List of heads of state of Afghanistan
Appearance
This article lists the heads of state of Afghanistan since the foundation of the first Afghan state, the Hotak Empire, in 1709.
List of heads of state
[change | change source](Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
Monarchs
[change | change source]Monarch of Afghanistan | |
---|---|
Former Monarchy | |
Royal Standard (1931–1973) | |
Last to reign: Mohammed Zahir Shah 8 November 1933 – 17 July 1973 | |
First monarch | Mirwais Hotak (Emir) |
Last monarch | Mohammed Zahir Shah (King) |
Official residence | Kabul:
|
Appointer | Hereditary |
Monarchy started | {{{began}}} |
Monarchy ended | {{{ended}}} |
Current pretender | Ahmad Shah Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan |
Hotak Empire (1709–1738)
Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mirwais Hotak
| 1673–1715 | 1709 | 1715 | Hotak | ||
Abdul Aziz Hotak | Died 1717 | 1715 | 1717 | Brother of Mirwais Hotak | Hotak | |
Mahmud Hotak | 1697 – 22 April 1725 | 1717 | 22 April 1725 | Son of Mirwais Hotak | Hotak | |
Ashraf Hotak | Died 1730 | 22 April 1725 | 1730 | Nephew of Mirwais Hotak | Hotak | |
Hussain Hotak | Died 1738 | 1730 | 24 March 1738 (deposed) | Son of Mirwais Hotak | Hotak |
Durrani Empire (1747–1823)
Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ahmad Shah Durrani
| 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 | |
Shah Shujah Durrani (1st reign) | 4 November 1785 – 5 April 1842 | 13 July 1803 | 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 | 1818 | 1819 (deposed) | Son of Timur Shah Durrani | Durrani | ||
Ayub Shah Durrani | Died 1 October 1837 | 1819 | 1823 (deposed) | Son of Timur Shah Durrani | Durrani |
Emirate of Afghanistan (1823–1926)
Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dost Mohammad Khan (1st reign) | 23 December 1793 – 9 June 1863 | 1823 | 2 August 1839 (deposed) | Son of Sardar Payendah Khan | Barakzai | |
Shah Shujah Durrani (2nd reign) | 4 November 1785 – 5 April 1842 | 7 August 1839 | 5 April 1842 [note 1] | Son of Timur Shah Durrani | Durrani | |
Akbar Khan | 1816–1845 | 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 February 1879 | 9 June 1863 | 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 | Died 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 | |
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 October 1901 | 31 May 1880 | 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 – 25 April 1960 | 28 February 1919 | 9 June 1926 | Son of Habibullah Khan | Barakzai |
Kingdom of Afghanistan (1926–1929)
Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amanullah Khan | 1 June 1892 – 25 April 1960 | 9 June 1926 | 14 January 1929 (abdicated) | 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 |
Saqqawist Emirate and the 1928–1929 civil war
Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Habibullāh Kalakāni
| 19 January 1891 – 3 November 1929 | 17 January 1929 [note 2] | 13 October 1929 | Styled as King and Emir [note 3]; contested the throne during the 1928–29 civil war;[6] deposed and executed[7] | Non-dynastic | |
Ali Ahmad Khan | 1883 – 11 July 1929 | 17 January 1929 | 9 February 1929 | Styled as King; rose in opposition[broken anchor] to Kalakāni during the 1928–29 civil war; captured and executed | Non-dynastic | |
Amanullah Khan | 1 June 1892 – 25 April 1960 | March 1929 | 23 May 1929 | Son of Habibullah Khan Former King; returned to Afghanistan to contest the throne during the 1928–29 civil war; eventually retreated back into British India;[8] See also Amanullah loyalism | Barakzai |
Kingdom of Afghanistan (restored; 1929–1973)
Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mohammed Nadir Shah | 9 April 1883 – 8 November 1933 | 15 October 1929[9] | 8 November 1933 [note 4] | Great-nephew of Dost Mohammed Khan | Barakzai | |
Mohammed Zahir Shah
| 15 October 1914 – 23 July 2007 | 8 November 1933 | 17 July 1973 (deposed) | Son of Mohammed Nadir Shah | Barakzai |
Local monarchs
[change | change source]Some rulers tried to take advantage of internal conflicts in Afghanistan to claim the throne. However, their rule was limited only to certain areas.
Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jehandad Khan | Died 1914 | May 1912 | May 1912 (deposed) | Styled as Emir; ruled only in Khost during the 1912 rebellion | Non-dynastic | |
Abd-al Karim | 1897 – 18 February 1927 | July 1924 | 30 January 1925 (deposed) | Son of Mohammad Yaqub Khan Styled as Emir; rule limited to the Southern Province during the 1924–1925 rebellion | Barakzai | |
Salemai | c. 1944 | c. 1946 (deposed) | Styled as King; rule limited to the Eastern Province during the 1944–47 tribal revolts | Non-dynastic |
List
[change | change source]Name | Portrait | Lifespan | Term of office | Political party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
Republic of Afghanistan (1973–1978) | |||||||
Mohammed Daoud Khan | 1909–1978 | 17 July 1973 | 28 April 1978 | 4 years, 285 days | Independent (until 1976) | ||
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.[10] Shortly afterwards, the new military leaders announced that Khan was killed for refusing to surrender.[11] | |||||||
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978–1992) | |||||||
Colonel Abdul Qadir |
1944–2014 | 28 April 1978 | 30 April 1978 | 2 days | People's Democratic Party (Khalq faction) | ||
Chairman of the Presidium of the Military Revolutionary Council | |||||||
Nur Muhammad Taraki | 1917–1979 | 30 April 1978 | 14 September 1979 | 1 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 | 1929–1979 | 14 September 1979 | 27 December 1979 | 104 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[12] | |||||||
Babrak Karmal | 1929–1996 | 27 December 1979 | 24 November 1986 | 6 years, 332 days | People's Democratic Party (Parcham faction) | ||
Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council; Dismissed | |||||||
Haji Mohammad Chamkani | 1947–2012 | 24 November 1986 | 30 September 1987 | 310 days | Independent | ||
Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council; Appointed as part of the National Reconciliation process | |||||||
Mohammad Najibullah | 1947–1996 | 30 September 1987 | 16 April 1992 | 4 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 | 1926–2013 | 16 April 1992 | 28 April 1992 | 12 days | Homeland Party | ||
Acting President; Deposed | |||||||
Islamic State of Afghanistan (1992–2002) | |||||||
Sibghatullah Mojaddedi | 1926–2019 | 28 April 1992 | 28 June 1992 | 61 days | National Liberation Front of Afghanistan | ||
Acting President; Resigned | |||||||
Burhanuddin Rabbani | 1940–2011 | 28 June 1992 | 22 December 2001 | 9 years, 167 days | Jamiat-e Islami | ||
President; Between 1996 and 2001, the Islamic State remained the internationally recognized government, despite only controlling about 10% of Afghan territory | |||||||
Hamid Karzai | born 1957 | 22 December 2001 | 13 July 2002 | 203 days | Independent | ||
Acting President | |||||||
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001) | |||||||
Mullah Mohammed Omar |
1960–2013 | 27 September 1996 | 13 November 2001 | 5 years, 47 days | Taliban | ||
Head of the Supreme Council, Emir and Commander of the Faithful; The Islamic Emirate never attained widespread international recognition, despite controlling about 90% of Afghan territory; Deposed | |||||||
Mullah Mohammad Rabbani |
1955–2001 | 27 September 1996 | 13 April 2001 | 4 years, 198 days | Taliban | ||
Prime Minister and Deputy Head of the Supreme Council; Deputy leader of the Taliban; Died in office | |||||||
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir |
born 1958 | 16 April 2001 | 13 November 2001 | 211 days | Taliban | ||
Acting Prime Minister and Acting Deputy Head of the Supreme Council; Deposed | |||||||
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (2002–2004) | |||||||
Hamid Karzai | born 1957 | 13 July 2002 | 7 December 2004 | 2 years, 147 days | Independent | ||
Transitional President; Appointed at the 2002 loya jirga | |||||||
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004–2021) | |||||||
Hamid Karzai | born 1957 | 7 December 2004 | 29 September 2014 | 9 years, 296 days | Independent | ||
President; First democratically elected head of state; Elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2009 | |||||||
Ashraf Ghani | born 1949 | 29 September 2014 | 15 August 2021 | 6 years, 320 days | Independent | ||
President; First peaceful transition of power; Elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2019; Deposed | |||||||
Amrullah Saleh | born 1972 | 17 August 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 107 days | Basej-e Milli | ||
Former First Vice President; Claimed the position of caretaker president based on Article 67 of the 2004 Constitution;[13] Announced the formation of an anti-Taliban front in Panjshir[14] | |||||||
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (2021–present) | |||||||
Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada |
born 1961 | 15 August 2021 | Incumbent | 3 years, 109 days | Taliban | ||
Emir and Commander of the Faithful; The Islamic Emirate is currently not internationally recognized, despite controlling the majority of Afghan territory |
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Qassem, Dr Ahmad Shayeq (2013-03-28). Afghanistan's Political Stability: A Dream Unrealised. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 175. ISBN 9781409499428.
- ↑ Wazir, Azmatullah Khan (2002). The immediate solution of Afghan crisis. A.K. Wazir. p. 8.
- ↑ Muḥammad, Fayz̤; McChesney, R. D. (1999). Kabul under siege: Fayz Muhammad's account of the 1929 Uprising. Markus Wiener Publishers. p. 37. ISBN 9781558761544.
- ↑ "ExecutedToday.com » 1929: Habibullah Kalakani, Tajik bandit-king". 1 November 2016. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
- ↑ Muḥammad, Fayz̤; Hazārah, Fayz̤ Muḥammad Kātib; Muḥammad, Faiḍ (1999). Kabul Under Siege: Fayz Muhammad's Account of the 1929 Uprising. Markus Wiener Publishers. p. 1. ISBN 978-1-55876-155-1.
- ↑ "REBEL BECOMES KING IN AFGHANISTAN". The New York Times. 18 January 1929. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ↑ "AFHGAN USURPER YIELDS TO NEW KING". The New York Times. 24 October 1929. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ↑ "AMANULLAH HUNGRY IN FLIGHT TO INDIA". The New York Times. 26 May 1929. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ↑ "NADIR KHAN IS ELECTED AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN". The New York Times. 18 October 1929. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ↑ "There was, therefore, little to hinder the assault mounted by the rebel 4th Armored Brigade, led by Major Mohammad Aslam Watanjar, who had also been prominent in Daoud's own coup five years before. Watanjar first secured the airport, where the other coup leader, Colonel Abdul Qadir, left by helicopter for the Bagram air base. There he took charge and organized air strikes on the presidential palace, where Daoud and the presidential guard were conducting a desperate defense. Fighting continued the whole day and into the night, when the defenders were finally overwhelmed. Daoud and almost all of his family members, including women and children, died in the fighting. Altogether there were possibly as many as two thousand fatalities, both military and civilian." p. 88 of Ewans, Martin (2002) Afghanistan: A Short History of Its People and Politics HarperCollins, New York, Page 88 ISBN 0-06-050507-9
- ↑ "1978: Afghan coup rebels claim victory". April 29, 1978 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ↑ "How Soviet troops stormed Kabul palace". BBC. 27 December 2009. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ↑ Landay, Jonathan; Macfie, Nick; Boyle, John (17 August 2021). "Afghan vice president says he is "caretaker" president". Reuters. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ↑ "An anti-Taliban front forming in Panjshir? Ex top spy Saleh, son of 'Lion of Panjshir' meet at citadel". The Week. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
- Notes
- ↑ Shah Shujah was murdered in the aftermath of the 1842 retreat from Kabul.
- ↑ Most sources list 17 January 1929, the day that Kalakāni captured Kabul, as the date that his reign began.[1][2] However, he had been formally claiming the title of emir since 14 December 1928.[3]
- ↑ Kalakāni referred to himself as both "King"[4] and "Emir".[5]
- ↑ Nadir Shah was assassinated by Abdul Khaliq Hazara. "King of Afghanistan Is Slain at Kabul; Stable Boy Won Throne by Military Skill". The New York Times. 9 November 1933. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ↑ "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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