Name of Afghanistan - Last Afghan Empire

Last Afghan Empire

Regarding the modern state of Afghanistan, Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Iranica, and many others explain that the political history of Afghanistan begins in 1709 with the rise of the Hotaki dynasty, which was established by Mir Wais Hotak who is regarded as "Mirwais Neeka" ("Mirwais the grandfather").

"The modern Afghan kingdom begins with the rise to supremacy first of the Ghalzais and shortly afterwards of the Durranis under Ahmed Shah." —M. T. Houtsma

The Encyclopaedia of Islam states:

"The country now known as Afghanistan has borne that name only since the middle of the 18th century, when the supremacy of the Afghan race became assured: previously various districts bore distinct apellations, but the country was not a definite political unit, and its component parts were not bound together by any identity of race or language. The earlier meaning of the word was simply "the land of the Afghans", a limited territory which did not include many parts of the present state but did comprise large districts now either independent or within the boundary of British India (Pakistan)." —M. T. Houtsma

Afghanistan's first diplomatic foreign relations were established in 1801 with Great Britain and Fat′h-Ali Shah Qajar, ruler of the Qajar dynasty of neighboring Persia. According to one historian or book writer, "the name Afghanistan is mentioned since 1801 in the Anglo-Persian peace treaty for the first time officially."