tribesmen, and marched on Kandahar. Zaman Shah made even more enemies after the governor of Kashmir had rebelled, but came to Peshawar under safe conduct to negotiate, however only to be tortured and executed. When Zaman Shah's brother, Saidal Khan, head of the defense of Kandahar had heard what Zaman Shah had done, he opened the gates of Kandahar to Mahmud Shah and his army. Mahmud Shah had reconsolidated, and marched on Ghazni against Mahmud Shah. Zaman Shah had returned to Kabul. However, leaving most of his men and artillery in Peshawar. He realized the dire situation and reality of the revolt, Mahmud Shah and Zaman Shah had finally met at Muqur, a post between Kandahar and Ghazni. Before the battle started, Ahmad Khan, an ethnic Nurzai, had declared his support for Mahmud Shah and defected to Mahmud's side. The Ghilzais around Ghazni had also surrounded Zaman Shah's line of retreat, as a result, panic quickly spread and Zaman's army fell apart. Zaman Shah and fellow supporters had fled, taking asylum with Mullah Ashiq, a local Pir. Ashiq welcomed them, but had secretly sent a messenger to Mahmud Shah on their whereabouts. When Zaman Shah found out, he attempted to convince Ashiq, offering treasure and other rewards, however, this was ignored. Realizing the fate that would come to him, Zaman Shah had still tried to deny Mahmud's legitimacy, hiding the Koh-i-Noor diamond in the wall of the Qal'a where it remained until Shuja Shah Durrani had recovered it years later. Payinda Khan's sons arrived later with a surgeon, and had Zaman Shah's eyes lanced. First Reign of the Durrani Empire Mahmud Shah had marched on Kabul, where he was then proclaimed King of the Durrani Empire in 1801. Zaman Shah was confined in the upper palace of the Bala Hissar, Kabul. State of the Durrani Empire and rebellion of Al-Rahim By the time Mahmud Shah had ascended to the Durrani throne, the Durrani Empire was in great disarray, with the kingdom divided into a plethora of semi independent chiefdoms. Zaman Shah had later escaped his prison and rejoiced with his brother, Shuja, where they both took up arms from Peshawar, and tried to remove Mahmud from power, however, Shah Mahmud prevailed and defeated the coalition. The Khan of Bukhara also attempted to invade Balkh, however this invasion attempt was repelled by Mahmud Shah. In the wake of this, Al-Rahim, a