page_title: Durrani
section_title: Durrani Empire
hierarchical_section_title: Durrani / History / Durrani Empire
caption_attribution_description: A contemporary painting of Ahmad Shah Durrani, founder of the modern state of Afghanistan in 1747 and ruler of the Durrani Empire. It is based on an early Afghan drawing by ’Abd al-Ghafur Breshna.[1]
context_page_description: The Durrānī formerly known as Abdālī, are one of the largest tribes of Pashtuns. Their traditional homeland is in southern Afghanistan, straddling into Toba Achakzai in Balochistan, Pakistan, but they are also settled in other parts of Afghanistan and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Ahmad Shah Durrani, who is considered the founder of the modern state of Afghanistan, belonged to the Abdali tribe. In 1747, after establishing the Afghan Empire based in Kandahar, he adopted the epithet Shāh Durr-i-Durrān, "King, Pearl of Pearls," and changed the name of the tribe to "Durrani" after himself.
  Most Durranis speak southern Pashto, which is considered a prestigious variety of Pashto.
context_section_description: In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani established the Durrani Empire with its capital at Kandahar. He adopted the title Shāh Durr-i-Durrān, "King, Pearl of Pearls," and changed the name of his tribe "Abdali" to "Durrani" after himself.
  Ahmad Shah is now regarded as the founder of the modern state of Afghanistan. Within a few years, he extended his control from Khorasan in the west to Kashmir and North India in the east, and from the Amu Darya in the north to the Arabian Sea in the south.
caption: Ahmad Shah Durrani (1747–1772), founder of the Afghan Empire
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