abdurrahman atash

Studying the politics and foreign relations of neighboring countries has occupied a special place in various historical periods, specifically when it concerns powerful states. In the mid-18th century, political contention between the Afsharid and the Ottomans within the context of the Islamic world, was the main driver of change in their relations. This article has taken as its subject matter the state of affairs in Iran in the wake of Nadir Shah’s death, the founder of the Afsharid dynasty, in 1747 A.D. and assess the power struggle among House Afsharid to ascend the throne; the struggle between various local and tribes’ rules across Iran has also been studied. Attempts have been made to find answer to the question as to why the Ottomans pursued a policy of peace and non-intervention with Iran despite multiple enticements for occupation during the tumultuous years of 1747-1759?

In this study Aqa Mohammad Khan’s Caucasian campaign and Iran-Ottoman relations (1795-1797) are studied based on Ottoman sources. Ottoman’s policy towards Aqa Mohammad Khan’s Caucasian campaigns is the main research focus of this study. It goes without saying that the author has been sympathetic to the Ottoman, thus, rendering a belligerent image of Aqa Mohammad Khan and the Qajar state portraying the Qajar campaigns as ambitious strides towards restoring the Safavid borders. However, Iranian sources suggest otherwise and hold Ottoman’s encroachments at Iranian borders during the weaker years of the Zand dynasty responsible for Aqa Mohammad Khan’s measures to stabilize the country.