Sack of Tun (1754)
| Sack of Tun | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Durrani Campaign to Khorasan (1754–55) | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Durrani Empire | Qajar Dynasty | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Ahmad Shah Durrani Jahan Khan Nasir Khan | Jafar Khan † | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown | Heavy | ||||||||
The Sack of Tun occurred through May to June 1754 during Ahmad Shah Durrani's second campaign to Khorasan, when Durrani forces captured and plundered the city of Tun (modern-day Ferdows), annexing it from the Qajars into the Durrani Empire.
Background
In 1750–1751, Ahmad Shah's first campaign to Khorasan had little success and many losses. As a result, Ahmad Shah began preparing for a second campaign beginning in 1754. During this time, Nishapur was besieged by Alam Khan, a former Afsharid viceroy.[1] Upon hearing that Ahmad Shah began his campaign to Khorasan, Alam Khan's army completely dispersed, while the Camesgazak Kurds completely defected to Ahmad Shah and his army.[1]
The Sack
Ahmad Shah began his campaign in May 1754. Afghan forces departed from Herat and made for Tun. Ahmad Shah dispatched Sardar Jahan Khan and Nasir Khan of Kalat, with them beginning their own campaign of devastating the countryside.[2] Following this, they marched against the governor of Tabas, Ali Murad Khan, who also assembled his own army and met the Afghans in battle, with Singh describing the battle that took place as one of the most bloodiest battles in Persian history.[3] Ammunition failed to gain any clear advantage for both sides, forcing both armies to draw swords and began clashing. The battle remained indecisive until Ali Murad Khan was killed, and the remaining Persian army was routed.[3]
Aftermath
With their opposition defeated, Tabas and Tun were conquered in between of June and July 1754 by the Afghans.[3] The Afghan armies continued their march unto Mashhad, arriving before the city on 23 July.[4] A long siege protracted until the Afsharids finally submitted to Ahmad Shah on 1 December 1754. On the 4th, Ahmad Shah's name was read in the sermon, acknowledging his sovereignty and paramountcy over the Afsharids.[4]
With their victory, the domains Torshiz, Bakharz, Jam, Khaf, and Turbat-e Haidari were annexed from the Afsharids into the Durranis.[5][4] Following this, Ahmad Shah then began his march on Nishapur in the following spring of 1755, while Shah Pasand Khan set out to march to Mazandaran against the Qajars.[4][6]
References
- ^ a b "ʿALAM KHAN". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
- ^ Singh, Ganda (1959). Ahmad shah durrani, father of modern Afghanistan. Asia Publishing House, Bombay. pp. 95–96.
- ^ a b c Singh, Ganda (1959). Ahmad shah durrani, father of modern Afghanistan. Asia Publishing House, Bombay. p. 96.
- ^ a b c d Noelle-Karimi, Christine (2014). The Pearl in Its Midst: Herat and the Mapping of Khurasan (15th-19th Centuries). Austrian Academy of Sciences Press. p. 110. ISBN 978-3-7001-7202-4.
- ^ Singh, Ganḍā (1959). Ahmad Shah Durrani: Father of Modern Afghanistan. Asia Publishing House. p. 457. ISBN 978-1-4021-7278-6. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) - ^ Singh, Ganda (1959). Ahmad shah durrani, father of modern Afghanistan. Asia Publishing House, Bombay. p. 89.