The Afsharid Empire

Map - The Afsharid Empire (Wikipedia Commons)

A lesser-known chapter in 18th-century history is the Kurdish Emirs of the Afsharid Empire, who ruled over Azerbaijan and Iran, along with parts of modern-day Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan.

After the fall of the Safavids, Nader Quli Afshar, a military genius from the Qezilbash tribe, seized power and founded the Afsharid dynasty. His empire restored Iranian control over regions lost to the Ottomans and the Mughals.

During Nader’s Indian campaign—the zenith of his career—he left his son Reza Qoli Mirza in charge. Reza ruled harshly and, hearing false news of Nader’s death, executed Safavid royals Tahmasp and Abbas III. His wife, Tahmasp’s sister, committed suicide in grief. 📚 Axworthy, Michael. The Sword of Persia.

Nader returned furious. He stripped Reza of his viceroy role but took him on the Transoxiana campaign. There, Nader conquered Khiva and Khwarezm in 1740. He forced Reza to marry a descendant of Genghis Khan. When he refused, Nader married her himself.

In 1741, Nader survived an assassination attempt in Mazandaran. He accused Reza, confined him to Tehran, and later blinded him in a fit of paranoia—only to regret it. Soon after, Nader began executing nobles who witnessed the blinding.

Despite setbacks, Nader conquered Oman, Muscat, and Bahrain, after which he launched a new war against the Ottomans (1743–1746). His military brilliance was fading; the war ended in a treaty letting Nader occupy Najaf.

Meanwhile, Donboli rule in Azerbaijan thrived. Nader had appointed Murteza Quli Khan Donboli, a loyal commander, as Emir. He played a key role in campaigns in the Caucasus.

But Donboli loyalty cracked when Nader demanded more taxes. Murteza Quli Baig revolted and died in battle. Nader regretted his death and reappointed his father, Shabaz Khan Donboli, as regional ruler.

Shabaz Khan remained loyal to Nader’s nephew Ibrahim Khan after Nader’s assassination in 1747, but power struggles erupted. Iran splintered as rivals like Azad Khan Afghan, Karim Khan Zand, and Mohammad Hassan Khan Qajar fought for control.

Karim Khan Zand emerged victorious and used hostages to maintain power. He captured Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar and Shabaz Khan Donboli, bringing them to Shiraz, his capital.

Karim appointed Najaf Quli Baig Donboli to govern Azerbaijan. After him, Ahmad Khan Donboli ruled for over 50 years.

Meanwhile, after Nader's death, his nephew Ali Qoli became Adel Shah, executing all of Nader’s male heirs except Shahrokh, Reza’s blinded son. Iran’s east fell to the Durrani Empire, while Georgia formed the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti.

Adel was soon overthrown by his brother Ebrahim, who was then overthrown by loyalists of Shahrokh. Blinded but still a symbol of legitimacy, Shahrokh ruled in Mashhad, but his reign shrank to just the city and its surroundings.

Ahmad Shah Durrani invaded Khorasan twice, and Shahrokh eventually submitted. In 1796, Mohammad Khan Qajar tortured and killed Shahrokh to uncover Nader’s treasures, ending the Afsharid dynasty.

At its peak, Nader’s army reached 375,000 troops, the strongest of its time. But after his assassination, the empire plunged into civil war, its territory split among:

– Zand dynasty (Central Iran)

– Qajar Iran (Emerging in the north)

– Durrani Empire (East)

– Khanate of Kalat (Southeast)

– Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (Georgia)

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Sources:

Tarikh-e-Naderi; John R. Perry, Karim Khan Zand; Abbas Amanat, Iran: A Modern History – Michael Axworthy, The Sword of Persia; Cambridge History of Iran.