The 1857 Siege of Delhi is significant for at least two reasons, one more tangible than the other. On the practical level, Britain's victory effectively stifled the 1857-1859 Indian Rebellion, ensuring that it would ultimately fail even though the conflict continued for some time afterward. On the more intangible note, the siege marked the formal … Continue reading Today in South Asian history: the Siege of Delhi ends (1857)
Tag: british empire
Today in North African history: Muhammad Ahmad declares himself the Mahdi (1881)
June 29, 1881: Sudanese Sufi leader Muhammad Ahmad declares that he is the Mahdi. This inaugurated the Mahdist War with Egypt and, later, Britain, which lasted until 1899.
Today in South Asian history: the Durand Line is drawn (1893)
The Durand Line, AKA "the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan," is one of those legacies of colonial times that everybody's still, unfortunately, living with today. Named after the guy who dreamed it up, British Foreign Secretary for India (at the time) Sir Mortimer Durand, it was meant to fix the border between British India and … Continue reading Today in South Asian history: the Durand Line is drawn (1893)
The Foreign Exchanges Companion 