Arthur Conolly
Encyclopedia
Arthur Conolly (sometimes misspelled Connolly) was a British
intelligence
officer, explorer and writer. He was a captain of the 1st Bengal Light Cavalry in the service of the British East India Company
. He participated in many reconnaissance missions into Central Asia
and coined the term The Great Game
to describe the struggle between the British Empire
and the Russian Empire
for domination over Central Asia.
clan of Ireland. He was a cousin of Sir William Macnaghten
, Secretary of the Company's Political and Secret Department.
As a sixteen year old impressionable Cadet he sailed to India on the Grenville and listened to the newly appointed Bishop of Calcutta evangelize. Thereafter Conolly sought to win over Muslims to a "kindlier" view of Christians, the first step in his view of propagating the Gospel.
In 1839, in a correspondence with Sir Henry Rawlinson, Conolly summed up his hopes:
Often travelling in disguise, he used the name "Khan Ali" in a word-play on his true name. In late 1829 he left Moscow
for the Caucasus
and Central Asia, arriving in Herat
in September 1830 and in India in January 1831. In 1834 he published an account of his trip, which established his reputation as a traveller and writer.
In 1841, in an attempt to counter the growing penetration of Russia into Central Asia, Conolly unsuccessfully tried to persuade the various khanates to put aside their differences. In November 1841 he was captured on a rescue mission to free fellow British officer Lieutenant Colonel Charles Stoddart
held in Bukhara
. The two were executed by the Emir
of Bukhara, Nasrullah Khan
in June 1842 on charges of spying for the British Empire.
In 1845, Rev. Joseph Wolff
, who had undertaken an expedition to discover the two officers' fate and barely escaped with his life, published an extensive account of his travels in Central Asia, which made Conolly and Stoddart household names in Britain for years to come.
Conolly's portrait by James Atkinson
is in the British National Portrait Gallery. His 1840-1842 diaries as well as his letters and reports to Sir J. C. Hobhouse and William Cabell are in the British Library
; his 1839 letters to Viscount Ponsonby are in the Durham University
library.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
intelligence
Intelligence (information gathering)
Intelligence assessment is the development of forecasts of behaviour or recommended courses of action to the leadership of an organization, based on a wide range of available information sources both overt and covert. Assessments are developed in response to requirements declared by the leadership...
officer, explorer and writer. He was a captain of the 1st Bengal Light Cavalry in the service of the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. He participated in many reconnaissance missions into Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and coined the term The Great Game
The Great Game
The Great Game or Tournament of Shadows in Russia, were terms for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire and the Russian Empire for supremacy in Central Asia. The classic Great Game period is generally regarded as running approximately from the Russo-Persian Treaty of 1813...
to describe the struggle between the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
for domination over Central Asia.
Biography
Conolly was a descendant of an Ó ConghalaighÓ Conghalaigh
Ó Conghalaigh, Gaelic-Irish surname. It derives from the forename Conghal, meaning "as fierce as a wolf". It is often anglicised as Connolly or Conneelly.-Overview:...
clan of Ireland. He was a cousin of Sir William Macnaghten
William Hay Macnaghten
Sir William Hay Macnaghten, 1st Baronet was a British civil servant in India, who played a major part in the First Anglo-Afghan War....
, Secretary of the Company's Political and Secret Department.
As a sixteen year old impressionable Cadet he sailed to India on the Grenville and listened to the newly appointed Bishop of Calcutta evangelize. Thereafter Conolly sought to win over Muslims to a "kindlier" view of Christians, the first step in his view of propagating the Gospel.
In 1839, in a correspondence with Sir Henry Rawlinson, Conolly summed up his hopes:
"If the British Government would only play the grand game — help Russia cordially to all that she has a right to expect — shake hands with Persia — get her all possible amends from Oosbegs — force the Bokhara Amir to be just to us, the Afghans, and other Oosbeg states, and his own kingdom — but why go on; you know my, at any rate in one sense, enlarged views. Inshallah! The expediency, nay the necessity of them will be seen, and we shall play the noble part that the first Christian nation of the world ought to fill."
Often travelling in disguise, he used the name "Khan Ali" in a word-play on his true name. In late 1829 he left Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
for the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
and Central Asia, arriving in Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
in September 1830 and in India in January 1831. In 1834 he published an account of his trip, which established his reputation as a traveller and writer.
In 1841, in an attempt to counter the growing penetration of Russia into Central Asia, Conolly unsuccessfully tried to persuade the various khanates to put aside their differences. In November 1841 he was captured on a rescue mission to free fellow British officer Lieutenant Colonel Charles Stoddart
Charles Stoddart
Colonel Charles Stoddart was a British officer and diplomat. He was a famous British agent in Central Asia during the period of the Great Game....
held in Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
. The two were executed by the Emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
of Bukhara, Nasrullah Khan
Nasrullah Khan (Bukhara)
Nasrullah Khan was the Emir of Bukhara His father was emir Khaydar . After Khaydar's death Khusain came to power. However he also died two months later.Nasrullah came to power in April 1827....
in June 1842 on charges of spying for the British Empire.
In 1845, Rev. Joseph Wolff
Joseph Wolff
Joseph Wolff , Jewish Christian missionary, was born at Weilersbach, near Bamberg, Germany. He travelled widely, and was known as the Eccentric Missionary, according to Fitzroy Maclean's Eastern Approaches...
, who had undertaken an expedition to discover the two officers' fate and barely escaped with his life, published an extensive account of his travels in Central Asia, which made Conolly and Stoddart household names in Britain for years to come.
Conolly's portrait by James Atkinson
James Atkinson (Persian scholar)
James Atkinson was a surgeon, artist and Persian scholar - "a Renaissance man among Anglo-Indians" - Early life :Atkinson was born in Darlington, County Durham, England, the son of a woolcomber...
is in the British National Portrait Gallery. His 1840-1842 diaries as well as his letters and reports to Sir J. C. Hobhouse and William Cabell are in the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
; his 1839 letters to Viscount Ponsonby are in the Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
library.