List of heads of state of Afghanistan facts for kids

This article tells you about the leaders of Afghanistan since its first modern state, the Hotak Empire, began in 1709. These leaders are called 'heads of state' and they guide the country.

History of Afghanistan's Leaders

The Hotak Empire started when Mirwais Hotak and other Afghan tribal leaders successfully rebelled. They fought against the Mughal and Persian rulers in the Kandahar area.

After many wars, the Hotak Empire was replaced by the Durrani Afghan Empire. This new empire was founded by Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747.

Changes in Leadership: From Empires to Republics

The Durrani Empire ended in 1823. Then, the Barakzai dynasty took over and created the Emirate of Kabul. This was later known as the Emirate of Afghanistan. The Durrani family briefly returned to power in 1839 during the First Anglo-Afghan War. Shah Shujah Durrani became king again with help from the British. But he was killed in 1842 after the British left Kabul.

The Barakzai dynasty then regained control. They changed the Emirate into the Kingdom of Afghanistan in 1926. They ruled until the last king, Mohammad Zahir Shah, was removed in 1973. His cousin, Mohammad Daoud Khan, led a coup. Daoud Khan was also from the Barakzai family, but he decided not to be king. Instead, he ended the monarchy and started the Republic of Afghanistan. He became its first President. The Republic lasted until 1978, when the PDPA took power in the Saur Revolution.

Since 1978, Afghanistan has faced many challenges. There have been ongoing internal conflicts and times when other countries got involved.

Modern Leaders and Recent Changes

Hamid Karzai became Afghanistan's first democratically elected head of state. He was chosen by the people on December 7, 2004. His successor, Ashraf Ghani, was president from September 29, 2014, until August 15, 2021. Ghani left the country when Kabul fell to the Taliban during their 2021 offensive.

After taking Kabul, the Taliban brought back the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Their supreme leader since 2016, Hibatullah Akhundzada, became the country's de facto (in practice) head of state.

List of Heads of State

(Dates in italic mean the person continued in their role even if the government changed slightly.)

Monarchs of Afghanistan

Quick facts for kids Monarch of Afghanistan
د افغانستان پاچا  (Pashto) پادشاه افغانستان  (Dari)
Royal Standard (1931–1973)
Last to reign: Mohammad Zahir Shah 8 November 1933 – 17 July 1973
Details
Style	His Majesty
First monarch	Mirwais Hotak (Emir)
Last monarch	Mohammad Zahir Shah (King)
Formation	1709
Abolition	17 July 1973
Residence	Kabul: Bala Hissar (18th century – 1880) Arg-e-Shahi (19th century – 1973)
Appointer	Hereditary
Pretender(s)	Prince Muhammad Zahir Khan

Hotak Empire (1709–1738)

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Mirwais Hotak Mirwais the Grandfather	1673–1715	1709	1715	Started the Hotak dynasty in Kandahar.	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. Removed from power by Nader Shah.	Hotak

Durrani Empire (1747–1823)

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Ahmad Shah Durrani the Father of the Nation	1720/1722 – 4 June 1772	June 1747	4 June 1772	Founded the Durrani dynasty and the Durrani Empire. He is seen as the founder of modern Afghanistan.	Sadozai (Durrani)
Timur Shah Durrani	December 1746 – 20 May 1793	November 1772	20 May 1793	Son of Ahmad Shah Durrani. He kept the empire strong after his father's death.	Durrani
Zaman Shah Durrani	1770–1844	20 May 1793	25 July 1801 (deposed)	Son of Timur Shah Durrani. Fought his brothers for power and was later removed.	Durrani
Mahmud Shah Durrani (1st reign) Shah Mahmud	1769 – 18 April 1829	25 July 1801	13 July 1803 (deposed)	Son of Timur Shah Durrani. Fought his brothers for power and was later removed.	Durrani
Shah Shujah Durrani (1st reign) Inayat-i-llahi, Shuja ul-Mulk, Muhammad Bahadur	4 November 1785 – 5 April 1842	13 July 1803	3 May 1809 (deposed)	Son of Timur Shah Durrani. Fought his brothers for power and was later removed.	Durrani
Mahmud Shah Durrani (2nd reign) Shah Mahmud	1769 – 18 April 1829	3 May 1809	1818 (deposed)	Son of Timur Shah Durrani. Was sent away to Herat after being removed from power a second time.	Durrani
Ali Shah Durrani	Died 1818/1819	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 Kabul / Emirate of Afghanistan (1823–1926)

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Sultan Mohammad Khan Mohammad Khan Telai	1792–1834	1823	1826 (deposed)	First ruler of the Barakzai dynasty. Brother of Dost Mohammad Khan.	Barakzai
Dost Mohammad Khan (1st reign) Amir al-Mu'minin, Amir-i Kabir	23 December 1792 – 9 June 1863	Summer 1826	6 August 1839 (deposed)	Tried to unite Afghanistan after civil wars. His rule was challenged by Shah Shujah Durrani.	Barakzai
Shah Shujah Durrani (2nd reign) Inayat-i-llahi, Shuja ul-Mulk, Muhammad Bahadur	4 November 1785 – 5 April 1842	7 August 1839	5 April 1842	Returned to the throne with British help. Killed after the British left Kabul.	Durrani
Akbar Khan Amīr Akbar Khān, Mohammad Akbar Khān	1816–1847	May 1842	1843	Son of Dost Mohammad Khan.	Barakzai
Dost Mohammad Khan (2nd reign) Amir al-Mu'minin, Amir-i Kabir	23 December 1792 – 9 June 1863	1843	9 June 1863	Returned to power after the British and Shah Shuja were defeated. He helped unite the country.	Barakzai
Sher Ali Khan (1st reign)	1825 – 21 February 1879	9 June 1863	May 1866 (deposed)	Son of Dost Mohammad Khan.	Barakzai
Mohammad Afzal Khan	1815 – 7 October 1867	May 1866	7 October 1867	Son of Dost Mohammad Khan.	Barakzai
Mohammad Azam Khan	1820–1870	7 October 1867	21 August 1868	Son of Dost Mohammad Khan.	Barakzai
Sher Ali Khan (2nd reign)	1825 – 21 February 1879	9 September 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. Removed from power during the Second Anglo-Afghan War.	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. Lost the Battle of Kandahar and was sent away.	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. He gave up his throne.	Barakzai
Inayatullah Khan	20 October 1888 – 12 August 1946	14 January 1929	17 January 1929 (deposed)	Son of Habibullah Khan. Removed from power.	Barakzai

Saqqawist Emirate and the 1928–1929 civil war

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Habibullāh Kalakāni Bacha-ye Saqao	19 January 1891 – 3 November 1929	17 January 1929	13 October 1929	Called himself king and emir. Fought for the throne during the civil war. He was removed and executed.	Non-dynastic
Ali Ahmad Khan	1883 – 11 July 1929	17 January 1929	9 February 1929	Grandson of Dost Mohammad Khan (on his mother's side). Called himself King. He opposed Kalakāni during the civil war. He was captured and executed.	Barakzai
Amanullah Khan	1 June 1892 – 25 April 1960	March 1929	23 May 1929	Former King. He returned to Afghanistan to fight for the throne during the civil war. He later went back to British India.	Barakzai

Kingdom of Afghanistan (restored; 1929–1973)

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Mohammad Nadir Shah	9 April 1883 – 8 November 1933	15 October 1929	8 November 1933	Great-nephew of Dost Mohammed Khan. He was assassinated.	Barakzai
Mohammad Zahir Shah the Father of the Nation (from 2004)	15 October 1914 – 23 July 2007	8 November 1933	17 July 1973 (deposed)	Son of Mohammad Nadir Shah. He was removed from power by his cousin Mohammad Daoud Khan.	Barakzai

Local Monarchs with Limited Rule

Some rulers tried to claim the throne during conflicts in Afghanistan. However, their power was only in certain areas.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Jehandad Khan	Died 1914	May 1912	May 1912 (deposed)	Called himself Emir. He ruled only in Khost during a rebellion.	Non-dynastic
Abd-al Karim	1897 – 18 February 1927	July 1924	30 January 1925 (deposed)	Son of Mohammad Yaqub Khan. Called himself Emir. His rule was limited to the Southern Province during a rebellion.	Barakzai
Salemai		c. 1944	c. 1946 (deposed)	Called himself King. His rule was limited to the Eastern Province during tribal revolts.	Non-dynastic

Non-Monarch Leaders

Name		Portrait	Lifespan	Time in Office			Political Group
				Started	Ended	Length of Time
Republic of Afghanistan (1973–1978)
	Mohammad Daoud Khan		1909–1978	17 July 1973	28 April 1978	4 years, 285 days	Independent (until 1974)
							National Revolutionary Party
				President. He was a cousin of King Mohammad Zahir Shah. He was killed during the Saur Revolution.
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)
				Leader 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)
				Leader of the Revolutionary Council. He was killed by orders of Hafizullah Amin.
	Hafizullah Amin		1929–1979	14 September 1979	27 December 1979	104 days	People's Democratic Party (Khalq faction)
				Leader of the Revolutionary Council. He was killed by Soviet special forces.
	Babrak Karmal		1929–1996	27 December 1979	24 November 1986	6 years, 332 days	People's Democratic Party (Parcham faction)
				Leader of the Revolutionary Council. He was removed from his position.
	Haji Mohammad Chamkani		1947–2012	24 November 1986	30 September 1987	310 days	Independent
				Leader of the Revolutionary Council. He was appointed as part of a peace process.
	Mohammad Najibullah		1947–1996	30 September 1987	16 April 1992	4 years, 199 days	People's Democratic Party (Parcham faction) (until 1990)
							Homeland Party
				President. He resigned from his position.
	Abdul Rahim Hatif		1926–2013	16 April 1992	28 April 1992	12 days	Homeland Party
				Acting President. He was removed from power.
Islamic State of Afghanistan (1992–2002)
	Sibghatullah Mojaddedi		1926–2019	28 April 1992	28 June 1992	61 days	National Liberation Front of Afghanistan
				Acting President. He resigned.
	Burhanuddin Rabbani		1940–2011	28 June 1992	22 December 2001	9 years, 177 days	Jamiat-e Islami
				President. He left Kabul when the Taliban took over in 1996. He continued to be president in areas controlled by the Northern Alliance. He was fully back in power after Kabul was retaken in 2001. The Islamic State was recognized by other countries even when it controlled only a small part of Afghanistan.
	Hamid Karzai		born 1957	22 December 2001	13 June 2002	173 days	Independent
				Leader of the Afghan Interim Administration. He was chosen at a conference in Bonn in 2001.
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)
	Mullah Mohammed Omar		between 1953 and 1966 – 2013	27 September 1996	13 November 2001	5 years, 47 days	Taliban
				Supreme Leader. He was removed from power when Kabul fell and went into hiding. He continued to claim the position during the Taliban insurgency until his death. The Islamic Emirate was not widely recognized by other countries during this time.
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (2002–2004)
	Hamid Karzai		born 1957	13 June 2002	7 December 2004	2 years, 177 days	Independent
				Transitional President. He was chosen by a grand assembly in 2002.
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004–2021)
	Hamid Karzai		born 1957	7 December 2004	29 September 2014	9 years, 296 days	Independent
				President. He was the first democratically elected head of state. He was elected in 2004 and again in 2009.
	Ashraf Ghani		born 1949	29 September 2014	15 August 2021	6 years, 320 days	Independent
				President. He was the first to have a peaceful transfer of power. He was elected in 2014 and again in 2019. He was removed from power when Kabul fell in 2021.
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (2021–present)
	Mullah Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada		Birth date not known	15 August 2021	Incumbent	4 years, 7 days	Taliban
				Supreme Leader. He claimed the position during the Taliban insurgency from 2016 until Kabul was recaptured. The Islamic Emirate has limited international recognition, even though it controls all of Afghanistan.

Family Tree of Monarchs

Timeline of Afghan Leaders Since 1880

Standards of Heads of State

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  Standard of the king of Afghanistan, c. 1919–1929

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  Standard of the king of Afghanistan, 1931–1973.

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  Standard of the president of Afghanistan, 1974–1978.

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  Standard of the president of Afghanistan, 2004–2013.

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  Standard of the president of Afghanistan, 2013–2021.

See also

• President of Afghanistan
• Supreme Leader of Afghanistan
• Prime Minister of Afghanistan
• Deputy Prime Minister of Afghanistan
• Chief Executive (Afghanistan)
• List of Durrani Wazirs
• Politics of Afghanistan
• History of Afghanistan
• List of Pashtun empires and dynasties
• Name of Afghanistan
• Afghan (ethnonym)