Mohammadzai

Mohammadzai
محمدزی
Dost Mohammad Khan, king of Afghanistan, and belonging to the Mohammadzai sub-tribe
EthnicityPashtun
LocationAfghanistan, Pakistan
Parent tribeBarakzai
LanguagePashto
Religion Islam

Mohammadzai (Pashto: محمدزی), also spelled Moḥammadzay (meaning "descendants of Mohammad"), is a Pashtun sub-tribe or clan of the Barakzai which is part of the Durrani confederacy of tribes.[1][2] They are primarily centered on Kandahar, Kabul and Ghazni in Afghanistan as well as in the city of Charsadda in neighbouring Pakistan.[1] The Mohammadzai ruled Afghanistan from 1823 to 1978, for a total of 155 years. Their rule ended under Daoud Khan when the Communists took power via a Soviet-backed coup.

Distribution

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Mohammadzai are the most prominent and powerful branch of the Durrani confederacy, and are primarily centered on Kandahar. They can also be found in other provinces throughout Afghanistan as well as across the border in present-day Pakistan.

Musahiban are the descendants of Sultan Mohammad Khan, also known as "Telai". Telai means Gold in Dari. He was the elder brother of Dost Mohammed Khan.

Language

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The principal language of the Mohammadzai is Pashto, more specifically the Southern (Kandahari) dialect of Pashto. Dari is also used as the language for records and correspondence.[3][4][5]

Politics

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From 1823 to 1978, rulers of Afghanistan belonged to the two branches of one Barakzai dynasty descending from the chiefs of the Barakzai tribe (belonging to the Mohammadzai).

See also

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[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Anne Brodsky (15 November 2014). "Narratives of Afghan Childhood:Risk, Resilience, and the Experiences That Shape the Development of Afghanistan as a People and a Nation". In Heath, Jonathan; Zahedi, Ashraf (eds.). Children of Afghanistan: The Path to Peace. University of Texas Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-0292759312. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  2. ^ Balland, D. "BĀRAKZĪ". Encyclopædia Iranica (Online ed.). United States: Columbia University.
  3. ^ Pakistan and the emergence of Islamic militancy in Afghanistan By Rizwan Hussain Page 16
  4. ^ page 64 India and Central Asia By J. N. Roy, J.N. Roy And B.B. Kumar, Astha Bharati (Organization)
  5. ^ Study of the Pathan Communities in Four States of India[usurped], Khyber.org (retrieved 30 January 2008)
  6. ^ "Traditional Loya Jirga". Archived from the original on 2012-02-10. Retrieved 2012-02-10.