List of monarchs of Afghanistan

Prior to the 18th century, the modern state of Afghanistan was divided and mostly ruled by the Delhi Sultanate of India. Its Herat region in the west was ruled by the Safavids of Persia and the Mazar-e-Sharif area in the north by the Khanate of Bukhara. The southern Kandahar region occasionally switched sides between the Mughal Empire and the Safavids. The native Afghans (Pashtun people) had been oppressed by both sides, and were pushing for independence but many attempts had been crushed and those accused of starting revolution being executed. In 1709, Mirwais Hotak and his Afghan tribal chiefs from Kandahar organized themselves and successfully freed their land from Persian rule. Mirwais built a large fortress for himself and turned the town of Kandahar to serve as the capital of the Hotaki Empire. After a long series of wars, this empire was eventually replaced by the Durrani Afghan Empire that was founded by Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747. Ahmad Shah Durrani is regarded as "the Father of the Nation", Mirwais Hotak as "the Grandfather" and Mohammed Zahir Shah as the last King of Afghanistan.

Hotaki Empire (17091738) Durrani Empire (17471823) Emirate of Afghanistan (18231926) Kingdom of Afghanistan (19261973)

Hotaki Empire (17091738) Name Lifespan

Mirwais Hotak 1673 1715
the Grandfather

Reign start

Reign end

Notes

Family

Image

1709

1715

Hotak

Abdul Aziz Hotak

? 1717

1715

1717

Brother of Mirwais Hotak

Hotak

Mahmud Hotaki

1697 22 April 1725

1717

22 April 1725

Son of Mirwais Hotak

Hotak

Ashraf Hotaki

? 1730

22 April 1725

1730

Nephew of Mirwais Hotak

Hotak

Hussain Hotaki

? 1738

22 April 1725

24 March 1738

Son of Mirwais Hotak

Hotak

Durrani Empire (17471823) Name Lifespan

Ahmad Shah Durrani
the Father of the Nation

Reign start

Reign end

Notes

Family

Image

1722 16 October 1772

1747

16 October 1772

Durrani

Timur Shah Durrani

1748 18 May 1793

16 October 1772

18 May 1793

Son of Ahmad Shah Durrani

Durrani

Zaman Shah Durrani

1770 1844

18 May 1793

25 July 1801
(deposed)

Son of Timur Shah Durrani

Durrani

Mahmud Shah Durrani

(1st reign)

1769 18 April 1829

25 July 1801

13 July 1803
(deposed)

Son of Timur Shah Durrani

Durrani

Shuja Shah Durrani

(1st reign)

4 November 1785 5 April 13 July 1803 1842

3 May 1809
(deposed)

Son of Timur Shah Durrani

Durrani

Mahmud Shah Durrani

(2nd reign)

1769 18 April 1829

3 May 1809

1818
(deposed)

Son of Timur Shah Durrani

Durrani

Ali Shah Durrani

?? ? 1 October 1837

1818

1819
(deposed)

Son of Timur Shah Durrani

Durrani

Ayub Shah Durrani

1819

1823
(deposed)

Son of Timur Shah Durrani

Durrani

Emirate of Afghanistan (18231926) Name Lifespan

23 December 1793 9 June 1863

Reign start

Reign end

Notes

Family

Image

Dost Mohammad Khan

(1st reign)

1823

2 August 1839
(deposed)

Son of Sardar Payendah Khan

Barakzai

Shuja Shah Durrani

(2nd reign)
Shah Shujah

4 November 1785 5 April 7 August 1839 5 April 1842 1842

Son of Timur Shah Durrani

Durrani

Akbar Khan

18161845

5 April 1842

1845

Son of Dost Mohammad Khan

Barakzai

Dost Mohammad Khan

(2nd reign)

23 December 1793 9 June 1863

1845

9 June 1863

Son of Sardar Payendah Khan

Barakzai

Sher Ali Khan

(1st reign)

1825 21 9 June 1863 February 1879

1865
(deposed)

Son of Dost Mohammad Khan

Barakzai

Mohammad Afzal Khan

1811 7 October 1867

1865

7 October 1867

Son of Dost Mohammad Khan

Barakzai

Mohammad Azam Khan

? 21 February 1868

7 October 1867

21 February 1868

Son of Dost Mohammad Khan

Barakzai

Sher Ali Khan

(2nd reign)

1825 21 February 1879

7 October 1868

21 February 1879

Son of Dost Mohammad Khan

Barakzai

Mohammad Yaqub Khan

1849 15 November 1923

21 February 1879

12 October 1879
(deposed)

Son of Sher Ali Khan

Barakzai

Mohammad Ayub Khan

1857 7 April 1914

12 October 1879

31 May 1880
(deposed)

Son of Sher Ali Khan

Barakzai

Abdur Rahman Khan

1840/44 1 31 May 1880 October 1901

1 October 1901

Son of Mohammad Afzal Khan

Barakzai

Habibullah Khan

3 June 1872 20 February 1919

1 October 1901

20 February 1919

Son of Abdur Rahman Khan

Barakzai

Nasrullah Khan

1874 1920

20 February 1919

28 February 1919
(deposed)

Son of Abdur Rahman Khan

Barakzai

Amanullah Khan

1 June 1892 28 February 25 April 1960 1919

9 June 1926

Son of Habibullah Khan

Barakzai

Kingdom of Afghanistan (19261973) Name Lifespan

Reign start

Reign end
14 January 1929
(deposed)

Notes

Family

Image

Amanullah Khan

1 June 1892 9 June 1926 25 April 1960

Son of Habibullah Khan

Barakzai

Inayatullah Khan

20 October 1888 12 August 1946

14 January 1929

17 January 1929
(deposed)

Son of Habibullah Khan

Barakzai

Habibullah Kalakani

1890 3 November 1929 9 April 1883 8 November 1933

17 January 1929

16 October 1929
(deposed)

Non-Dynastic

Mohammed Nadir Shah

16 October 1929

8 November 1933

Great-nephew of Dost Mohammed Khan

Barakzai

Mohammed Zahir Shah

15 October 8 November 1914 23 July 1933 2007

17 July 1973
(deposed)

Son of Mohammed Nadir Shah

Barakzai