| Mohammadzai محمدزی | |
|---|---|
 Dost Mohammad Khan, king of Afghanistan, and belonging to the Mohammadzai sub-tribe | |
| Ethnicity | Pashtun |
| Location | Afghanistan,Pakistan |
| Parent tribe | Barakzai |
| Language | Pashto |
| Religion |  Islam |
Mohammadzai (Pashto:محمدزی), also spelledMoḥammadzay (meaning "descendants of Mohammad"), is aPashtun sub-tribe or clan of theBarakzai which is part of theDurrani confederacy of tribes.[1][2] They are primarily centered onKandahar,Kabul andGhazni in Afghanistan as well as in the city ofCharsadda in neighbouring Pakistan.[1] The Mohammadzai ruled Afghanistan from 1823 to 1978, for a total of 155 years. Their rule ended underDaoud Khan when the Communists took power via aSoviet-backed coup.
Mohammadzai are the most prominent and powerful branch of theDurrani confederacy, and are primarily centered onKandahar. They can also be found in other provinces throughout Afghanistan as well as across the border in present-dayPakistan.
Musahiban are the descendants ofSultan Mohammad Khan, also known as "Telai". Telai meansGold inDari. He was the elder brother ofDost Mohammed Khan.
The principal language of the Mohammadzai isPashto, more specifically the Southern (Kandahari) dialect of Pashto.Dari is also used as the language for records and correspondence.[3][4][5]
From 1823 to 1978, rulers of Afghanistan belonged to the two branches of oneBarakzai dynasty descending from the chiefs of theBarakzai tribe (belonging to the Mohammadzai).