History

The Order of the Doranie Empire (Nishan i Daulat i Durrani) was instituted by Shah Soojah-ul-mul of Afghanistan circa 1839. The Order was conferred in 3 Classes to British military personnel of the rank of Officer or above in recognition of service during the First Afghan War and aid in the restoration of the Shah's restoration to the throne.

The Knight Commander is worn from a neck ribbon and is presented with a Breast Star as the II Class award.

The Knight Commander features a Persian inscription on the obverse which reads "Dur-i-Dauran" and translates to "Pearl of the Age."

It is thought that the number of pearls featured on the Decoration denotes the class, with the Knight Commander featuring between 15 and 20 pearls. However, more research is necessary to confirm. There may be additional versions of the Knight Commander which vary by design according to manufacture.

There is limited information regarding this item.