Haile Melekot vs Sher Ali Khan

Haile Melekot became King of Shewa upon the death of his father, Sahle Selassie. He inherited a powerful and expanding kingdom but faced challenges from rival nobles and the rising power of Emperor Tewodros II.

Emperor Tewodros II invaded Shewa to assert imperial authority. Haile Melekot resisted but was defeated and captured. He died shortly after, and Tewodros annexed Shewa, taking Haile Melekot's son Menelik (future Emperor Menelik II) as a hostage.

Sher Ali attempted to maintain Afghan neutrality in the face of British-Russian rivalry, seeking arms and support from both sides. His policy failed as British demands for a permanent mission in Kabul escalated tensions, leading to war.

Sher Ali Khan's refusal to accept a British mission led to the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. British forces invaded Afghanistan, defeated Afghan armies at Ali Masjid and Peiwar Kotal, and forced Sher Ali to flee.

After his defeat, Sher Ali fled to Mazar-i-Sharif and then to Balkh, seeking refuge with the Russians. He died in February 1879 in Balkh, reportedly from a broken heart or illness, leaving his son Yakub Khan to negotiate a humiliating peace.

Following Sher Ali's death, his son Yakub Khan signed the Treaty of Gandamak, ceding control of Afghanistan's foreign affairs to Britain and allowing a British resident in Kabul. This treaty was a direct consequence of Sher Ali's failed policies.