Nadir Shah (Nadir Guli Bey) (1688-1747) was the Shah of Persia (Iran). He belonged to the Afshar Turkic tribe and was born in Khurasan, now north-eastern Iran. Nadir Shah was an able general and a wise administrator, but he was ruhtless to his opponents.
Nadir Shah became a hero to his people when he drove out the Afghans, who were occupying Persia and forcibly ascended the throne in 1736. He defeated the
Mughals, who were the rulers of India and plundered the capital city of
Delhi on March 20, 1739. During this raid in Delhi, he massacred thousands of people. He committed grave atrocities in Punjab, on Muslims and Hindus alike. He returned home with vast priceless treasures, including the Peacock Throne and the Koh-i-Noor diamond. Nadir Shah was killed in 1747 by his own men in one of the palace intrigues.
