List of Monarchs of Afghanistan

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-i-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.