Battle of Kars (1745)

Ottoman-Persian War of 1743–1746
Part of the Ottoman–Persian Wars

A diagram of the battle of Kars, illustrating the devastating flanking manoeuvre by Nader's cavalry reserve
DateAugust 1745
LocationEastern Anatolia
Result Decisive Persian victory[1]
Belligerents
Persian Empire Ottoman Empire Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Nader Shah Ottoman Empire Mehmet Yegen Pasha †
Ottoman Empire Abdollah Pasha Jebhechi
Strength
80,000[2][3]

140,000[4]

Casualties and losses
~8,000[5]

28,000[6]

  • 12,000 killed
  • 16,000 wounded/captured
Kars Citadel

The Battle of Kars was the last major engagement of the Perso-Ottoman war of 1743-1746 which resulted in the complete and utter route of the Ottoman army. The battle was also the last of the great military triumphs of Nader Shah and soon after his victory he was assassinated by a faction within his officer corps. In terms of strategic effect, however, the victory at Kars, though impressive in its own right, brought only diplomatic benefits helping to end hostilities rather than to further expand Nader's dominion in the west. In any case the Persian empire was at this point plagued by ever more numerous rebellions against the Shah, making foreign expansion a distant prospect.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Brigadier-General Sykes, Sir Percy (1930). "A history of Persia, Vol. II", third edition, p. 269. Macmillan & Co.
  2. ↑ Ghafouri, Ali(2008). History of Iran's wars: from the Medes to now,p. 401. Etela'at Publishing
  3. ↑ Moghtader, Gholam-Hussein(2008). The Great Batlles of Nader Shah,p. 126. Donyaye Ketab
  4. ↑ Lockhart, Laurence. Nadir Shah: A critical study based mainly upon contemporary sources, p. 312. Luzac & Company
  5. ↑ Axworthy, Michael(2009). The Sword of Persia: Nader Shah, from tribal warrior to conquering tyrant,p. 339. I. B. Tauris
  6. ↑ Axworthy, Michael(2009). The Sword of Persia: Nader Shah, from tribal warrior to conquering tyrant,p. 339. I. B. Tauris