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Shuja Shah Abdali Durrani (1785-1842), also known as Shoja Shah, was the fifth Emir of Afghanistan, first ruling the Durrani Empire from 1803 to 1809. After he forced the deposition of his brother Zaman Shah in 1801 by having him blinded, he proclaimed himself King of Afghanistan, but did not formally ascend until 1803, after defeating his half-brother Mahmud Shah.<br/><br/> Shuja was overthrown by Mahmud Shah in 1809, going into exile in The Punjab and India. He became cruel and petty, often removing various body parts from his courtiers and slaves for the slightest of displeasures, such as having a slave castrated on the spot for not erecting a tent firmly enough when it was blown down by the wind.<br/><br/> Shuja was restored to power in 1838 by the British, who had believed that the Afghans would welcome the return of their 'rightful ruler', when most had already forgotten him. His barbarity became apparent to the British on the campaign trail when he had 50 prisoners beheaded on the spot, and they began to second-guess their decision to reinstate him. He considered his people to be 'dogs', and began exacting his cruel vengeance on them due to feelings of betrayal. It came as no surprise when he was assassinated in 1842.
Durrani or Abdali is the name of an important Sarbani Pashtun tribal confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Originally known by their ancient name Abdali, they have been called Durrani since the beginning of the Durrani Empire in 1747.<br/><br/> The number of Durranis are estimated to be roughly 16% of the population of Afghanistan or 5 million individuals. Durrani are found throughout Afghanistan and Pakistan, although large concentrations are found in the South, they are also found to less extent in East, West and Central Afghanistan. Many Durranis are found in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces of Pakistan and in a lesser number in India, many of whom adopted Urdu as their language.<br/><br/> The Durrani Pashtuns of the Afghan capital Kabul are usually bilingual in Pashto and Dari Persian. The ruling Sadozai and Barakzai dynasties of Afghanistan were originally from the Durrani.
Ahmad Shah Durrani (1722-1772), also known as Ahmad Khan Abdali, was an Afghan ruler and king who founded the Durrani Empire, regarded by many as the founder of modern Afghanistan. The Durrani Empire, also referred to as the Afghan Empire, was a monarchy centered in Afghanistan and included northeastern Iran, the modern state of Pakistan as well as the Punjab region of India. It was established at Kandahar in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, an Afghan military commander under Nader Shah of Persia and chief of the Abdali tribe. After the death of Ahmad Shah in about 1773, the Emirship was passed onto his children followed by grandchildren and its capital was shifted to Kabul.<br/><br/> With the support of tribal leaders, Ahmad Shah Durrani extended Afghan control from Meshed to Kashmir and Delhi, from the Amu Darya to the Arabian Sea. Next to the Ottoman Empire, the Durrani was the greatest Muslim Empire in the second half of the eighteenth century. The Durrani Empire is considered the foundation of the current state of Afghanistan, with Ahmad Shah Durrani being considered the ‘Father’ of modern Afghanistan.
The Durrani Empire, also referred to as the Afghan Empire, was a monarchy centered in Afghanistan and included northeastern Iran, the modern state of Pakistan as well as the Punjab region of India.<br/><br/> It was established at Kandahar in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, an Afghan military commander under Nader Shah of Persia and chief of the Abdali tribe. After the death of Ahmad Shah in about 1773, the Emirship was passed onto his children followed by grandchildren and its capital was shifted to Kabul. With the support of tribal leaders, Ahmad Shah Durrani extended Afghan control from Meshed to Kashmir and Delhi, from the Amu Darya to the Arabian Sea.<br/><br/> Next to the Ottoman Empire, the Durrani was the greatest Muslim Empire in the second half of the 18th century. The Durrani Empire is considered the foundation of the current state of Afghanistan, with Ahmad Shah Durrani being considered the ‘Father’ of modern Afghanistan.