Abdul Aziz Hotak

Shāh Abdul Azīz Hotak (Pashto/Dari: ; died 1717) was the second ruler of the Ghilji Hotak dynasty of Kandahar, in what is today the state of Afghanistan. He was crowned in 1715 after the death of his brother, Mirwais Hotak. He was the father of Ashraf Hotak, the fourth ruler of the Hotak dynasty. Abdul Aziz was killed in 1717 by his nephew Mahmud Hotak. The tradition of parricide continued as Mahmud died at the hands of his cousin and Abdul Azīz's son Ashraf. Greater Kandahar (Candahar) during the Safavid dynasty and Mughal period.

In 1707, Kandahar was in a state of chaos due to it being fought over for control by the Shi'a Persian Safavids and the Sunni Moghuls of India. Mirwais Khan, a Sunni tribal chief whose influence with his fellow-countrymen made him an object of suspicion, was held as a political prisoner by the Safavid governor of the region, Gurgin Khan, and sent to the Safavids' court at Isfahan. He was later released and even allowed to meet regularly with the Shah, Sultan Husayn. Having ingratiated himself with the Safavid court, Mirwais sought and obtained permission to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca in the Ottoman Empire. He had studied carefully all the military weaknesses of the Safavids while he spent time in their court. The Pashtun rebels then defeated a large Qizilbash and Persian army, sent to gain control over the area.

Death Abdul Aziz sided with the Persians and re-entered the suzerainty of Safavid Iran, which proved unpopular with fellow Afghans. Mahmud Hotak, his nephew, seeing that his father, Mirwais Hotak's achievements would be washed away, assembled many of his fathers loyal followers, and entered the royal palace. Mahmud Hotak himself killed Abdul Aziz, and ascended the throne of the Hotaks at the age of 18.

Abdul Aziz was buried at a mausoleum next to his brother in the Kokaran section of Kandahar City in Afghanistan.