Origins & Early Life

Mirwais Khan Hotak (c. 1673 – November 1715) was an Afghan ruler from the Hotak sub-tribe of the Ghilji tribe of Pashtuns of Kandahar, Afghanistan, and the short-lived founder of the Hotak dynasty. In 1709, after overthrowing and assassinating George XI of Kartil, the Safavid Persian governor, Hotak declared independence of the Loy Kandahar region, now southern Afghanistan. Hotak is widely known as Mirwais Nikə (ميرويس نيکه) or Mirwais Baba (ميرويس بابا)—"Mirwais the Grandfather" in Pashto.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

George XI of Kartli was a Georgian-Safavid general who was defeated by the Safavid Empire for trying to revolt in Georgia, and lent his services to the empire. He was ordered to quell a suspected rebellion and to govern in Kandahar. The Safavid ruler Sultan Husayn strongly suspected the Ghilji had revolted and sent George to Kandahar ahead of a large Persian army. When he arrived, he saw that the Ghilji were not revolting. Although the Ghilji were loyal to George, he preferred to strike fear into the Afghan tribes and treated the land as if he had conquered it.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

With many high-ranking officials sacked, George treated the Afghans like slaves. His government taxes on the local Sunni...

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