Zandiyeh dynasty | ||||||||||||
سلسله زندیه | ||||||||||||
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Capital | Shiraz | |||||||||||
Languages | Persian (official) | |||||||||||
Government | Monarchy | |||||||||||
Shah | ||||||||||||
• | 1750–1779 | Karim Khan Zand (first) | ||||||||||
• | 1789–1794 | Lotf Ali Khan Zand (last) | ||||||||||
History | ||||||||||||
• | Zandiyeh dynasty begins | 1750 | ||||||||||
• | Qajar dynasty begins | 1794 | ||||||||||
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Today part of |
Armenia Azerbaijan Iran Iraq Russia |
The Zandiyeh dynasty (Persian: سلسله زندیه, Silsilah-i Zandīyah; listen ) was an Iranian dynasty of Lak origin founded by Karim Khan Zand that initially ruled southern and central Iran in the 18th century. It later quickly came to expand to include much of the rest of contemporary Iran, as well as Azerbaijan, and parts of Iraq and Armenia.
The dynasty was founded by Karim Khan, chief of the Zand tribe, which is a tribe of Laks, or Lurs (according to David Yerushalmi) or a branch of Kurds. He became one of Nader Shah's generals. Nader Shah moved the Zand tribe from their home in Lakestan to the eastern steppes of Khorasan. After Nader’s death, the Zand tribe, under the guidance of Karim Khan, went back to their original land. After Adil Shah was made king Karim Khan and his soldiers defected from the army and along with Ali Morad Khan Bakhtiari and Abolfath Khan Haft Lang, two other local chiefs, became a major contender but was challenged by several adversaries. Abolfath Khan was the Prime Minister, Karim Khan became the army chief commander and Ali Morad Khan became the regent.