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 Dictionary of Indian Biography (Buckland) |
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 Dictionary of Indian Biography M to R
| Date transcribed | 2011-08-00 | | Transcribed by | Peter Bailey | | Comment | Note that notables of Indian, Afghan, etc. origin do not always follow the alphabetical name patterns established by Buckland in his original work. |
| | Surname | Macnaghten | | | First Name(s) | William Hay | | | Titles, Honours, etc. | Sir, Baronet | | | Birth Year | 1793 | | | Death Year | 1841 | | | Entry | I.C.S. : second son of Sir Francis Workman Macnaghten, Bart., Judge of the Supreme Courts of Madras and Calcutta : born in Aug. 1793 : educated at Charterhouse : went to Madras in the Army, 1809 : was in the Governor's bodyguard : gained prizes in languages : served at Hyderabad and in Mysore : appointed to the Bengal Civil Service, 1814 : gained great distinction in languages at Fort William : became Registrar
of the Sadr Diwani Adalat, 1822-30 : published his works on Hindu and Muhammadan Law, and reports of cases : on tour to Upper India, 1830-3, with Lord W. Bentinck at his meeting with Ranjit Singh at Roopar : Secretary in the Secret and Political Departments, 1833-7: accompanied Lord Auckland on tour, 1837, to the N.W.P. : made the treaty with Ranjit Singh and Shah Shuja in June, 1838 : signed Auckland's manifesto of Oct. 1, 1838 : appointed Envoy and Minister at the Afghan Court of Shah Shuja : accompanied the Army of the Indus via Kandahar and Ghazni to Kabul : the whole policy accepted by Macnaghten : had difficulties with the military authorities : Shah Shuja reinstated in Aug. 1839 : Macnaghten made
a Baronet in Jan. 1840 : had great troubles in Afghanistan with Shah Shuja and the tribes, and in re-organizing the government of the country : Dost Muhammad surrendered on Nov. 3, 1840: and was sent to India: Macnaghten nominated Governor of Bombay in Sep. 1841 : on the reduction of their stipends the Afghan chiefs rebelled : Burnes was murdered on Nov. 2, 1841 : the military authorities failed, and the Army remained inactive : Macnaghten accepted the terms of the rebel chiefs on Dec. 11 : the terms were not adhered to by the Afghans : Macnaghten negotiated further
with Akbar Khan, son of Dost Muhammad, and at an interview on Dec. 23, 1841, was treacherously killed by Akbar himself. His character and capacity for his task have been much discussed. The whole policy was surrounded by the greatest difficulties, and the inefficiency of the military commanders added to them : Macnaghten' s optimism and confidence prevented him from realizing the situation correctly : his high character and courage were conspicuous throughout : a monument was erected to him at Calcutta. |
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A List of eminent persons who served in British India, together with short biographical notes of each
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