# King of Afganistan

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-of-afganistan/95805>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 28, 2001, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-of-afganistan/95805 "2001-11-28T23:14:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-of-afganistan/95805/1 "2001-11-28T23:14:19Z")

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I have recently heard reports that the potential interim rule of Afganistan will be the former King of Afganistan.  
I had not heard that Afganistan ever had a King… although it seems as though nearly everyone has had an opportunity to “rule” there for some short amount of time.  
What is the history of this dynasty? How did they come to power? When and why were they deposed, and how long did they last as “rulers”?

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**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/king-of-afganistan/95805/2 "2001-11-29T00:44:36Z")

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This [link](http://www.cbc.ca/news/indepth/background/wtc_king_afghanistan.html) has some useful background info on Zahir Shah, the deposed king of Afghanistan.

A blurb from the story:

> [@](#):
>
> In his 86 years, King Mohammad Zahir Shah claims three decades of monarchial power. He ascended the throne when he was just 19 as a member of Afghanistan’s Pashtun majority, shortly after the assassination of his father in 1933. His uncles ran the country for the next 20 years. His cousin, Sardar Mohammad Daoud later became prime minister. The king was overthrown by Daoud after allegations of corruption against the royal family and a decline in the country’s economic conditions.