Nader Shah's Dagestan campaign

Nader's campaigns in Dagestan
Part of Naderian Wars

Silver coin of Nader Shah, minted in Dagestan, dated 1741/2
Date1741–1745[3]
Location
Result

Persian Invasion of Dagestan:

  • The Persian Empire annexes almost all of Dagestan[4]
  • The Lezgins manage to hold out in the northernmost parts of Dagestan
  • Persian army withdraws from the region[5]
  • Status quo until the collapse of the Persian Empire
Belligerents

Persian Empire

  • Numerous clients & vassals

North Caucasians:[1][2]

Commanders and leaders
Nader Shah
Ebrahim Khan Afshar 
Givi Amilakhvari
Surkhay-Khan I Gazikumukhsky
Murtazaali Khan Gazikumukhsky
Muhammad-Khan Gazikumukhsky
Haji Dawood Mushkurvi
Ali Sultan Tsakhursky
Ahmed Mekhtuly
Muhammad Khan Avar
Strength
varying;
100,000-150,000 at height[6]
varying;
~50,000 at height
Casualties and losses
heavy heavy

Nader's Dagestan campaign,[7][8][9] were the campaigns conducted by the Persian Empire under its Afsharid ruler Nader Shah between the years 1741 and 1743 in order to fully subjugate the Dagestan region in the North Caucasus Area. The conflict between the Persian Empire & the Lezgins and a myriad of other Caucasian tribes in the north was intermittently fought through the mid-1730s during Nader's first short expedition in the Caucasus until the last years of his reign and assassination in 1747 with minor skirmishes and raids. The incredibly difficult terrain of the northern Caucasus region made the task of subduing the Lezgins an extremely challenging one. Despite this Nader Shah gained numerous strongholds and fortresses from the Dagestanis and pushed them to the very verge of defeat. The Lezgins however held on in the northernmost reaches of Dagestan and continued to defy Persian domination.

The conflict was fought over many years and only included a few years of actual hard fighting, usually when Nader himself was present, but otherwise consisted of skirmishes and raids throughout. The majority of the Persian casualties were from the extremity of the weather as well as the outbreak of disease, all of which combined with the indomitable will of the Lezgins to wage an insurgency and retreat to their distant strongholds when threatened with a pitched battle made the entire war a quagmire for Nader's forces. Ultimately the Lezgins who had held on in the northern fortresses marched south upon hearing of Nader's assassination and reclaimed most of their lost territories as the Persian empire crumbled.

In 1741, an attempt was made on Nāder's life near Darband. When the would-be assassin claimed that he had been recruited by Reza Qoli, the shah had his son blinded in retaliation, an act for which he later felt great remorse. Marvi reported that Nāder began to manifest signs of physical deterioration and mental instability. Finally, the shah was forced to reinstate taxes due to insufficient funds, and the heavy levies sparked numerous rebellions.[10]

  1. ^ Axworthy, Michael (2009). The Sword of Persia: Nader Shah, from tribal warrior to conquering tyrant, p. 205. I. B. Tauris
  2. ^ Floor, Wiilem(2009). The rise & fall of Nader Shah: Dutch East India Company Reports 1730-1747, Mage Publishers
  3. ^ "Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica".
  4. ^ Michael Axworthy. "Sword of Persia: Nader Shah, from Tribal Warrior to Conquering Tyrant". IB Tauris
  5. ^ "Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica".
  6. ^ Ghafouri, Ali(2008). History of Iran's wars: from the Medes to now,p. 396. Etela'at Publishing
  7. ^ Sinor, Denis (1990). Aspects of Altaic Civilization III: Proceedings of the Thirtieth Meeting of the Permanent International Altaistic Conference, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, June 19-25, 1987. Psychology Press. p. 117. During his [Nader's] Dagestan campaign it appeared that Nader had plans to attack Crimea and Russia. (...)
  8. ^ Shireen, Hunter (2004). Islam in Russia: The Politics of Identity and Security. M.E. Sharpe. p. 12. (...) Following the assassination of Nadir Shah during his campaign in Dagestan (..)
  9. ^ Ehsan Yar-Shater. Encyclopædia Iranica, Volume 13 Routledge & Kegan Paul, 2004 p 237 ISBN 978-0933273955 (originally from the University of California)
  10. ^ "Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica".