Home Region: Afghanistan (Central and Northern Eurasia)

Durrani Empire

1747 CE 1826 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 af_durrani_emp / AfDurrn

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[continuity; Afsharid Dynasty] [continuity] Update here

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General Description

The Duranni Empire (1747-1826 CE) was a political entity that lasted 79 years by plundering its higher populated and wealthier neighbors. ^[1] Founded by a former soldier of the Afsharid Kingdom named Ahmad Shah Durrani, at its maximum extent it covered over 1.5 million KM2 of territory surrounding modern-day Afganistan. ^[1]
Ahmad Shah Durrani had been elected to the monarchy by an inter-tribal assembly called the Loya Jirga. ^[1] Following his death in 1772 CE , rebellion and internal strife led to a loss of power so that by 1818 CE, the Durrani controlled a small territory surrounding the capital of Kabul. ^[2] The regime was finally extinguished when Afghanistan fell into a period of sustained civil war. The eventual victors were members of the Barkzai dynasty, who came to power in 1837 CE . ^[2]
The Durrani state was an empire sustained and governed through the maintenance of a large number of armed horseman primarily recruited from the Pashtun peoples, although conquests in the period of 1747-1752 CE added horsemen from the Turkmen, Uzbek, Tajik, and Hazara tribes to the King’s army. ^[2] The army was organized under a hierarchical tribal confederacy. ^[3]
As a loose confederation of tribes there was not much in the way of an administration except for that possessed by conquered elites, who were largely left alone if they made their tribute payments. What short term central administrative posts that did exist were given to members of the governing tribes. ^[4] Soldiers received almost all the money: paid through generous land grants called Jegeirs, while the remaining revenue was spent on meeting the costs of the large army ^[5] which expanded rapidly from 16,000 in 1747 to about 120,000 in 1761 CE. ^[1]

[1]: (Barfield 2010, 97-109) Thomas Barfield. 2010. Afghanistan: a cultural and political history. Princeton University Press.

[2]: (Runion 2007, 69-73) Meredith L Runion. 2007. The history of Afghanistan. Greenwood Publishing Group.

[3]: (Barfield 2010, 100) Thomas Barfield. 2010. Afghanistan: a cultural and political history. Princeton University Press.

[4]: (Saikal 2006, 22-24) Amin Saikal. 2006 Modern Afghanistan: A struggle for Survival. I.B. Tauris.

[5]: Lothar Brock. Hans-Henrik Holm. Georg Sørensen. Michael Stohl. 2011. Fragile states. polity, 2011 comments on the problems of governing such a loose confederation; for a brief look at the decline, see http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/7798/Afghanistan/21395/Nadir-Shah

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

3 Capital

2 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

2 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

3 Polity Territory

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions

8 Power Transition

Instability Events

19 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp) was in:
(1748 CE 1826 CE)	Kachi Plain

Home NGA: Kachi Plain

General Variables

Identity and Location Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	42 N	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Original Name	Durrani Empire	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Capital	Peshwar	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Capital	Kabul	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Capital	Herat	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Alternative Name	Last Afghan Empire	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Alternative Name	Sadozai Kingdom	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Temporal Bounds Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	1761 CE
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Duration	[1747 CE ➜ 1826 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Barkzai Dynasty	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Preceding Entity	continuity; Afsharid Dynasty [continuity] Update here
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Degree of Centralization	loose	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Language Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Language	Pashto	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Language	Persian	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Religion Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Polity Territory	1,792,000 km²	1772 CE
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Polity Territory	[1,790,000 to 490,000] km²	1800 CE
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Polity Territory	489,000 km²	1819 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[3 to 4]	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Religious Level	[1 to 2]	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Military Level	4	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Administrative Level	5	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Professions Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Merit Promotion	Absent Inferred	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Examination System	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Law Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Judge	Absent Inferred	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Court	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Absent Inferred	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Port	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Canal	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Bridge	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Writing System Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Script	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Unknown Suspected	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Uncoded Undecided	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Uncoded Undecided	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Sacred Text	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Practical Literature	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Philosophy	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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History	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Fiction	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Calendar	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Information / Money Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Paper Currency	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Article	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Information / Postal System Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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General Postal Service	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Courier	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Information / Measurement System Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present Inferred	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present Inferred	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Modern Fortification	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moat	Present Inferred	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Fortified Camp	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Long Wall	absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Military use of Metals Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Iron	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Copper	Present Inferred	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Bronze	Present Inferred	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Projectiles Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Sling	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Self Bow	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Javelin	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Crossbow	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Atlatl	Absent Inferred	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Handheld weapons Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Sword	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Spear	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Polearm	Unknown Suspected	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Dagger	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Animals used in warfare Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Donkey	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Camel	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Armor Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Shield	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Scaled Armor	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Plate Armor	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Limb Protection	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Laminar Armor	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Helmet	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Breastplate	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Naval technology Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present Inferred	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	1747 CE 1826 CE
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Human Sacrifice Durrani Empire (af_durrani_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More