Ahmad Shah Durrani
founder of the Afghan Durrani Empire (r. 1747–1772)
Ahmad Shah Durrani (c.1723-1773) (Pashto: احمد شاه دراني), also known as Ahmad Shah Abdali (Pashto: احمد شاه ابدالي) and born as Ahmed Khan, was the founder of the Durrani Empire in 1747.
| Ahmad Shah Durrani | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shah Durr-i-Durrani ("pearl of pearls") | |||||
 | |||||
| Reign | 1747–1772 | ||||
| Coronation | October 1747 | ||||
| Predecessor | Hussain Hotak | ||||
| Successor | Timur Shah Durrani | ||||
| Born | c. 1722 Herat, Afghanistan | ||||
| Died | 16 October 1772 Kandahar Province, Afghanistan | ||||
| Burial | |||||
| Spouse | Hazrat Begum | ||||
| |||||
| Dynasty | Durrani | ||||
| Father | Muhammad Zaman Khan Abdali | ||||
| Mother | Zarghuna Alakozai | ||||
| Religion | Sunni Islam | ||||
He united the different Afghan tribes and conquered what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan, eastern Iran and The Punjab in north western India. He is recognized as the Founding Father of the modern state of Afghanistan.
His mausoleum is located in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, adjacent to the mosque where Muhammad the Prophet's sacred cloak is kept as memorabilia. It is not worshiped.