Nader Shah Afshar

"Nader Shah Afshar was one of the most powerful Iranian rulers in history, who ruled as shah of Iran from 1736 to 1747. He was born into the Turkoman Afshar tribe, which had supplied military power to the Safavid dynasty since the time of Shah Ismail I. He rose to prominence during a period of chaos in Iran after a rebellion by the Hotaki Pashtuns had overthrown the weak Shah Soltan Hoseyn, while the arch-enemy of the Safavids, the Ottomans, as well as the Russians had seized Iranian territory for themselves. Nader reunited the Iranian realm and removed the invaders. He became so powerful that he decided to depose the last members of the Safavid dynasty, which had ruled Iran for over 200 years, and become Shah himself in 1736. His numerous campaigns created a great empire that, at its maximum extent, briefly encompassed what is now part of or includes Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the North Caucasus, Iraq, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Bahrain, Pakistan, Oman, and the Persian Gulf. He also invaded India and looted Delhi, bringing back immense treasures such as the Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-noor diamond. Nader idolized Genghis Khan and Timur, the previous conquerors from Central Asia. He imitated their military prowess and—especially later in his reign—their cruelty. He became increasingly paranoid and tyrannical, executing or blinding many of his generals and relatives. He also imposed heavy taxes on his subjects and persecuted religious minorities. His empire and the dynasty he founded quickly disintegrated after he was assassinated by some of his own troops in 1747."