← Famidi AnswersAnglo-Afghan wars, borders & the Great Game

What happened at the Battle of Maiwand?

Reviewed by Famidi editorial team
Direct answer

Afghan forces under Ayub Khan defeated a British-Indian force near Maiwand on 27 July 1880 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War.

What this adds to the history

Maiwand became an enduring symbol in Afghan memory, including traditions surrounding Malalai of Maiwand.

The most useful way to place this topic is within anglo-afghan wars, borders & the great game, then compare chronology, geography, and the kinds of evidence each source uses.

Names and spellings vary across Dari, Pashto, Persian, Arabic, Greek, Latin, and modern English sources. Search common variants without assuming that spelling differences describe different subjects.

Use the linked institutional sources as a starting point and follow their bibliographies or catalog records when a date, quotation, or disputed interpretation matters.

How to read the evidence responsibly

Nineteenth-century Afghanistan was shaped by Afghan political struggles as well as British, Russian, Qajar, and Central Asian imperial competition.

Colonial archives are extensive but partial. Their labels, maps, casualty figures, and judgments must be read alongside Afghan and regional perspectives.

Sources and records

Check the underlying information.

  1. Library of Congress Afghanistan country study ↗
  2. Library of Congress: Afghanistan reflected in the collections ↗

Editorial standard: This page is reviewed by a person, sourced to Famidi records or authoritative references, and revised when the program or underlying guidance changes. It does not replace legal, tax, medical, or financial advice.