Abdur Rahman Khan vs Sarsa Dengel

After becoming Emir, Abdur Rahman Khan launched a campaign to subdue rebellious tribes and provincial rulers. He used a combination of military force, deportations, and executions to break the power of local chieftains, creating a centralized state for the first time in Afghan history.

Abdur Rahman Khan implemented a series of administrative reforms, including the creation of a standing army, a centralized tax system, and a postal service. He also established state monopolies on trade and introduced a system of provincial governors directly appointed by the Emir.

Abdur Rahman Khan ordered a brutal military campaign against the Hazara ethnic group in central Afghanistan, who had rebelled against his rule. The uprising was crushed with mass killings, enslavement, and displacement of Hazara populations, solidifying Pashtun dominance.

Abdur Rahman Khan signed an agreement with British Indian diplomat Sir Mortimer Durand, establishing the Durand Line as the border between Afghanistan and British India. This line divided Pashtun tribal areas and remains a source of conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Sarsa Dengel led a series of military campaigns against the Oromo people, who were expanding into Ethiopian territory. His victories temporarily halted Oromo migrations and preserved the empire's territorial integrity.

Sarsa Dengel reorganized the Ethiopian imperial army, incorporating new tactics and weaponry to counter the Oromo and Ottoman threats. These reforms improved the military's effectiveness and extended the emperor's control over peripheral regions.

Sarsa Dengel fought against the Sultanate of Adal, which was receiving support from the Ottoman Empire. He successfully repelled Ottoman-backed incursions, maintaining Ethiopian independence from foreign domination.