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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: Bala Hissar ; (18th century – 1880); Arg-e-Shahi ; (19th century – 1973);
Appointer	Hereditary
Monarchy started	{{{began}}}
Monarchy ended	{{{ended}}}
Current pretender	Ahmad Shah Khan, Crown Prince of Afghanistan

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

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

Monarchs

Hotak Empire (1709–1738)

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family
Mirwais Hotak Mirwais the father	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
Ahmad Shah Durrani the Father of the Nation	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
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 the Victor of Maiwand the Afghan Prince Charlie	1857 – 7 April 1914	12 October 1879	31 May 1880 (deposed)	Son of Sher Ali Khan	Barakzai
Abdur Rahman Khan the Iron Amir	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
Habibullāh Kalakāni Bacha-ye Saqao	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 the Father of the Nation (from 2004) ^{[note 5]}	15 October 1914 – 23 July 2007	8 November 1933	17 July 1973 (deposed)	Son of Mohammed Nadir Shah	Barakzai

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.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family
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

Name		Portrait	Lifespan	Term of office			Political party
Name		Portrait	Lifespan	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party
Republic of Afghanistan (1973–1978)
	Mohammed Daoud Khan		1909–1978	17 July 1973	28 April 1978	4 years, 285 days	Independent (until 1976)
				17 July 1973	28 April 1978	4 years, 285 days	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)
	Colonel Abdul Qadir		1944–2014	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)
	Nur Muhammad Taraki		1917–1979	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)
	Hafizullah Amin		1929–1979	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)
	Babrak Karmal		1929–1996	Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council; Dismissed
	Haji Mohammad Chamkani		1947–2012	24 November 1986	30 September 1987	310 days	Independent
	Haji Mohammad Chamkani		1947–2012	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)
				30 September 1987	16 April 1992	4 years, 199 days	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
	Abdul Rahim Hatif		1926–2013	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
	Sibghatullah Mojaddedi		1926–2019	Acting President; Resigned
	Burhanuddin Rabbani		1940–2011	28 June 1992	22 December 2001	9 years, 167 days	Jamiat-e Islami
	Burhanuddin Rabbani		1940–2011	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
	Hamid Karzai		born 1957	Acting President
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)
	Mullah Mohammed Omar		1960–2013	27 September 1996	13 November 2001	5 years, 47 days	Taliban
	Mullah Mohammed Omar		1960–2013	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
	Mullah Mohammad Rabbani		1955–2001	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
	Mawlawi Abdul Kabir		born 1958	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
	Hamid Karzai		born 1957	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
	Hamid Karzai		born 1957	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
	Ashraf Ghani		born 1949	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, 151 days	Basej-e Milli
	Amrullah Saleh		born 1972	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, 153 days	Taliban
	Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada		born 1961	Emir and Commander of the Faithful; The Islamic Emirate is currently not internationally recognized, despite controlling the majority of Afghan territory

References

↑ 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.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)