Fateh Khan Barakzai

[8] Nonetheless, Payindah Khan and other conspirators were rounded up and executed, with their heads being displayed publicly in Kandahar.

[8] The situation worsened when Zaman Shah executed the Durrani governor of Kashmir after promising safe conduct.

Upon hearing this, his brother, Saidal Khan, opened the gates of Kandahar to Mahmud Shah's force.

During this, Fateh Khan held negotiations with Qaizar Mirza and established terms for him to cede Kandahar.

[11] As a result, in the Autumn of 1803, when Shah Shuja left for Peshawar to spend the winter there, Fateh Khan had freed numerous princes from the Bala Hissar and encouraged Qaizar Mirza to join this growing rebellion.

When Shah Shuja sent a force against Qaizar, he surrendered and begged for mercy, to which he was pardoned and his position as the governor of Kandahar was affirmed.

[11] Despite this, he convinced Qaizar to free him, leading to Fateh Khan fleeing to Grishk, where he raised a force with Kamran Shah, and they collectively marched on Kandahar.

[11] As the Persians invaded Herat, Mukhtar al-Daula, the Wazir of Shah Shuja, alongside Khwaja Khanji had placed Qaizar on the throne, with his firm support in Kandahar.

Shah Shuja defeated the coalition of Mahmud and Fateh Khan at Qalati Ghilji but did not follow up with this victory, and returned to Peshawar.

Months later, Dost Mohammad Khan entered the region with an army of Qizilbash, and began laying waste to the surrounding countryside from his base at Charikar.

[18][19] As a result, Fateh Khan sought to bring the region back under Durrani suzerainty, and launched a campaign as ordered by Mahmud Shah.

[17] Fateh Khan then led a ploy where he tricked the ruler of Herat, Firoz al-Din, and entered the city.

[21] With rule in Herat, Fateh Khan displaced the Persian ambassadors and forcing them to return to Persia.

Mahmud Shah also used this as a pretext to weaken Barakzai power, who were gaining rapid influence and high positions throughout the empire.

[21] According to Jonathan Lee, Fateh Khan remarked: "I twice placed Mahmud on the throne ... and his Kingdom is now in the hands of my kinsmen; who is Kamraun therefore, that in a dream he should think of injuring me.

"[21]With this response, Kamran Shah began plotting and held a meal for Fateh Khan, claiming he wished to celebrate their victory in the capture of Herat.

[23] According to the account of Dalrymple, Fateh Khan was invited to a party in the royal garden outside the fortress of Herat.

Kamran then capitalized off of this, and having planned for this to happen, the other guests of the event tied up Fateh Khan and blinded him.

The many Barakzai governors, who held high positions throughout the country and different provinces now revolted having heard of this, and they now plotted to overthrow the Durrani dynasty in its entirety.