List of heads of state of Afghanistan

Last updated

This article lists the heads of state of Afghanistan since the foundation of the first modern Afghan state, the Hotak Empire, in 1709.

Contents

History

The Hotak Empire was formed after a successful uprising led by Mirwais Hotak and other Afghan tribal chiefs from the Kandahar region against Mughal and Safavid Persian rule. [1] [2] [3]

After a long series of wars, the Hotak Empire was eventually replaced by the Durrani Afghan Empire, founded by Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747. [4] [5]

After the collapse of the Durrani Empire in 1823, the Barakzai dynasty founded the Emirate of Kabul, later known as the Emirate of Afghanistan. The Durrani dynasty regained power in 1839, during the First Anglo-Afghan War, when former ruler Shah Shujah Durrani seized the throne under the British auspices. Shah Shujah was assassinated in 1842, following the British retreat. Afterwards the Barakzai dynasty regained power, eventually transformed the Emirate into the Kingdom of Afghanistan in 1926, and ruled the country (with an interruption in 1929) until the last king, Mohammad Zahir Shah, was deposed in the 1973 coup d'état, led by his first cousin Mohammad Daoud Khan. Despite being part of the Barakzai dynasty, Daoud Khan departed from tradition and did not proclaim himself Shah , instead abolished the monarchy and established the Republic of Afghanistan, with himself as President. [6] [7] The Republic lasted until the PDPA–led Saur Revolution in 1978. [8]

Since 1978, Afghanistan has been in a state of continuous internal conflict and foreign interventions.

President Hamid Karzai became the first ever democratically elected head of state of Afghanistan on 7 December 2004. His successor, Ashraf Ghani, was in power from 29 September 2014 to 15 August 2021, when he fled the country as Kabul fell to the Taliban following its 2021 offensive. [9]

Upon its recapture of Kabul, the Taliban reinstated the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and its supreme leader since 2016, Islamic scholar Hibatullah Akhundzada, de facto succeeded Ghani as head of state. [10]

List of heads of state

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

Monarchs

Monarch of Afghanistan
  • د افغانستان پاچا (Pashto)
  • پادشاه افغانستان (Dari)
Royal standard of Afghan Kings(1931~1973).svg
Royal Standard
(1931–1973)
King Zahir Shah of Afghanistan in 1963.jpg
Last to reign:
Mohammad Zahir Shah
8 November 1933 – 17 July 1973
Details
Style His Majesty
First monarch Mirwais Hotak (Emir)
Last monarch Mohammad Zahir Shah (King)
Formation1709
Abolition17 July 1973
Residence Kabul:
Appointer Hereditary
Pretender(s) Ahmad Shah Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan

Hotak Empire (1709–1738)

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Mirwais Hotak
  • Mirwais the Grandfather
1673–171517091715Established the Hotak dynasty in Kandahar.Hotak Sin foto.svg
Abdul Aziz Hotak Died 171717151717Brother of Mirwais HotakHotak Sin foto.svg
Mahmud Hotak 1697 – 22 April 1725171722 April 1725Son of Mirwais HotakHotak SHAH-MAHMUD-HOTAK.jpg
Ashraf Hotak Died 173022 April 17251730Nephew of Mirwais HotakHotak Ashraf Shah Hotaki 1725-1729.jpg
Hussain Hotak Died 1738173024 March 1738
(deposed)
Son of Mirwais Hotak
Deposed by Nader Shah in Siege of Kandahar
Hotak Shah-Husain-Hotak.jpg

Durrani Empire (1747–1823)

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Ahmad Shah Durrani
  • the Father of the Nation
1720/1722 – 4 June 1772June 17474 June 1772Established the Durrani dynasty and the Durrani Empire; Considered founder of modern AfghanistanDurrani Portrait of Ahmad Shah Durrani.jpg
Timur Shah Durrani December 1746 – 20 May 1793November 177220 May 1793Son of Ahmad Shah Durrani
Preserved the Durrani Empire following the death of his father after fighting off civil war in 1772, and multiple rebellions
Durrani Temur-Shah.jpg
Zaman Shah Durrani 1770–184420 May 179325 July 1801
(deposed)
Son of Timur Shah Durrani
Engaged in civil war with his brothers after the death of his father, later being deposed
Durrani Shah-Zaman-Khan.jpg
Mahmud Shah Durrani
(1st reign)
  • Shah Mahmud
1769 – 18 April 182925 July 180113 July 1803
(deposed)
Son of Timur Shah Durrani
Engaged in civil war with his brothers after the death of his father, later being deposed
Durrani Mahmud Shah Durrani.jpg
Shah Shujah Durrani
(1st reign)
  • Inayat-i-llahi, Shuja ul-Mulk, Muhammad Bahadur
4 November 1785 – 5 April 184213 July 18033 May 1809
(deposed)
Son of Timur Shah Durrani
Engaged in civil war with his brothers after the death of his father, later being deposed, and making multiple attempts to reclaim his throne
Durrani Lithograph of Shah Shujah in 1843.jpg
Mahmud Shah Durrani
(2nd reign)
  • Shah Mahmud
1769 – 18 April 18293 May 18091818
(deposed)
Son of Timur Shah Durrani
Exiled to Herat following his deposition during his second reign
Durrani Mahmud Shah Durrani.jpg
Ali Shah Durrani Died 1818/181918181819
(deposed)
Son of Timur Shah DurraniDurrani Sin foto.svg
Ayub Shah Durrani Died 1 October 183718191823
(deposed)
Son of Timur Shah DurraniDurrani Ayub Shah Durrani. Watercolour by a Company artist, Punjab, ca.1865.jpg

Emirate of Kabul / Emirate of Afghanistan (1823–1926)

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Sultan Mohammad Khan
  • Mohammad Khan Telai
1792–183418231826
(deposed)
First ruler of the Barakzai dynasty; Son of Sardar Payendah Khan, brother of Dost Mohammad KhanBarakzai Sultan Mohammad Khan. Watercolour by a Company artist, Punjab, ca.1865.jpg
Dost Mohammad Khan
(1st reign)
  • Amir al-Mu'minin, Amir-i Kabir
23 December 1792 – 9 June 1863Summer 18266 August 1839
(deposed)
Son of Sardar Payendah Khan
Forged campaigns to re-unite Afghanistan which was divided due to the civil wars between the sons of Timur Shah Durrani. Reign disputed from 1839–1842 by Shah Shuja Durrani in the First Anglo-Afghan War
Barakzai Dost Mohammad Khan, 1793 to 1863. Emir of Afghanistan.jpg
Shah Shujah Durrani
(2nd reign)
  • Inayat-i-llahi, Shuja ul-Mulk, Muhammad Bahadur
4 November 1785 – 5 April 18427 August 18395 April 1842Son of Timur Shah Durrani
Returned to the throne with the help of the British in the First Anglo-Afghan War, murdered in the aftermath of the 1842 retreat from Kabul
Durrani Lithograph of Shah Shujah in 1843.jpg
Akbar Khan
  • Amīr Akbar Khān, Mohammad Akbar Khān
1816–1847May 18421843Son of Dost Mohammad KhanBarakzai Lithograph of Akbar Khan in 1842.jpg
Dost Mohammad Khan
(2nd reign)
  • Amir al-Mu'minin, Amir-i Kabir
23 December 1792 – 9 June 186318439 June 1863Son of Sardar Payendah Khan
Returned to the throne after the British and Shah Shuja were defeated in the First Anglo-Afghan War. Coined the term "Afghanistan" after an alliance with the British. Went on to defeat the remaining powers inside Afghanistan [note 1] , reunifying the country after a brutal civil war lasting 70 years from 1793–1863 by the time of his death
Barakzai Dost Mohammad Khan, 1793 to 1863. Emir of Afghanistan.jpg
Sher Ali Khan
(1st reign)
1825 – 21 February 18799 June 1863May 1866
(deposed)
Son of Dost Mohammad KhanBarakzai Sher Ali Khan of Afghanistan in 1869.jpg
Mohammad Afzal Khan 1815 – 7 October 1867May 18667 October 1867Son of Dost Mohammad KhanBarakzai Amir-Muhammad-Afzal-Khan.jpg
Mohammad Azam Khan 1820–18707 October 186721 August 1868Son of Dost Mohammad KhanBarakzai Amir-Muhamad-Azam-Khan.jpg
Sher Ali Khan
(2nd reign)
1825 – 21 February 18799 September 186821 February 1879Son of Dost Mohammad KhanBarakzai Sher Ali Khan of Afghanistan in 1869.jpg
Mohammad Yaqub Khan 1849 – 15 November 192321 February 187912 October 1879
(deposed)
Son of Sher Ali Khan
Deposed during the Second Anglo-Afghan War
Barakzai Yaqub Khan.jpg
Ayub Khan
1857 – 7 April 191412 October 187931 May 1880
(deposed)
Son of Sher Ali Khan
Defeated in the Battle of Kandahar and exiled at the end of the Second Anglo-Afghan War
Barakzai MohammadAyoubKhan.jpg
Abdur Rahman Khan
  • the Iron Amir
1840/44 – 1 October 190131 May 18801 October 1901Son of Mohammad Afzal KhanBarakzai Abdur rahman.jpg
Habibullah Khan 3 June 1872 – 20 February 19191 October 190120 February 1919Son of Abdur Rahman KhanBarakzai Habibullah.jpg
Nasrullah Khan 1874–192020 February 191928 February 1919
(deposed)
Son of Abdur Rahman KhanBarakzai Nasrullah Khan.png
Amanullah Khan 1 June 1892 – 25 April 196028 February 19199 June 1926Son of Habibullah KhanBarakzai King Amanullah Khan.jpg

Kingdom of Afghanistan (1926–1929)

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Amanullah Khan 1 June 1892 – 25 April 19609 June 192614 January 1929
(abdicated)
Son of Habibullah KhanBarakzai King Amanullah Khan.jpg
Inayatullah Khan 20 October 1888 – 12 August 194614 January 192917 January 1929
(deposed)
Son of Habibullah KhanBarakzai King Inayatullah Khan of Afghanistan.jpg

Saqqawist Emirate and the 1928–1929 civil war

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Habibullāh Kalakāni
  • Bacha-ye Saqao
19 January 1891 – 3 November 192917 January 1929 [note 2] 13 October 1929Styled as king and emir [note 3] ; contested the throne during the 1928–29 civil war; [16] deposed and executed [17] Non-dynastic Habibullah Kalakani of Afghanistan.jpg
Ali Ahmad Khan 1883 – 11 July 192917 January 19299 February 1929Styled as King; rose in opposition to Kalakāni during the 1928–29 civil war; captured and executedBarakzai Ali Ahmad Khan Luynab.png
Amanullah Khan 1 June 1892 – 25 April 1960March 192923 May 1929Son of Habibullah Khan
Former King; returned to Afghanistan to contest the throne during the 1928–29 civil war; eventually retreated back into British India; [18] See also Amanullah loyalism
Barakzai King Amanullah Khan.jpg

Kingdom of Afghanistan (restored; 1929–1973)

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Mohammad Nadir Shah 9 April 1883 – 8 November 193315 October 1929 [19] 8 November 1933Great-nephew of Dost Mohammed Khan
Assassinated by Abdul Khaliq Hazara [20]
Barakzai Nadir Khan of Afghanistan.jpg
Mohammad Zahir Shah
  • the Father of the Nation
    (from 2004) [note 4]
15 October 1914 – 23 July 20078 November 193317 July 1973
(deposed)
Son of Mohammad Nadir Shah
Deposed by first cousin Mohammad Daoud Khan in the 1973 coup d'état [6]
Barakzai King Zahir Shah of Afghanistan in 1963.jpg

Local monarchs

Some rulers tried to take advantage of internal conflicts in Afghanistan to claim the throne. However, their rule was limited only to certain areas.

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Jehandad Khan Died 1914May 1912May 1912
(deposed)
Styled as Emir; ruled only in Khost during the 1912 rebellion Non-dynastic Sin foto.svg
Abd-al Karim 1897 – 18 February 1927July 192430 January 1925
(deposed)
Son of Mohammad Yaqub Khan
Styled as Emir; rule limited to the Southern Province during the 1924–1925 rebellion
Barakzai Sin foto.svg
Salemai c.1944c.1946
(deposed)
Styled as King; rule limited to the Eastern Province during the 1944–47 tribal revolts Non-dynastic Sin foto.svg

Non-monarchs

NamePortraitLifespanTerm of officePolitical affiliation
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Republic of Afghanistan (1973–1978)
Mohammad Daoud Khan Sardar Mohammed Daud.jpg 1909–197817 July 197328 April 19784 years, 285 days Independent
(until 1974)
National Revolutionary Party
President; Member of the Barakzai dynasty (first cousin of Mohammed Zahir Shah); Assassinated with most of his family during the Saur Revolution; [21] Supposedly killed for refusing to surrender to the new authorities. [22] [8] [23]
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978–1992)
Colonel
Abdul Qadir
No image.svg 1944–201428 April 197830 April 19782 days People's Democratic Party
(Khalq faction)
Chairman of the Presidium of the Military Revolutionary Council.
Nur Muhammad Taraki Nur Muhammad Taraki.png 1917–197930 April 197814 September 19791 year, 137 days People's Democratic Party
(Khalq faction)
Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council; Assassinated by orders of Hafizullah Amin.
Hafizullah Amin No image.svg 1929–197914 September 197927 December 1979104 days People's Democratic Party
(Khalq faction)
Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council; Assassinated by Soviet special forces during the Operation Storm-333. [24]
Babrak Karmal No image.svg 1929–199627 December 197924 November 19866 years, 332 days People's Democratic Party
(Parcham faction)
Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council; Dismissed.
Haji Mohammad Chamkani No image.svg 1947–201224 November 198630 September 1987310 days Independent
Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council; Appointed as part of the National Reconciliation process.
Mohammad Najibullah Mohammad Najibullah 1986.jpg 1947–199630 September 198716 April 19924 years, 199 days People's Democratic Party
(Parcham faction)
(until 1990)
Homeland Party
President (Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council until 30 November 1987); Resigned.
Abdul Rahim Hatif No image.svg 1926–201316 April 199228 April 199212 days Homeland Party
Acting President; Deposed.
Islamic State of Afghanistan (1992–2002)
Sibghatullah Mojaddedi Mojaddedi in September 2014.jpg 1926–201928 April 199228 June 199261 daysNational Liberation Front of Afghanistan
Acting President; Resigned.
Burhanuddin Rabbani Burhanuddin Rabbani Cropped DVIDS.jpg 1940–201128 June 199222 December 20019 years, 177 days Jamiat-e Islami
President; Fled Kabul following its fall to the Taliban on 27 September 1996; [25] Continued to serve as president in areas controlled by the Northern Alliance during the 1996–2001 Civil War until being fully reinstated following the recapture of Kabul on 13 November 2001; Between 1996 and 2001, the Islamic State remained the internationally recognized government, despite only controlling about 10% of Afghan territory.
Hamid Karzai Hamid Karzai listens to Barack Obama in Kabul 2012 (cropped).jpg born 195722 December 200113 July 2002203 days Independent
Chairman of the Afghan Interim Administration; Appointed by the 2001 Bonn Conference. [26]
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)
Mullah
Mohammed Omar
CNHKrxSUYAE0lc4 auto x2.jpg between 1953 and 1966 [27] – 201327 September 199613 November 20015 years, 47 days Taliban
Supreme Leader; Deposed during the fall of Kabul, [28] and went into hiding following the fall of Kandahar on 7 December 2001; [29] [30] Continued to claim the position in rebellion during the Taliban insurgency until his death on 23 April 2013; Between 1996 and 2001, the Islamic Emirate never attained widespread international recognition, despite controlling about 90% of Afghan territory.
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (2002–2004)
Hamid Karzai Hamid Karzai listens to Barack Obama in Kabul 2012 (cropped).jpg born 195713 July 20027 December 20042 years, 147 days Independent
Transitional President; Appointed by the 2002 loya jirga.
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004–2021)
Hamid Karzai Hamid Karzai listens to Barack Obama in Kabul 2012 (cropped).jpg born 19577 December 200429 September 20149 years, 296 days Independent
President; First democratically elected head of state; Elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2009.
Ashraf Ghani Ashraf Ghani December 2014.jpg born 194929 September 201415 August 20216 years, 320 days Independent
President; First peaceful transition of power; Elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2019; Deposed during the fall of Kabul.
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (2021–present)
Mullah
Mawlawi
Hibatullah Akhundzada
Hibatullah Akhundzada OCS wordmark.png Birth date not known15 August 2021 [10] Incumbent2 years, 208 days Taliban
Supreme Leader; Claimed the position in rebellion during the Taliban insurgency from 25 May 2016 until the recapture of Kabul. The Islamic Emirate is currently not internationally recognized, despite controlling all Afghan territory. [31]

Family tree of monarchs

Family tree of Afghan monarchs
Salim Khan
Hotak
dynasty
Mirwais
Khan Hotak

(1)
r. 1709–1715
Abdul Aziz
Hotak

(2)
r. 1715–1717
Mahmud
Hotak

(3)
r. 1717–1725
Hussain
Hotak

(5)
r. 1725–1738
Ashraf
Hotak

(4)
r. 1725–1729
Durrani
dynasty
Ahmad Shah
Durrani

(1)
r. 1747–1772
Sardar
Payinda
Mohammad
Khan
Barakzai
dynasty
Timur Shah
Durrani

(2)
r. 1772–1793
Mohammad
Khan

(1)
r. 1823–1826
Dost
Mohammad
Khan

(2)
r. 1826–1839,
1843–1863
Zaman Shah
Durrani

(3)
r. 1793–1801
Mahmud Shah
Durrani

(4)
r. 1801–1803,
1809–1818
Shah Shujah
Durrani

(5)
r. 1803–1809,
1839–1842
Ali Shah
Durrani

(6)
r. 1818–1819
Ayub Shah
Durrani

(7)
r. 1819–1823
Mohammad
Afzal Khan

(5)
r. 1866–1867
Akbar Khan
(3)
r. 1842–1843
Mohammad
Azam Khan

(6)
r. 1867–1868
Sher Ali
Khan

(4)
r. 1863-1866,
1868–1879
Sahira
Begum
Loinab
Khush
Dil Khan
Ali Ahmad
Mirza
Sardar
Mohammad
Yahya Khan
Hamdan
Sultana
Begum
Abdur
Rahman
Khan

(9)
r. 1880–1901
Mohammad
Yaqub Khan

(7)
r. 1879
Mohammad
Ayub Khan

(8)
r. 1879–1880
Sharaf
Sultana
Hukumat
Begum
Sardar
Mohammad
Yusuf Khan
Sardar
Mohammad
Asif Khan
Habibullah
Khan

(10)
r. 1901–1919
Nasrullah
Khan

(11)
r. 1919
Mohammad
Nadir Shah

(15)
r. 1929–1933
Mah Parwar
Begum
Inayatullah
Khan

(13)
r. 1929
Amanullah
Khan

(12)
r. 1919–1929,
1929
Ali Ahmad
Khan

(14)
r. 1929
Mohammad
Zahir Shah

(16)
r. 1933–1973

Timeline from 1880

Hibatullah AkhundzadaAshraf GhaniHamid KarzaiMullah OmarBurhanuddin RabbaniSibghatullah MojaddediMohammad NajibullahHaji Mohammad ChamkaniBabrak KarmalHafizullah AminNur Muhammad TarakiAbdul Qadir (Afghan communist)Mohammad Daoud KhanSalemaiMohammad Zahir ShahMohammad Nadir ShahHabibullāh KalakāniInayatullah KhanAmanullah KhanNasrullah KhanHabibullah KhanAbdur Rahman KhanList of heads of state of Afghanistan

Standards of heads of state

See also

Notes

  1. Most notably Herat (see Herat campaign of 1862–1863) and Qandahar (see Conquest of Kandahar).
  2. Most sources list 17 January 1929, the day that Kalakāni captured Kabul, as the date that his reign began. [11] [12] However, he had been formally claiming the title of emir since 14 December 1928. [13]
  3. Kalakāni referred to himself as both "king" [14] and "emir". [15]
  4. "The late King was always fondly referred to by all Afghans, cutting across ethnic boundaries, as "Baba-e-Millat" or 'Father of the Nation', a position given to him in the country's Constitution promulgated in January 2004, about two years after the collapse of Taliban rule. The title of the 'Father of the Nation' dissolves with his death." "Last King of Afghanistan dies at 92". Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emirate of Afghanistan (1929)</span> Former unrecognized state in Central Asia

The Emirate of Afghanistan was an unrecognized state ruled by the Saqqawists that existed from January to October 1929. Habibullāh Kalakāni became the state's only emir on 18 January 1929. After the fall of Kalakāni on 13 October 1929, the Emirate ended.

The politics of Afghanistan are based on a totalitarian emirate within the Islamic theocracy in which the Taliban Movement holds a monopoly on power. Dissent is not permitted, and politics are mostly limited to internal Taliban policy debates and power struggles. As the government is provisional, there is no constitution or other basis for the rule of law. The structure is autocratic, with all power concentrated in the hands of the supreme leader and his clerical advisors. According to the V-Dem Democracy indices Afghanistan was 2023 the 4th least electoral democratic country in the world.

Fateh Khan Barakzai or Wazir Fateh Khan or simply, Fateh Khan, was Wazir of the Durrani Empire during the reign of Mahmud Shah Durrani until his torture and execution at the hands of Kamran Shah Durrani, the son of the ruler of the Durrani Empire, and Mahmud Shah Durrani, and other prominent conspirators such as Ata Mohammad Khan. Fateh Khan was of the Barakzai tribe, and his death caused the enmity of his tribe, leading to his tribe revolting and the eventual deposition of Mahmud Shah Durrani.

Democracy in Afghanistan has been severely limited and characterized by short, unstable historical periods since the formation of the contemporary state of Afghanistan in the 20th century. Following the rise of power of Ghazi Amanullah Khan in 1919, the first elements of a democratic government in the country began to emerge, with the formation of a constitution and increased civil liberties. Amanullah's political reforms resulted in his overthrow and for much of the rest of the 20th century, until 1964, there was limited democratization in the country. With the establishment of a bicameral national legislature in 1964 by King Zahir Shah, political parties began to form; however, none of these reforms were lasting after Zahir Shah's removal from power in 1973 and the formation of an autocratic Afghanistan republic.

References

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