Amid charges of corruption and malfeasance against the royal family and poor economic conditions created by the severe 1971 – 72 drought, former Prime Minister Mohammad Sardar Daoud Khan seized power in a non-violent coup on July 17, 1973, while Zahir Shah was receiving treatment for eye problems and therapy for lumbago in Italy.

King Nader Khan was assassinated in 1933 and the throne was left to his 19-year-old son, Zahir Shah, who became the long lasting King of Afghanistan.

In July 1973, Zahir Shah was ousted in a nonviolent coup and Kabul became the capital of a republic under Mohammed Daoud Khan, the new President.

From Amanullah until the reign of Mohammed Zahir Shah ( 1933 – 1973 ) and Mohammed Daoud Khan ( 1973 – 1978 ) the Jirga was recognized as a common meeting of regional Pashtun leaders.

** The first was based in Rome around Mohammed Zahir Shah, and it reflected the interests of moderate Pashtuns from Afghanistan.

It was modernized during King Amanullah Khan's rule in the early 20th century, and upgraded during King Zahir Shah's forty year rule.

The military of Afghanistan was reconstructed and improved during King Zahir Shah's reign, which reached a strength of 70, 000 in 1933.

Mohammed Zahir Shah ( 15 October 1914 – 23 July 2007 ) was the last King ( Padishah ) of Afghanistan, reigning for four decades, from 1933 until he was ousted by a coup in 1973.

Zahir Shah was an ethnic Pashtun who was born on 15 October 1914, in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Zahir Shah was educated in a special class for princes at Habibia High School in Kabul.

Zahir Shah was fluent in Pashto, Persian, and French.

Zahir Khan was proclaimed King ( Shah ) on 8 November 1933 at the age of 19, after the assassination of his father Mohammed Nadir Shah.

Zahir Shah was able to govern on his own in 1963 and despite the factionalism and political infighting a new constitution was introduced in 1964 which turned Afghanistan into a modern democratic state by introducing free elections, a parliament, civil rights, women's rights and universal suffrage.

In 1973, while Mohammed Zahir Shah was in Italy undergoing eye surgery as well as therapy for lumbago, his cousin and former Prime Minister Mohammed Daoud Khan staged a coup d ' état and established a republican government.

In 1983 during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, Zahir Shah was cautiously involved in plans to head a government in exile.

In April 2002, while the country was no longer under Taliban rule, Zahir Shah returned to Afghanistan to open the Loya Jirga, which met in June 2002.

Zahir Shah himself let it be known that he would accept whatever responsibility was placed on him by the Loya Jirga.

However he was obliged to publicly step aside at the behest of the United States as many of delegates to the Loya Jirga were prepared to vote for Zahir Shah and block the US-backed Hamid Karzai.

On 3 February 2004, Zahir was flown from Kabul to New Delhi, India, for medical treatment after complaining of an intestinal problem.

In January 2007, Zahir was reported to be seriously ill and bedridden.

His parents originated from Laghman Province of Afghanistan, and the family moved to Mazar-i-Sharif when his father was a government official under the monarchy of Mohammed Zahir Shah.

Lloyd Webber has one son, David ( born 1992, Hammersmith, London ) from his marriage to Zohra Mahmoud Ghazi, a great niece of the Afghan King Zahir Shah.

* Mohommad Zahir ( born 1953 ), Guantanamo Bay detainee

* Mohamed Zahir ( born c. 1950 ), Chief of Staff of the Republic of Maldives National Defence Force

* Abdul Zahir ( Guantanamo Bay detainee 753 ) ( born 1972 ), Guantanamo Bay detainee

Zahir Raihan was born on 19 August 1935, as Mohammad Zahirullah, in the village Majupur, now in Feni District, Bangladesh.

Zahir Shah lived in exile in Italy for twenty-nine years in a modest four-bedroom villa in the affluent community of Olgiata on Via Cassia, north of the city of Rome where he spent his time playing golf and chess, as well as tending to his garden.

In 1991, Zahir Shah survived an attempt on his life by a knife-wielding assassin who pretended to be a Portuguese journalist.

Zahir Shah is seated at the far right during the oath ceremony of Hamid Karzai on 7 December 2004.

He is persuaded to continue as head of the government until his successor, Abdul Zahir, who was ambassador in Rome, is confirmed as prime minister on June 9.

Zahir makes earnest efforts to reach a good understanding with parliament ; and when he presents his list of ministers to the king in July, he is able to put forward the general desire that the administration concentrate attention on the difficulties of low-income groups.

Even so, Miss Noorzai's elevation to cabinet rank is regarded as a striking illustration of the determination of King Mohammad Zahir Shah and of the government headed by Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal to bring the country into line with modern ideas on the political and social status of women.

Under its enlightened monarch Zahir Shah the country is advancing steadily in education and in the industries which are expected to exercise a civilizing influence on its turbulent people.

According to the myth, everything on earth has the propensity to be a Zahir, but " the Almighty does not allow more than one thing at a time to be it, since one alone can seduce multitudes ".

When all men on earth think day and night of the Zahir, which one will be a dream and which a reality, the earth or the Zahir.

Zahir began his solo career composing songs based on well-recognized Persian poems.

The Zahir professionally was on the scene of Afghan Music for only 10 years at the most ; however, Zahir managed to record more than 30 albums.

Zahir died on 14 June 1979, on his 33rd birthday.

He married Payal Nath, daughter of an Army officer, Major General Ram Nath from Delhi on 1 September 1994, and the couple have two sons, Zahir and Zamir.

It is reported that in 1745 Zahir al-Umar, who grew up in the town, built a fortress on the hilltop above Saffuriya.

* The All India Writers ' Association was set up in Lucknow on 10 April 1936 under the leadership of Syed Sajjad Zahir and Ahmed Ali.

According to Nasrat's personal account, he was first discovered after singing the songs of Ahmad Zahir on a national radio broadcast.