Alexander Burnes

Sir Alexander Burnes (also Bokhara Burnes, so Bukhara Burnes, born May 16, 1805 in Montrose (Angus ); † November 2, 1841 in Kabul ) was a British traveler and explorer.

Life

Alexander Burnes was born the son of a Scottish Provost and was a cousin of the writer Robert Burns. At the age of 16 years Burnes joined the army of the British East India Company. In India, he learned Hindustani and Persian, and in 1822 employed as a translator in Surat. In 1826 he was transferred to Kutch, where his interest in history and geography of the North West Frontier region and the underlying, by the British poorly understood, country was aroused. In the following years he traveled through India, Afghanistan, Persia, and up to Bukhara. His trip to Bukhara Burnes owed ​​his nickname " Bokhara Burnes ". 1834, after his return to England, he published a book about his travels, which was very popular at that time.

Burnes was sent in 1836 to a political mission to Dost Mohammed, the ruler of Afghanistan, to Kabul. There he met the Russian officer Witkewitsch. Its task was a continuation of the approach initiated in 1835 Afghanistan to Russia. Burnes advised the British General Governor of Calcutta, Baron Auckland to support Dost Mohammed. This but decided to follow the opinion of William Macnaghtens and the previous ruler Shoja Shah Durrani use again, which led to the expulsion of Burnes in Kabul, and finally to the First Anglo-Afghan War. After the invasion of the British Army Burnes was political agent in Kabul. During the year 1841 there were riots, fueled by tax increases by Shah Shuja and the dissolute lives of several British officers, led by Alexander Burnes. Afghan guerrillas attacked British outposts and in Kabul gathered on November 2, 1841 crowd in front Burnes House. In an attempt to escape, he was discovered and killed. The British garrison failed to come to his aid, and the native troops fled from the angry mob. The inaction of the British led to a general revolt, the Elphinstone from Kabul led to the disastrous retreat of General, where his army was completely destroyed.