Nadir Shah: The Persian Warlord Who Brought Delhi to Its Knees

Reading Time: 4 minutes In the annals of South Asian history, few names evoke the image of a conqueror as chillingly as Nadir Shah the 18th-century Persian warlord whose brutal invasion of the Mughal Empire culminated in the sack of Delhi in 1739. Known as the “Napoleon of Persia” by some historians for his military genius and rapid rise from obscurity, Nadir Shah remains both a symbol of Persian pride and Indian tragedy. From Tribal Soldier to Shah of Persia Born in 1688 to humble Turkoman origins in the north-eastern region of Persia (modern-day Iran), Nadir Qoli Beg belonged to the Afshar tribe. Rising through the ranks during the chaos following the Afghan invasion of Persia and the fall of the Safavid Empire, Nadir proved himself a brilliant commander under Shah Tahmasp II. But he soon eclipsed his master. By 1736, he had deposed Tahmasp and crowned himself Shah of