Nadir Shah Afshar (1688-1747)

Shah of Persia from 1736. He drove the Afghans from Persia in 1729 and restored his brother-in-law Tahmasp II to his throne. Nadir then deposed Tahmasp and became regent for his infant son, Abbas III, in 1732. The latter died in 1736 and Nadir was crowned. A cruel ruler, he is chiefly remembered for his foreign conquests, notably the invasion of India. He defeated the Mogul army at the Battle of Karnal in 1739 and sacked Delhi. He was assassinated during a provincial revolt.