Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Hamid Karzai

Role / Field:

Afghan politician who served as President of Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014.

Born:

1957-12-24

Century / Era:

1957s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Hamid Karzai (born 24 December 1957) is an Afghan politician who served as the seventh president of Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014, particularly as the first president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from 2004 to 2014. He also served as chairman of the Afghan Interim Administration from 2001 to 2002. Born in Kandahar, Karzai graduated from Habibia High School in Kabul and later received a master's degree from Himachal Pradesh University, Summerhill, Shimla, India, in the 1980s. He moved to Pakistan where he was active as a fundraiser for the Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989) and its aftermath.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He briefly served as Deputy Foreign Minister in the Islamic State of Afghanistan government. In July 1999, Karzai's father was assassinated and Karzai succeeded him as head of the Popalzai tribe. In October 2001 the United States invasion of Afghanistan began and Karzai led the Pashtun tribes in and around Kandahar in an uprising against the Taliban; he became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001. During the December 2001 International Conference on Afghanistan in Germany, Karzai was selected by prominent Afghan political...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Achille Mbembe — Contemporary (Born in 1957) (1957): Cameroonian historian and political theorist known for critiques of colonialism.
• Aga Khan III — Contemporary (Died in 1957) (1957): 48th Imam of the Nizari Isma'ili community and founder of the All-India Muslim League.
• Ai Weiwei — Contemporary (Born in 1957) (1957): Dissident Chinese conceptual artist, documentarian, and activist known for critiquing the CCP.
• Adam Mickiewicz — Shared historical date (12-24 · Born) (1798): National Poet of Poland, Romantic master, and leading voice of Slavic literature.
• Alban Berg — Shared historical date (12-24 · Died) (1935): Key figure of the Second Viennese School, blending Romanticism with twelve-tone technique.
• Aki Kaurismäki — Historical peer (Born in 1957) (1957): Acclaimed Finnish filmmaker known for minimalist, melancholic, and darkly comedic cinema.
• Albert Anastasia — Historical peer (Died in 1957) (1957): Italian-American mob boss, co-founder of Murder, Inc., and boss of the Gambino crime family.
• Abba Eban — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Aileen Wuornos — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): American serial killer known for murdering seven male clients in Florida.
• 2014 League of Legends World Championship — Historical peer (Born in 2014) (2014): The 4th League of Legends World Championship, held in Asia in 2014.
• 1957 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1957
• December 24 (12-24) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 24

Frequently Asked Questions about Hamid Karzai