Ahmad
Shah Durrani
In 1708
the Ghilzai of Kandahar through off the Persian yoke and
a few years later defeated the Safavids in Persia itself,
while the Abdalis (Durranis) took Heratand overran
Khorasan. Both
clans were expelled from Persia by the great Nadir Shah,
who followed them up into Afghanistan, and by 1738 was
master of the whole country, including the remaining
Mughal possessions. Thence he made the celebrated
expedition which resulted in the sack of Delhi (1739),
but did not extend his permanent conquests beyond the Indus.On
his assassination in 1747 Afghanistan became, for the
first time for many centuries, a national monarchy under Ahmad
Shah, the Sadozai chief of the Abdali or Durrani tribe. Ahmad
Shah, who reigned till 1773, extended his sway over
Khorasan, Kashmir, Sind, and the Punjab. He is best known
in Indian history by his famous victory over the Maratha
hosts at Panipat (1761), which dissipated their dream of
universal dominion in Indiaand indirectly paved the way
for British supremacy.
Successors Ahmad Shah was succeeded by his son Timur.
Imperial Gazetteer of India Afghanistan And Nepal.
Superintendent of Government Printing Calcutta 1908
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