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<H1>The Afhgani Interregnum</H1><HR>
<B>Shah Sultan Hussein</B>, the last of the <A HREF = "hist8.htm">Safavids</A>, had been defeated
outside Isfahan by a small band of Afghani tribesmen. Their leader, <B>Mahmoud</B> (1722-1725), at first
showed a degree of clemency but seems to have become progressively more suspicious eventually murdering
every one who hah had any association with the previous dynasty. After an eight month seige he took Shiraz in
1724, but was unable to take Yazd, or to stop the Russians taking over large parts of the north of the country.
In a fit of penance he immured himself in a dark vault for fourteen days, but on his return to daylight, he seems
to have completely lost his reason and was eventually suffocated on the orders of his mother, in April 1725.
He was followed by his cousin <B>Ashraf</B> (1722-1729). Ashraf's reign was complicated by the
aspirations of <B>Tahmasb II</B>, the last surviving member of the Safavid dynasty who had escaped from
Isfahan. Tahmasb's armies, led by <A HREF="hista.htm">Nader Shah</A>, defeated the Afhganis in a battle about 70km to the north of Isfahan, following which Ashraf returned to the city, leaving 4,000 Afhghanis dead on the field, and executed Shah <B>Suleiman</B>, who was living in retirement in the city. Ashraf then fled the city taking with him as
much treasure as he could manage and all the ladies of the harem, and withdrew to Shiraz.<BR>
There is a touching story concerning Tahmasb's return to Isfahan. On seeing him enter the city an old woman
threw her arms around him and burst into tears. It emerged that she was his mother who, since the occupation
of the city by Mahmoud, had disguised herself as a slave to escape being taken to Shiraz as a hostage<P>
The Afghanis were pursued and routed near Persepolis. Ashraf escaped into the desert but was eventually
assasinated by a Baluchi in 1729, and his head was sent to Shah Tahmasb.<BR>
Ashraf's rule over Isfahan is largely unmarked architecturally. There is an inscription in the <A HREF =
"../masjomeh/omar/omar.html">Porch of Omar</A> in the Masjed-e-Jomeh, and the remains of the palace of
Farahabad south west of the city on the road to Dastgerd which he burnt. The <A HREF="../ashraf/ashraf.html">Talar-e-Ashraf</A>, which today houses the natural history museum, is so-called because he made it his headquarters.<BR>
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