This article is about the history of the area that has became known as Afghanistan^[1], a territory whose current boundaries were mostly determined in the 19th Century. Archaeological exploration of the Pre-Islamic period of Afghanistan began in Afghanistan in earnest after World War II and proceeded until the The Islamic conquest of Afghanistan ( 656 - 870 CE began after the Islamic conquest of Persia, when Arab Muslims shattered the might of the The Hotaki dynasty (1709-1738 was founded in 1709 by Mirwais Khan Hotak, an ethnic Pashtun ( Afghan) from the Ghilzai clan of Kandahar province The Durrani Empire (also referred to as the Afghan Empire) was a large state based in modern Afghanistan and Pakistan and later included northeastern The European influence in Afghanistan refers to political social and sometimes Imperialistic influence various European nations have had on this historical development of the Amanullah Khan reigned in Afghanistan from 1919 achieving full independence from the British Empire shortly afterwards Reign of Mohammed Nadir Shah 1929-1933 Mohammed Nadir Shah quickly abolished most of Amanullah Khan 's reforms but despite his efforts to rebuild an army Daoud's Republic ( July 17, 1973 - April 28, 1978) was established after a Coup d'état in which the kingdom led by The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was a Soviet -backed government in Afghanistan between 1978 and 1992. See also Civil war in Afghanistan This article on the History of Afghanistan since 1992 covers the time period from the fall of the Najibullah government in 1992 The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7 2001 as the U This is a timeline of Afghanistan. To read about the background to these events see History of Afghanistan. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The word Afghanistan is used to refer to that territory, even though, and especially because, it has been known by many other names throughout history.

Afghanistan's history, internal political development, foreign relations, and very existence as an independent state have largely been determined by its geographic location at the crossroads of Central, West, and South Asia. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Over the centuries, waves of migrating peoples passed through the region--described by historian Arnold Toynbee as a "roundabout of the ancient world"--leaving behind a mosaic of ethnic and linguistic groups. This page is about the economic historian Arnold Toynbee for the universal historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee see Arnold J In modern times, as well as in antiquity, vast armies of the world passed through this region of Asia, temporarily establishing local control and often dominating ancient Afghanistan.

Invariably, most of Afghanistan's history was spent as part of the larger events that took place upon the Iranian plateau as a whole. The Iranian Plateau, also known as the Persian plateau is a Geological formation in Southwest Asia, Southern The Aryan peoples who arrived in Afghanistan left their languages, (Pashto, Dari, etc. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as ) and culture as a legacy.

It is perhaps not surprising that it is the Iranic past and Islamic invasions of the Arabs that have defined modern Afghanistan, while its Greek, Central Asian nomadic, and Zoroastrian/Pagan/Buddhist past have long since vanished. Although it was the scene of great empires and flourishing trade for over two millennia, the area's heterogeneous groups, with Turkic groups predominant in the extreme northwest and showing some connection to the mixed Hazaras of the central regions, were not bound into a single political entity until the reign of Ahmed Shah Durrani, who in 1747 founded the monarchy that ruled the country until 1973. The Hazāra ( are a Persian-speaking people residing in the central region of Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. Ahmad Shāh Durrānī (c1723-1773 ( also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī ( احمد شاه ابدالي) and born as Ahmad Khān Abdālī, Year 1747 ( MDCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. In the nineteenth century, Afghanistan lay between the expanding might of the Russian and British empires. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. In 1900, Abdur Rahman Khan (the "Iron Amir"), after twenty years of rule, looked at the events of the past century and wondered how his country, which stood "like a goat between these lions (Britain and Tsarist Russia) or a grain of wheat between two strong millstones of the grinding mill, [could] stand in the midway of the stones without being ground to dust?"

Islam played perhaps the key role in the formation of Afghanistan's society. Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Despite the early thirteenth century Mongol invasion of what is today Afghanistan--which has been described as resembling "more some brute cataclysm of the blind forces of nature than a phenomenon of human history," even a warrior as formidable as Genghis Khan did not uproot Islamic civilization; within two generations, his heirs had become Muslims. Genghis Khan ( or;, Chinggis Khaan, ʧiŋgɪs χaːŋ Činggis Qaɣan; 1162–1227 born (meaning "ironworker" was the Mongol founder A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Later, native Afghan empire builders such as the Ghorids, would continue to make Afghanistan a major medieval power as well as a center of learning that produced Ferdowsi, and Al-Biruni among countless other academics and literary iconic figures. The Ghurids (or Ghorids; self-designation Shansabānī) ( were a Persian Sunni - Ismaili Muslim dynasty in Khorasan Hakīm Abū l-Qāsim Firdawsī Tūsī ( more commonly transliterated as Ferdowsi, (935&ndash1020 was a highly revered Persian Poet.

Prehistoric Afghanistan

Excavation of prehistoric sites by Louis Dupree, the University of Pennsylvania, the Smithsonian Institute and others suggests that early humans were living in what is now Afghanistan at least 50,000 years ago, and that farming communities in Afghanistan were among the earliest in the world. The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn) is a private University located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The Smithsonian Institution (smɪθsoʊnɪən is an educational and research institute and associated Museum complex administered and funded by the Government of Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, ^[2][3]

It is not clear who the early inhabitants of Afghanistan were, though it is likely they were connected through culture and trade to neighboring civilizations like Jiroft and Tappeh Sialk. Jiroft is a city in Kerman province, Iran. It is located 230-kilometres south of the city of Kerman, and 1375-kilometres south of Tehran Sialk is a large ancient archeological site near Kashan, Iran, tucked away in the suburbs of the city of Kashan, in central Iran, close to Urban civilization may have begun as early as 3000 BCE, and the early city of Mundigak (near Kandahar) may have been a colony of the nearby Indus Vally Civilization. For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and

Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex

The Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex became prominent in the region between between 2200 and 1700 BCE (approximately). The Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (or BMAC, also known as the Oxus civilization) is the modern archaeological designation for a Bronze Age The city of Balkh (Bactra) was founded about this time (ca. Balkh ( - Balḫ) also known as Bactra, was once a major world city but was destroyed entirely by the Mongols. Balkh ( - Balḫ) also known as Bactra, was once a major world city but was destroyed entirely by the Mongols. 2000-1500 BCE). It's possible that the BMAC may have been an Indo-European culture, perhaps the Proto-Indo-Aryans, who began their migration into India towards the end of this period. The Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (or BMAC, also known as the Oxus civilization) is the modern archaeological designation for a Bronze Age

The centuries following the end of the BMAC and the Aryan invasions are not well known due to a lack of source information.

Ancient Afghanistan, Pre-Islamic period (before 651)

Main article: Pre-Islamic period of Afghanistan

Ancient Afghanistan was often ruled by various Persian dynasties, such as the Achaemenid Empire (559–330 BCE)

Alexander the Great fighting the Persian king Darius (Pompeii mosaic, from a 4th century BCE original Greek painting, now lost). Archaeological exploration of the Pre-Islamic period of Afghanistan began in Afghanistan in earnest after World War II and proceeded until the The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' Darius III ( Artashata) (c 380&ndash330 BC Persian داریوش Dāriūš dɔːriˈuːʃ was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire of Pompeii is a ruined and partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples and Caserta in the Italian region of Campania, in The 4th century BC started the first day of 400 BC and ended the last day of 301 BC.

After several centuries of darkness, history returns to find kingdoms formed in Arachosia, Bactria, Aria, and Gandhara. Arachosia (ˌærəˈkoʊʒə, Arakhōsia) or Arachotae (əˈrækəˌtiː, Arakhōtai) is the latinized form of Greek name of an Achaemenid "Bactrian" redirects here For the camel see Bactrian camel. This article is about the musical term "aria" For other meanings or uses of the word see Aria (disambiguation. Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient Parts of the region were controlled by the Medean Empire until it was overthrown in 550 BCE by their Achaemenid vassals. The Medes were an ancient Iranian people who lived in the northwestern portions of present-day Iran. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of This Achaemenid Persian Empire soon conquered the rest of Afghanistan and ruled for over 200 years. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia During the 320s BC, Afghanistan and the rest of the Persian Empire was conquered by Alexander the Great and became part of his empire, which empire fragmented after his death in 323 BCE as his generals fought for supremacy. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' A general named Seleucus carved out the largest Hellenistic kingdom, the Seleucid Empire, which included most of Iran and Afghanistan. Seleucus I (surnamed for later generations Nicator, Greek: Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, i This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i In 305 BC the Seleucids gave Arachosia and Gandhara to the Mauryan Empire of India in return for a treaty of alliance and 500 Indian war elephants. The Maurya Empire ( 322 – 185 BCE) ruled by the Mauryan dynasty was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military

Bactria and Aria remained in Seleucid hands until 250 BC, when the Bactrian Satrap Diodotus rebelled and established the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. Diodotus, Seleucid Satrap of Bactria, rebelled against Antiochus II (about 255 BC and became the founder of the Graeco-Bactrian kingdom The Gr(aeco-Bactrian Kingdom was the easternmost part of the Hellenistic world covering Bactria and Sogdiana in Central Asia from 250 A campaign by Seleucid King Antiochus III led to the restoration of many of the eastern provinces in the late 200s BC.

Mauryan rule to Indo-Greco-Bactrian Kingdoms

The Mauryan Dynasty was overthrown in 185 BCE by a general named Pusyamitra Sunga, who founded the Sunga Dynasty. Events By place Roman Republic The Roman general Scipio Africanus and his brother Lucius are accused by Cato Pusyamitra Sunga (B ??? R 185-151 BCE D 151 BCE was the founder and first King of the Sunga Dynasty in Northern India For other uses of the term Sunga see Sunga (disambiguation The Sunga Empire (or Shunga Empire) is a Magadha This led to war with the Greco-Bactrian allies of the Mauryans, led by King Demetrius I, who quickly overran Afghanistan and the Indus region, then marched towards the Sunga capital. The Gr(aeco-Bactrian Kingdom was the easternmost part of the Hellenistic world covering Bactria and Sogdiana in Central Asia from 250 Demetrius I (ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΣ was a Greco-Bactrian king (reigned circa 200-180 BC Suddenly a civil war broke out amongst the Greeks when a general named Eucratides overthrew Demetrius' brother Antimachus I, forcing Demetrius to abandon his Indian campaign and defend his throne, but he was defeated and restricted to his newly-conquered territories in India, which became known as the Indo-Greek Kingdom. Eucratides I (or Eukratides I)(reigned ca 170 BCE - 145 BCE was one of the most important Greco-Bactrian kings For other uses of name see Antimachus Anthimachus I was one of the Greco-Bactrian kings from around 185 to The Indo-Greek Kingdom (or sometimes Graeco-Indian Kingdom) covered various parts of the northwest and northern Indian subcontinent during the last two centuries

Greco-Bactria continued until ca. 130 BC, when Eucratides' son, King Heliocles I, was defeated and driven out of Bactria by the Yuezhi tribes. It is thought that his dynasty continued to rule in Kabul and Alexandria of the Caucasus until 70 BCE when King Hermaeus was defeated by the Yuezhi. } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with Alexandria of the Caucasus (medieval Kapisa, modern Bagram was a colony of Alexander the Great (one of many colonies designated with the name Alexandria Hermaeus Soter "the Saviour" was a Western Indo-Greek king of the Eucratid Dynasty who ruled the territory of Paropamisade in the Hindu-Kush

One of Demetrius' successors, Menander I, brought the Indo-Greek Kingdom to its height between 165-130 BC, expanding the kingdom in India to even larger proportions than Demetrius. Menander I Soter "The Saviour" (known as Milinda in Indian sources was one of the rulers of the Indo-Greek Kingdom in northern India After Menander's death, the Indo-Greeks steadily declined and the last Indo-Greek king was defeated in ca. 10 AD.

Indo-Scythians and The Kushan Empire

Coin of Shahi Kings of Kabul & Gandhara: Samanta Deva, circa 850 AD -1000 AD. For a town in Bareilly District India see Shahi Uttar Pradesh. } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient
Obv: Rider bearing lance on caparisoned horse facing right. Devanagari Legends : 'bhi '?. Rev:Recumbent bull facing left ,trishula on bulls rump,Devanagari Legends: Sri Samanta Deva. Trisula redirects here For the Genus of noctuid Moths see Trisula (moth.

Driven from the Tarim Basin by the Xiongnu in the early 100s BC, the Yuezhi pushed a Scythian tribe called the Indo-Sythians or Sakas, south into the Greco-Bactrian lands. The Scythians or Scyths (Σκύθες Σκύθοι were an Iranian speaking people of horse-riding Nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic In 140 BC they defeated the last Greco-Bactrian King, Heliocles I. Soon afterwards, the Indo-Scythians captured Arachosia from the Indo-Greeks (Arachosia was then renamed Sistan. Modern Sistan ( is a border region in southeastern Iran (see Sistan and Baluchestan Province) and southwestern Afghanistan (see Nimruz Province Unable to invade India from the north, the Indo-Scythians took a more southerly route, through Gedrosia to Sindh, then moving north along the Indus river. Gedrosia (dʒɨˈdroʊʒə Γεδρωσία is the ancient name of an area that corresponds to today's Balochistan

The Indo-Scythians were defeated by the Parthian Empire and driven from Sistan into India by 20 AD, where they founded the Western Satraps Kingdom that survived until about 405 AD. The Western Satraps, or Western Kshatrapas ( 35 - 405) were Saka rulers of the western and central part of India ( Saurashtra In the meantime, Parthia's hold on the region was tenuous, and soon broke away to become the short-lived Kingdom of the Indo-Parthians. The Indo-Parthian Kingdom was established during the 1st century by Gondophares, and at its greatest extent extended into areas that are in present-day Afghanistan

Buddhas of Bamyan were the largest Buddha statues in the world, dating back to the first century CE.

In Bactria, the Yuezhi were united in the mid 1st century CE to become the Kushan Empire. The Buddhas of Bamyan ( - but hay-e bamiyaan) were two monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamyan valley Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder The 1st century was the Century that lasted from 1 to 100 according the Julian calendar. The Yuezhi or Rouzhi ( Chinese: 月支 Pinyin: yuè zhī or ròu zhī; also 月氏 Pinyin: yuè shì The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250

During the Kushan rule, Afghanistan became the center of culture and learning. The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250 The Sassanians and other Persian powers ruled most of Afghanistan before the coming of Muslim armies. The Islamic conquest of Afghanistan ( 656 - 870 CE began after the Islamic conquest of Persia, when Arab Muslims shattered the might of the The Shahis ruled eastern Afghanistan from the mid-7th century until Ghaznavid Turk invasions in the late 10th century CE. For a town in Bareilly District India see Shahi Uttar Pradesh. The Ghaznavid Empire was a Khorāṣānian Sunni Muslim state founded by a dynasty of Turkic Mamluk. Northern parts of Greco-Bactria were conquered by the Tocharian or Yuezhi tribes in the 140s BC, while the Indo-Scythians or Sakas conquered Arachosia (which became known as Sakastan and later Sistan. The Yuezhi or Rouzhi ( Chinese: 月支 Pinyin: yuè zhī or ròu zhī; also 月氏 Pinyin: yuè shì The Indo-Scythians are a branch of the Indo-Iranian Sakas ( Scythians) who migrated from southern Siberia into Bactria, The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι, Modern Sistan ( is a border region in southeastern Iran (see Sistan and Baluchestan Province) and southwestern Afghanistan (see Nimruz Province The Indo-Scythians fled to India after they were defeated by the Parthians and Indo-Parthians in the early 1st century AD. Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran The Indo-Parthian Kingdom was established during the 1st century by Gondophares, and at its greatest extent extended into areas that are in present-day Afghanistan

Invasions by the Kushans, Sassanid Persians, Hephthalites or White Huns, and Göktürks followed in succeeding centuries. The Kushan Empire (c 1st &ndash 3rd centuries) was a Bactrian state that at its cultural zenith Circa 105 &ndash 250 The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire The Hephthalites or White Huns were a Central Asian Nomadic confederation whose precise origins and composition remain obscure The Hephthalites or White Huns were a Central Asian Nomadic confederation whose precise origins and composition remain obscure Göktürks ( Turkish: Gök Türkler) were a Turkic people of ancient Central Asia.

Islamic conquest (642-1200)

Main article: Islamic conquest of Afghanistan

Further information: History of Arabs in Afghanistan

By 642 CE, Arabs had conquered Persia and invaded Afghanistan from the west, introducing Islam. The Islamic conquest of Afghanistan ( 656 - 870 CE began after the Islamic conquest of Persia, when Arab Muslims shattered the might of the The History of Arabs in Afghanistan span several centuries from ethnic Arab fighters who battled or migrated to the area now known as Afghanistan during conflicts dating back Events By Place Europe August 5 — In the Battle of Maserfield, Penda, king of Mercia defeats and The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Afghanistan at the time had local rulers called the Kushano-Hephthalites or Shahi, which were under the influence of the empire of Tang China, which had extended its influence all the way to Kabul. For a town in Bareilly District India see Shahi Uttar Pradesh. The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with The Khorasani Persian-Arabs controlled the western and northern areas until they were conquered by the Ghaznavid Empire in 998. The Ghaznavid Empire was a Khorāṣānian Sunni Muslim state founded by a dynasty of Turkic Mamluk. Events By Place Europe Otto III retakes the city of Rome and reinstates his cousin Pope Gregory V, after mutilating

The Arab forces did not conquer all of Afghanistan. The southern and eastern parts of Afghanistan remained independent, first as part of the Kushano-Hephthalite Kingdoms (from 565 to 870 AD), then as part of the HinduShahi Kingdom of Gandhara, which lasted until it was conquered by the Muslim Ghaznavid Empire in 1021 AD. For a town in Bareilly District India see Shahi Uttar Pradesh. Gandhāra ( Sanskrit: गन्धार Urdu: گندھارا Gandḥārā; also known as Waihind in Persian is the name of an ancient The Ghaznavid Empire was a Khorāṣānian Sunni Muslim state founded by a dynasty of Turkic Mamluk.

Mahmud of Ghazni (998-1030) consolidated the conquests of his predecessors and turned Ghazna (Ghazni) into a great cultural center as well as a base for frequent forays into India. Mahmud of Ghazni (محمود غزنوی Maḥmūd-e Ghaznawī ( November 2, 971 - April 30, 1030) also known as Yāmīn Events By Place Europe Otto III retakes the city of Rome and reinstates his cousin Pope Gregory V, after mutilating Ghazni City ( - Ğaznī; Ghazna and Ghaznīn are the old names for Ghazni The Ghaznavid dynasty was defeated in 1148 by the Ghurids (Ghor), but Ghaznavid Khans continued to live in Ghazni as the 'Nasher' until the early 20th century, but they did not regain their once vast power until about 500 years later when the Ghilzai Pashtuns's defeated the Safavid Persians in Kandahar. The Ghurids (or Ghorids; self-designation Shansabānī) ( were a Persian Sunni - Ismaili Muslim dynasty in Khorasan The Ghilzais (also known as Khiljis or Ghaljis) are a large Pashtun Tribe located mainly in southeastern Afghanistan, between Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz Various princes and Seljuk rulers attempted to rule parts of the country until the Shah Muhammad II of the Khwarezmid Empire conquered all of Persia in 1205. The Seljuq (also Seljuq Turks, Seldjuks, Seldjuqs, Seljuks; in Turkish Selçuklular; in Ṣaljūqīyān; in Shah is an Iranian term for a Monarch (leader that has been adopted in many other languages Ala ad-Din Muhammad II (علاءالدين محمد ʿAlā al-Dīn Muḥammad was the ruler of the Khwarezmid Empire from 1200 to 1220 The Khwarezmian Empire, more commonly known as the empire of the Khwarezm Shahs ( Khwārezmšhāḥīān, "Kings of Khwarezmia " By 1219, the empire had fallen to the Mongols.

Mongol conquest (1200-1500)

Main article: Mongol invasion of Central Asia

Led by Genghis Khan, the invasion resulted in massive slaughter of the population, destruction of many cities, including Herat, Ghazni, and Balkh, and the despoliation of fertile agricultural areas. The Mongol invasion of Khwarezmia lasted from 1219 to 1221. It marked the beginning of the Mongol Conquest of the Islamic States and it also expanded Genghis Khan ( or;, Chinggis Khaan, ʧiŋgɪs χaːŋ Činggis Qaɣan; 1162–1227 born (meaning "ironworker" was the Mongol founder area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. Ghazni City ( - Ğaznī; Ghazna and Ghaznīn are the old names for Ghazni Balkh ( - Balḫ) also known as Bactra, was once a major world city but was destroyed entirely by the Mongols. Following Genghis Khan's death in 1227, a succession of petty chiefs and princes struggled for supremacy until late in the 14th century, when one of his descendants, Timur Lang, incorporated what is today Afghanistan into his own vast Asian empire. Timur also written Emir Timur or Amir Temur ( Chagatai: تیمور - Tēmōr " Iron " (1336 – 19 February 1405 among Babur, a descendant of Timur and the founder of Moghul Empire at the beginning of the 16th century, made Kabul the capital. Babur ( February 14 1483 - December 26 1530) was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who following a series of setbacks The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most

Post-Mongol divisions (1500-1700)

Afghanistan was divided in many parts in the 16th, 17th and early 18th century. North were the Uzbeks, west was Safavid's rule and east was the Mughal's and local Pashtun rule. The Uzbeks (Self designation sg O‘zbek, pl O‘zbeklar) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called In 1709, the Afghans (Pashstuns) decided to rise against the Persian Safavids. The Persians were lost horribly and the Afghans held Isfahan (Iran) from 1719-1729. Esfahān or Isfahan (historically also rendered as Ispahan or Hispahan, Old Persian: Aspadana, Middle Persian: Spahān For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Nadir Shah of Persia pushed back the Afghans in the 1729 Battle of Damghan. Nāder Shāh Afshār ( also known as Nāder Qoli Beg - نادر قلی بیگ or Tahmāsp Qoli Khān - تهماسپ قلی خان) (November In 1738, Nadir Shah conquered Kandahar, in the same year he occupied Ghazni, Kabul and Lahore. After his death in 1747, the Durrani Pashtuns became the principal Afghan rulers. Durrānī ( or Abdālī ( is the name of a chief Tribal Confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Hotaki dynasty (1709-1736)

Main article: Hotaki dynasty

A picture of life in the old city of Kandahar under Timurids, Safavids and the Moghuls has begun to emerge since the British Institute began its excavations in 1974. The Hotaki dynasty (1709-1738 was founded in 1709 by Mirwais Khan Hotak, an ethnic Pashtun ( Afghan) from the Ghilzai clan of Kandahar province For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and The Timurids, self-designated Gurkānī ( were a Persianate Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz Bronze ewers, imported glazed ceramics and ornate glass from Persia and imported porcelains from China speak of widespread trade. Locally made glazed wares in the Persian style speak of a cultural orientation toward the west.

On the whole, the indigenous Pashtun tribes living in the Kandahar area were more attached to the Persians and, indeed, on those occasions when the Moghuls received the city by means other than conquest, it was disaffected Persian governors who instigated the transfer, not the tribes. Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called The tribes were not above pitting foreigner against foreigner in order to further their attempts to better one another. However, siding sometimes with the Persians, sometimes with the Moghuls, but never with each other, they perpetuated tribal disunity and prolonged foreign domination.

The principal contenders in these tribal disputes came from the two most important Pashtun groups in the Kandahar area, the Ghilzai and the Abdali (later Durrani), between whom there was long-standing enmity. The Ghilzais (also known as Khiljis or Ghaljis) are a large Pashtun Tribe located mainly in southeastern Afghanistan, between Durrānī ( or Abdālī ( is the name of a chief Tribal Confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As a matter of fact, because of these quarrels, many of the turbulent Abdali had been forcibly transferred to Herat by the irritated Persians by the end of the 16th century. area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. This left the Ghilzai paramount in Kandahar, but the dispute more hotly contested, the hatred more deeply entrenched, and revenge more fervently sought.

The Persians were adept at manipulating such machinations and their rule at Kandahar was tolerant until the court at Isfahan began to sink in decadence. Mirroring this, the Persian governors of Kandahar became more and more rapacious and, in response, the tribes became more and more restless. Mounting tribal disturbances finally caught the concern of the court and they sent Gurgin Khan, a Georgian known for his uncompromising severity toward revolt, to Kandahar in 1704. George XI ( Georgian: გიორგი XI Giorgi XI; Persian: گرگین‌خان, Gurgin Khan or Gorgin Khan) (1651 – Kandahar's mayor at this time was Mirwais Khan Hotak, the astute and influential leader of the Ghilzai. Mir Wais Khan Hotak (1673-1715 was a Pashtun tribal chief of the Ghilzai clan from Kandahar, who founded the Hotaki dynasty that ruled

Gurgin, advocate of law by force, burnt, plundered, murdered and imprisoned, but the tribes would not be subdued; revolts were crushed only to break out anew and Mirwais, credited with master-minding the rebellions, was sent to Isfahan tagged as a highly dangerous prisoner. Esfahān or Isfahan (historically also rendered as Ispahan or Hispahan, Old Persian: Aspadana, Middle Persian: Spahān Imagine Gurgin's surprise and dismay when Mirwais returned to Kandahar shortly thereafter clothed in lustrous robes of honor, symbols of respect and trust. The Shah of Persia thus declared the influence of Mirwais, not Gurgin, at the Persian court. Mirwais had extricated himself from a very nasty situation but, more importantly, he had observed the depths of decay at Isfahan, much as Babur had observed it at Herat, and correctly determined that the Safavid Empire was on the brink of collapse. Babur ( February 14 1483 - December 26 1530) was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who following a series of setbacks

Mirwais formulated plans for disposing of the hated Gurgin; only the difficult task of waiting for the right moment remained.

The moment came in April, 1709. Because details of the assassination are varied, this discussion recounts the version popular among Kandarians today who say that Mirwais invited Gurgin to a picnic at his country estate at Kohkran on the outskirts of Kandahar city. Here the guests were fed all manner of rich dishes and plied with strong wines until "everyone was plunged in debauch. " This was the moment. Mirwais struck, killing Gurgin, and his followers killed the Georgian's escort. The rebels then marched to take possession of the citadel.

Isfahan was astounded and sent emissaries to complain. The emissaries were imprisoned. Isfahan sent armies to take the city. The armies were defeated. The Persian court then sat in stunned idleness while Mirwais extended his authority throughout the Kandahar region.

If they were to remain free, the tribes must be united and to this formidable task the venerable statesman devoted the rest of his life. But not many years were left for Mirwais. He died in 1715. An imposing blue domed mausoleum at Kohkaran Bagh, next to the orchard where Gurgin was assassinated, is a fitting monument to Afghanistan's first great nationalist.

The qualities which enabled Mirwais to lead the tribes toward a meaningful unity were not, unfortunately, inherited by his ambitious 18 year old son, Mahmood, whose visions only encompassed conquest and power. Killing his uncle, elected successor to Mirwais, Mahmood gathered his followers and marched across Persia and seized the Safavid throne (1722). Mahmood met an early death in 1725 and was succeeded by his cousin, Ashraf, who ruled until 1730 when a new soldier-of-fortune, the Turkman Nadir Quli Beg, ended Ghilzai rule. ^[5]

Durrani Empire (1747-1818)

Main article: Durrani Empire

Ahmed Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani Empire, established his rule in 1747 at Kandahar. The Durrani Empire (also referred to as the Afghan Empire) was a large state based in modern Afghanistan and Pakistan and later included northeastern Ahmad Shāh Durrānī (c1723-1773 ( also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī ( احمد شاه ابدالي) and born as Ahmad Khān Abdālī, The Durrani Empire (also referred to as the Afghan Empire) was a large state based in modern Afghanistan and Pakistan and later included northeastern For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and Ahmad Shah, a Pashtun from the Abdali clan, was elected King in a loya jirga after the assassination of Nadir Shah in the same year. Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called A Loya Jirga ( Pashto: لويه جرګه, Persian: جرگه بزرگ) is a "grand assembly" a phrase taken from the name of large Throughout his reign, Ahmad Shah consolidated chieftains, petty principalities, and fragmented provinces into one country. His rule extended from Mashad in the west to Kashmir and Delhi in the east, and from the Amu Darya (Oxus) River in the north to the Arabian Sea in the south. Mashhad ( literally the place of martyrdom) is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population With the exception of a 9-month period in 1929, all of Afghanistan's rulers until the 1978 Marxist coup were from Durrani's Pashtun tribal confederation, and all were members of that tribe's Mohammedzai clan after 1818. Durrānī ( or Abdālī ( is the name of a chief Tribal Confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mohammadzai ( Pashto: محمد زئی) (meaning son of Muhammad in Pashto) is the name of several Pashtun Tribes found in ^{[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]}

European influence in Afghanistan (1826-1919)

Main article: European influence in Afghanistan

Dost Mohammed Khan gained control in Kabul. The European influence in Afghanistan refers to political social and sometimes Imperialistic influence various European nations have had on this historical development of the Dost Mohammad Khan ( Pashto / Persian: دوست محمد خان) ( December 23, 1793 - June 9, 1863) son of Sardār Collision between the expanding British and Russian Empires significantly influenced Afghanistan during the 19th century in what was termed "The Great Game. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar For the film see The Great Game (film The Great Game was a term used for the strategic rivalry and conflict between the British Empire " British concern over Russian advances in Central Asia and growing influence in Persia culminated in two Anglo-Afghan wars and "The Siege of Herat" 1837-1838, in which Persians trying to retake Afghanistan and throw out the British and Russians sent armies into the country waging wars with the British mostly around and in the city of Herat. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. The first (1839-1842) resulted in the destruction of a British army; it is remembered as an example of the ferocity of Afghan resistance to foreign rule. The First Anglo–Afghan War lasted from 1839 to 1842 It was one of the first major conflicts during The Great Game, the 19th century competition for power and influence in Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common The second Anglo-Afghan war (1878-1880) was sparked by Amir Shir Ali's refusal to accept a British mission in Kabul. The European influence in Afghanistan refers to political social and sometimes Imperialistic influence various European nations have had on this historical development of the Year 1878 ( MDCCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Sher Ali Khan (1825&ndash February 21, 1879) was Amir of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1866 and from 1868 until his death in 1879 This conflict brought Amir Abdur Rahman to the Afghan throne. During his reign (1880-1901), the British and Russians officially established the boundaries of what would become modern Afghanistan. Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The British retained effective control over Kabul's foreign affairs. } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with

Afghanistan remained neutral during World War I, despite German encouragement of anti-British feelings and Afghan rebellion along the borders of British India. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The Afghan king's policy of neutrality was not universally popular within the country, however.

Habibullah, Abdur Rahman's son and successor, was assassinated in 1919, possibly by family members opposed to British influence. Habibullah Khan (1872 – February 20 1919 was the Emir of Afghanistan from 1901 until 1919 Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common His third son, Amanullah, regained control of Afghanistan's foreign policy after launching the Third Anglo-Afghan war with an attack on India in the same year. Amanullah Khan (June 1 1892 &ndash April 25 1960 was the ruler of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929 first as Amir and after 1926 as Shah. The European influence in Afghanistan refers to political social and sometimes Imperialistic influence various European nations have had on this historical development of the During the ensuing conflict, the war-weary British relinquished their control over Afghan foreign affairs by signing the Treaty of Rawalpindi in August 1919. The Treaty of Rawalpindi (signed on August 8, 1919 and amended November 22, 1921) was a treaty made between the United Kingdom Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common In commemoration of this event, Afghans celebrate August 19 as their Independence Day. Events 43 BC - Octavian, later known as Augustus compels the Roman Senate to elect him Consul. An Independence Day is an annual celebration commemorating the Anniversary of a Nation 's assumption of independent Statehood, usually after ceasing

Reforms of Amanullah Khan and civil war (1919-1929)

Main article: Reforms of Amanullah Khan and civil war

King Amanullah (1919-1929) moved to end his country's traditional isolation in the years following the Third Anglo-Afghan war. Amanullah Khan reigned in Afghanistan from 1919 achieving full independence from the British Empire shortly afterwards Amanullah Khan (June 1 1892 &ndash April 25 1960 was the ruler of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929 first as Amir and after 1926 as Shah. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. He established diplomatic relations with most major countries and, following a 1927 tour of Europe and Turkey (during which he noted the modernization and secularization advanced by Atatürk), introduced several reforms intended to modernize Afghanistan. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (19 May 1881 &ndash 10 November 1938 was an army officer revolutionary Statesman A key force behind these reforms was Mahmud Tarzi, Amanullah Khan's Foreign Minister and father-in-law - and an ardent supporter of the education of women. Mahmūd Bēg Tarzī (1865 - 1933 ( Pashto: محمود طرزي,) was one of Afghanistan 's greatest Intellectuals He is known as the father of Amanullah Khan (June 1 1892 &ndash April 25 1960 was the ruler of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929 first as Amir and after 1926 as Shah. He fought for Article 68 of Afghanistan's first constitution (declared through a Loya Jirga), which made elementary education compulsory. A Loya Jirga ( Pashto: لويه جرګه, Persian: جرگه بزرگ) is a "grand assembly" a phrase taken from the name of large ^[13] Some of the reforms that were actually put in place, such as the abolition of the traditional Muslim veil for women and the opening of a number of co-educational schools, quickly alienated many tribal and religious leaders. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion A veil is an article of clothing worn almost exclusively by women that is intended to cover some part of the head or Face. Faced with overwhelming armed opposition, Amanullah was forced to abdicate in January 1929 after Kabul fell to forces led by Habibullah Kalakani. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with Amir Habibullāh Ghāzī (born Habibullah Kalakānī) (c 1890 – October 13 1929) was Emir of Afghanistan from 17 January to

Reigns of Nadir Shah and Zahir Shah (1929-1973)

Main article: Reigns of Nadir Shah and Zahir Shah

Prince Mohammed Nadir Khan, a cousin of Amanullah's, in turn defeated and killed Habibullah Kalakani in October of the same year, and with considerable Pashtun tribal support he was declared King Nadir Shah. Reign of Mohammed Nadir Shah 1929-1933 Mohammed Nadir Shah quickly abolished most of Amanullah Khan 's reforms but despite his efforts to rebuild an army Mohammed Nadir Shah (born Mohammed Nadir; April 9, 1883 - November 8, 1933) was king of Afghanistan from October 15 1929 He began consolidating power and regenerating the country. He abandoned the reforms of Amanullah Khan in favour of a more gradual approach to modernisation. Amanullah Khan (June 1 1892 &ndash April 25 1960 was the ruler of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929 first as Amir and after 1926 as Shah. In 1933, however, he was assassinated in a revenge killing by a Kabul student. Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with

Mohammad Zahir Shah, Nadir Khan's 19-year-old son, succeeded to the throne and reigned from 1933 to 1973. Mohammed Zahir Shah ( 15 October 1914 &ndash 23 July 2007) was the last King ( Shah) of Afghanistan, reigning Until 1946 Zahir Shah ruled with the assistance of his uncle Sardar Mohammad Hashim Khan, who held the post of Prime Minister and continued the policies of Nadir Shah. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sardar Mohammad Hashim Khan (1885?-1953 was a political figure in Afghanistan. In 1946, another of Zahir Shah's uncles, Sardar Shah Mahmud Khan, became Prime Minister and began an experiment allowing greater political freedom, but reversed the policy when it went further than he expected. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sardar Shah Mahmud Khan (1890 &ndash 1959 was Prime Minister of Afghanistan from May 1946 to 7 September 1953. In 1953, he was replaced as Prime Minister by Mohammed Daoud Khan, the king's cousin and brother-in-law. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Mohammed Daoud Khan ( July 18, 1909 – April 28, 1978) was a politician in Afghanistan who overthrew the monarchy of Zahir Shah Daoud sought a closer relationship with the Soviet Union and a more distant one towards Pakistan. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and However, disputes with Pakistan led to an economic crisis and he was asked to resign in 1963. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. From 1963 until 1973, Zahir Shah took a more active role. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar.

In 1964, King Zahir Shah promulgated a liberal constitution providing for a bicameral legislature to which the king appointed one-third of the deputies. The people elected another third, and the remainder were selected indirectly by provincial assemblies. Although Zahir's "experiment in democracy" produced few lasting reforms, it permitted the growth of unofficial extremist parties on both the left and the right. These included the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), which had close ideological ties to the Soviet Union. The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (حزب دموکراتيک خلق افغانستان د افغانستان د خلق دموکراټیک ګوند PDPA was a Communist The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 In 1967, the PDPA split into two major rival factions: the Khalq (Masses) faction headed by Nur Muhammad Taraki and Hafizullah Amin and supported by elements within the military, and the Parcham (Banner) faction led by Babrak Karmal. Khalq ("Masses" was a fraction of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan. Nur Muhammad Taraki ( July 15, 1913 – September 14, 1979) was an ethnic Pashtun Politician from Afghanistan Hafizullah Amin ( حفيظ الله امين) ( August 1, 1929 – December 27, 1979) was the second President of Afghanistan Parcham (پرچم meaning "Banner" or "Flag" was the name of one of the factions of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan. Babrak Karmal ( January 6, 1929 - December 3, 1996) was the third President of Afghanistan (1979 - 1986 during the period of the communist The split reflected ethnic, class, and ideological divisions within Afghan society. However, most of the following presidents and heads of state were Ghilzai (Taraki, Amin, Najib, Mullah Omar), once again trying to wrest power from the Durrani.

Daoud's Republic of Afghanistan (1973-1978)

Main article: Daoud's Republic of Afghanistan

Amid charges of corruption and malfeasance against the royal family and poor economic conditions created by the severe 1971-72 drought, former Prime Minister Mohammad Sardar Daoud Khan seized power in a military coup on July 17, 1973 while Zahir Shah was receiving treatment for eye problems and therapy for lumbago in Italy. Daoud's Republic ( July 17, 1973 - April 28, 1978) was established after a Coup d'état in which the kingdom led by Mohammed Daoud Khan ( July 18, 1909 – April 28, 1978) was a politician in Afghanistan who overthrew the monarchy of Zahir Shah Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest ^[14] Daoud abolished the monarchy, abrogated the 1964 constitution, and declared Afghanistan a republic with himself as its first President and Prime Minister. His attempts to carry out badly needed economic and social reforms met with little success, and the new constitution promulgated in February 1977 failed to quell chronic political instability.

As disillusionment set in, in 1978 a prominent member of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), Mir Akbar Khyber (or "Kaibar"), was killed by the government. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (حزب دموکراتيک خلق افغانستان د افغانستان د خلق دموکراټیک ګوند PDPA was a Communist The leaders of PDPA apparently feared that Daoud was planning to exterminate them all, especially since most of them were arrested by the government shortly after. Hafizullah Amin and a number of military wing officers of the PDPA's Khalq faction (more independent of Moscow than the Parcham faction) managed to remain at large and organized an uprising. Hafizullah Amin ( حفيظ الله امين) ( August 1, 1929 – December 27, 1979) was the second President of Afghanistan Khalq ("Masses" was a fraction of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan. Parcham (پرچم meaning "Banner" or "Flag" was the name of one of the factions of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan.

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978-1979)

On 27 April 1978 the PDPA, led by Nur Mohammad Taraki, Babrak Karmal and Amin overthrew the regime of Mohammad Daoud, who was killed along with his family. Events 1124 - David I becomes King of Scotland. 1296 - Battle of Dunbar: The Scots are defeated Nur Muhammad Taraki ( July 15, 1913 – September 14, 1979) was an ethnic Pashtun Politician from Afghanistan Babrak Karmal ( January 6, 1929 - December 3, 1996) was the third President of Afghanistan (1979 - 1986 during the period of the communist The uprising was known as the Great Saur Revolution ('Saur' means 'April' in Farsi). Khalq ("Masses" was a fraction of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan. On 1 May, Taraki became President , Prime Minister and General Secretary of the PDPA. Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. The term General Secretary (alternatively First Secretary) denotes a leader of various unions parties churches or associations The country was then renamed the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA), and the PDPA regime lasted, in some form or another, until April 1992. The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was a Soviet -backed government in Afghanistan between 1978 and 1992. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar)

Once in power, the PDPA implemented a liberal and socialist agenda. It moved to replace religious and traditional laws with secular and Marxist ones. Men were obliged to cut their beards, women couldn't wear a burqa, and mosques were placed off limits. A burqa (also Transliterated burkha, burka or burqua) is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions for the It carried out an ambitious land reform, waiving farmers' debts countrywide and banning usury. Land reforms (also Agrarian reform, though that can have a broader meaning is an often- controversial alteration in the societal arrangements whereby government

The government also made a number of decrees on women’s rights, banning forced marriages, giving state recognition of women’s right to vote, and introducing women to political life. A prominent example was Anahita Ratebzad, who was a major Marxist leader and a member of the Revolutionary Council. Ratebzad wrote the famous New Kabul Times editorial (May 28, 1978) which declared: “Privileges which women, by right, must have are equal education, job security, health services, and free time to rear a healthy generation for building the future of the country . Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) . . . Educating and enlightening women is now the subject of close government attention. ”

The PDPA invited the Soviet Union to assist in modernizing its economic infrastructure (predominantly its exploration and mining of rare minerals and natural gas). The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The USSR also sent contractors to build roads, hospitals and schools and to drill water wells; they also trained and equipped the Afghan army. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Upon the PDPA's ascension to power, and the establishment of the DRA, the Soviet Union promised monetary aid amounting to at least $1. 262 billion.

Soviet troops withdrawing from Afghanistan in 1988.

The majority of people in the cities including Kabul either welcomed or were ambivalent to these policies. However, the secular nature of the government made it unpopular with conservative Afghans in the villages and the countryside, who favoured traditionalist 'Islamic' restrictions on women's rights and in daily life. Secularity ( adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from Religion. Many groups - partly led by members of the traditional establishment who lost their privileges in the land reform - were formed in an attempt to reverse dependence on the Soviet Union, some resorting to violence and sabotage of the country's industry and infrastructure. The government responded with heavy-handed military reprisals and arrested, exiled and executed many Mujahideen "holy Muslim warriors". A Mujahid (Arabic ar مجاهد, literally "struggler" is a Muslim involved in a Jihad, id est fighting in a war or The Mujahideen belonged to various different factions, but all shared, to varying degrees, a similarly conservative 'Islamic' ideology.

The U. S. saw the situation as a prime opportunity to weaken the Soviet Union. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 As part of a Cold War strategy, in 1979 the United States government (under President Jimmy Carter and National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski) began to covertly fund and train anti-government Mujahideen forces through the Pakistani secret service known as Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), with the intention of provoking Soviet intervention, (according to Brzezinski). Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The federal government of the United States is the central United States Governmental body established by the United States Constitution. James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr (born October 1 1924 was the thirty-ninth President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981 and the recipient of the 2002 Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzezinski (Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzeziński ˈzbigɲev bʐɛˈʑiɲski: (born March 28 1928 Warsaw, Poland) is a Polish-American A Mujahid (Arabic ar مجاهد, literally "struggler" is a Muslim involved in a Jihad, id est fighting in a war or History After independence in 1947 two new intelligence agencies were created in Pakistan called the Intelligence Bureau (IB and Military Intelligence

In March 1979 Hafizullah Amin took over as prime minister, retaining the position of field marshal and becoming vice-president of the Supreme Defence Council. For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank Taraki remained President and in control of the Army. On 14 September, Amin overthrew Taraki, who died or was killed. Events 81 - Domitian becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire upon the death of his brother Titus.

Soviet intervention (1979-1992)

Main articles: Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and Soviet war in Afghanistan

In 1979, with the Afghan army unable to cope with the large number of violent incidents, the Soviet Union sent troops to crush the uprising, install a pro-Moscow government, and support the new government. The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was a Soviet -backed government in Afghanistan between 1978 and 1992. The Soviet war in Afghanistan, also known as the Soviet-Afghan War or just the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, was a nine-year conflict involving On December 25, 1979, the Soviet army entered Kabul. Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with This was the starting point of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and the Soviet war in Afghanistan, which ended only in 1989 with a full withdrawal of Soviet troops under the Geneva Accords reached in 1988 between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Soviet war in Afghanistan, also known as the Soviet-Afghan War or just the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, was a nine-year conflict involving The Geneva Accords, known formally as the agreements on the settlement of the situation relating to Afghanistan, were signed on 14 April 1988 between Afghanistan Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar)

For over nine years, the Soviet Army conducted military operations against the Afghan mujahedin rebels. The American CIA, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia assisted in the financing of the resistance because of their anti-communist stance, and, in the case of Saudi Arabia, because of their Islamist inclinations. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the near as long as it used to be several months ago It has been actively summarized and split into sub-articles and there is a dynamic talk page discussion of all Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Islamism ( Islam + ism; Arabic: al-'islāmiyya) a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only

Among the foreign participants in the war was Osama bin Laden, whose Maktab al-Khidamat (MAK) (Office of Order) organization trained a small number of mujahideen and provided some arms and funds to fight the Soviets. Osama bin Laden, with some spelling variations is the name used in English to refer to (أسامة بن محمد بن عوض بن لادن born 10 March The Maktab al-Khidamat, also Maktab Khadamāt al-Mujāhidīn al-'Arab ( Arabic: مكتب الخدمات or مكتب خدمات المجاهدين العرب MAK Bin Laden played only a limited part in this conflict and, in 1988, he broke away from the MAK with some of its more militant members to form Al-Qaida, in order to expand the anti-Soviet resistance effort into a worldwide Islamic fundamentalist movement. Al-Qaeda, alternatively spelled al-Qaida, al-Qa`ida or al-Qa`idah, ( Arabic:; ar-Latn ''al-qāʿidah'' Translation: The

The Soviet Union withdrew its troops in February 1989, but continued to aid the government, led by Mohammed Najibullah. Najibullah ( Pashto: نجيب الله; born August 1947 killed September 27, 1996) was the fourth and last President of the Massive amounts of aid from the CIA and Saudi Arabia to the mujahadin also continued.

1990s

Main article: History of Afghanistan since 1992

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Najibullah government was overthrown on April 18, 1992 when Abdul Rashid Dostum mutinied, and allied himself with Ahmed Shah Massoud, to take control of Kabul and declare the Islamic State of Afghanistan. See also Civil war in Afghanistan This article on the History of Afghanistan since 1992 covers the time period from the fall of the Najibullah government in 1992 The Soviet Union 's collapse into independent nations began early in 1985 Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Abdul Rashid Dostum was a former Pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet Invasion and the current leader of Uzbek-Afghan northern provinces Ahmad Shah Massoud ( (2 September 1953 &ndash 9 September 2001 was a Tajik Kabul University engineering student turned military leader who played a leading } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with When the victorious mujahideen entered Kabul to assume control over the city and the central government, internecine fighting began between the various militias, which had coexisted only uneasily during the Soviet occupation. } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with With the demise of their common enemy, the militias' ethnic, clan, religious, and personality differences surfaced, and civil war continued.

An interim Islamic Jihad Council was put in place, first led by Sibghatullah Mojadeddi for two months, then by Burhanuddin Rabbani. Jamiat-e Islami (also rendered as Jamiat-e-Islami, Jamiati Islami) is an Islamic political party in Afghanistan along the line of the Jamaat-e-Islami Sibghatullah Mojaddedi (Pashto صبغت الله مجددي(born 1926 served as the first President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan after the fall of the communist Burhanuddin Rabbani ( - Burhânuddîn Rabbânî) (born 1940 an ethnic Tajik, is a former President of Afghanistan. Fighting among rival factions intensified. In reaction to the anarchy and warlordism prevalent in the country, and the lack of Pashtun representation in the Kabul government, the Taliban, a movement of religious scholars and former mujahideen, emerged from the southern province of Kandahar. A warlord is a person with power who has military control over a subnational area due to Armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called The Taliban ( طالبان, also anglicised as Taleban; translation "students" is a Sunni Islamist, predominately For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and These Taliban took control of approximately 95% of the country by the end of 2000, limiting the opposition mostly to a small corner in the northeast. The Taliban ( طالبان, also anglicised as Taleban; translation "students" is a Sunni Islamist, predominately 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The opposition formed the Afghan Northern Alliance, which continued to receive diplomatic recognition in the United Nations as the government of Afghanistan. The United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan ( UIF, Jabha-yi Muttahid-i Islami-yi Milli bara-yi Nijat-i Afghanistan) also known as the Northern Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences whereby a state acknowledges an act The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت,

2000s

President George W. Bush and president Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan appear together in 2006 at a joint news conference. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States.

In response to the Taliban support of Al Qaida, the terrorist group that perpetrated the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Taliban's refusal to assist the U. S. in prosecuting Al Qaida, and the Taliban's ruthless attack on women's rights (e. g. , women were not allowed to see male doctors, but women were not allowed to attend school, leaving women without medical care), the United States and its coalition allies launched an invasion of Afghanistan to oust the Taliban government. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7 2001 as the U Sponsored by the UN, Afghan factions met in Bonn, Germany and chose a 30 member interim authority led by Hamid Karzai, a Pashtun from Kandahar. Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located about 20 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Hamid Karzai ( حامد کرزي, حامد کرزي) (born 24 December 1957) is the current President of Afghanistan, since December After governing for 6 months, former King Zahir Shah convened a Loya Jirga, which elected Karzai as president and gave him authority to govern for two more years. Mohammed Zahir Shah ( 15 October 1914 &ndash 23 July 2007) was the last King ( Shah) of Afghanistan, reigning A Loya Jirga ( Pashto: لويه جرګه, Persian: جرگه بزرگ) is a "grand assembly" a phrase taken from the name of large Then, on October 9, 2004, Karzai was elected as president of Afghanistan in the country's first ever presidential election.

Further reading

• Anthony Arnold, Afghanistan's Two-Party Communism
• Henry S. Bradsher, Afghanistan and the Soviet Union
• David B. Edwards, Before Taliban: Genealogies of the Afghan Jihad
• Louis Dupree, Afghanistan
• DeSpain, Dori. A Brief History of Afghanistan. School Journal. Volume 53. Issue 9 (2007)
• Arnold Charles Fletcher, Afghanistan: Highway of Conquest
• Vartan Gregorian, The Emergence of Modern Afghanistan: Politics of Reform and Modernization, 1840-1946
• Kawun Kakar Hasan, Government and Society in Afghanistan: The Reign of Amin 'Abdal-Rahman Khan
• W. Kerr Fraser-Tytler, Afghanistan: A Study of Political Developments in Central and Southern Asia
• Raiz Muhammad Khan, Untying the Afghan Knot: Negotiating the Soviet Withdrawal
• Richard S. Newell, The Politics of Afghanistan
• Elliot, Sir H. M. , Edited by Dowson, John. The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period; published by London Trubner Company 1867–1877. The History of India as Told by Its Own Historians The Muhammadan Period is a book with eight volumes written by H (Online Copy: The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period; by Sir H. M. Elliot; Edited by John Dowson; London Trubner Company 1867–1877 - This online Copy has been posted by: The Packard Humanities Institute; Persian Texts in Translation; Also find other historical books: Author List and Title List)
• Leon B. Poullada, Reform and Rebellion in Afghanistan, 1919-1929
• Olivier Roy, Islam and Resistance in Afghanistan
• Barnett Rubin, The Fragmentation of Afghanistan: State Formation and Collapse in the International System
• Bernard, P. 1994. “The Greek Kingdoms of Central Asia. ” In: History of civilizations of Central Asia, Volume II. The development of sedentary and nomadic civilizations: 700 B. C. to A. D. 250. Harmatta, János, ed. , 1994. Paris: UNESCO Publishing. , pp. 99-129.
• Hill, John E. 2003. "Annotated Translation of the Chapter on the Western Regions according to the Hou Hanshu. " 2nd Draft Edition. [1]
• Hill, John E. 2004. The Peoples of the West from the Weilue 魏略 by Yu Huan 魚豢: A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 CE. Draft annotated English translation. [2]
• Rashid, Ahmed, Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia. Yale University Press, 2001, 294 pages. ISBN 0-300-08902-3
• Sarianidi, Viktor I. 1971. Viktor Ivanovich Sarianidi or Victor Sarigiannides ( Russian: Виктор Иванович Сарианиди Greek: Βίκτωρ Σαρηγιαννίδης “The Lapis Lazuli Route in the Ancient East. ” V. I. Sarianidi. Archaeology Magazine, January 1971, pp. 12-15.
• Sarianidi, Viktor I. 1985. The Golden Hoard of Bactria: From the Tillya-tepe Excavations in Northern Afghanistan. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York. Harry N Abrams Inc is a book publishing company in New York City, New York founded in 1949 by Harry Nathan Abrams to publish high-quality art and illustrated books
• Sarianidi, Viktor. 1989. “Early Kushan Jeweller's Art. ” International Association for the Study of the Cultures of Central Asia Information Bulletin, Issue 15. Moscow, Nauka Publishers, pp. Nauka (Hаука lit trans Science) is a Russian Publisher of academic books and journals 124-134.
• Sarianidi, Viktor 1990-1992 “Tilya Tepe: The Burial of a Noble Warrior. ” PERSICA XIV, 1990-1992, pp. 103-130.
• Vogelsang, Willem. 2002. The Afghans. Blackwell Publishers. Oxford. ISBN 0-631-19841-5.
• Watson, Burton. Trans. 1961. Records of the Grand Historian of China: Translated from the Shih chi of Ssu-ma Ch'ien. Chap. 123. The Account of Ta-yüan. Columbia University Press.
• Wood, John. 1872. A Journey to the Source of the River Oxus. New Edition, edited by his son, with an essay on the "Geography of the Valley of the Oxus" by Henry Yule. John Murray, London.
• Afghanistan. The Encyclopedia Britannica. 15th Edition. 2005.

References

External links

• Historical photos of Afghanistan
• Library of Congress - Country Study of Afghanistan
• Encarta Encyclopedia - Afghanistan
• An Historical Guide To Afghanistan - By Nancy Hatch Dupree
• History of Afghanistan - By John Ford Shroder, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
• History of Nations - Afghanistan
• U.S. Department of State Background Note on Afghanistan
• BBC: Country profile: Afghanistan
• Afghanistan Online - History of Afghanistan
• History of Afghanistan - From Pre-history till today
• List of rulers for Afghanistan
• HISTORY: For Ages, Afghanistan Is Not Easily Conquered, New York Times, 9/18/2001
• Afghan history chronology
• Online Copy: The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period; by Sir H. M. Elliot; Edited by John Dowson; London Trubner Company 1867–1877 - This online Copy has been posted by: The Packard Humanities Institute; Persian Texts in Translation; Also find other historical books: Author List and Title List
• Excellent series of links from the American International School of Kabul

See also

• Timeline of the history of Afghanistan
• First Anglo-Afghan War
• Second Anglo-Afghan War
• Third Anglo-Afghan War
• Mount Imeon
• Pashtunization