Pierre Louis Napoleon Cavagnari facts for kids
Sir Pierre Louis Napoleon Cavagnari was a brave British soldier and administrator. He was born in France on July 4, 1841. His father was Count Louis Adolphus Cavagnari, from an old Italian family. His mother was Caroline Lyons-Montgomery, an Anglo-Irish woman. Sir Pierre Cavagnari died in Afghanistan on September 3, 1879. He was killed during a siege at the British Residency in Kabul.
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Early Life and Military Training
Pierre Cavagnari started school at Christ's Hospital when he was 10 years old. He became a British citizen. After his schooling, he joined the military service. He trained at the Addiscombe Military Seminary. This school prepared young men for military roles in India.
Service in British India
After his training, Cavagnari served in India. He took part in the Oudh campaign in 1858 and 1859. This was a conflict against rebels. In 1861, he became an assistant commissioner in the Punjab region. This area is now part of British India and Pakistan. Later, in 1877, he became the deputy commissioner of Peshawar. He also joined several expeditions against local tribes.
Role in Afghanistan and Treaty of Gandamak
In September 1878, Cavagnari joined a British mission to Kabul, Afghanistan. However, the Afghans did not allow them to pass through the Khyber Pass. In May 1879, British-Indian forces entered Afghanistan. The Afghan ruler, Emir Sher Ali Khan, had died. His son, Mohammad Yaqub Khan, became the new ruler.
Cavagnari then negotiated a peace agreement. He signed the Treaty of Gandamak with Mohammad Yaqub Khan. This treaty allowed a British representative to live in Kabul. Cavagnari was chosen for this important role. He also received special honors, including the Star of India. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB).
Tragic End in Kabul
Cavagnari moved into the British Residency in Kabul in July 1879. On September 3, 1879, a sad event occurred. Mutinous Afghan soldiers attacked the Residency. Cavagnari and the other Europeans there were killed. Their guards, who were from a group called The Guides, also died. Cavagnari was survived by his wife, Lady Cavagnari. They had married in 1871.
See also
- European influence in Afghanistan
- Siege of the British Residency in Kabul
- The Great Game
- Sir Alexander Burnes
