Mohammed Zahir Shah the last King of Afghanistan - Robinson Library

Mohammad Zahir Shah was born in Kabul on October 15, 1914, the son of Mohammed Nadir Khan. He was educated in Kabul until age 10, when he went to Paris with his father, who had been appointed Minister there by King Amanullah. He completed his primary and secondary schooling in Paris, and subsequently studied at the Institut Pasteur and the University of Montpellier

Zahir ascended to the throne on November 8, 1933, following the assassination of his father. Although he was only 19, he was able to rely on his uncle, Sardar Hashim Khan, as a trusted adviser and Prime Minister. Khan was known throughout the country as an honest and able official who had no aspirations to higher office, and was therefore well liked by the citizenry.

Zahir's primary focus during the first years of his reign was to update the nation's infrastructure. With Khan's help, he was able to obtain financial credit from Germany which allowed for a program of development. On August 17, 1940, he issued a declaration of neutrality which kept his nation out of World War II, and was able to continue his development program with American assistance after the war.

During a six-month tour of Europe in 1949, Zahir's European education and background made it possible for him to encourage European companies to invest in engineering projects. In the 1950's he visited Moscow for talks with Soviet leadership. These talks added Soviet financial and material aid to Zahir's modernization program. In 1953, his cousin, Sardar Mohammed Daud Khan, became Prime Minister. Daud, however, proved to be a less able administrator than Khan had been, and the king's modernization program almost came to a halt.

In 1963, Zahir declared Afghanistan to be a Constitutional Monarchy. A new constitution was written, in which it was decreed that no member of the royal family could hold office as Prime Minister, thereby removing Daud from office. The constitution, which aimed to combine Western political ideas with Islamic religious beliefs and social customs, established a two-house Parliament, free elections, freedom of the press, and gave women the right to vote. - Read More at Robinsonlibrary
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