kingdom · Central Asia and the Steppe
Kingdom of Afghanistan
Origins
Amanullah Khan, who had won full independence from Britain in 1919, took the title king (padishah) in 1926, turning the Emirate of Afghanistan into a kingdom. He launched ambitious reforms, including a constitution, schools for girls and the unveiling of women, inspired by Atatürk's Turkey.
Rule and society
Amanullah's reforms provoked a revolt that drove him out in 1929, and after the brief Saqqawist Emirate, Mohammad Nadir Shah took the throne. After his assassination in 1933 his son Mohammad Zahir Shah reigned for forty years, at first through his uncles and then his cousin Mohammad Daoud Khan as prime minister. Afghanistan stayed neutral in the Second World War, received aid from both the Soviet Union and the United States, and adopted a liberal constitution in 1964.
Decline and legacy
In July 1973, while Zahir Shah was in Italy, Daoud Khan seized power in a bloodless coup and abolished the monarchy, proclaiming the Republic of Afghanistan (1973-1978).
Lineage
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (2)
- Saqqawist Emirate split from Kingdom of Afghanistan1929 CE
- Saqqawist Emirate was conquered by Kingdom of Afghanistan1929 CE
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kingdom of Afghanistan. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-afghanistan
- MLA
- “Kingdom of Afghanistan.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-afghanistan. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Kingdom of Afghanistan.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-afghanistan.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kingdom of Afghanistan’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-afghanistan (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻