BIDDULPH, John.

£4,500 · Offered by Peter Harrington · No longer available

Tribes of the Hindoo Koosh. First edition, presentation copy, inscribed in a secretarial hand on the front free endpaper, "With the author's compliments." Facing the inscription is the bookplate of Roundell Palmer, first Earl of Selborne (1812-1895); Biddulph's brother, George, married Sarah Wilfreda Palmer, one of Palmer's daughters, in 1883, a year after the creation of the earldom.Biddulph (1840-1921) arrived in India at the end of the rebellion, serving in the 19th Hussars and, from 1872, as aide-de-camp to the viceroy, Lord Northbrook. Between 1876 and 1881, he was on special assignment as the first British representative in Gilgit and tasked with leading Dogra forces in conquering the region. Britain's interest in Gilgit stemmed from its military, economic, and geopolitical significance: the region represented a possible path into India for invading Russian forces and a lucrative trade route across Central Asia, as well as a route for easing the movement of British troops and resources. Biddulph's influence over the Dogra troops was minimal, but by making regular reports to British officials on abuses perpetrated by Dogra soldiers against Gilgit's Muslims, he created the justification for later direct British intervention. His mission also successfully united the two valleys of Chitral under Aman ul-Mulk in 1880, creating a delineated British sphere of influence along the Afghanistan border."He provides an impressive amount of detailed and well systematised information

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.