Afghanistan: Ahmad Shah Durrani (c.1722-1773) was the founder of the Durrani Empire and is regarded by many to be the founder of modern Afghanistan.

The Durrani Empire; also referred to as the Afghan Empire; was a monarchy centered in Afghanistan and included northeastern Iran; the modern state of Pakistan as well as the Punjab region of India. It was established at Kandahar in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani; an Afghan military commander under Nader Shah of Persia and chief of the Abdali tribe. After the death of Ahmad Shah in about 1773; the Emirship was passed onto his children followed by grandchildren and its capital was shifted to Kabul.

With the support of tribal leaders; Ahmad Shah Durrani extended Afghan control from Meshed to Kashmir and Delhi; from the Amu Darya to the Arabian Sea. Next to the Ottoman Empire; the Durrani was the greatest Muslim Empire in the second half of the eighteenth century. The Durrani Empire is considered the foundation of the current state of Afghanistan; with Ahmad Shah Durrani being considered the 鈥楩ather' of modern Afghanistan.