History of Afghanistan series.

Pre-Islamic period of Afghanistan

Islamic conquest of Afghanistan

Durrani Empire

European influence in Afghanistan

Reforms of Amanullah Khan and civil war

Reigns of Nadir Shah and Zahir Shah

Daoud's Republic of Afghanistan

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

History of Afghanistan since 1992

The Durrani Empire was a state in present day Afghanistan. From 1747 until 1823 Ahmad Shah and his sons and grandsons held the monarchy. The name "Afghanistan" is mentioned since 1801 in the Anglo-Persian peace treaty for the first time officially. They were the first Pashtun rulers of Afghanistan, from the Sadozai line of the Abdali or Durrani group of clans. It was under the leadership of Ahmad Shah that the nation of Afghanistan began to take shape following centuries of fragmentation and exploitation. Even before the death of the Turko-Iranian ruler Nadir Shah, tribes in the Afghanistan had been growing stronger and were beginning to take advantage of the waning power of their distant rulers. Afghanistans history, internal political development, foreign relations, and very existence as an independent state have largely been determined by its geographic location at the crossroads of Central, West, and South Asia. ... Download high resolution version (526x707, 131 KB) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Archaeological exploration began in Afghanistan in earnest after World War II and proceeded until the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan disrupted it in December of 1979. ... // Islamic conquest The Age of the Caliphs In 637, five years after the death of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, Arab Muslims shattered the might of the Iranian Sassanians at the Battles of al-Qādisiyyah and Nahavand. ... // The Rise of Dost Mohammad It was not until 1826 that the energetic Dost Mohammad was able to exert sufficient control over his brothers to take over the throne in Kabul, where he proclaimed himself amir. ... Reign of King Amanullah, 1919-1929 Amanullah Khan reigned in Afghanistan from 1919, achieving full independence from the British Empire shortly afterwards. ... // Reign of Mohammed Nadir Shah, 1929-1933 Mohammed Nadir Shah quickly abolished most of Amanullah Khans reforms, but despite his efforts to rebuild an army that had just been engaged in suppressing a rebellion, the forces remained weak while the religious and tribal leaders grew strong. ... Daouds Republic (July 17, 1973 - April 28, 1978) welcome Mohammed Daoud Khan received on returning to power on July 17, 1973 reflected the citizenrys disappointment with the lackluster politics of the preceding decade. ... This article is about Communist rule in Afghanistan (1978-1992), which is separate, although slightly so, from the Soviet war in Afghanistan in support of this country. ... // The Islamic State of Afghanistan After the Soviets withdrew completely from Afghanistan in February 1989, fighting between the communist backed government and mujahideen continued. ... // Events January 31 - The first venereal diseases clinic opens at London Dock Hospital April 9 - The Scottish Jacobite Lord Lovat was beheaded by axe on Tower Hill, London, for high treason; he was the last man to be executed in this way in Britain May 14 - First battle of Cape... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Ahmad Shah Durrani Ahmad Shah Abdali (c. ... The Pashtuns (also Pushtun, Pakhtun, ethnic Afghan, or Pathan) are an ethno-linguistic group consisting mainly of eastern Iranian stock living primarily in eastern and southern Afghanistan, and the North West Frontier Province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan. ... The Sadozai are a lineage of the Popalzay clan of the Abdali tribe of the Pashtun. ... Durrani (Persian: درانی) or Abdali (Persian: ابدالی) tribe is one of the two largest Pashtun tribes of Afghanistan and is also found in large numbers in western Pakistan. ... Nadir Shah’s portrait from the collection of Smithsonian Institute Nadir Shah (Persian: نادر شاه) (Nadir Qoli Beg (Persian: نادر قلی بیگ), also Tahmasp-Qoli Khan (Persian: تهماسپ قلی خان) also Nadir Shah Afshar (Persian: نادر شاه افشار) ) (October 22, 1688 - June 2, 1747) ruled as Shah of Iran (1736–47) and was the founder of the short-lived Afsharid dynasty. ...

Reign of Ahmed Shah Abdali (1747-1772)

Ahmad Shah Durrani

Main article: Ahmed Shah Abdali

Nadir Shah's rule abruptly ended in June 1747, when he was assassinated. Some believe that Ahmad Shah had something to do with his death, but the evidence remains somewhat circumstantial. Be that what it may, when the chiefs of the Abdali tribes and clans met later the same year near Kandahar at a loya jirga to choose a new leader, Ahmad Shah was chosen to lead the tribe. Despite being younger than other claimants, Ahmad had several overriding factors in his favor: Image File history File links The Emperor Ahmad Shah Durrani (died 1772) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links The Emperor Ahmad Shah Durrani (died 1772) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Ahmad Shah Durrani Ahmad Shah Abdali (c. ... Nadir Shah’s portrait from the collection of Smithsonian Institute Nadir Shah (Persian: نادر شاه) (Nadir Qoli Beg (Persian: نادر قلی بیگ), also Tahmasp-Qoli Khan (Persian: تهماسپ قلی خان) also Nadir Shah Afshar (Persian: نادر شاه افشار) ) (October 22, 1688 - June 2, 1747) ruled as Shah of Iran (1736–47) and was the founder of the short-lived Afsharid dynasty. ... Ahmad Shah Durrani Ahmad Shah Abdali (c. ... Durrani (Persian: درانی) or Abdali (Persian: ابدالی) tribe is one of the two largest Pashtun tribes of Afghanistan and is also found in large numbers in western Pakistan. ... For the 2001 movie by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, see Kandahar (film). ... Loya Jirga (June 13, 2002) Loya jirga, occasionally loya jirgah, is a large meeting held in Afghanistan, originally attended by Pashtun groups but later including other ethnic groups. ...

• He was a direct descendant of Sado, patriarch of the Sadozai clan, the most prominent tribe amongst the Pashtuns at the time;
• He was unquestionably a charismatic leader and seasoned warrior who had at his disposal a trained, mobile force of several thousand cavalrymen;
• Not least, he possessed a substantial part of Nadir Shah's treasury.

One of Ahmad Shah's first acts as chief was to adopt the title "Durr-i-Durrani" ("pearl of pearls" or "pearl of the age"). The name may have been suggested, as some claim, from a dream dreamt my Ahmad Shah, or as others claim, from the pearl earrings worn by the royal guard of Nadir Shah. The Abdali Pashtuns were known thereafter as the Durrani. Sado can refer to: Sado, a city in Niigata Prefecture, Japan Sado province (佐渡国), an old province of Japan. ... The Sadozai are a lineage of the Popalzay clan of the Abdali tribe of the Pashtun. ... Durrani (Persian: درانی) or Abdali (Persian: ابدالی) tribe is one of the two largest Pashtun tribes of Afghanistan and is also found in large numbers in western Pakistan. ...

Early victories

Ahmad Shah began his rule by capturing Ghazni from the Ghilzai Pashtuns, and then wresting Kabul from the local ruler. In 1749, the Mughal ruler was induced to cede Sindh and all of Punjab west of the Indus River to Ahmad Shah, in order to save his capital from Afghan attack. Having thus gained substantial territories to the east without a fight, Ahmad Shah turned westward to take possession of Herat, which was ruled by Nadir Shah's grandson, Shah Rukh of Persia. Herat fell to Ahmad after almost a year of siege and bloody conflict, as did Mashhad (in present-day Iran). Ahmad next sent an army to subdue the areas north of the Hindu Kush. In short order, the powerful army brought under its control the Turkmen, Uzbek, Tajik and Hazara tribes of northern Afghanistan. Ahmad invaded the remanants of the Mughal Empire a third time, and then a fourth, consolidating control over the Punjab and Kashmir. Then, early in 1757, he sacked Delhi anyway, but permitted the Mughal dynasty to remain in nominal control as long as the ruler acknowledged Ahmad's suzerainty over the Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir. Leaving his second son Timur Shah to safeguard his interests, Ahmad left India to return to Afghanistan. Minaret, July 2001 Ghazni is a city in central Afghanistan, situated on a plateau at 7280 feet above sea level. ... The Ghilzais (also known as Khiljis or Ghaljis) are one of two largest groups of Pashtuns, along with the Durrani tribe, found in Afghanistan with a large group also found in neighboring Pakistan. ... A view of the old city Kabul Kabul (, Kâbl, in Persian کابل) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan with a population variously estimated at 2 to 4 million. ... The Mughal Empire at its greatest extent. ... Sindh (Sind) (Sindhi: سنڌ ;Urdu: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and is home to the Sindhis, Muhajirs and various other groups. ... Punjab, 1903 Punjab Province, 1909 The Punjab (meaning: Land of five Rivers; also Panjab, Gurmukhi: ਪੰਜਾਬ, Shahmukhi: پنجاب) is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan. ... The Indus River in Northern Areas of Pakistan, near the rock Aornus. ... Herāt (Persian هرات) is a city in western Afghanistan, in the valley of the Hari Rud river in the province also known as Herat, and was traditionally known for wine. ... Shahrokh (Persian: شاهرخ) was the son of Nadir Shah and took over control of Khorasan after his fathers death in 1747. ... Mashhad from space, January 2003 Goharshad mosque, built in 1418. ... The Hindu Kush or Hindukush (هندوکش in Persian) is a mountain range in Afghanistan as well as in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. ... The Tajiks (Persian: تاجيک) are one of the principal ethnic groups of Central Asia, and are primarily found in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Pakistan, and the Xinjiang province of China. ... The Hazara are an ethnic group who reside mainly in the central Afghanistan mountain region called Hazarajat or Hazaristan. ... The Mughal Empire at its greatest extent. ... Punjab, 1903 Punjab Province, 1909 The Punjab (meaning: Land of five Rivers; also Panjab, Gurmukhi: ਪੰਜਾਬ, Shahmukhi: پنجاب) is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan. ... Shown in green is the Kashmiri region under Pakistani control. ... It has been suggested that National Capital Territory of Delhi be merged into this article or section. ... The Mughal Empire (alternative spelling Mogul, which is the origin of the word Mogul) of India was founded by Babur in 1526, when he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans at the First Battle of Panipat. ... Timur Shah (1748 - 18 May 1793), the second son of Ahmad Shah and the second of the Durrani Dynasty, was the King of Afghanistan from 16 October 1772 until his death. ...

Battle of Panipat

The Mughal power in northern India had been declining since the reign of Aurangzeb, who died in 1707; the Marathas, who already controlled much of western and central India from their capital at Pune, were straining to expand their area of control. After Ahmad Shah sacked the Mughal capital and withdrew with the booty he coveted, the Marathas filled the power void, while in the Punjab, the Sikhs emerged as a potent force. Upon his return to Kandahar in 1757, Ahmad was forced to return to India and face the formidable attacks of the Maratha Confederacy, which succeeded in ousting Timur Shah and his court from India. Aurangzeb (from Persian, اورنگ‌زیب Aurang means throne and Zaib meant beauty or ornament),(November 3, 1618 – March 3, 1707, also known as Alamgir I, was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1658 until 1707. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A Sikh man wearing a turban The adherents of Sikhism are called Sikhs. ... 1757 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Ahmad Shah declared a jihad (or Islamic holy war) against the Marathas, and warriors from various Pashtun tribes, as well as other tribes such as the Baloch, Tajiks, and Muslims in India, answered his call. Early skirmishes ended in victory for the Afghans, and by 1759 Ahmad and his army had reached Lahore and were poised to confront the Marathas. By 1760, the Maratha groups had coalesced into a great army that probably outnumbered Ahmad Shah's forces. Once again, Panipat was the scene of a confrontation between two warring contenders for control of northern India. The Third Battle of Panipat (January 1761), fought between largely Muslim and largely Hindu armies who numbered as many as 100,000 troops each was waged along a twelve-kilometer front. Despite decisively defeating the Marathas, what might have been Ahmad Shah's peaceful control of his domains was disrupted by other challenges. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ... The Marāthās is a collective term referring to an Indo Aryan group of Hindu, Marathi-speaking castes of warriors and peasants hailing mostly from the present-day state of Maharashtra, who created a substantial empire, covering a major part of India, in the late 17th and 18th centuries... The Baloch (Persian: بلوچ alternative transliterations Baluch, Balouch, Balooch, Balush, Balosh, Baloosh, Baloush et al. ... The Tajiks (Persian: تاجيک) are one of the principal ethnic groups of Central Asia, and are primarily found in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Pakistan, and the Xinjiang province of China. ... 1759 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1760 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Panipat is a historic as well as an ancient city in the Panipat District in Haryana state, India, The city has a population of 216,000. ... The Indo-Gangetic Plain is a rich, fertile and ancient land encompassing most of northern and eastern India, the most populous parts of Pakistan, and virtually all of Bangladesh. ... The Third Battle of Panipat took place on January 14, 1761 at Panipat (Haryana State, India) about 80 miles (130 km) north of Delhi, between the Maratha forces of north-western India aiding their allies, the Mughal Empire, and Afghan forces under Ahmad Shah Abdali. ... 1761 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, including people named Islam, see Islam (disambiguation). ... Hinduism {Sanskrit - Hindū Dharma, also known as Sanātana (eternal) Dharma and Vaidika (of the Vedas) Dharma} is the religion based on the Vedas as well as other traditional scriptures and beliefs. ...

Decline

The victory at Panipat was the high point of Ahmad Shah's -- and Afghan -- power. His Durrani empire was one of the largest Islamic empires in the world at that time. However, even prior to his death, the empire began to unravel. As early as by the end of 1761, the Sikhs had gained power and taken control of much of the Punjab. In 1762, Ahmad Shah crossed the passes from Afghanistan for the sixth time to subdue the Sikhs. He assaulted Lahore and, after taking their holy city of Amritsar, massacred thousands of Sikh inhabitants, destroying their temples and desecrating their holy places with cow's blood. Within two years, the Sikhs rebelled again. Ahmad Shah tried several more times to subjugate the Sikhs permanently, but failed. By the time of his death, he had lost all but nominal control of the Punjab to the Sikhs, who remained in charge of the area until defeated by the British in the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1846. Ahmad Shah Durrani Ahmad Shah Abdali (c. ... 1762 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Amritsar (Punjabi: ), meaning Pool of the Nectar of Immortality, is the administrative headquarter of the Amritsar District in Punjab, India. ... The First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846), resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom by the British East India Company. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Ahmad Shah also faced other rebellions in the north, and eventually he and the Uzbek Emir of Bukhara agreed that the Amu Darya would mark the division of their lands. In 1772, Ahmad Shah retired to his home in the mountains east of Kandahar, where he died. He had succeeded to a remarkable degree in balancing tribal alliances and hostilities, and in directing tribal energies away from rebellion. He earned recognition as Ahmad Shah Baba, or "Father" of Afghanistan. Bukhara (Bokhara in XIX century English, Buxoro or Бухоро in Uzbek (the Cyrillic alphabet was officially phased out for Uzbek after independence); بُخارا /Bukhârâ/ in Persian, Buhe/Puhe Tang Chinese, Бухара in Russian; also Boxara in Tatar) is the fifth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and capital of the Bukhara region (Bukhoro Wiloyati). ... The Amu Darya (Darya means river) rises in the Pamirs and flows mainly north-west through the Hindu Kush, Uzbekistan to join the Aral Sea in a large delta. ... Catherine IIs soldiers in the Russo-Turkish War, by Alexandre Benois. ... For the 2001 movie by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, see Kandahar (film). ...

Forging a Nation

By the time of Ahmad Shah's ascendancy, the Pashtuns included many groups whose origins were obscure; some believed they descended from ancient Aryan tribes, but some, such as the Ghilzai, may have intermingled with Turks, while others such as the Durrani became Persianized due to their contacts with the Tajiks. What they had in common was their Pashtu language and the belief in common ancestry that sometimes united them. To the east, the Waziris and their close relatives, the Mahsuds, had lived in the hills of the central Sulaiman Mountains since the 14th century. By the end of the 16th century, when the final Turkish-Mongol invasions occurred, tribes such as the Shinwaris, Yusufzais and Mohmands had moved from the upper Kabul River valley into the valleys and plains west, north, and northeast of Peshawar. The Afridis had long been established in the hills and mountain ranges south of the Khyber Pass. By the end of the eighteenth century, the Durranis had blanketed the area west and north of Kandahar and were to be found as far east as Quetta, Baluchistan. Aryan is an English language word derived from the Vedas which was written in India. ... Pashto (پښتو; also known as Afghan, Pushto, Pashto, Pashtoe, Pashtu, and Pukhto) is the language spoken by the ethnic Afghan otherwise known as the Pashtun people who inhabit Afghanistan and the Western provinces of Pakistan. ... Flag of Waziristan Waziristan is a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² (4,473 mi²). ... Mahsud is a famous Pashtun tribe, dwell in the very centre of Waziristan being hemmed by in on three sides by the Darwesh Khel Wazirs, and bieng shut off by the Bhittanis on the east from the Derajat and Bannu districts. ... sorry guys it is unavailable and happens to be deleted--212. ... Honorary guard of Mongolia. ... The Shinwari are an ethnic tribe in Afghanistan. ... The Yousafzai or Yusufzai (also Esapzey) (Urdu: یوسف زئی ) are an Afghan tribe. ... Mohmand is one of the strongest[citation needed] Pashtun tribes, living in Afghanistan and western North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan. ... The Kabul River is a river than originates Sanglakh Range of Afghanistan and flows 700km to join the Indus River in Pakistan. ... Peshāwar (Urdu:پیشاور) is the provincial capital of Pakistans North-West Frontier Province. ... The Afridi are a Pashtun tribe. ... , Looking back towards Pakistan, on the Pakistan side of the Khyber Pass The Khyber Pass (also called the Khaiber Pass or Khaybar Pass) (Urdu: درہ خیبر) is the most important pass connecting Pakistan with Afghanistan. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Quetta (کویتہ) is the capital of the province Balochistan in Pakistan. ... The Chief Commissioners Province of Baluchistan was a former province of Pakistan located in the northern parts of modern Balochistan province. ...

Other Durrani rulers (1772-1823)

Ahmad Shah's successors governed so ineptly during a period of profound unrest that within fifty years of his death, the Durrani empire per se was at an end, and Afghanistan was embroiled in civil war. Much of the territory conquered by Ahmad Shah fell to others in this half century. By 1818, the Sadozai rulers who succeeded Ahmad Shah controlled little more than Kabul and the surrounding territory within a 160-kilometer radius. They not only lost the outlying territories but also alienated other tribes and lineages among the Durrani Pashtuns. Ahmad Shah Durrani Ahmad Shah Abdali (c. ... 1818 (MDCCCXVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... The Sadozai are a lineage of the Popalzay clan of the Abdali tribe of the Pashtun. ... A view of the old city Kabul Kabul (, Kâbl, in Persian کابل) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan with a population variously estimated at 2 to 4 million. ... The Pashtuns (also Pushtun, Pakhtun, or ethnic Afghan; in referring to the period of the British Raj or earlier, sometimes Pathan) are an ethnic/religious group of people, living primarily in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India who follow Pashtunwali, their indigenous religion. ...

Timur Shah (1772-1793)

Main article: Timur Shah Durrani

Ahmad Shah was succeeded by his son, Timur Shah, who it will be recollected, had been deputed to administer his fathers conquests in northern India, but had been driven out by the Marathas. Upon Ahmad Shah's death, the Durrani chieftains only reluctantly accepted Timur's accession. Most of his reign was spent fighting a civil war and resisting rebellion; Timur even had to perforce move his capital from Kandahar to Kabul due to insurgency. Timur Shah proved an ineffectual ruler, during whose reign the Durrani empire began to crumble. He is notable for having had 24 sons, several of whom became rulers of the Durrani territories. Timur died in 1793, and was then succeeded by his fifth son Zaman Shah Timur Shah (1748 - 18 May 1793), the second son of Ahmed Shah Abdali and the second of the Durrani Dynasty, was the Shah of Afghanistan from 16 October 1772 until his death. ... Timur Shah (1748 - 18 May 1793), the second son of Ahmad Shah and the second of the Durrani Dynasty, was the King of Afghanistan from 16 October 1772 until his death. ... The Indo-Gangetic Plain is a rich, fertile and ancient land encompassing most of northern and eastern India, the most populous parts of Pakistan, and virtually all of Bangladesh. ... For the 2001 movie by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, see Kandahar (film). ... A view of the old city Kabul Kabul (, Kâbl, in Persian کابل) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan with a population variously estimated at 2 to 4 million. ...

Zaman Shah (1793-1801)

Main article: Zaman Shah Durrani

After the death of Timur Shah, three of his sons, the governors of Kandahar, Herat and Kabul, contended for the succession. Zaman Shah, governor of Kabul, held the field by virtue of being in control of the capital, and became shah at the age of twenty-three. Many of his half-brothers were imprisoned on their arrival in the capital for the purpose, ironically, of electing a new shah. The quarrels among Timur's descendants that threw Afghanistan into turmoil also provided the pretext for the intervention of outside forces. Zaman Shah, (c. ... For the 2001 movie by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, see Kandahar (film). ... Herāt (Persian هرات) is a city in western Afghanistan, in the valley of the Hari Rud river in the province also known as Herat, and was traditionally known for wine. ... A view of the old city Kabul Kabul (, Kâbl, in Persian کابل) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan with a population variously estimated at 2 to 4 million. ... Zaman Shah, the fifth son of Timur Shah was the Shah of Afghanistan from 1793 until 1801. ...

The efforts of the Sadozai heirs of Timur to impose a true monarchy on the truculent Pashtun tribes, and their efforts to rule absolutely and without the advice of the other major Pashtun tribal leaders, were ultimately unsuccessful. The Sikhs became particularly troublesome, and after several unsuccessful efforts to subdue them, Zaman Shah made the mistake of appointing a forceful young Sikh chief, Ranjit Singh, as his governor in the Punjab. That "one-eyed" warrior would later become an implacable enemy of Pashtun rulers in Afghanistan. The Pashtuns (also Pushtun, Pakhtun, ethnic Afghan, or Pathan) are an ethno-linguistic group consisting mainly of eastern Iranian stock living primarily in eastern and southern Afghanistan, and the North West Frontier Province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan. ... A Sikh man wearing a turban The adherents of Sikhism are called Sikhs. ... Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Punjabi: ), also called Sher-e-Punjab (The Lion of the Punjab) (1780-1839) was a Sikh ruler of the Punjab. ...

Zaman's downfall was triggered by his attempts to consolidate power. Although it had been through the support of the Barakzai chief, Painda Khan Barakzai, that he had come to the throne, Zaman soon began to remove prominent Barakzai leaders from positions of power and replace them with men of his own lineage, the Sadozai. This upset the delicate balance of Durrani tribal politics that Ahmad Shah had established and may have prompted Painda Khan and other Durrani chiefs to plot against the shah. Painda Khan and the chiefs of the Nurzai and the Alizai Durrani clans were executed, as was the chief of the Qizilbash clan. Painda Khan's son fled to Iran and pledged the substantial support of his Barakzai followers to a rival claimant to the throne, Zaman's older brother, Mahmud Shah. The clans of the chiefs Zaman had executed joined forces with the rebels, and they took Kandahar without bloodshed. The Sadozai are a lineage of the Popalzay clan of the Abdali tribe of the Pashtun. ... Alizai Pakistan is a village located in the tribal belt near the Afghan border. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Padshah Dur-i-Durran Mahmud Shah, was the ruler of Afghanistan between 1801 and 1803 and again between 1809 and 1818. ...

Mahmud Shah (first stint, 1801-1803)

Main article: Mahmud Shah Durrani

Zeman Shah's overthrow in 1801 was not the end of civil strife in Afghanistan, but the beginning of even greater violence. Mahmud Shah's first reign lasted only for two years before he was replaced by Shuja Shah. Padshah Dur-i-Durran Mahmud Shah, was the ruler of Afghanistan between 1801 and 1803 and again between 1809 and 1818. ... The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... Padshah Dur-i-Durran Mahmud Shah, was the ruler of Afghanistan between 1801 and 1803 and again between 1809 and 1818. ... Shuja Shah (Shoja Shah, Shah Shujah, Shujah al-Mulk) (? - April 1842) was of the Sadozai line of the Abdali group of Pashtun clans. ...

Shuja Shah (1803-1809)

Main article: Shuja Shah Durrani

Yet another of Timur Shah's sons, Shuja Shah, ruled for only six years. On June 7, 1809, Shoja signed a treaty with the British, which included a clause stating that he would oppose the passage of foreign troops through his territories. This agreement, the first Afghan pact with a European power, stipulated joint action in case of Franco-Persian aggression against Afghan or British dominions. Only a few weeks after signing the agreement, Shoja was deposed by his predecessor, Mahmud. Much later, he was reinstated by the British, ruling during 1839-1842. Two of his sons also ruled for a brief peeriod in 1842. Shuja Shah (Shoja Shah, Shah Shujah, Shujah al-Mulk) (? - April 1842) was of the Sadozai line of the Abdali group of Pashtun clans. ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the continent. ... Motto: Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (English: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity) Anthem: La Marseillaise Capital Paris 48°51′ N 2°20′ E Largest city Paris Official language French1 Government  â€¢ President  â€¢ Prime Minister Unitary republic Jacques Chirac Dominique de Villepin Formation 843 (Treaty of Verdun) (5th Republic: 1958) Accession to the EU March 25... Motto: Persian: Esteqlāl, āzādÄ«, jomhÅ«rÄ«-ye eslāmÄ« (English: Independence, freedom, (the) Islamic Republic) Anthem: SorÅ«d-e MellÄ«-e Īrān Capital Tehran Largest city Tehran Official language(s) Persian Government Islamic republic  - Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei  - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Revolution Overthrew Mohammad Reza Pahlavi   - Declared... 1839 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Mahmud Shah (second stint, 1809-1818)

Main article: Mahmud Shah Durrani

Mahmud's second reign lasted nine years. Mahmud alienated the Barakzai, especially Fateh Khan, the son of Painda Khan, who was eventually seized and blinded. Revenge would later be sought and obtained by Fateh Khan's youngest brother, Dost Mahommed Khan. Padshah Dur-i-Durran Mahmud Shah, was the ruler of Afghanistan between 1801 and 1803 and again between 1809 and 1818. ... Dost Mahommed Khan (1793 - June 9, 1863) founded the Barakzai dynasty in Afghanistan. ...

Sultan Ali Shah (1818-1819)

Main article: Ali Shah Durrani

Sultan Ali Shah was another son of Timur Shah. He seized power for a brief period in 1818-19. Sultan Ali Shah was the Shah of Afghanistan from 1818 to 1819. ... Sultan Ali Shah was the ruler of Afghanistan from 1818 to 1819. ... Timur Shah (1748 - 18 May 1793), the second son of Ahmad Shah and the second of the Durrani Dynasty, was the King of Afghanistan from 16 October 1772 until his death. ...

Ayub Shah (1819-1823)

Main article: Ayub Shah Durrani

Ayub Shah was another son of Timur Shah, who deposed Sultan Ali Shah. He was himself deposed and presumably killed in 1823. Ayub Shah, a son of Timur Shah, ruled Afghanistan from 1819 to 1823. ... Ayub Shah, a son of Timur Shah, ruled Afghanistan from 1819 to 1823. ... 1823 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Decline of the Durrani hegemony

From 1818 until Dost Mohammad's ascendancy in 1826, chaos reigned in the domains of Ahmed Shah Durrani's empire as various sons of Painda Khan struggled for supremacy. Afghanistan ceased to exist as a single nation, disintegrating for a brief time into a fragmented collection of small units. Ahmad Shah Durrani Ahmad Shah Abdali (c. ...

External links

• Brief biography of Ahmed Shah Abdali
• Detailed genealogy of the Durrani dynasty