Anglo Marri wars

Scenario

By the 1840s, the Baluches had almost lost their national identity after the martyrdom of Mir Mehrab Khan, a Baloch ruler, and subsequent British suzerainty over Kalat State. At the same time, without the consultation and agreement of the Baluches, a type of mutual understanding had been formalized between the Anglo Raj and kingdom of Iran for the distribution of Balochistan territories between them. The people of Kalat State and the Baluch tribesmen felt that the British and Iranians were becoming masters of their fate. According to Mir Khuda Bakhsh Marri, the invasions of Kalat State and the martyrdom of Mir Mehrab Khan, at the hands of the British Army, no doubt opened the doors of Balochistan to British interference in political, as well as military affairs and finally introduced British suzerainty. At the same time it generated reactionary feelings of nationalism among the Baluches.

Cause

The negative relations between the Marri people and the British started in 1840 with attacks made on the communications of Sir John Keane's army after it had passed through the Bolan Pass. In March 1840 Sir John Keane had decided that there was a dire need to capture the Kahan and its fort from Marri tribesmen.

Battles of Kahan

An attempt was made by the British Forces to punish the tribe, which ended in failure. Major Claiborne was repulsed in an attempt to storm the Naffusak Pass, losing 179 of his troops, with an additional 92 wounded out of his force of 650 people. Many of his troops died of heat and thirst. The fort of Kahan, which he was trying to relieve at the time, was forced to capitulate with the honors of war.

Aftermath

The First Anglo Marri war proved to be a disastrous campaign for the Anglo forces. Although they held remaining occupants in the fort of Kahan through whole of time but in efforts to establish a proper safe passage to Kahan and continuous reinforcing the Kahan Regiment in a form of fresh food and blood, they had received the taste of failure. On the other side, Marri tribesmen had faced no such difficulties in their chain of supplies to the area. They were native to the region and were well aware of the terrain of their hilly areas, which they took advantage of.

After this war, in 1843, the Marri once again rose up against the British forces. This time, the cause of the clashes was the occupancy of Sindh by the forces of the British Empire. Being a Baluch tribe, the Marri were worried about the fate of their neighboring state and their ruler. Richard Isaac Bruce writes about the Marris:

The Marris were considered absolutely incorrigible, and were proclaimed outlawed and blockaded on all sides. A proclamation was issued on the Sind Frontier offering a reward of ten rupees for the capture of any Marri.

Second Anglo Marri War - 1880

In 1880, during the Second Afghan War, Marri tribesmen made frequent raids on the British line of communications, ending with the plunder of a treasure convoy. A force of 3070 British troops under Brigadier-General Macgregor marched through the country. The tribe submitted and paid Rs 1/4 lakh (£12,500) out of a fine of 2 lakhs (£20,000). They also gave hostages for their future good behavior.

Third Anglo Marri War - 1917

During World War I, British forces were facing a shortage of recruits and started a campaign to enlist the Marri, who ultimately refused to join the British ranks. As a result, clashes broke out in large areas of the Marri land. These actions lasted for many months under the leadership of General Mir Khuda e Dad Khan Marri, with both sides suffering hundreds of casualties. Ultimately Dad Khan Marri embraced martyrdom with two of his younger brothers. In the end the Marri tribe agreed to support the British forces, and were paid money for doing so. Despite this, they still refused to send their youth to join the war.