| Conventional Long Name: | Principality of Kandahar |
| Common Name: | Principality of Kandahar |
| Native Name: | Persian: {{nq|شاهزاده قندهار (Persian) |
| Capital: | Kandahar |
| Ethnic Groups: | Durrani Pashtuns Farsiwan |
| Religion: | Sunni Islam Shia Islam |
| Government Type: | Principality |
| Year Start: | 1818 |
| Year End: | 1855 |
| Common Languages: | Persian Pashto |
| Today: | Afghanistan |
The Principality of Kandahar[1] was a state that existed in Kandahar from 1818 to 1855. It was ruled by the Dil brothers, members of the Barakzai dynasty, as a confederation. In 1855 the principality was conquered by the Kabul-based half-brother of the Kandahari Dil brothers,[2] Dost Mohammad Khan.[3] [4] [5]
In 1818, the Dil brothers seized Kandahar and its surroundings and declared independence. Sher Dil Khan was in charge of the military in the principality. The rule of the four brothers was very unpopular. Sher Dil Khan was supposed to be in charge of Kandahar's walls but after his death in 1826, the brothers fought each other and allowed the city's walls to fall into decay.[6]
In 1842 Kohan Dil Khan, Mehr Dil Khan, and Rahim Dil Khan left their exile in Kerman and set out towards Kandahar. They occupied Kandahar and re-established the principality.[7] In the aftermath of the First Anglo-Afghan War, Kohan Dil Khan aimed to expand his influence into Sistan, which had fractured into a number of tribal fiefdoms. As part of this move, Kohan Dil Khan expanded his sphere of influence up to the district of Rudbar, controlled by the Sanjarani Baluch.[8] Herat under Yar Mohammad Khan Alakozai also claimed Sistan as part of his domain, and this would cause clashes between both powers.
in 1855, Kohan Dil Khan died, sparking a succession crisis between Rahim Dil Khan, and the sons of Kohan Dil. Dost Mohammad Khan capitalized off of this period of anarchy and conquered the Principality in 1855.
Initially, in the 1820s and 1830s, the territories under the control of the Principality consisted of Zamindawar, Deh Rawood, Garmsir, Shorawak, Pishin, and Sibi. The Hazaras of Uruzgan paid tribute to the principality. Sindh and Balochistan were also dependent on the principality, but were able to break away in August 1826. The territory of the principality seems to have been split among the various brothers. At the time of Charles Masson's visit to Kandahar during the reign of Pur Dil Khan, the division of the principality seems to have been as follows: