Josiah Harlan

Josiah Harlan, Prince of Ghor ( born June 12, 1799 in Newlin Township / Pennsylvania, † 1871 in San Francisco / California ) was an American traveler and adventurer. He became Prince of Ghor in Afghanistan.

Harlan was known for his travels through Afghanistan and the Punjab. There he dealt with local politics and military affairs and got for his military successes the hereditary title Prince of Ghor awarded. Probably Rudyard Kipling based book The man who would be king on his biography.

Childhood

Josiah was born in Newlin Township in Cheter County, Pennsylvania. His parents, Joshua and Sarah Harlan were Quakers, Josiah grew up with nine siblings in a strict and pious parents house. His father was a broker in Philadelphia, some of his sons followed him into the profession. Josiah lost his mother at the age of thirteen years and immersed himself in books from now on. A school assessment at the age of fifteen years, describes him: "Hilarious when reading medical books and the history of Plutarch and the books of the prophets." He read Latin and Greek and was fluent in French. In addition, he developed interests in botany, who should challenge his whole life. In addition, he studied Greek and Roman history and was fascinated by the stories of Alexander the Great.

Early Travel

In 1820, Harlan went on his first trips. His father gave him work as " supercargo " (charging overseer ) on a merchant ship in the East, which was intended to Calcutta and Canton / China. After he had returned from his first voyage and preparing for the next trip, he fell in love. A betrothal was arranged and planned the wedding after his return from the next trip. This should massively affect his life: In Calcutta, he received the news that his fiancée had not only terminated the engagement, but that she was already married to another man.

Shaken Harlan decided never to return to the United States and went off on adventures and dangers. In July 1824 he had to queue up by the British East India Company without training as a surgeon. The Company was on the way in the first war of conquest to Burma and much needed surgeons. To its self-study and some practice at sea leaving Harlan was the Medical Board review and was hired as a surgeon at the general hospital Calcutta. As of January 1825, he served in the army in Burma. 1826 ended the Treaty of Yandaboo between the East India Company and the Burmese King of Ava disputes. Harlan was stationed in Karnal, north of Delhi, where he was soon bored of his duties. In the summer of 1826 he left the army. As a civilian, he received a residence permit from the Governor William Pitt Amherst.

After Afghanistan

After a stay in Shimla Harlan to Ludhiana, a British border guards came on the river Satluj, which marked the boundary between the Punjab and the British India that time. He decided to enter into the service of Ranjit Singh, the Maharaja of Punjab. While he waited for a response to his request to be permitted to Punjab, he met the exiled Afghan leader Shoja Shah Durrani, and entered into his service. With the financial support of the exiled monarch, he traveled to the Indus River and moved to Afghanistan, first to Peshawar and then to Kabul. Here he met the man he should settle soon, Dost Mahommed Khan.

In Peshawar Harlan had the Nawab Khan Jubber hit to hit a brother of Dost Mahommed Khan. Jabber Khan played an important role as a potential adversary of Dost Mahommed and thus potential ally of Shah Shuja. While he was staying with Jubber Khan, Harlan analyzed the situation and found that the position of Dost Mahommed was too strong and that help from outside Afghanistan would be needed. He decided to look for help in the Punjab.

In Ranjit Singh's services

In 1829, Harlan came to Lahore, capital of Punjab. He went to the French general Jean -François Allard, who introduced him to the Maharaja. He was offered a military position, but he declined because he was looking for something more lucrative. He finally found something after he had reversed some time at the court to give him the position of Governor of Gujarat was offered, which he accepted. Previously, the Maharaja, however, decided to ask Harlan to the test.

In December 1829, he was employed as governor of Nurpur and Jasrota that Harlan himself as " two districts who had recently assumed the King of Lahore and are located in the foothills of the Himalayas " described. These districts were at Harlan's arrival as quite wealthy. Little is known about Harlan's actions here, but he must have done his job well. In May 1832 he was in any case sent to Gujarat. Soon after his appointment he was visited by Henry Lawrence, who described him as a man with some skill, great courage, vigor and very spontaneous decision ability, suitable for partisan activity.

It was unusual to have a European governor, even if Harlan was not an isolated case. His colleague Paolo Di Avitabile was governor of Wazirabad, Jean -Baptiste Ventura in 1831 governor of Dera Ghazi Khan. Even Harlan's successor at his post was an Englishman named Holmes.