Mohammed Zahir Shah

King of Afghanistan

15 October 1914 Kabul, Afghanistan

23 July 2007(2007-07-23) (92) Kabul, Afghanistan

NamesLoynab Ali Ahmad Khan

King of Afghanistan from 1933 to 1973 King of Afghanistan Mohammed Zahir ShahPortrait of Zahir Shah, 1963King of AfghanistanReign8 November 1933 – 17 July 1973Installation8 November 1933PredecessorMohammed Nadir ShahSuccessorMonarchy abolished (Daoud Khan as President of Afghanistan) Born15 October 1914 Kabul, AfghanistanDied23 July 2007(2007-07-23) (aged 92) Kabul, AfghanistanBurialMaranjan HillSpouseHumaira BegumIssue more... Prince Muhammed Akbar Khan Crown Prince Ahmad Shah KhanHouseBarakzaiFatherMohammed Nadir ShahMotherMah Parwar BegumReligionSunni Islam Mohammed 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 over 39 years, Zahir 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. In the 1950s, Zahir Shah began modernizing the country, culminating in the creation of a new constitution and a constitutional monarchy system. Demonstrating nonpartisanship, his long reign was marked by peace in the country that was lost afterwards. In 1973, while Zahir Shah was vacationing in Italy, his regime was overthrown in a coup d'etat by his cousin and former prime minister, Mohammed 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.