List of heads of state of Afghanistan
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This article lists the heads of state of Afghanistan since the foundation of the first Afghan state, the Hotak Empire, in 1709.
The Hotak Empire was formed after a successful uprising led by Mirwais Hotak and other Afghan tribal chiefs from Kandahar against Mughal and Persian rule.[1][2][3]
After a long series of wars, the Hotak Empire was eventually replaced by the Durrani Afghan Empire that was founded by Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747.[4][5]
After the collapse of the Durrani Empire in 1823, the Barakzai dynasty founded the Emirate of Afghanistan (transformed into the Kingdom of Afghanistan in 1926) and ruled Afghanistan until 1973, when the last King Mohammed Zahir Shah was deposed in a coup d'état, led by his first cousin Mohammed Daoud Khan. Daoud then established the Republic of Afghanistan, which lasted until the Saur Revolution in 1978.
Since 1978, Afghanistan has been in a state of continuous internal warfare and foreign interventions.
The former president Hamid Karzai became the first ever democratically elected head of state of Afghanistan on 7 December 2004. The current president is Ashraf Ghani, since 29 September 2014.
List of heads of state
(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
Royal heads of state
Name | Birth–Death | Reign start | Reign end | Dynasty | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hotak Empire (1709–1738) | |||||
Mirwais Hotak | 1673–1715 | 1709 | 1715 | Hotak | |
Emir | |||||
Abdul Aziz Hotak | Died 1717 | 1715 | 1717 | Hotak | |
Emir; Brother of Mirwais Hotak | |||||
Mahmud Hotak | 1697–1725 | 1717 | 22 April 1725 | Hotak | |
Emir; Son of Mirwais Hotak | |||||
Ashraf Hotak | Died 1730 | 22 April 1725 | 1730 | Hotak | |
Emir; Nephew of Mirwais Hotak | |||||
Hussain Hotak | Died 1738 | 22 April 1725 | 24 March 1738 | Hotak | |
Emir; Nephew of Mirwais Hotak | |||||
Durrani Empire (1747–1823) | |||||
Ahmad Shah Durrani | 1722–1772 | October 1747 | 16 October 1772 | Durrani | |
Emir | |||||
Timur Shah Durrani | 1748–1793 | 16 October 1772 | 18 May 1793 | Durrani | |
Emir; Son of Ahmad Shah Durrani | |||||
Zaman Shah Durrani | 1770–1844 | 18 May 1793 | 25 July 1801 | Durrani | |
Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; Deposed | |||||
Mahmud Shah Durrani | 1769–1829 | 25 July 1801 | 13 July 1803 | Durrani | |
Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; First Reign; Deposed | |||||
Shuja Shah Durrani | 1785–1842 | 13 July 1803 | 3 May 1809 | Durrani | |
Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; First Reign; Deposed | |||||
Mahmud Shah Durrani | 1769–1829 | 3 May 1809 | 1818 | Durrani | |
Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; Second Reign; Deposed | |||||
Ali Shah Durrani | 1818 | 1819 | Durrani | ||
Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; Deposed | |||||
Ayub Shah Durrani | Died 1837 | 1819 | 1823 | Durrani | |
Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; Deposed | |||||
Emirate of Afghanistan (1823–1926) | |||||
Dost Mohammad Khan | 1793–1863 | 1823 | 2 August 1839 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Sardar Payendah Khan; First Reign; Exiled | |||||
Shuja Shah Durrani | 1785–1842 | 7 August 1839 | 5 April 1842 | Durrani | |
Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; Second Reign; Assassinated | |||||
Wazir Akbar Khan | 1816–1845 | 5 April 1842 | 1845 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Dost Mohammad Khan | |||||
Dost Mohammad Khan | 1793–1863 | 1845 | 9 June 1863 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Sardar Payendah Khan; Second Reign | |||||
Sher Ali Khan | 1825–1879 | 9 June 1863 | 1865 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Dost Mohammad Khan; First Reign; Deposed | |||||
Mohammad Afzal Khan | 1811–1867 | 1865 | 7 October 1867 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Dost Mohammad Khan | |||||
Mohammad Azam Khan | Died 1868 | 7 October 1867 | 21 February 1868 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Dost Mohammad Khan | |||||
Sher Ali Khan | 1825–1879 | 7 October 1868 | 21 February 1879 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Dost Mohammad Khan; Second Reign | |||||
Ayub Khan | 1857–1914 | 12 October 1879 | 31 May 1880 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Sher Ali Khan; Deposed | |||||
Abdur Rahman Khan | 1840/1844–1901 | 31 May 1880 | 1 October 1901 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Mohammad Afzal Khan | |||||
Habibullah Khan | 1872–1919 | 1 October 1901 | 20 February 1919 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Abdur Rahman Khan; Assassinated | |||||
Nasrullah Khan | 1874–1920 | 20 February 1919 | 28 February 1919 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Abdur Rahman Khan; Deposed | |||||
Amanullah Khan | 1892–1960 | 28 February 1919 | 9 June 1926 | Barakzai | |
Emir; Son of Habibullah Khan | |||||
Kingdom of Afghanistan (1926–1973) | |||||
Amanullah Khan | 1892–1960 | 9 June 1926 | 14 January 1929 | Barakzai | |
King; Son of Habibullah Khan; Deposed | |||||
Inayatullah Khan | 1888–1946 | 14 January 1929 | 17 January 1929 | Barakzai | |
King; Son of Habibullah Khan; Deposed | |||||
Habibullāh Kalakāni | 1891–1929 | 17 January 1929 | 16 October 1929 | Non-Dynastic | |
King; Deposed | |||||
Mohammed Nadir Shah | 1883–1933 | 16 October 1929 | 8 November 1933 | Barakzai | |
King; Grandnephew of Dost Mohammed Khan; Assassinated | |||||
Mohammed Zahir Shah | 1914–2007 | 8 November 1933 | 17 July 1973 | Barakzai | |
King; Son of Mohammed Nadir Shah; Deposed |
Non-Royal heads of state
Name | Birth–Death | Took office | Left office | Political Affiliation | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republic of Afghanistan (1973–1978) | ||||||
Mohammed Daoud Khan | 1909–1978 | 17 July 1973 | 28 April 1978 | Independent (until 1976) | ||
National Revolutionary Party | ||||||
President; Member of the Barakzai dynasty (first cousin of Mohammed Zahir Shah); Assassinated | ||||||
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978–1987) | ||||||
Abdul Qadir | 1944–2014 | 28 April 1978 | 30 April 1978 | 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 | People's Democratic Party (Khalq faction) | ||
Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council; Assassinated | ||||||
Hafizullah Amin | 1929–1979 | 14 September 1979 | 27 December 1979 | People's Democratic Party (Khalq faction) | ||
Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council; Assassinated | ||||||
Babrak Karmal | 1929–1996 | 27 December 1979 | 24 November 1986 | 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 | Independent | ||
Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council | ||||||
Mohammad Najibullah | 1947–1996 | 30 September 1987 | 30 November 1987 | People's Democratic Party (Parcham faction) | ||
Chairman of the Presidium of the Revolutionary Council | ||||||
Republic of Afghanistan (1987–1992) | ||||||
Mohammad Najibullah | 1947–1996 | 30 November 1987 | 16 April 1992 | People's Democratic Party (Parcham faction) (until 1990) | ||
Homeland Party | ||||||
President; Resigned | ||||||
Abdul Rahim Hatif | 1926–2013 | 16 April 1992 | 28 April 1992 | Homeland Party | ||
Acting President; Deposed | ||||||
Islamic State of Afghanistan (1992–2002) | ||||||
Sibghatullah Mojaddedi | 1925– | 28 April 1992 | 28 June 1992 | National Liberation Front | ||
Acting President; Resigned | ||||||
Burhanuddin Rabbani | 1940–2011 | 28 June 1992 | 22 December 2001 | 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 | 1957– | 22 December 2001 | 13 July 2002 | Independent | ||
Acting President | ||||||
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001) | ||||||
Mohammad Rabbani | 1956–2001 | 27 September 1996 | 13 April 2001 | Taliban | ||
Head of the Supreme Council; Deputy leader of the Taliban; The Islamic Emirate never attained widespread international recognition, despite controlling about 90% of Afghan territory; Died in office | ||||||
Abdul Kabir | 1958/1963– | 16 April 2001 | 13 November 2001 | Taliban | ||
Acting Head of the Supreme Council; Deposed | ||||||
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (2002–2004) | ||||||
Hamid Karzai | 1957– | 13 July 2002 | 7 December 2004 | Independent | ||
Transitional President | ||||||
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004–present) | ||||||
Hamid Karzai | 1957– | 7 December 2004 | 29 September 2014 | Independent | ||
President; First democratically elected head of state | ||||||
Ashraf Ghani | 1949– | 29 September 2014 | Incumbent | Independent | ||
President; First peaceful transfer of power |
Taliban Supreme Leader
Name | Birth–Death | Took office | Left office | Political Affiliation | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001) | ||||||
Mohammed Omar | 1950/1962–2013 | 27 September 1996 | 13 November 2001 | Taliban | ||
Emir and Commander of the Faithful; The Islamic Emirate never attained widespread international recognition, despite controlling about 90% of Afghan territory; Deposed | ||||||
Standards of heads of state
- Standard of the King of Afghanistan, 1931–1973.
- Standard of the President of Afghanistan, 2004–present.
See also
- President of Afghanistan
- Prime Minister of Afghanistan
- Chief Executive Officer (Afghanistan)
- Name of Afghanistan
- History of Afghanistan
- List of Pashtun empires and dynasties
References
- ↑ "An Outline Of The History Of Persia During The Last Two Centuries (A.D. 1722-1922)". Edward Granville Browne. London: Packard Humanities Institute. p. 29. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
- ↑ Otfinoski, Steven (2004). Afghanistan. Infobase Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 0-8160-5056-2. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
- ↑ Malleson, George Bruce (1878). History of Afghanistan, from the Earliest Period to the Outbreak of the War of 1878. London: Elibron.com. p. 227. ISBN 1-4021-7278-8. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
- ↑ "Afghanistan". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747.
- ↑ "Last Afghan empire". Louis Dupree, Nancy Hatch Dupree and others. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Version. Retrieved 2010-09-24.