Ahmad Shah Durrani
Emir of Afghanistan
Ahmad Shah Durrani
Reign	1747 - 1773
Coronation	October 1747
Full name	Ahmad Khan Abdali
Titles	Padshah of the Durrani Empire
Born	1723
Birthplace	Multan, Pakistan[1]
Died	1773
Place of death	Kandahar, Afghanistan
Predecessor	Nader Shah
Successor	Timur Shah Durrani
Royal House	Durrani
Dynasty	Durrani dynasty
Father	Muhammad Zaman Khan Abdali
Mother	Zarghoona Alakozai

Ahmad Shah Durrani (b. Year 1747 ( MDCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Year 1773 ( MDCCLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Padishah, Padshah, Padeshah, Badishah or Badshah ( Persian پادشاه Pādeshāh) is a very prestigious The Durrani Empire (also referred to as the Afghan Empire) was a large state based in modern Afghanistan and Pakistan and later included northeastern Year 1723 ( MDCCXXIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a ( Urdu:, Punjabi ملتان، ਮੁਲਤਾਨ is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Year 1773 ( MDCCLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Nāder Shāh Afshār ( also known as Nāder Qoli Beg - نادر قلی بیگ or Tahmāsp Qoli Khān - تهماسپ قلی خان) (November Timur Shah Durrani ( 1748 - May 18, 1793) was the second ruler of the Durrani Empire from October 16, 1772, until his death Durrānī ( or Abdālī ( is the name of a chief Tribal Confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Durrani Empire (also referred to as the Afghan Empire) was a large state based in modern Afghanistan and Pakistan and later included northeastern The Alakozai are a sub-tribe of the Abdali Pashtuns of Afghanistan. 1723 - d. 1773) (Pashto: احمد خان ابدالی), also known as Ahmad Shah Abdali, was a powerful Afghan ruler who established the Durrani Empire at Kandahar in 1747. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, The Durrani Empire (also referred to as the Afghan Empire) was a large state based in modern Afghanistan and Pakistan and later included northeastern For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and Year 1747 ( MDCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a He is also regarded as the founder and first Emir of modern Afghanistan. ^[2][3][4][5] Most Afghans refer to him as Ahmad Shah Baba (Ahmad Shah, the Father). ^[6]

Early years

Ahmad Khan (later Ahmad Shah), an ethnic Pashtun from the Sadozai line of the Popalzai clan of the Abdali tribe, was born in Multan (now a city in Pakistan). Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called Sadozai can refer to Sadozai (Pastun tribe Sadozai (Baloch tribe Popalzai or Popalzay is a tribal name of the Pashtun clan that is part of the larger Durrani (formerly called Abdali) tribe ( Urdu:, Punjabi ملتان، ਮੁਲਤਾਨ is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and ^[1] He was the second son of Mohammed Zaman Khan, chief of the Abdalis. In his youth, Ahmad Khan and his elder brother, Zulfikar Khan, were imprisoned inside a fortress by Hussein Khan, the Ghilzai governor of Kandahar. The Ghilzais (also known as Khiljis or Ghaljis) are a large Pashtun Tribe located mainly in southeastern Afghanistan, between For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and Hussein Khan commanded a powerful tribe of Afghans, having conquered eastern Persia a few years earlier including the capital city of the Safavids. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia The Safavids ( صفوی) were an Iranian ref>Helen Chapin Metz

After conquering Kandahar in 1737, Nader Shah Afshar, the new ruler of Persia, freed Ahmad Khan and his brother. Year 1737 ( MDCCXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Nāder Shāh Afshār ( also known as Nāder Qoli Beg - نادر قلی بیگ or Tahmāsp Qoli Khān - تهماسپ قلی خان) (November The brothers, with a powerful body of their clansmen, pledged their loyalty to Nadir Shah and soon distinguished themselves in battle.

Commander of the Abdali cavalry

Ahmad quickly rose to command a cavalry contingent estimated at four thousand strong^[7], composed chiefly of Abdalis, in the service of Nadir Shah on his invasion of India. Nāder Shāh Afshār ( also known as Nāder Qoli Beg - نادر قلی بیگ or Tahmāsp Qoli Khān - تهماسپ قلی خان) (November

Legend and portents of Ahmad Shah's future

Popular history has it that the brilliant and megalomanical Nadir Shah could see the talent in his young commander, Ahmad Shah. He is reported to have said, "I have not seen in Iran, Turan and Hindustan any man of such talents as possessed by Ahmed Abdali!". Tūrān ( is the ancient Iranian name for Central Asia, literally meaning "the land of the Tur" Hindustan (हिन्दुस्तान, ہندوستان,) is one of the popular Names of India. ^[8] Similarly Persian legend has it that Nadir Shah was warned that one day Ahmad Shah would be a great King. A king is a male Monarch, or a Head of state, who may or may not depending on the style of government of a nation exercise monarchal powers over a territory usually Unfazed by the news he is said to have drawn a knife and cut Ahmad Shah's ear saying, "When you become King this will remind me of you". Later on, according to Pashtun legend, in Delhi it is said Nadir Shah summoned Ahmad Shah and said: "Come forward Ahmad Abdali. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population Remember Ahmad Khan Abdali, that after me the Kingship will pass on to you. But you should treat the descendants of Nadir Shah with kindness. " The young Ahmad Shah's response was, "May I be sacrficed to you. Should your majesty wish to slay me I am at your disposal. There is no cause or reason for saying such words!". ^[8].

Nadir Shah's assassination

Main article: Nader Shah

Nadir Shah's rule abruptly ended in June 1747, when he was assassinated. Nāder Shāh Afshār ( also known as Nāder Qoli Beg - نادر قلی بیگ or Tahmāsp Qoli Khān - تهماسپ قلی خان) (November The Turkoman guards involved in the assassination did so secretly so as to prevent the Abdalis from coming to their King's rescue. However, Ahmad Shah was told that Nadir Shah had been killed by one of Nadir Shah's wives. Despite the danger of being attacked, the Abdali contingent led by Ahmad Shah rushed either to save Nadir Shah or to confirm what happened. Upon reaching the King's tent, they were only to see Nadir Shah's body and severed head. Having served him so loyally the Abdalis wept at having failed their leader,^[9] and then fought their way out of the camp, and headed back towards Kandahar.

Ahmad Shah had little trouble in taking charge of much of present-day Afghanistan in the power vacuum that resulted from Nadir's death, and Ahmad Shah personally came into possession of the celebrated Kohinoor diamond, which was given to him by Nadir's grandson, Shah Rukh. This article is about the Diamond. For the film see Kohinoor. Shahrokh Shah Afshar ( Persian: شاهرخ c 1730 &ndash 1796 was a king of Afsharid dynasty and a contemporary of Zand kings

Loya Jirga

Coronation of Ahmad Shah Durrani at Kandahar in 1747

Later the same year (1747), when the chiefs of the Abdali tribes and clans met near Kandahar City at a Loya Jirga to choose a new leader, Ahmad Shah was chosen to lead the tribe. A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and A Loya Jirga ( Pashto: لويه جرګه, Persian: جرگه بزرگ) is a "grand assembly" a phrase taken from the name of large His coronation as the first King of Afghanistan happened in October 1747, near the tomb of Shaikh Surkh, adjacent to Nadir Abad Fort.

Despite being younger than other claimants, Ahmad had several overriding factors in his favor:

• He was a direct descendant of Sado, patriarch of the Sadozai clan, the most prominent tribe amongst the Pashtuns at the time;
• He was unquestionably a charismatic leader and seasoned warrior who had at his disposal a trained, mobile force of several thousand cavalrymen;
• Not least, he possessed a substantial part of Nadir Shah's treasury. Sadozai can refer to Sadozai (Pastun tribe Sadozai (Baloch tribe

One of Ahmad Shah's first acts as chief was to adopt the title "Durr-i-Durrani" ("pearl of pearls" or "pearl of the age"). The name may have been suggested, as some claim, from a dream dreamt by Ahmad Shah and his pearl earring, or as others claim, from the pearl earrings worn by the royal guard of Nadir Shah. The Abdali Pashtuns have been known thereafter as Durranis. Durrānī ( or Abdālī ( is the name of a chief Tribal Confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Military campaigns

Ahmad Shah began his military career as head of the Abdali tribe by capturing Ghazni from the Ghilzais, and then wresting Kabul from the local ruler, and thus strengthened his hold over most of present-day Afghanistan. Ghazni City ( - Ğaznī; Ghazna and Ghaznīn are the old names for Ghazni The Ghilzais (also known as Khiljis or Ghaljis) are a large Pashtun Tribe located mainly in southeastern Afghanistan, between } Kābul ( Persian and Pashto: کابل, IPA:) is the Capital and largest city of Afghanistan, with Leadership of the various Afghan tribes rested mainly on the ability to provide booty for the clan, and Ahmad Shah proved remarkably successful in providing both booty and occupation for his followers. Apart from invading the Punjab region three times between the years 1747-1753, he captured Herat in 1750 and both Nishapur and Mashhad in 1751. Punjab ( ਪੰਜਾਬ پنجاب, पंजाब پنجاب also Panjab (پنجاب meaning "Land of the Five Rivers") (c area3018 sq mi Herāt ( classically called the Aria, is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. Nishapur, or Neyshābūr ( is a city in the Razavi Khorasan province in northeastern Iran, situated in a fertile plain at the foot Mashhad ( literally the place of martyrdom) is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia

Ahmad Shah first crossed the Indus river in 1748, the year after his ascension - his forces sacked Lahore during that expedition. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. The following year (1749), the Mughal ruler was induced to cede Sindh and all of the Punjab region west of the Indus River to him, in order to save his capital from being attacked by Ahmad Shah. The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most Sindh ( Sindhī: سنڌ Urdu: سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd Having thus gained substantial territories to the east without a fight, Ahmad Shah turned westward to take possession of Herat, which was ruled by Nadir Shah's grandson, Shah Rukh. The city fell to Ahmad Shah in 1750, after almost a year of siege and bloody conflict; Ahmad Shah then pushed on into present-day Iran, capturing Nishapur and Mashhad in 1751.

Meanwhile, in the preceding three years, the Sikhs had occupied the city of Lahore, and Ahmad Shah had to return in 1751 to oust them. Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. In 1752, he invaded and reduced Kashmir. This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir He next sent an army to subdue the areas north of the Hindu Kush. The Hindu Kush is a Mountain range located between Afghanistan and Pakistan. In short order, the powerful army brought under its control the Turkmen, Uzbek, Tajik and Hazara peoples of northern, central, and western Afghanistan. This article is about the Turkmen people of Turkmenistan. For the distinct group of Turk peoples of Iraq see Iraqi Turkmen. The Uzbeks (Self designation sg O‘zbek, pl O‘zbeklar) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of The Hazāra ( are a Persian-speaking people residing in the central region of Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan.

Then in 1756/57, in what was his fourth invasion of India, Ahmad Shah sacked the capital of Hindustan, Delhi. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country He did not displace the Mughal dynasty, which remained in nominal control as long as the ruler acknowledged Ahmad's suzerainty over the Punjab, Sindh, and Kashmir regions. He installed a puppet Emperor, Alamgir II, on the Mughal throne, and arranged marriages for himself and his son Timur Shah into the Imperial family that same year. Aziz-ud-din Alamgir II ( عالمگير ۲) (1759 - 1699 was the Mughal Emperor of India from June 3 1754 to December 11 1759 Timur Shah Durrani ( 1748 - May 18, 1793) was the second ruler of the Durrani Empire from October 16, 1772, until his death Leaving his second son Timur (who was wed to the daughter of Alamgir II) to safeguard his interests, Ahmad Shah finally left Hindustan (India) to return to Afghanistan. On his way back, he couldn't resist attacking the Golden Temple in Amristar and filled its sarovar (sacred pool) with the blood of slaughtered cows and people. The Golden Temple is to the Sikhs what Mecca is to the Muslims so his transgressions were of great proportions.

Conflict with the Marathas

Main article: Third Battle of Panipat

The Mughal power in northern India had been declining since the reign of Aurangzeb, who died in 1707; the [[Maratha]s], who already controlled much of western and central India from their capital at Pune, were straining to expand their area of control. The Third Battle of Panipat took place on January 14, 1761 at Panipat (Haryana State India) situated at about 80 miles (130 km north Aurangzeb ( (full title Al-Sultan al-Azam wal Khaqan al-Mukarram Abul Muzaffar Muhiuddin Muhammad Aurangzeb Bahadur Alamgir I Padshah Ghazi) ( November 4, Pune (ˈpuːneɪ Marathi: पुणे Hindi: पूना formerly Poona, is the second largest city in the state of Maharashtra After Ahmad Shah sacked the Mughal capital and withdrew with the booty he coveted, the Marathas filled the power void; in 1758, within a year of Ahmad Shah's return to Kandahar, the Marathas secured possession of the Punjab region, and succeeded in ousting his son Timur Shah and his court from India.

Amidst appeals from Muslim leaders like Shah Waliullah^[10] and the humiliation of his son, Ahmad Shah chose to return to India and face the formidable challenge posed by the Maratha Confederacy. Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlavi ( Arabic / Persian / Urdu: شاہ ولی الله دهلوی) also known as Shah Waliullah of Delhi He declared a jihad (Islamic holy war) against the Marathas, and warriors from various Pashtun tribes, as well as other tribes such as the Baloch, Tajiks, and Muslims in India, answered his call. Jihad (جهاد ʤɪhæːd an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Baloch ( بلوچ; alternative transliterations Baluch Balouch Bloach Balooch Balush Balosh Baloosh Baloush) are an Iranian people inhabiting Early skirmishes ended in victory for the Afghans. By 1759, Ahmad Shah and his army had reached Lahore and were poised to confront the Marathas. Year 1759 ( MDCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year By 1760, the Maratha groups had coalesced into a great army that probably outnumbered Ahmad Shah's forces. Year 1760 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap Once again, Panipat was the scene of a confrontation between two warring contenders for control of northern India. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Panipat ( Hindi: पानीपत is an ancient and historic city in Panipat District, Geography Northern India lies mainly on continental India and a very small part of it lies on the Indian peninsula The Third battle of Panipat (January 1761), fought between largely Muslim and largely Hindu armies who numbered as many as 100,000 troops each, was waged along a twelve-kilometer front, and resulted in a decisive victory for Ahmed Shah. The Third Battle of Panipat took place on January 14, 1761 at Panipat (Haryana State India) situated at about 80 miles (130 km north Year 1761 ( MDCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ^[11]

Administration and government

He used to hold, at stated periods, what is termed a Majlis-i-Eeulama, or Assembly of the Learned, the early part of which was generally devoted to divinity and civil law-for Ahmad Shah himself was a Molawi and concluded with conversations on science and poetry. He as a rule did not interfere with the tribes or their customs as long as they did not interfere with his ambitions.

Decline

An old Painting of Kandahar, capital city of Ahmad Shah Durrani, with his tomb (background left). For the 2001 film see Kandahar (film; for the Kandahar meteorite of 1959 see Meteorite falls; for the places in Azerbaijan see Cəndəhar and Lithograph, James Rattray, 1848

The victory at Panipat was the high point of Ahmad Shah's and Afghan power. His empire was among the largest Islamic empires in the world at that time. However, this situation was not to last long; the empire soon began to unravel. As early as by the end of 1761, the Sikhs had began to rebel in much the Punjab region. In 1762, Ahmad Shah crossed the passes from Afghanistan for the sixth time to crush the Sikhs. He assaulted Lahore and Amritsar (the holy city of the Sikhs). Within two years, the Sikhs rebelled again, and he launched another campaign against them in 1764.

Soon afterwards, Ahmad Shah had to hasten westward to quell an insurrection in Afghanistan. He had to buy peace with the Uzbek emir of Bukhara by agreeing that the Amu Darya would mark the division of their lands. Meanwhile, the Sikhs rose again in power and Ahmad Shah was forced to abandon his hopes of retaining the command over the Punjab. The Sikhs thereafter ruled Punjab and the region up till Peshawar until finally defeated by the British in the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849.

In the spring of 1761, Ahmad Shah, returned to Kabul; and from that period, up to the spring of 1773, was actively employed against foreign and domestic foes; but at that time his health, which had been long declining, continued to get worse, and pre-vented his engaging in any foreign expeditions. His complaint was a cancer in the face, which had afflicted him first in 1764, and at last occasioned his death. He died at Murghah, in Afghanistan, in the beginning of June 1773, in the fiftieth year of his age. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Timur Shah Durrani. Timur Shah Durrani ( 1748 - May 18, 1793) was the second ruler of the Durrani Empire from October 16, 1772, until his death

Legacy

Main article: Durrani Empire

Ahmad Shah's successors, beginning with his son Timur Shah, proved largely incapable of governing the Durrani Empire and faced with advancing enemies on all sides it was at an end within 50 years of Ahmad Shah's death. The Durrani Empire (also referred to as the Afghan Empire) was a large state based in modern Afghanistan and Pakistan and later included northeastern Much of the territory conquered by Ahmad Shah fell to others in this half century. By 1818, Ahmad Shah heirs controlled little more than Kabul and the surrounding territory. Year 1818 ( MDCCCXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common They not only lost the outlying territories but also alienated other Pashtun tribes and those of other Durrani lineages. Until Dost Mohammad Khan's ascendancy in 1826, chaos reigned in Afghanistan, which effectively ceased to exist as a single entity, disintegrating into a fragmented collection of small units. Dost Mohammad Khan ( Pashto / Persian: دوست محمد خان) ( December 23, 1793 - June 9, 1863) son of Sardār

Ahmad Shah Durrani, by contemporary Afghan artist Tapand.

Ahmad Shah's own achievements were however considerable. He had succeeded to a remarkable degree in balancing tribal alliances and hostilities, and in directing tribal energies away from rebellion. Although he was ultimately only another in a lengthy line of successful Afghan warriors, Ahmad Shah was aggressive, energetic, and tenacious; a bold but careful general and a conqueror who created a large empire. Even today there are thousands of people each year named their sons Ahmad Shah in tribute to the first Emir of Afghanistan. Ahmad Shah and his heirs were the second Pashtun rulers of Afghanistan, and according to some interpretations, the nation of Afghanistan and the basis of a pashtun identity began to take shape under his rule following centuries of fragmentation and exploitation. ^[12] His love for his land and his people were both something which ensured his position in the collective memory of Afghan and Pashtuns as exemplified by the quote attributed to him "Nowhere in the world can replace the ground on which one crawled in childhood".

At the same this policy ensured he did not continue on the path of other conquerors like Babur or Mohammad Ghori and make India the base for his empire. Babur ( February 14 1483 - December 26 1530) was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who following a series of setbacks Muhammad Shahab-ud-Din Ghori ( Persian, Pashto, Urdu: محمد شہاب الدین غوری also spelled Mohammad Ghauri, originally named Mu'izzuddin What he did accomplish was create the basis for Afghanistan as a modern-day nation. Indeed, the name "Afghanistan" finds official mention for the first time ever in history, in the Anglo-Persian peace treaty of 1801. Ahmed Shah has therefore earned recognition as "Ahmad Shah Baba", the "Father" of Afghanistan.

His victory over the Marathas also influenced the history of the subcontinent and in particular British policy in the region. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands His refusal to continue his campaigns deeper into India prevented a clash with the East India Company and allowed them to continue to acquire power and influence after their acquistion of Bengal in 1757. The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or Etymology and ethnology The exact origin of the word Bangla or Bengal is unknown though it is believed to be derived from the Dravidian-speaking tribe Bang However, fear of another Afghan invasion was to haunt British policy for almost half a century after the battle of Panipat. The Third Battle of Panipat took place on January 14, 1761 at Panipat (Haryana State India) situated at about 80 miles (130 km north The acknowledgment of Abdali's military accomplishments are reflected by British intelligence reports on Panipat, which referred to Ahmad Shah as the 'King of Kings'. ^[13] Fear of an alliance between the French and Afghans led in 1798 to a British envoy, to the Persian court, being instructed to stir up the Persians against the Afghan Empire. ^[14]

The most important historical monument in Kandahar is the mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani, in his tomb his epitaph is written:

Mountstuart Elphinstone wrote of Ahmad Shah:

Ahmad Shah's poetry

Ahmad Shah wrote a collection of odes in his native Pashto language. Ode (from the Ancient Greek) is a form of stately and elaborate lyrical verse. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as ^[6] He was also the author of several poems in Persian.

See also

• Durrani
• Shah Waliullah
• Zamzama
• Ranjit Singh

Footnotes

References

• Ahmad Shah Durrani, 1722-1772: Founder and first king of modern Afghanistan : revolutionary reformer, poet or feudal lord by Nabi Misdaq
• Diwan-i Ahmad Shah Abdali by Ahmad Shah Durrani OCLC 13024016
• Kashiraj (1926) An account of the last battle of Panipat and of the events leading to it Oxford University Press, London OCLC 38143624, republished as Kashiraj (1961) Account of the Battle of Panipat (1761) Bazm-i-Isháat, Ismail Yusuf College, Bombay, OCLC 208800
• Marathas : Rise and Fall (ISBN 81-7169-886-7) B R Verma and S R Bakshi
• Singh, Ganda (1959) Ahmad Shah Durrani: Father of Modern Afghanistan Asia Publishing House, Bombay, OCLC 28302522
• Prakash, Om (2002) Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali Anmol, New Delhi, India, ISBN 81-261-1083-X
• Waquiyat-i-Durrani by Munshi Abdul Karim : translated by Mir Waris Ali; Punjabi Adabi Akadami, Lahore (Pakistan) 1963
• Shahnamah-i Ahmad Shah Abdali (Da Pashto Akedemi da matbu°ato silsilah) (Unknown Binding) by Hafiz (Author)

External links

• Encyclopedia Britannica - Ahmad Shah Durrani
• Columbia Encyclopedia - Ahmad Shah
• Biography of Ahmad Shah Abdali (Durrani)
• Ahmad Shah Baba
• Ahmad Shah Abdali
• Invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali
• Detailed genealogy of the Durrani dynasty
• Famous Diamonds: The Koh-I-Noor
• Abdali Tribe History
• Chronology: from the emergence of the Afghan Kingdom to the Mission of Mountstuart Elphistone, 1747-1809
• Afghan Invaders and Waris Shah
• The story of the Koh-i Noor