Siege of Isfahan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Isfahan
Part of Hotaki-Safavid war
Date 8 March – 23 October 1722 Location Isfahan, Central Persia Result Hotaki victory Fall of the Safavid capital
Belligerents
Hotaki Dynasty	Safavid Empire
Commanders and leaders
Mahmud Hotaki	Sultan Husayn
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown
80,000 Civilians killed in siege

The Siege of Isfahan was a long battle for the city of Isfahan. Isfahan was the capital city of the Safavid dynasty in Iran. An army led by the Hotaki Afghans surrounded the city. The siege lasted for six months, from March to October 1722. It ended with Isfahan falling to the Hotaki forces. This event marked the beginning of the end for the Safavid dynasty.

Why the Siege Happened

The Iranian Safavid Empire was once very strong. But by the late 1600s, it started to become weaker. This happened for a few reasons:

• Some of the rulers, called Shahs, were not very interested in leading the empire.
• There were many power struggles within the royal family.
• People in different parts of the empire were unhappy and caused trouble.
• The empire often fought wars with its old enemies, the Ottomans.

A respected tribal leader named Mirwais Hotak tried to warn Shah Sultan Husayn about these problems. He said that weak leadership could harm the empire. However, the powerful people in the Safavid government liked things the way they were. They did not want any changes.

Mirwais Hotak was sent to prison in Isfahan by Gorgin Khan, the governor of Georgia. But Mirwais used this chance to get close to the Shah. He convinced the Shah to send him back to Kandahar. Once there, he became friends with Gorgin Khan. Eventually, Mirwais Hotak took control from Gorgin Khan, which led to many revolts in the area.

The Safavids were strong followers of Shia Islam. They treated the Sunni Pashtuns, who lived in what is now Afghanistan, very harshly. Seeing the Safavid Empire weaken, the Pashtuns, led by Mir Wais Hotak, rebelled against Persian rule. The Safavid government sent armies to stop them, but these armies were defeated. Mir Wais Hotak was captured and imprisoned at one point. He passed away in 1715. Soon after his death, his son Mahmud Hotak continued the fight. In 1722, Mahmud led the Pashtun army all the way to Isfahan, the capital city.

The Siege of Isfahan

The city of Isfahan was surrounded by Afghan forces. This happened after they won a big battle against the Safavid army. This battle, called the battle of Gulnabad, took place near Isfahan on March 8, 1722.

We don't know the exact number of soldiers in that battle. But it's thought that Mahmud Hotak had about 18,000 troops. The Persian army, however, had around 40,000 soldiers. After their defeat, the Safavid forces quickly retreated back to Isfahan. This loss was a major blow and helped lead to the end of the Safavid Empire.

The Afghans did not have enough powerful cannons to break through the city walls. So, they decided to blockade Isfahan. This meant they surrounded the city to stop food and supplies from getting in. Their goal was to force Shah Sultan Husayn and the city's defenders to give up.

The Safavids tried to send help to the city, but their efforts were not well organized and failed. Even Vakhtang VI of Kartli, a Georgian ruler who was supposed to help the Shah, refused to come. Shah Husayn's son, Tahmasp II, and about 600 soldiers managed to escape the city. They hoped to gather a relief army.

However, after eight months, a severe lack of food hit the city. On October 23, the Shah had to surrender. He gave up his power to Mahmud. Mahmud then entered the city triumphantly on October 25, 1722. The Afghans would stay in control of Persia until 1729.

What Happened Next

After the battle of Gulnabad in 1722, the Ghilza'i Afghans took control. First, Mahmud Hotaki ruled, then his cousin Ashraf Hotak. During this time, many Safavid leaders, including Shah Sultan Husayn, lost their lives or were removed from power.

This political trouble encouraged the Russian and Ottoman empires to declare war. They took over important Persian lands. The Treaty of Constantinople in 1724 divided these lands between the two empires. This treaty helped avoid a bigger war between Russia and the Ottomans. Russia's Peter I wanted a trade route to India. The Ottomans wanted Russia to stay away from areas close to Turkey.

Ashraf wanted to be the full ruler of Iran. In 1727, he made a deal with the Ottoman Empire. He allowed them to control parts of western Iran. In return, they recognized him as the ruler of the rest of Iran.

In 1729, the Persian army fought back. It was led by Shah Tahmasp II, who was the son of the former Shah Sultan Husayn. His brilliant general was Tahmasp Qoli Khan, who later became known as Nader Shah. They defeated the Afghan army in Khorasan. This was part of their plan to get back the Safavid lands. Ashraf was killed during these battles.

This led to a series of victories for the Safavids under Nader's leadership. Afghan rule ended in 1730. The old Safavid political and economic system was brought back under Tahmasp II. However, Nader was later declared Shah himself in 1736. He then went on to conquer India, starting with the Battle of Karnal in 1739. He also fought the Ottoman Empire again from 1743 to 1746. Nader Shah was killed by his own soldiers in 1747 while trying to stop a rebellion.