Mohammad Zahir Shah
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. Serving for 40 years, Zahir was the longest-serving ruler of Afghanistan since the foundation of the Durrani Empire in the 18th century.
| 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 Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Died | 23 July 2007 (aged 92) Kabul, Afghanistan |
| 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 | Barakzai |
| Father | Mohammad Nadir Shah |
| Mother | Mah Parwar Begum |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Signature | |
He expanded Afghanistan's diplomatic relations with many countries, including with both sides of the Cold War. In the 1950s, Zahir Shah began modernizing the country, culminating in the creation of a new constitution and a constitutional monarchy system. Demonstrating nonpartisanism, his long reign was marked by peace in the country which was lost afterwards with the onset of the Afghan conflict.
In 1973, while Zahir Shah was undergoing medical treatment in Italy, 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. 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.