Description

Ghazi Amanullah Khan (1892–1960) was the ruler of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929, initially as Emir and later as King. Following the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Afghan War in August 1919, Afghanistan declared its independence and pursued a foreign policy free from British influence.

Amanullah Khan's reign was characterized by significant political and social reforms aimed at modernizing Afghanistan along Western lines. However, these efforts were disrupted by an uprising led by Habibullah Kalakani. On 14 January 1929, Amanullah abdicated and fled to British India as the Afghan Civil War intensified. He later moved to Europe, spending 30 years in exile before passing away in Zürich, Switzerland, on 26 April 1960. His remains were returned to Afghanistan and interred in Jalalabad, near the tomb of his father, Habibullah Khan.

The original afghani was introduced in 1923 during King Amanullah Khan's reign, replacing the Afghan rupee that had been in use since 1891. It was subdivided into 100 puls, and 20 afghanis equaled one amani.