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Ahmed Shahe Durrani

1722 CE – 1772 CE

Retrace Ahmed Shahe Durrani's life across the map — 13 events in chronological order, from a cinematic flythrough to a full timeline.

Life journey

1. Campaigns of Nader Shah1720 CE
   The campaigns of Nader Shah, or the Naderian Wars, were a series of conflicts fought in the early to mid-eighteenth century throughout Central Eurasia primarily by the Iranian conqueror Nader Shah. His campaigns originated from the overthrow of the Iranian Safavid dynasty by the Hotaki Afghans. In the ensuing collapse and fragmentation of the empire after the capture of the Iranian capital of Isfahan by the Afghans, a claimant to the Safavid throne, Tahmasp II, accepted Nader into his service. After having subdued north-west Iran as well as neutralising the Abdali Afghans to the east and turning Tahmasp II into a vassal, Nader marched against the Hotaki Afghans in occupation of the rest of the country. In a series of incredible victories the Afghans were decimated and Tahmasp II returned to the throne as a restored Safavid monarch.
2. Battle of Karnal1739 CE
   The Battle of Karnal was a decisive victory for Nader Shah, the founder of the Afsharid dynasty of Iran, during his invasion of India. Nader's forces defeated the army of Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah within three hours, paving the way for the Iranian sack of Delhi. The engagement is considered the crowning jewel in Nader's military career as well as a tactical masterpiece. The battle took place near Karnal in Haryana, 110 kilometres (68 mi) north of Delhi, India. As a result of the overwhelming defeat of the Mughal Empire at Karnal, the already-declining Mughal dynasty was critically weakened to such an extent as to hasten its demise. According to Axworthy, it is also possible that without the ruinous effects of Nader's invasion of India, European colonial takeover of the Indian subcontinent would have come in a different form or perhaps not at all.
3. Indian campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani1748 CE
   The Indian campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani (1748–1769) was a series of invasions by the Afghan Emperor, Ahmad Shah Durrani against the declining Mughal Empire, the Maratha Empire, Sikh Confederacy, and numerous other Indian kingdoms. The primary basis of the invasions originated after the political independence of the Afghan Empire following the end of the Naderian Wars and persisted until Durrani's last invasion in 1769. The campaign is categorised into three wars: Afghan–Mughal War, Afghan–Maratha War, Afghan–Sikh War, and an array of local conflicts aimed at the subjugation of politically independent states such as Kalat and Kashmir.
4. Battle of Manupur1748 CE
   The Battle of Manupur took place on 11 March 1748 between the forces of the rising Durrani Empire led by Afghan Emperor Ahmad Shah Durrani and the armies of the Mughal Empire led by Mughal Vizier Qamar ud-Din. It was part of Ahmad Shah's first invasion of India. The Afghans had successfully stormed through Mughal territories in Afghanistan and Punjab, defeating the Mughals at Lahore. The Mughals immediately began raising a stronger force, led by Qamar ud-Din and Mughal prince Bahadur Shah, to oppose the Afghan invasion. The Afghans continued their offensive, seizing Sirhind before the two armies met at Manupur.
5. Siege of Nishapur1750 CE
   The siege of Nishapur was a military conflict between the Durrani Empire led by Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Qara Bayat Amirdom led by Abbas Qoli Khan The siege ended with the retreat of Ahmad Shah Durrani due to winter weather and heavy casualties
6. Durrani Campaign to Khorasan1750 CE
   The first Durrani campaign to Khorasan took place between 1750–1751 It saw Ahmad Shah Durrani, ruler of the Durrani Empire, invade the region of Khorasan to establish his supremacy in the region.
7. Battle of Lahore1752 CE
   The Battle of Lahore was battle which took place between the invading Ahmed Shah Abdali and Mir Mannu, the Mughal governor of Punjab in 1752. It took place at Lahore in current day Punjab province of Pakistan. After the Mughals were defeated, Abdali decided to retain Mannu as the city's governor on his own behalf.
8. Durrani Campaign to Khorasan1754 CE
   The second Durrani Campaign to Khorasan took place between 1754–1755. Ahmad Shah Durrani launched the campaign to avenge his defeat in the first campaign of Khorasan against the rulers of Nishapur, intending to advance on Mashhad and then Nishapur to bring the cities to submission.
9. Siege of Mashhad1754 CE
   The second Durrani Campaign to Khorasan took place between 1754–1755. Ahmad Shah Durrani launched the campaign to avenge his defeat in the first campaign of Khorasan against the rulers of Nishapur, intending to advance on Mashhad and then Nishapur to bring the cities to submission.
10. Siege of Nishapur1755 CE
    The siege of Nishapur began in 1755 when Ahmad Shah Durrani, ruler of the Durrani Empire, invaded Khorasan. Having earlier brought Mashhad to submission, Ahmad Shah laid siege to the capital of Qara Bayat Amirdom in the spring of 1755.
11. Afghan-Maratha War1758 CE
    The Afghan–Maratha War was fought between the Afghan Empire under Ahmad Shah Durrani and the Maratha Empire and the Sikh Confederacy between 1758 and 1761. It took place in north-west India, primarily the region around Delhi and Punjab.
12. Battle of Sikandarabad1760 CE
    The Battle of Sikandrabad was a military engagement between the Afghan Durranis and the Marathas near the city of Sikandrabad.
13. Third Battle of Panipat1761 CE
    The Third Battle of Panipat took place on 14 January 1761 between the Maratha Empire and the invading army of the Durrani Empire. The battle took place in and around the city of Panipat, approximately 97 kilometres (60 mi) north of Delhi. The Afghans were supported by three key allies in India: Najib-ud-Daula who persuaded the support of the Rohilla chiefs, elements of the declining Mughal Empire, and most prized the Oudh State under Shuja-ud-Daula. The Maratha army was led by Sadashivrao Bhau, who was third-highest authority of the Maratha Confederacy after the Chhatrapati and the Peshwa. The bulk of the Maratha army was stationed in the Deccan Plateau with the Peshwa.

Event data from Wikipedia/Wikidata (CC-BY-SA). Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected].