Suba of Kabul Under the Mughals: 1585-1739

Kabul was an extremely important part of Mughal India. It was situated at the centre of a vibrant inter-Asian trading network. Kabul derived considerable resources from trade and commerce. Kabul, from the time of its annexation by Akbar in 1585, remained a part of Mughal India till 1739, when it was seized by Nadir Shah. Kabul also had a strategic significance, and control of Kabul was viewed by the Mughals as indispensable for the stability of their empire in India. Despite the economic and strategic significance of Kabul in Mughal India, it has not received adequate attention by historians, compared to the detailed studies we have of some other important provinces in Mughal India. This work provides a more or less comprehensive account of the suba of Kabul in the Mughal period (1585-1739) within the Mughal framework, as part of the history of Mughal India.