Amir received a Russian delegation headed by General Stolietov. This was the last straw for the British, and war was declared.