Sir William MacNaghten was a British diplomat and statesman who served as the Governor-General's Envoy to Afghanistan in the early 1840s. He was born on August 24, 1793, in County Tyrone, Ireland, and was educated at Trinity College Dublin. MacNaghten joined the British East India Company's Bengal Civil Service in 1815 and served in various administrative and diplomatic posts in India. In 1838, he was appointed as the Governor-General's Envoy to the Court of Shah Shuja, the exiled King of Afghanistan, who was supported by the British in their efforts to counter Russian influence in the region. MacNaghten's mission in Afghanistan was to establish a friendly and stable government under the rule of Shah Shuja and to secure British interests in the region. However, he faced many challenges, including opposition from Afghan tribal leaders and the growing power of the Durrani dynasty, which had been ousted by Shah Shuja in the early 19th century. In 1841, MacNaghten negotiated a treaty with the Afghan leader Dost Mohammad Khan, which recognized the latter as the ruler of Afghanistan in exchange for his acceptance of British supremacy. However, this treaty proved to be short-lived, and a revolt led by Afghan tribal leaders erupted in November 1841, which resulted in the siege of Kabul. MacNaghten was captured by the rebels, and despite negotiations, he was executed on December 23, 1841. His death, along with that of several other British officers, came to be known as the "Massacre of the Elphinstone's Army" and was a major setback for British influence in Afghanistan.