Shah Rukh of Persia

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Shahrokh Shah Afshar (Persian: شاهرخ, c. 17301796) was a king of Afsharid dynasty and a contemporary of Zand kings. He reigned until 1796.[1]

As the teenage son of Reza Gholi Mirza and Nader Shah's grandson, he was elected by the nobels following the assassination of Ebrahim Afshar. His fourth son, Nadir Mirza of Khorasan, became the prince of Khorasan. He made Mashhad the capital of his kingdom. Shahrokh was a contemporary of Mirza Mohammad, who claimed to be Soleyman III of Safavid, son of shah Soleyman I Safavi's daughter and a clergy man. Encouraged by the nobles, he came to believe he was the true heir to the throne. Thus he captured and blinded Shahrokh.

In 1749 During struggle to power, the son of Khanate of Tabriz, Azad Khan Afghan began a campaign for independence, which rubbed the province of Atropatene (current Azerbaijan) off the Persian empire, while in the west the Qajar tribe led by Mohammad Hassan Khan took over the region of Mazandaran.

In 1750 Soleyman III was captured and blinded by the followers of Shahrokh, subsequent to which Shahrokh was reinstated as Shah.

In 1760 when Karim Khan took control of Persia, he did not try to depose Shahrokh out of respect for Nader, however, the realm of Shahrokh was reduced to the province of Khorasan.

In 1796 Agha Muhammad Khan conquered Khorasan and had Shahrokh tortured to death because he thought that he knew of Nadir's treasures.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Shiri Ram Bakshi (1995). Advanced History of Medieval India. ISBN 8174880283. 
Preceded by
Ebrahim Shah Afshar
King of Persia (1st time)
17481749
Succeeded by
Soleyman III Safavi
Preceded by
Ebrahim Shah Afshar
Ruler of Azerbaijan (as part of Persia)
17481749
Succeeded by
Azad Khan Afghan
Preceded by
Ebrahim Shah Afshar
Ruler of Mazandaran (as part of Persia)
17481749
Succeeded by
Mohammad Hasan Khan Qajar
Preceded by
Soleyman III Safavi
King of Persia (2nd time)
17501760
Succeeded by
Karim Khan Zand
Preceded by
Soleyman III Safavi
Ruler of Khorasan
17501796
Succeeded by
Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar