Which king of Iran looted Delhi in 1739, during the reign of Muhammad Shah Rangeela?

It was in the year 1739, Nadir Shar, the Shah of Iran and the founder of the Afsharid dynasty, invaded India and brought about a boisterous and damaging mark on the history of Mughal India. The invasion of India by Nadir Shah—one of the most mammoth calamities that had taken place during that period—brought about a complete destruction of the already weakened Mughal Empire.

He captured the western frontiers of Mughal Empire such as Kabul, Ghazni, Lahore in 1739. When Nadir Shah crossed Khyber Pass, the Governor of Punjab requested for the strengthening of the army force in Punjab to the Mughal emperor. But, Muhammad Shah, the Mughal emperor of Delhi, did not pay heed to his request. Soon Nadir Shah entered Punjab with great force and then Muhammad Shah sent the Mughal forces, led by Khan Dauran and Nizam-ul-Mulk, to fight against Nadir Shah. However, the two declined, and so Muhammad Shah led the forces himself. The two forces of Nadir Shah and Muhammad Shah met at Karnal. At the battle of Karnal on 13 February 1739, Nadir Shah easily outnumbered the Mughal forces. The battle lasted for less than three hours and the Mughal emperor, Muhammad Shah surrendered. Both the rulers now entered Delhi on 12 March 1739 and Delhi was handed over to Nadir Shah, along with all its treasures. He occupied Shah Jahan’s royal suite in the Red Fort and held a great durbar in the capital the next day.

 

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