A brief history of Afghanistan

We've been listening that Afghanistan is 5000 years old. Is it really that old? 

The answer is, "no".  

Here is history of the land of modren day Afghanistan, which was known as "Khorasan" in the past. Khorasan region was composed of most of the area of modren day Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and some area of Iran. A state with the name of "Afghanistan" was first established in 1823 in the Khorasan region by Dost Muhammad Khan of Barakzai Dynasty as "Emirates of Afghanistan".


Before 1823, the area of modern day Afghanistan (known as Khorasan) was part of:

  •  Durrani Empire (1747-1823)  
  • Afsharid Empire (1736-1796) 
  • Hotak Empire (1709-1738) 
  • Khanate of Bukhara (1506-1785) 
  • Safavid Empire (1591-1736)  
  • Timurid Empire (1370-1506) 
  • Chaghatai Khanate (1236-1705) 
  • Mongol Empire (1206-1368) 
  • Ghurid Empire (1194-1212) 
  • Khwarazamian Empire (1077-1231) 
  • Seljuk Empire (1037-1194) 
  • Ghaznavid Empire (963-1167) 
  • Samanid Empire (875-999)  

These are the Empires which have ruled the modern day Afghanistan region since last almost 1000 years. During the reign of these empires, this area/region was known as "Khorasan". 

In 1823, Dost Muhammad Khan of Barakzai Dynasty took over this land (Khorasan region) from Durrani Empire (established by Ahmad Shah Abdali) and named it "Emirates of Afghanistan". This was the first instance when a state was formally named "Afghanistan" and the same continued for almost a century until 1926.

  • Emirates of Afghanistan (1823-1926)  
  • Emirates of Afghanistan (1823-1926) 
  • Kingdom of Afghanistan (1926-1973) 
  • Republic of Afghanistan (1973-1978) 
  • Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978-1987) 
  • Republic of Afghanistan (1987-1992) 
  • Islamic State of Afghanistan (1992-2002)  
  • Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan (1996-2001) 
  • Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (2002-2004) 
  • Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2004 onwards)     

Here are maps of different empires which controled the area of modern day Afghanistan (Khorasan):

Durrani Empire (1747-1823)


 

Afsharid Empire (1736-1796)


  

Hotak Empire (1709-1738)


  

 Khanate of Bukhara (1506-1785)

 
Safavid Empire (1501-1736)

  
Timurid Empire (1370-1506)
 

  
Chaghatai Khanate (1236-1705) 
 
Chaghatai Khanate also ruled some parts of Khorasan (modern day Afghanistan) during their reign from 1236-1705. 
 

 
Mongol Empire (1206-1368) 
 
Mongol Empire also ruled the region of modern day Afghanistan.
 

 
 
Ghurid Empire (1149-1212)
 
Ghaurid Empire ruled the area of modern day Afghanistan (Khorasan) from 1149-1212.
 

  
Khwarazamian Empire (1077-1231)
 

  
Seljuk Empire (1037-1194) 
 
The Great Seljuk Empire also ruled some parts of modern day Afghanistan (known as Khorasan at that time) from 1037-1194. 
 

 
Ghaznavid Empire (963-1167)
 
 

  
Samanid Empire (875-999) 
 
Samanid Empire ruled areas of modern day Afghanistan (known as Khorasan at that time) from 1875-999. 
 

 
Saffarid Empire (861-1003)
 

  
These are different empires and dynasties which ruled region of Khorasan (known as Afghanistan now) since last 1000 years. Most of these empires ruled Khorasan region from areas outside Khorasan and had appointed commanders/governors/rulers here in this region or for this region. 

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