Mahmud Shah Durrani (Pashto/Persian: محمود شاہ درانی) ; 1769 – 18 April 1829) was born prince and later ruler of the Durrani Empire (Afghanistan) between 1801 and 1803, and again between 1809 and 1818.[1] From 1818 to 1829 he was the ruler of Herat. An ethnic Sadduzai tribe section of the Popalzai sub clan of the Durrani Pashtuns, he was the son of Timur Shah Durrani and grandson of Ahmad Shah Durrani.

Mahmud Shah Durrani
محمود شاه درانی
Ruler of the Durrani Empire
1st reign25 July 1801 – 13 July 1803
PredecessorZaman Shah Durrani
SuccessorShuja Shah Durrani
2nd reign3 May 1809 – 1818
PredecessorShuja Shah Durrani
SuccessorAli Shah Durrani
Ruler of Herat
Reign1818 – 1826
SuccessorKamran Shah Durrani
Born1769
Died18 April 1829 (aged 60)
DynastyDurrani
FatherTimur Shah Durrani
MotherUnnamed Yusufzai lady
ReligionSunni Islam

Reign

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Mahmud Shah Durrani was the half-brother of his predecessor, Zaman Shah. On July 25, 1801, Zaman Shah was deposed, and Mahmud Shah ascended to ruler-ship. He had a chequered career, being deposed in 1803, restored in 1809, and finally deposed again in 1818.

Struggles with the Barakzais

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The elder brother of Dost Mohammad Khan, the chief of the Barakzai, Fateh Khan, took an important part in raising Mahmud Shah Durrani to the sovereignty of Afghanistan in 1800 and in restoring him to the throne in 1809. The son of Mahmud Shah Durrani, Shahzada Kamran Durrani, was always in trouble with Fateh Khan, the brother of Dost Muhammad Khan. Mahmud Shah repaid Fateh Khan's services by having him assassinated in 1818. The assassination of Fateh Khan Barakzai, incurred the enmity of his tribe and with it began the fall of the Durrani Empire. After a bloody conflict, Mahmud Shah was deprived of all his possessions except Herat. The rest of his dominions were divided among Fateh Khan's brothers. King Mahmud Shah Durrani died in 1829. The country was then ruled by Shuja Shah Durrani; another of his half-brothers.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Murtazashvili, Jennifer Brick; Murtazashvili, Ilia (2021-09-09). Land, the State, and War: Property Institutions and Political Order in Afghanistan. Cambridge University Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-108-49341-3.
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Regnal titles
Preceded by Emir of Afghanistan
25 July 1801 – 13 July 1803
Succeeded by
Preceded by Emir of Afghanistan
3 May 1809 – 1818
Succeeded by