View source for Popalzai

{{Short description|Durrani Pashtun tribe}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Infobox tribe
| name = Popalzai
| local name = پوپلزی (پوپلزی) Persian
| type = 
| image = Coronation of Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747 by Breshna.jpg
| image_size = 
| alt = 
| caption = [[Coronation]] of [[Ahmad Shah Durrani|Ahmad Shah ''Durr-i-Durrān'']] by Abdali chiefs at [[Kandahar]] in 1747
| ethnicity = [[Pashtuns|Pashtun]]
| nisba = 
| location = [[Afghanistan]]
| varna = 
| descended_label = 
| descended = 
| parent_tribe = [[Zirak]] ([[Durrani]])
| population = 
| demonym = 
| branches = Saddozai
| language = [[Pashto]]
| religion = [[File:Star and Crescent.svg|18px]] [[Islam]]
| surnames = 
}}

[[File:PedigreeOfDostMohammed.png|thumb|Pedigree of King [[Dost Mohammad Khan]], Emir of Afghanistan. Figure shows the branching of the Abdal dynasty into the Popal (founder of the Popalzai; spelled 'Fofal' in figure), Barak (founder of the [[Barakzai]]), and Alako (founder of the [[Alakozai]]) line. (The fourth branch, [[Achakzai]], is missing.){{citation needed|date=February 2020}}]]

'''Popalzai''' or '''Popalzay''' ({{langx|ps|پوپلزی}}), also known as '''Popal''', are [[Durrani]] (formerly called Abdali or Bor [[Tareen]]) [[Pashtuns]] of [[Afghanistan]]. The Popalzai are part of the [[Zirak]] confederation of [[Pashtun tribes]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Decoding the New Taliban: Insights from the Afghan Field |first=Antonio |last=Giustozzi |edition=Reprinted |publisher=Hurst Publishers |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-84904-226-0 |page=197 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nynR_73lsuYC&pg=PA197}}</ref> The origin of the Abdali forefathers of the Saddozai tribe is probably the [[Hephthalite Empire|Hephthalites]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kurbanov |first=Aydogdy |year=2010 |url= https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/handle/fub188/8366 | title=The Hephthalites |website=Refubium |publisher=Freie Universität Berlin|doi=10.17169/refubium-12565 }}</ref> The forefathers of [[Ahmad Shāh Durrānī]], the founder of the [[Durrani Empire]], were from the Sadozai tribe which is a subtribe of the Popalzai. According to [[Mohan Lal Kashmiri|Mohan Lal]], the Zirak line begins with Sulaiman Zirak Khan, who was the father of Popalzai, [[Barakzai]], and [[Alakozai]].<ref>Life of the Amîr Dost Mohammed Khan, of Kabul: with his political ..., by Mohan Lal, Volume 1. Page 1-3.</ref> The tribe's origin is [[Kandahar]], [[Afghanistan]].
The majority of the Popalzai live in the southern areas of Afghanistan such as in [[Kandahar]], [[Helmand]] or [[Uruzgan]]. Some members of the Popalzai tribe have migrated with their families to the European Union, North America, and Oceania. Notable members of the Popalzai tribe include [[Hamid Karzai]] and [[Karzai (surname)|his extended family]], Karim Popal, [[Naim Popal]], and [[Khalida Popal]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hamid-Karzai|title = Hamid Karzai &#124; president of Afghanistan}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-14141220|title = Karzai family tree|work = BBC News|date = 13 July 2011}}</ref>

==Notable people==
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a person to this list if they already have their OWN article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦--->
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦--->
* [[Abdul Ghani Baradar]], co-founder and deputy leader of the Taliban
* [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]], Founder of the Durrani Empire
* [[Jahan Khan (Afghan general)|Jahan Khan]], Commander-in-Chief of the Durrani Empire
* [[Ahmed Wali Karzai]]
* [[Hamid Karzai]], President of Afghanistan 2001–2014
* [[Khairullah Khairkhwa]]
* [[Jan Mohammad Khan]]
* [[Khan Mohammad Khan]]
* [[Ghulam Jilani Popal]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Pashtun tribes}}

[[Category:Durrani Pashtun tribes]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Kandahar Province]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Balochistan]]