Sword of Persia by Michael Axworthy

Author:Michael Axworthy [Axworthy, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: I.B.Tauris

CHAPTER SEVEN

To the Gates of Delhi

Unserm stärksten Triebe, dem tyrannen in uns, unterwirft sich nicht nur unsre Vernunft, sondern auch unser Gewissen.

(To our strongest drive, the tyrant in us, not only our reason but also our conscience submits.)

Nietzsche

As Nader savoured the untrammelled power of royalty in Qazvin in the early summer of 1736 he had two prime concerns: peace with the Turks, and the campaign against Kandahar. The two were of course connected. He could not undertake a major campaign in the east if he remained at war in the west. From the start, the new campaign was intended to reach further than just Kandahar. Shortly before he left the Moghan in early March, presumably having heard rumours around the camp, the Catholicos Abraham had exchanged words with Nader about his intentions. Nader said, ‘Do you know caliph, that I plan to let you leave the day after tomorrow?’ The Catholicos answered, ‘May the life and rule of my Valine’mat be long. I put my hope in God, the Creator, that as I observe you today as the conqueror of Iran, I will with the help of God hope to see you as the conqueror of Kandahar and Hindustan.’* Pleased with this reply, Nader laughed and said, ‘Well done, caliph, well done!’†

There had been rumours of Nader’s intentions toward India as early as February 17341 and Nader may have had something of the sort in mind as early as 1730, when he had sent messages to the Moghul court demanding that the Moghul Emperor prevent fugitive Afghans from taking refuge there. Moghul inaction on the matter of Afghan fugitives was to be the eventual excuse for Nader’s invasion of India. With the wider objective of India in mind, Nader issued orders for preparations to be made for the campaign against Kandahar. But there were a number of other problems to be sorted out first.

Nader had been in intermittent contact and negotiation with the Ottomans ever since his defeat of Abdollah Koprulu at Baghavard in June the previous year. The proposals agreed at the Moghan and presented by the Persians in Istanbul in August 1736 cannot have come as a complete surprise there. The war with the Russians was going badly for the Ottoman Sultan, and as the year went on war with Austria looked more and more certain. But although the Ottomans were keen to detach Persia from her alliance with Russia and make peace, and despite the welcome news of Nader’s ban on anti-Sunni religious practices, the Ottomans could not accept Nader’s proposal for a new Ja’fari mazhab.2 The Persian demands for an exchange of ambassadors, and for prisoners to be freed on both sides, were rapidly agreed. In addition, the Ottomans made a major concession by agreeing the request for a Persian Amir ol-Hajj.

It was unusual for there to be an Amir ol-Hajj for pilgrims originating outside Ottoman territory (though the Ottoman Sultan had offered Ashraf Ghilzai something similar in 1728). The man’s responsibilities would necessarily mean he took some authority in dealings with local Ottoman officials.

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