Poland, 02-954 Warsaw
1, Goplańska Street
phone: +48 22 8855410
fax: +48 22 8856500
email:
warsaw@afghanembassy.com.pl

office hours: 9-16
visa section: 10-12, 13-15

History


Afghan Kings 1747-1973

 

The Afghan king's period is divided in to three parts:
• The Saddozais 1747-1819 (Kings' period -I)
• Civil War 1819-1826
• The Mohammadzais 1826-1929 (Kings' period -II)
• Revolution and Bachae Saqau 1929-1929
• The Mohammadzais 1929-1973 (Kings' period -III)

The Saddozais
1747-1773 Ahmad Shah Durrani

 King Durrani was also famous with the last name (Abdali); King Abdali was the first king of Afghanistan. The king united the separated warring tribes and created the Durrani as well as one of the largest Muslim empires from Delhi to Western Iran, from Amue River to Arabian Shores in the half of the 18th century. He died on 23rd October 1772.

1773-1793 Timor Shah
King Timor Shah ruled Afghanistan after the King Durrani for 20 years, the Capital of the Country was transferred from Kandahar to Kabul during his reign.

1793-1799 Shah Zaman
Constant internal revolts (1795)
Persians invade Khurasan province in 1799-1803; Shah Mahmood Constant internal revolts 1803-1809; Shah Shuja (1805); Persian attack on Herat fails. 1809-1819 Shah Mahmood returns to the throne; war with Persia--indecisive victory (internal fightings)

Civil War
• Sons of Timur Shah struggle for the throne - Civil War, anarchy
• Afghans lose Sind permanently

The Mohammadzais
1828-1839 & 1843-1863 Amir Dost Mohammad Khan: Dost Mohammad Khan takes Kabul, and establishes control.
1832-1833: Persia moves into Khurasan (province), and threatens Herat. Afghans defend Herat successfully.
1834: Afghanistan loses Peshawar to the Sikhs; later they crushed the Sikhs under the leadership of Akbar Khan who defeated the Sikhs near Jamrud, and killed the great Sikh general Hari Singh. However, they failed to retake Peshawar due to disunity and bad judgment on the part of Dost Mohammad Khan.
1836: Dost Mohammad Khan I well on the way toward reunifying the whole  Afghanistan when the British, in collaboration with an ex-king (Shah Shuja), invade Afghanistan.

First Anglo-Afghan War 1839-1842
 After some resistance, Amir Dost Mohammad Khan surrenders to the British and is deported to India.
Shah Shuja is installed a by the British (1839-1842)
April 1842 - Shah Shuja killed.
Afghans passionately continue their struggle against the British Empire.
Akbar Khan - Afghan hero, victorious against the British Empire.
1843 -After the annihilation of British troops, Afghanistan once again becomes independent, and the exiled Amir, Dost Mohammad Khan comes back and occupies the royal throne (1843-1863).
1845 Afghan hero, Akbar Khan dies
1855 Dost Mohammad Khan signs a peace treaty with India.
1859 British take Baluchistan and Afghanistan becomes completely landlocked.
1863-1866 Sher Ali, Dost Mohammad Khan's son, succeeds to the throne.
1865 - Russia takes Bukhara, Tashkent, and Samarkand.
1866-1867
• Mohammad Afzal occupies Kabul and proclaims himself Amir.
• October, 1867--Mohammad Afzal dies.
1867-1868
• Mohammad Azam succeeds to the throne
• 1868--Mohammad Azam flees to Persia
• Sher Ali reasserts control (1868-1879).
1873 - Russia established a fixed boundary between Afghanistan and its new territories.
• Russia promises to respect Afghanistan's territorial integrity.
1878 - Start of second Anglo-Afghan War
• The British Empire invade and the Afghans quickly put up a strong resistance.
1879 - Sher Ali dies in Mazar-i-Shariff, Amir Muhammad Yaqub Khan takes over until October 1879.
• Amir Muhammad Yaqub Khan gives up the following Afghan territories to the British: Kurram, Khyber, Michni, Pishin, and Sibi. Afghans lose these territories permanently.

1880- Battle of Maiwand
• July 1880, Afghan woman named Malalai carries the Afghan flag forward after the soldiers carrying the flag were killed by the British. She becomes a heroine for her show of courage and valour.
• Abdur Rahman takes throne of Afghanistan as Amir.
• The British, shortly after the accession of the new Amir, withdraw from Afghanistan, although they retain the right to handle Afghanistan's foreign relations.
• Abdur Rahman establishes fixed borders and he loses a lot of Afghan land.
• Nuristan converted to Islam.

1885 - The Panjdeh Incident
• Russian forces seize the Panjdeh Oasis, a piece of Afghan territory north of the Oxus River. Afghans tried to retake it, but was finally forced to allow the Russians to keep Panjdeh - Russians promised to honor Afghan territorial integrity in the future.
1895 - Afghanistan's northern border is fixed and guaranteed by Russia
1901 - Abdur Rahman dies, his son Habibullah succeeds him.
• Slows steps toward modernization
1907 - Russia and Great Britain sign the convention of St. Petersburg, in which Afghanistan is declared outside Russia's sphere of influence.
1918 - Mahmud Tarzi (Afghan Intellectual) introduces modern Journalism into Afghanistan with the creation of several newspapers.
1919
• Habibullah is assassinated, and succeeded by his son Amanullah (The reform King)
• The first museum in Afghanistan is instituted at Baghe Bala.
1921
• Third Anglo-Afghan war
• Once again, the British are defeated, and Afghanistan gains full control of her foreign affairs.
• Amanullah Khan initiates a series of ambitious efforts at social and political modernization.
1923
• Amanullah Khan changes his title from Amir to Padshah (King).
1929
• Amanullah Khan is overthrown by Habibullah Kalakani.
• After the fall of Amanullah Khan, Mahmud Tarzi seeks asylum in Turkey.
• The Rise and Fall of Habibullah Kalakani, popularly known as "Bache Saqao"
• Nadir Khan takes the throne; his tribal army loots government buildings and houses of wealthy citizens because the treasury was empty.
• Habibullah Kalakani, along with his supporters, and a few supporters of Amanullah Khan are killed by Nadir Khan. Now Nadir Khan establishes full control.
1930
• (May) Pro-Amanullah Khan uprising put down by Nadir Khan.
• Nadir Khan abolishes reforms set forth by Amanullah Khan to modernize Afghanistan.
1933
• Nadir Khan assassinated by a college student, and his son, Zahir, inherits the throne. He rules until 1973.
• Zahir Shah's uncles serve as prime ministers and advisors until 1953.
• Mahmud Tarzi dies in Turkey at the age of 68 with a heart full of sorrow and despair toward his country.
1934
• The United States of America formally recognizes Afghanistan
1938
• Da Afghanistan Bank (State Bank of Afghanistan) is incorporated.
1939
• Minor pro-Amanullah Khan uprising (January 15)
1940
• Zahir Shah proclaims Afghanistan as neutral during WW2
1947
• Britain withdraws from India. Pakistan is carved out of Indian and Afghan lands.
1949
• Afghanistan's Parliament denounces the Durand Treaty and refuses to recognize the Durand line as a legal boundary between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• Pashtuns in Pashtunistan (Occupied Afghan Land) proclaim an independent Pashtunistan, but their proclamation goes unacknowledged by the world community.
1953
• Prince Mohammad Daoud becomes Prime Minister.
1954
• The U.S. rejects Afghanistan's request to buy military equipment to modernize the army.
1955
• Daoud turns to the Soviet Union (Russia) for military aid.
• The Pashtunistan (occupied Afghan land) issue flares up.
1956
• Kruschev and Bulgaria agree to help Afghanistan.
• Close ties between Afghanistan and USSR.
1959
• The Purdah is made optional, women begin to enroll in the University which has become co-educational.
• Women begin to enter the workforce, and the government.
1961
• Pakistan and Afghanistan come close to war over Pashtunistan.
1963-1964
• Zahir Shah demands Daoud's resignation. Dr. Mohammad Yusof becomes Prime Minister.
1965
• The Afghan Communist Party was secretly formed in January. Babrak Karmal is one of the founders.
• In September, first nationwide elections under the new constitution.
• Karmal was elected to the Parliament, later instigates riots.
• Zahir and Yussof form second government.
1969
• Second nationwide elections.
• Babrak and Hafizullah Amin are elected.
1972
• Mohammad Moussa becomes Prime Minister.
1973
• July 17th: Zahir Shah is on vacation in Europe, when his government is overthrown in a military coup headed by Daoud Khan and PDPA (Afghan Communist Party).
• Daoud Khan abolishes the monarchy, declares himself the President - Republic of Afghanistan is established.
1974
• UNESCO names Herat as one of the first cities to be designated as a part of the worlds cultural heritage.
1975 -1977
• Daoud Khan presents a new constitution. Women's rights confirmed.
• Daoud starts to oust suspected opponents from his government.
1978
• Bloody Communist coup: Daoud is killed, Taraki is named President, and Karmal becomes his deputy Prime Minister. Tensions rise.
• Mass arrests, tortures, and arrests takes place.
• Afghan flag is changed.
• Taraki signs treaty of friendship with the Soviet Union.
• June - Afghan guerrilla (Mujahideen) movement is born.

 

 

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