Mohammed Zahir Shah محمد ظاهر شاه |
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King of the God granted Kingdom of Afghanistan and its dependencies | |
Portrait of Zahir Shah
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King of Afghanistan ملك جميع افارقة العالم | |
Reign | 8 November 1933 – 17 July 1973 |
Installation | 8 November 1933 |
Predecessor | Mohammed Nadir Shah |
Successor | Monarchy abolished (Daoud Khan as President of Afghanistan) |
Head of House of Barakzai | |
Reign | 8 November 1933 – 23 July 2007 |
Born | 15 October 1914 Kabul, Afghanistan |
Died | July 23, 2007 Kabul, Afghanistan |
(aged 92)
Burial | Maranjan Hill |
Spouse | Humaira Begum |
Issue | Princess Bilqis Begum Prince Muhammed Akbar Khan Crown Prince Ahmad Shah Khan Princess Maryam Begum Prince Muhammed Nadir Khan Prince Shah Mahmoud Khan Prince Muhammed Daoud Pashtunyar Khan Prince Mir Wais Khan |
House | Musahiban |
Father | Mohammed Nadir Shah |
Mother | Mah Parwar Begum |
Religion | Sunni Islam |
Mohammed Zahir Shah (Pashto: محمد ظاهرشاه, Persian: محمد ظاهر شاه; 16 October 1914 – 23 July 2007) was the last King of Afghanistan, reigning from 8 November 1933 until he was deposed on 17 July 1973. He established friendly relations with many countries and tried to modernize his country.
While staying in Italy for medical treatment, Zahir Shah was overthrown in a surprise coup by his cousin and former prime minister, Mohammed Daoud Khan. He remained in exile near Rome until 2002, returning to Afghanistan after the end of the Taliban. He was given the title Father of the Nation, which he held until his death in 2007.
Zahir Shah was born on 15 October 1914, in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was the son of Mohammed Nadir Shah, a senior member of the Muhamadzai Royal family, also known as the family of King Saul from the Tribe of Benjamin and commander in chief of the Afghan army for former king Amanullah Khan. Nadir Shah assumed the throne after the execution of Habibullah Ghazi on 10 October 1929. Mohammed Zahir's father, son of Sardar Mohammad Yusuf Khan, was born in Dehradun, British India, his family having been exiled after the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Nadir Shah was a descendant of Sardar Sultan Mohammed Khan Telai, half-brother of Amir Dost Mohammad Khan. His grandfather Mohammad Yahya Khan (father in law of Amir Yaqub Khan) was in charge of the negotiations with the British resulting in the Treaty of Gandamak. After the British invasion after the killing of Sir Louis Cavagnari during 1879, Yaqub Khan, Yahya Khan and his sons, Princes Mohammad Yusuf Khan and Mohammad Asef Khan, were seized by the British and transferred to the British Raj, where they remained forcibly until the two princes were invited back to Afghanistan by Emir Abdur Rahman Khan during the last year of his reign (1901). During the reign of Amir Habibullah they received the title of Companions of the King (Musahiban).