| Order of the Durrani Empire (Nishan-i-Daulat-i-Durrani) | |
|---|---|
 1st Class Star awarded to Sir Thomas Willshire in the Musée national de la Légion d'Honneur et des Ordres de Chevalerie, Paris | |
| Awarded by Emir of Afghanistan | |
| Type | Order |
| Established | 1839 |
| Eligibility | British field officers |
| Awarded for | In gratitude for the restoration to the throne |
| Status | Obsolete |
| Founder | Shah Shujah Durrani |
| Grades | Grand Cross Grand Commander Companion |
 Ribbon of the order | |
The Order of the Durrani Empire (Nishan-i-Daulat-i-Durrani) was awarded to British field officers and above during the First Afghan War by Shah Shujah Durrani of Afghanistan in gratitude for his restoration to the throne.[1]
The first investiture of the order was held at a grand durbar in the courtyard of the Harem Serai of the Bala Hissar, Kabul, on the evening of 17 September 1839.[2] At the time there were not enough decorations prepared but on the day those who were not on duty were presented before the king.[3] The result was that there are numerous variations in the stars and medals as many were subsequently made in India and Europe, particularly in the number of pearls on the order.
There were three classes to the order as to emulate the three classes of the Order of the Bath. The first and second classes had both a star and a medal while the third consisted of a medal only. The medal of all three classes had the red/green ribbon of the Ghuznee Medal.
- ^ p.139 British Battles and Medals by Major L L Gordon; published by Spink & Son Ltd 1947
- ^ pp. 322-323 The Expedition into Affghanistan: notes and sketches descriptive of the country, contained in a personal narrative during the campaign of 1839 & 1840 by James Atkinson, etc; published by W H Allen & Co, London, 1842
- ^ p. 21 The Asiatic Journal and Monthly Miscellany, Volume 31, 1840