Afsharid dynasty
The Afschariden (Persian سلسله افشار ) were a short-lived dynasty of Turkmen origin who ruled from 1736 to 1796 in Persia (today's Iran and Afghanistan). The rulers of the Afschariden were members of the same Oghusenstammes Afşar.
With the collapse of Safawidenreichs after the conquest of Isfahan by the Afghans (1722) who adopted afscharidische General Nadir Khan of Mashhad in Khorasan started out with the Association of Persia and the expulsion of Afghan Ghilzai. He fought for the formal Safawidenschah Tahmasp II (1722-1732), who was but politically powerless. Support of Nadir Khan was, next to the Persian army, the root of the Afşar into which he had married.
Already in 1726 succeeded Nadir Chan the expulsion of Afghan Ghilzai from Isfahan. 1730 Nadir Khan had gained control of the whole of Persia, but continued after the removal Thamasps II in 1732 with Abbas III. (1732-1736) once a Safavid Shah of Persia as a. It was not until 1736 he ascended as Nadir Shah ( 1736-1747 ) himself the throne and founded the dynasty of the Afschariden.
The government Nadir Shah was marked by constant campaigns. Thus, the Ghilzai in Afghanistan ( 1737) was made a campaign against the Great Mughals to India after submission. With the conquest of Delhi in 1739 at the Battle of Karnal the Peacock Throne came to Persia. Other campaigns led in 1740 to Bukhara and Khiva. 1747 the Ottomans from Azerbaijan and the Caucasus were expelled, that, after the overthrow of the Safavids (1722) had occupied.
Nadir Shah tried to find a balance with the Shiites and to achieve the recognition of the Sunni Ottomans as Sunni. This failed because of the resistance of the Shiite clergy and led to the assassination of Nadir Shah in 1747 also, the influential tribal leader of the Afshar and Qajar had planned.
Despite his great military successes Nadir Shah could not halt the economic decline of the empire, as with the high taxes for the entertainment of the army, the economy was further damaged. In addition, he also missed the administrative and financial security of his reign, which led to the rapid demise of the dynasty after the death of Nadir Shah.
After his death, again broke out serious power struggles in Persia, where his grandson was able to hold Shah Ruch (1748-1796) only in Khorasan. Afghanistan made after 1747 under Ahmad Shah Durrani finally independent from Persia. 1796 Afschariden were overthrown again by the Qajars. In many parts of Persia is translated in the meantime by the Zand prince.
Ruler of Afschariden
- Adil Shah 1747-1748
- Ebrahim Shah Afshar in 1748
- Shah Ruch 1748-1768