List of heads of state of Afghanistan

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 it into the Kingdom of Afghanistan in 1926, and ruled the country until the last King Mohammed Zahir Shah was deposed in the 1973 coup d'état, led by his first cousin Mohammed Daoud Khan. Despite being part of the Barakzai dynasty, Daoud Khan departed from tradition and did not proclaim himself Shah, instead abolished the monarchy and established the Republic of Afghanistan, with himself as President.[6][7] The Republic lasted until the Saur Revolution in 1978.

Since 1978, Afghanistan has been in a state of continuous internal conflict 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)

Monarchs

Name	Portrait	Lifespan	Reign			Dynasty
Name	Portrait	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Duration	Dynasty
Hotak Empire (1709–1738)
Mirwais Hotak		1673–1715	1709	1715	5–6 years	Hotak
Mirwais Hotak		1673–1715	Emir
Abdul Aziz Hotak		Died 1717	1715	1717	1–2 years	Hotak
Abdul Aziz Hotak		Died 1717	Emir; Brother of Mirwais Hotak
Mahmud Hotak		1697–1725	1717	22 April 1725	7–8 years	Hotak
Mahmud Hotak		1697–1725	Emir; Son of Mirwais Hotak
Ashraf Hotak		Died 1730	22 April 1725	1730	4–5 years	Hotak
Ashraf Hotak		Died 1730	Emir; Nephew of Mirwais Hotak
Hussain Hotak		Died 1738	1730	24 March 1738	7–8 years	Hotak
Hussain Hotak		Died 1738	Emir; Son of Mirwais Hotak
Afsharid Empire (1738–1747)
Nader Shah		1688–1747	24 March 1738	19 June 1747	9 years, 78 days	Afsharid
Nader Shah		1688–1747	Emir
Durrani Empire (1747–1823)
Ahmad Shah Durrani		1722–1772	October 1747	4 June 1772	24 years, 247 days	Durrani
Ahmad Shah Durrani		1722–1772	Emir
Timur Shah Durrani		1748–1793	4 June 1772	18 May 1793	20 years, 348 days	Durrani
Timur Shah Durrani		1748–1793	Emir; Son of Ahmad Shah Durrani
Zaman Shah Durrani		1770–1844	18 May 1793	25 July 1801	8 years, 68 days	Durrani
Zaman Shah Durrani		1770–1844	Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; Deposed
Mahmud Shah Durrani		1769–1829	25 July 1801	13 July 1803	1 year, 353 days	Durrani
Mahmud Shah Durrani		1769–1829	Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; First Reign; Deposed
Shah Shujah Durrani		1785–1842	13 July 1803	3 May 1809	5 years, 294 days	Durrani
Shah Shujah Durrani		1785–1842	Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; First Reign; Deposed
Mahmud Shah Durrani		1769–1829	3 May 1809	1818	8–9 years	Durrani
Mahmud Shah Durrani		1769–1829	Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; Second Reign; Deposed
Ali Shah Durrani			1818	1819	0–1 years	Durrani
Ali Shah Durrani			Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; Deposed
Ayub Shah Durrani		Died 1837	1819	1823	3–4 years	Durrani
Ayub Shah Durrani		Died 1837	Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; Deposed
Emirate of Afghanistan (1823–1926)
Dost Mohammad Khan		1793–1863	1823	2 August 1839	15–16 years	Barakzai
Dost Mohammad Khan		1793–1863	Emir; Son of Sardar Payenda Khan; First Reign; Exiled
Shah Shujah Durrani		1785–1842	7 August 1839	5 April 1842	2 years, 241 days	Durrani
Shah Shujah Durrani		1785–1842	Emir; Son of Timur Shah Durrani; Second Reign; Assassinated following the 1842 retreat from Kabul
Wazir Akbar Khan		1816–1845	5 April 1842	1845	2–3 years	Barakzai
Wazir Akbar Khan		1816–1845	Emir; Son of Dost Mohammad Khan
Dost Mohammad Khan		1793–1863	1845	9 June 1863	17–18 years	Barakzai
Dost Mohammad Khan		1793–1863	Emir; Son of Sardar Payenda Khan; Second Reign
Sher Ali Khan		1825–1879	9 June 1863	1865	1–2 years	Barakzai
Sher Ali Khan		1825–1879	Emir; Son of Dost Mohammad Khan; First Reign; Deposed
Mohammad Afzal Khan		1811–1867	1865	7 October 1867	1–2 years	Barakzai
Mohammad Afzal Khan		1811–1867	Emir; Son of Dost Mohammad Khan
Mohammad Azam Khan		Died 1868	7 October 1867	21 February 1868	137 days	Barakzai
Mohammad Azam Khan		Died 1868	Emir; Son of Dost Mohammad Khan
Sher Ali Khan		1825–1879	7 October 1868	21 February 1879	10 years, 137 days	Barakzai
Sher Ali Khan		1825–1879	Emir; Son of Dost Mohammad Khan; Second Reign
Mohammad Yaqub Khan		1849–1923	21 February 1879	12 October 1879	233 days	Barakzai
Mohammad Yaqub Khan		1849–1923	Emir; Son of Sher Ali Khan
Ayub Khan		1857–1914	12 October 1879	31 May 1880	232 days	Barakzai
Ayub Khan		1857–1914	Emir; Son of Sher Ali Khan; Deposed
Abdur Rahman Khan		1840/1844–1901	31 May 1880	1 October 1901	21 years, 123 days	Barakzai
Abdur Rahman Khan		1840/1844–1901	Emir; Son of Mohammad Afzal Khan
Habibullah Khan		1872–1919	1 October 1901	20 February 1919	17 years, 142 days	Barakzai
Habibullah Khan		1872–1919	Emir; Son of Abdur Rahman Khan; Assassinated
Nasrullah Khan		1874–1920	21 February 1919	28 February 1919	7 days	Barakzai
Nasrullah Khan		1874–1920	Emir; Son of Abdur Rahman Khan; Deposed
Amanullah Khan		1892–1960	28 February 1919	9 June 1926	7 years, 101 days	Barakzai
Amanullah Khan		1892–1960	Emir; Son of Habibullah Khan
Kingdom of Afghanistan (1926–1973)
Amanullah Khan		1892–1960	9 June 1926	14 January 1929	2 years, 219 days	Barakzai
Amanullah Khan		1892–1960	King; Son of Habibullah Khan; Deposed
Inayatullah Khan		1888–1946	14 January 1929	17 January 1929	3 days	Barakzai
Inayatullah Khan		1888–1946	King; Son of Habibullah Khan; Abdicated
Emirate of Afghanistan (1929)
Habibullāh Kalakāni		1891–1929	17 January 1929 [note 1]	13 October 1929	269 days	Non-Dynastic
Habibullāh Kalakāni		1891–1929	King and Emir [note 2]; Contested the throne during the 1928–29 civil war; Deposed and executed
Ali Ahmad Khan		1883–1929	17 January 1929	9 February 1929	23 days	Non-Dynastic
Ali Ahmad Khan		1883–1929	King; Rose in opposition to Kalakāni during the 1928–29 civil war; Captured and executed
Amanullah Khan		1892–1960	March 1929	23 May 1929	83 days	Barakzai
Amanullah Khan		1892–1960	King, Returned to Afghanistan to contest the throne during the 1928–29 civil war; Eventually retreated back into British India.
Kingdom of Afghanistan (1926–1973)
Mohammed Nadir Shah		1883–1933	15 October 1929	8 November 1933	4 years, 24 days	Barakzai
Mohammed Nadir Shah		1883–1933	King; Grandnephew of Dost Mohammed Khan; Assassinated by Abdul Khaliq Hazara
Mohammed Zahir Shah		1914–2007	8 November 1933	17 July 1973	39 years, 251 days	Barakzai
Mohammed Zahir Shah		1914–2007	King; Son of Mohammed Nadir Shah; Deposed

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			Dynasty
Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Duration	Dynasty
Jehandad Khan	Died 1914	May 1912		c. 1 month	Non-dynastic
Jehandad Khan	Died 1914	Emir; Ruled only in Khost during the 1912 rebellion.
Abd-al Karim	1897–1927	July 1924	30 January 1925	213 days	Barakzai
Abd-al Karim	1897–1927	Emir; Son of Mohammad Yaqub Khan, rule limited to the Southern Province during the 1924–1925 rebellion.
Salemai	Unknown	c. 1944	c. 1946	c. 2 years	Non-dynastic
Salemai	Unknown	King; rule limited to the Eastern Province during the 1944–47 tribal revolts.

Non-monarchs

No	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party
No	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	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
Democratic (Communist) 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
		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
		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 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 (1925–2019)	28 April 1992	28 June 1992	61 days	National Liberation Front
		Sibghatullah Mojaddedi (1925–2019)	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 (1957–)	22 December 2001	13 July 2002	203 days	Independent
		Hamid Karzai (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)	Deputy Head of the Supreme Council; Prime Minister; Deputy leader of the Taliban; Died in office
		Maulavi Abdul Kabir (1958/1963–)	16 April 2001	13 November 2001	211 days	Taliban
		Maulavi Abdul Kabir (1958/1963–)	Acting Deputy Head of the Supreme Council; Acting Prime Minister; Deposed
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (2002–2004)
		Hamid Karzai (1957–)	13 July 2002	7 December 2004	2 years, 147 days	Independent
		Hamid Karzai (1957–)	Transitional President
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004–present)
		Hamid Karzai (1957–)	7 December 2004	29 September 2014	9 years, 296 days	Independent
		Hamid Karzai (1957–)	President; First democratically elected head of state
		Ashraf Ghani (1949–)	29 September 2014	Incumbent	5 years, 261 days	Independent
		Ashraf Ghani (1949–)	President; First peaceful transfer of power

Standards of heads of state

Standard of the King of Afghanistan, 1931–1973.
Standard of the President of Afghanistan, 2004–2013.
Standard of the President of Afghanistan, 2013–present.

Notes

Most sources list 17 January 1929, the day that Kalakani captured Kabul, as the date that his reign began.[8][9] However, he had been formally claiming the title of emir since 14 December 1928.[10]
Kalakani referred to himself as both "King"[11] and "Emir".[12]

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.
"Afghan King Overthrown; A Republic Is Proclaimed". The New York Times. July 18, 1973. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
Barfield, Thomas (March 25, 2012). Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History (Princeton Studies in Muslim Politics). Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691154411.
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. 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.

External links

Presidency of Afghanistan

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[14dec1928-11] Most sources list 17 January 1929, the day that Kalakani captured Kabul, as the date that his reign began.[8][9] However, he had been formally claiming the title of emir since 14 December 1928.[10]

[rulerofafghanistan-14] Kalakani referred to himself as both "King"[11] and "Emir".[12]

[1] "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-2] Otfinoski, Steven (2004). Afghanistan. Infobase Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 0-8160-5056-2. Retrieved 2010-09-27.

[3] 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.

[4] "Afghanistan". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 2010-10-23. Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747.

[5] "Last Afghan empire". Louis Dupree, Nancy Hatch Dupree and others. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Version. Retrieved 2010-09-24.

[NYT-6] "Afghan King Overthrown; A Republic Is Proclaimed". The New York Times. July 18, 1973. Retrieved May 3, 2020.

[7] Barfield, Thomas (March 25, 2012). Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History (Princeton Studies in Muslim Politics). Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691154411.

[8] Qassem, Dr Ahmad Shayeq (2013-03-28). Afghanistan's Political Stability: A Dream Unrealised. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 175. ISBN 9781409499428.

[9] Wazir, Azmatullah Khan (2002). The immediate solution of Afghan crisis. A.K. Wazir. p. 8.

[10] Muḥammad, Fayz̤; McChesney, R. D. (1999). Kabul under siege: Fayz Muhammad's account of the 1929 Uprising. Markus Wiener Publishers. p. 37. ISBN 9781558761544.

[:4-12] "ExecutedToday.com » 1929: Habibullah Kalakani, Tajik bandit-king". 1 November 2016. Retrieved 2019-11-14.

[:1-13] 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.

Monarchs of Afghanistan
Hotak dynasty	Mirwais Hotak Abdul Aziz Hotak Mahmud Hotak Ashraf Hotak Hussain Hotak
Afsharid dynasty	Nader Shah
Durrani dynasty	Ahmad Shah Durrani Timur Shah Durrani Zaman Shah Durrani Mahmud Shah Durrani Shah Shujah Durrani Ali Shah Durrani Ayub Shah Durrani
Emirate (Barakzai dynasty)	Dost Mohammad Khan Akbar Khan Sher Ali Khan Mohammad Afzal Khan Mohammad Azam Khan Mohammad Yaqub Khan Ayub Khan Abdur Rahman Khan Habibullah Khan Nasrullah Khan
Kingdom	Amanullah Khan Inayatullah Khan Habibullah Kalakani Mohammed Nadir Shah Mohammed Zahir Shah

Presidents of Afghanistan
Republic	Mohammed Daoud Khan
Democratic Republic	Nur Muhammad Taraki Hafizullah Amin Babrak Karmal Haji Mohammad Chamkani (acting) Mohammad Najibullah Abdul Rahim Hatif (acting)
Islamic State	Sibghatullah Mojaddedi (acting) Burhanuddin Rabbani Hamid Karzai (acting)
Islamic Emirate (de facto)	Mohammed Omar (leader) Mohammad Rabbani (deputy leader) Abdul Kabir (acting deputy leader)
Transitional Islamic State	Hamid Karzai
Islamic Republic	Hamid Karzai Ashraf Ghani