The A to Z of Iran by John H. Lorentz

Author:John H. Lorentz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
Published: 2007-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

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NADER SHAH (Ruled 1736-1747). In 1722, Afghan tribesmen invaded Persia and captured the capital city of Isfahan, dealing a fatal blow to the once glorious but now faltering Safavid Dynasty. Simultaneous incursions into Persia, by Ottoman Turkey in the west and the Russians from the north, fragmented the nation. National recovery seemed unlikely. Yet, only seven years later, from the vestiges of the Persian Army, rose a common Afshar tribesman who would restore, at least temporarily, a period of national power and prestige. Nader Qoli Beg was born in the city of Mashhad. In 1729, he took command of the faltering Persian Army and expelled the Afghans from Persian territory, recapturing Tabriz, Hamadan, and Darband, along with the Caspian provinces. He then engaged the Turkish troops in the western area in a fierce, bloody conflict and drove them back across their own frontier, retrieving Armenia and Georgia in the process. The Russians were thus induced to withdraw from the northern regions without a battle.

In 1736, upon the death of Abbas III, the last of the Safavid monarchs, Nader Qoli ascended to the vacant throne and assumed the title of Nader Shah, thereby initiating the Afshar Dynasty. His reign was notable for continual military campaigning throughout the region, as well as economic and religious chaos within Iran.

Nader Shah first alienated the Shiah Muslims in Persia by the indiscriminate plundering of religiously endowed property (vaqf) and ill treatment of the ulama. His attempt to “adapt” Shiah doctrine to align more closely with the four Sunni schools of Islamic law met with fierce resistance. This new school, to be named for Jafar al-Sadeq, the sixth Shiah Imam, required that the central doctrine of Shi’ism regarding the divinity of the Imams be suspended. The total rejection of his plans underscored the deep commitment of Persians to their “national” religion and the episode amounted to no more than a brief interlude of disruption for the Shiah adherents.

He was more successful in military pursuits. A brilliant military strategist, Nader Shah captured vast amounts of territory for his Persian Empire. He also attempted to establish a fleet in the Persian Gulf and annexed the island of Bahrein in 1738 to secure the region. In 1740, he invaded India, marching into the capital city of Delhi where his army plundered priceless national treasures, including the famous Peacock Throne. His exploits were widely reported in the West and he was often referred to as the “second Alexander.”

Though his conquests managed to restore a semblance of national pride to the Persians, they were also a costly drain on the country’s resources. Heavy taxes were levied to support the military and little advantage was gained by the average Persian through the expansion of territory. His strict methods of discipline alienated his troops and he was assassinated by one of his own bodyguards in 1747. His son, Shah Rokh, ascended to the throne, but internal conflicts, combined with indifferent leadership, led to the steady decline of the Afshar Dynasty. In the last

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