| Mohammad Zahir Shah | |
|---|---|
 King Zahir Shah in 1963 | |
| King of Afghanistan | |
| Reign | 8 November 1933 – 17 July 1973 |
| Installation | 8 November 1933 |
| Predecessor | Mohammad Nadir Shah |
| Successor | Monarchy abolished (Daoud Khan as President of Afghanistan) |
| Head of House of Barakzai | |
| Tenure | 17 July 1978 – 23 July 2007 |
| Predecessor | Prince Daoud (as President of Afghanistan) |
| Successor | Prince Ahmad Shah |
| Born | 15 October 1914[1] Kabul, Emirate of Afghanistan |
| Died | 23 July 2007 (aged 92) Kabul, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan |
| Burial | Maranjan Hill, Kabul |
| Spouse | |
| 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 Mirwais Khan |
| Pashto | محمد ظاهر شاه |
| House | Barakzai |
| Father | Mohammad Nadir Shah |
| Mother | Mah Parwar Begum |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Signature |  |
Mohammad Zahir Shah (Pashto/Dari: محمد ظاهر شاه; 15 October 1914 – 23 July 2007) was the last King of Afghanistan, reigning from 8 November 1933 until he was deposed on 17 July 1973.[2] Ruling for 40 years, Zahir Shah was the longest-serving ruler of Afghanistan since the foundation of the Durrani Empire in the 18th century.
He expanded Afghanistan's diplomatic relations with many countries, including with both sides of the Cold War.[3] In the 1950s, Zahir Shah began modernizing the country, culminating in the creation of a new constitution and a constitutional monarchy system. Demonstrating nonpartisanism,[4] his long reign was marked by peace in the country which was lost afterwards with the onset of the Afghan conflict.[5]
In 1973, while Zahir Shah was undergoing medical treatment in Italy,[6] his regime was overthrown in a coup d'état by his cousin and former prime minister, Mohammad Daoud Khan, who established a single-party republic, ending more than 225 years of continuous monarchical government.[7] He remained in exile near Rome until 2002, returning to Afghanistan after the end of the Taliban government. He was given the title Father of the Nation, which he held until his death in 2007.[1]
- ^ a b Encyclopædia Britannica, "Mohammad Zahir Shah"
- ^ "Profile: Ex-king Zahir Shah". 1 October 2001 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ C-SPAN: Afghan King & Queen 1963 Visit to U.S. Reel America Preview (official U.S. government video; public domain).
- ^ "Afghanistan". publishing.cdlib.org. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
- ^ Judah, Tim (23 September 2001). "Profile: Mohamed Zahir Shah". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ Bearak, Barry (24 July 2007). "Mohammad Zahir Shah, Last Afghan King, Dies at 92". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
- ^ "State funeral for Afghanistan's former President". UNAMA. 19 March 2009.