Nader Shah’s military revival.
The Afsharid dynasty (1736–1796 CE) was established by Nader Shah Afshar, one of Iran’s most brilliant military leaders. Rising from humble origins in Khorasan, he expelled the Afghans, restored Persian sovereignty, and reasserted Iran’s power across Central and South Asia. Nader Shah’s empire stretched from the Caucasus to India, where his famous conquest of Delhi in 1739 made him one of the richest rulers in the world. He revitalized the army, introduced modern tactics, and briefly united Iran after decades of chaos. However, his later years were marked by suspicion and tyranny, leading to his assassination in 1747. After his death, the Afsharid state fragmented into regional powers.