# Shaghasi

The Shaghasi are, alongside the Seraj and Telai, a prominent and powerful cadet-branch of the Afghan royal family. They belong to the Zirak branch of the Durrani confederacy, and are primarily centered around Kandahar. They can also be found in other provinces throughout central Afghanistan.
The Shaghasi Khel held more influence than the Mohammadzai during the reign of Emir Sher Ali Khan - Emir of Afghanistan, and Emir Amanullah Khan - Emir of Afghanistan (February 28, 1919 – 1926), later King of Afghanistan (1926 - January 14, 1929). Shaghasi Barakzai are closely related to Amanullah Khan. Queen Sawar Sultana Begum Shaghasi daughter of Loinab Sher Dil Khan of Shaghasi, Governor of Balkh was King Amanullah Khan's mother.
Ali Ahmad Khan Shaghasi (1883–1929) who was declared Emir of Afghanistan twice in 1929 son of General Loinab Khushdil Khan, sometime Governor of Kabul and Kandahar, by his wife Sahira Begum, daughter of Amir al-Mumenin, Amir al-Kabir, Amir Dost Muhammad Khan, Amir of Afghanistan, by his wife, a daughter of Agha Muhammad Qizilbash was also Shaghasi Barakzai. Ali Ahmad's sister, the Ulya Mukhadara Zarin Jan Begum was the mother of Humaira Begum who was the Queen consort of Afghanistan.

## Distribution

Shaghasi Khel are descendants of Mirdaad Khan Barakzai, Işik Aqasi (Minister of the Royal Court "Chemberlain") during the reign of the Kandahari Sardars (Dost Muhammad Khan's brothers), as well as the reign of Dost Muhammad Khan 1863 - 1866 and 1868 - 1879. His father, Bazar Khan Barakzai was a local Barakzai chief, and his grandfather was Sardar Yasin Khan Omar Khanzai (Barakzai), resident of Maruf District (at that time part of Arghistan District) of Kandahar, and one of the notable Sardars of Kandahar during the reigns of Timur Shah Durrani and brother to Muhammad of the Mohammadzai. The Shaghasi's were even more powerful than the Mohammadzai's during the ruling of Emir Sher Ali Khan - Emir of Afghanistan, and Emir Amanullah Khan - Emir of Afghanistan (February 28, 1919 – 1926), later King of Afghanistan (1926 - January 14, 1929). Prominent Afghan historian, Abdul Hai Habibi denotes that during King Amanullah Khan's reign, the former governor of Kabul was Mahmoud Khan Yawar and the later one was Ali Ahmad Khan (both Shaghasi) Barakzai. Abdul Aziz Khan (later Minister of war, and Prime Minister, Mohammad Sarwar Khan and Abdul Karim Khan were Naib -ul- Hukuma's (all of them were Shaghasi) Barakzai. In Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat Abdul Karim and Mohammad Ibrahim Khan (later Minister) were also Khan Naib -ul- Hukuma's, and Abdul Rahman and Nik Mohammad Khan were Firqa Meshar (all of them were Shaghasi) Barakzai. Abdul Karim Khan in Paktya, and Dost Mahammad Khan Nazim (later Naib Salar, Sipah Salar, Dar-ul-Adalat, and Hakim-e-Ala) in Ghazni, Uruzgan and Kandahar were equally (Shaghasi) Barakzai, Mohammad Alam Khan in Lugar and Kuchi and other governors were the same. To the Shaghasi Khel is related King Amanullah Khan's mother Queen Sarwar Sultana Begum, Siraj ul-Khwatin, the Aliya Hazrat (b. at Kabul, 1875; d. at Istanbul, Turkey, 1965), eldest daughter of Loinab Sher Dil Khan Shaghasi, by his third wife, Benazir Begum, a lady form the Popalzai clan.

## Language

The principal language of the Shaghasi is Pashto, more specifically the Southern (Kandahari) dialect of Pashto. Dari is also used as the language for records and correspondence.

## Politics

Promenant rulers of Afghanistan descending from the chiefs of the Barakzai tribe belonging to the Shaghasi, descendants of Sardar Yasin Khan Omar Khanzai (Barakzai), resident and one of the notable Sardars of Kandahar during the reigns of Timur Shah Durrani
* Sardar Mirdaad Khan Barakzai, Işik Aqasi (Minister of the Royal Court "Chemberlain") during the reign of the Kandahari Sardars (Dost Muhammad Khan's brothers), as well as the reign of Dost Muhammad Khan 1863 - 1866 and 1868 - 1879.
* Loinab Sher Dil Khan Shaghasi - Sardar-i-Wala (Regional General), Loinab ('great deputy,') and Minister to the Royal Court of Amir Dost Muhammad Khan Barakzai, and Amir Sher Ali Khan.
* Atta-u-llah Khan Shaghasi - Minister to the Royal Court of Amir Mohammad Yaqub Khan.
* Muhammad Sarwar Khan Shaghasi - Sardar-i-Ala, Baba-i-Kiraam, and Minister to the Royal Court of Amir Abdur Rahman Khan.
* Dost Mohammad Khan Shaghasi - Naib Salar, Sepahsalar, Nazim-ull-Umor-ull-Adli, and Minister to the Royal Court of Amir Habibullah Khan.
* Yawar Mahmud Khan Shaghasi - Minister to the Royal Court of Amir Amanullah Khan.
* Abdul Habib Khan Shaghasi - Minister of Justice to Amir Amanullah Khan, and Minister to the Royal Court of King Inayatullah Khan (January 14, 1929 - January 17, 1929).
* Amir Ali Ahmad Khan (January 19, 1929 - February 19, 1929) (June 23, 1929 - July 3, 1929).
* Sarwar Sultana Begum Shaghasi - Qween Consort of Amir Habibullah Khan, and mother of Amir Amanullah Khan.