Editing List of monarchs of Iran (section)

=== Intermediate period (1722–1796) ===
Complex rivalries in the region of [[Greater Khorasan|Khorasan]] led to the Afghan [[Hotak dynasty]] invading Iran. In 1722, this conflict led to the collapse of the Safavid Empire after the [[siege of Isfahan]].{{Sfn|Matthee|2008}}{{Sfn|Aghaie|2012|p=306}} The brief interlude between 1722 and the rise of the [[Qajar dynasty]] in 1789–1796 was marked by widespread political turmoil in Iran and several rival attempts to establish power over the country. The Safavids failed to regain power and the Hotaks failed to establish control. The rival [[Afsharid Iran|Afsharid]] and [[Zand dynasty|Zand]] dynasties were established by [[Nader Shah]] (1736–1747) and [[Karim Khan Zand|Karim Khan]] (1751–1779), respectively. Although both of these founding figures established their rule over large parts of the former Safavid domain, the political influence of their dynasties swiftly collapsed under their successors.{{Sfn|Aghaie|2012|p=306}}

==== Hotaks (1722–1729) ====
{{See also|Hotak dynasty}}
[[File:Hotak dynasty (greatest extent).svg|thumb|The [[Hotak dynasty]] under [[Mahmud Hotak]]|190px]]
In 1701, unrest among the [[Ghilji]] [[Pashtun people|Pashtun]] tribe of [[Afghanistan]] led to a rebellion against the Safavids. This uprising was suppressed by the local commander, [[George XI of Kartli]], but the Afghan anti-Safavid movement continued under [[Mirwais Hotak]] and his son, [[Mahmud Hotak]]. Mahmud initially feigned loyalty and was officially appointed as governor of [[Kandahar]]. In 1720, he began raiding the [[Kerman]] area and in March 1722, a larger hastily assembled and more powerful Safavid army was defeated at the [[Battle of Gulnabad]]. Following a six-month [[siege of Isfahan]], [[Soltan Hoseyn|Soltan Hoseyn I]] formally submitted to Mahmud and recognized him as the new ''shah'' of Iran.{{Sfn|Matthee|2008}} The Hotak rulers of Iran ruled from the former Safavid capital of Isfahan.{{Sfn|Balland|1987}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:80%;"
! width="7%" |Portrait
! width="27%" |Name
! width="32%" |Reign
! width="34%" |Succession
|-
|[[File:SHAH-MAHMUD-HOTAK.jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Mahmud Hotak]]'''
|22 October 1722 – April/May 1725{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1722|10|22|1725|4}})</small>
|Invaded and seized power from Soltan Hoseyn I{{Sfn|Balland|1987}}
|-
|[[File:Ashraf Shah Hotaki 1725-1729.jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Ashraf Hotak]]'''
|April/May 1725 – 1729{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}}<br /><small>(4 years)</small>
|Cousin of Mahmud Hotak; murdered and overthrew Mahmud{{Sfn|Balland|1987}}
|}

==== Safavid dynasts (1722–1773) ====
When news of the fall of Isfahan reached Soltan Hoseyn I's son [[Tahmasp II]] at Qazvin, Tahmasp proclaimed himself ''shah''.{{Sfn|Matthee|2008}} Pro-Safavid forces successfully defeated Ashraf Hotak in 1729 and forced to Afghan forces out of Iran.{{Sfn|Balland|1987}} Tahmasp failed to assert his authority in the aftermath of the Hotak invasion and the effective ruler of Iran was instead the general [[Nader Shah|Nader Khan]]. In 1732, Nader deposed Tahmasp and replaced him with the eight-month old [[Abbas III]]. Abbas was in turn deposed in 1736 and Nader Khan was proclaimed the new ''shah'' of Iran under the name Nader Shah, terminating the Safavid dynasty.{{Sfn|Savory|1982}} Safavid descendants continued to emerge for some time after 1736 as pretenders or as figurehead rulers put forward by warlords vying for power in Iran.{{Sfn|Perry|1998}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:80%;"
! width="7%" |Portrait
! width="27%" |Name
! width="32%" |Reign
! width="34%" |Succession
|-
|[[File:Coin of Tahmasp II, minted in Ganja (obverse).jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Tahmasp II]]'''
|31 October 1722{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}} – August 1732{{Sfn|Savory|1982}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1722|10|22|1732|8}})</small>
|Son of Soltan Hoseyn I{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}}
|-
|[[File:Abbas III.jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Abbas III]]'''
|7 September 1732 – 8 March 1736{{Sfn|Savory|1982}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1732|9|7|1736|3|8}})</small>
|Son of Tahmasp II{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}}
|-
|colspan="4" style="background:#E6E6E6;"|No recognized Safavid ruler 1736–1750
|-
|[[File:Suleiman II of Iran.jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Suleiman II of Persia|Suleiman II]]'''
|13 January – March 1750{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}}<br /><small>(2 months)</small>
|Grandson of Suleiman I.{{Sfn|Floor|2005|pp=435–481}} Proclaimed ''shah'' at [[Mashhad]] after the deposition of Shahrokh Shah (Afsharid) and ruled until Shahrokh was restored.{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}}
|-
|[[File:Coin minted in the name of Ismail III in Mazandaran.jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Ismail III]]'''
|Summer 1750 – 1773{{Sfn|Perry|1998}}<br /><small>(23 years)</small>
|Grandson of Soltan Hoseyn I. Proclaimed ''shah'' at Isfahan by [[Karim Khan Zand]] in 1750, as a puppet ruler.{{Sfn|Perry|1998}}
|-
|{{Centre|—}}
|'''[[Soltan Hoseyn II]]'''
|1752{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}}/1753{{Sfn|Perry|1971|pp=63–72}}
|Son of an [[Azerbaijanis|Azeri]] man and an [[Armenians|Armenian]] woman, but claimed to be a son of Tahmasp II.{{Sfn|Perry|1971|pp=63–72}} Proclaimed ''shah'' at Baghdad by [[Ali Mardan Khan Bakhtiari]], as a puppet ruler.{{Sfn|Perry|1971|pp=63–72}}
|}
==== Afsharids (1736–1796) ====
{{See also|Afsharid Iran|Afsharid dynasty}}
[[File:Afsharid dynasty (greatest extent).svg|thumb|[[Afsharid Iran]] under [[Nader Shah]]|190px]]
The [[Afsharid dynasty]] was established by [[Nader Shah]], a general under the Safavids who seized control of the empire in 1736 after the deposition of Abbas III.{{Sfn|Savory|1982}} Nader was a powerful conqueror but the Afsharid Empire quickly collapsed after his assassination in 1747. Large territories fell to the rival [[Zand dynasty]] as well as the Afghan [[Durrani Empire]]. The domain of Nader's heirs became largely confined to the Iranian parts of [[Greater Khorasan|Khorasan]]. For most of its later history, the Afsharid state was dominated by military leaders or other court factions.{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}} The Afsharids ruled with the style of ''šâhanšâh''{{Sfn|Tucker|2022|p=9}} and their capital was at [[Mashhad]].{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:80%;"
! width="7%" |Portrait
! width="27%" |Name
! width="32%" |Reign
! width="34%" |Succession
|-
|[[File:Contemporary portrait of Nader Shah. Artist unknown, created in ca. 1740 in Iran (cropped).jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Nader Shah]]'''
|8 March 1736 – 20 June 1747{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1736|3|8|1747|6|20}})</small>
|General; deposed Abbas III{{Sfn|Savory|1982}}
|-
|[[File:Portrait of Adel Shah.jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Adel Shah]]'''
|6 July 1747{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}} – 24 September 1748{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1747|8|6|1748|9|24}})</small>
|Nephew of Nader Shah; proclaimed ruler after Nader's assassination{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}}
|-
|[[File:Coin of Shahrokh Afshar, struck at the Ganja mint (obverse).jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Shahrokh Shah]]'''
|1 October 1748{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}} – 13 January 1750{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}}<br /><small>(</small><small>''1st reign'')</small><br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1748|10|1|1750|1|13}})</small>
|Grandson of Nader Shah and matrilineal grandson of Soltan Hoseyn I (Safavid). Proclaimed ruler by tribal leaders at Mashhad in opposition to Adel.{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}}
|-
|[[File:Coin of Ebrahim Shah Afshar, struck at the Tiflis mint (obverse).jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Ebrahim Afshar|Ebrahim Shah]]'''
|8 December 1748 – December 1749{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}}<br /><small>(~1 year)</small>
|Brother of Adel Shah; proclaimed ruler (in opposition to Shahrokh Shah) after deposing and blinding Adel{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}}
|-
|colspan="4" style="background:#E6E6E6;"|Shahrokh Shah was removed from the throne in January–March 1750 in favor of the Safavid ruler [[Suleiman II of Persia|Suleiman II]]{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}}
|-
|[[File:Coin of Shahrokh Afshar, struck at the Ganja mint (obverse).jpg|65px]]
|'''[[Shahrokh Shah]]'''
|March 1750{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}} – 1796{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=310}} <small>(''2nd reign'')</small><br /><small>(46 years)</small>
|Restored to the throne{{Sfn|Perry|1984b}}
|}

==== Zands (1751–1794) ====
{{See also|Zand dynasty}}
[[File:Zand dynasty.svg|thumb|Land held by the [[Zand dynasty]] under [[Lotf Ali Khan]]|190px]]
In the aftermath of Nader Shah's assassination, the [[Zand dynasty|Zand]] family grew to become the most powerful rivals of the Afsharids and seized control of much of Iran in the 1750s.{{Sfn|Baker|2005|p=13}} Established by the tribal leader [[Karim Khan Zand]], the Zand rulers never proclaimed themselves to be ''shah''s.{{Sfn|Baker|2005|p=13}}''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}'' Instead, they presented themselves as regents of Iran, at first on behalf of the Safavid puppet [[Ismail III]] (1750–1773) and then on behalf of the Iranian people.{{Sfn|Baker|2005|p=13}}''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}'' Karim Khan Zand ruled with the title of ''khân'', as well as the style of ''wakil'' (regent) or ''wakil-al-raʿāyāʾ'' ({{Literal translation|regent of the people}}).''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}'' His successors ruled simply as ''khân'', though were often considered to be "kings" by European observers.''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}'' The Zand dynasty ruled from [[Shiraz]].''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:80%;"
! width="7%" |Portrait
! width="27%" |Name
! width="32%" |Reign
! width="34%" |Succession
|-
|[[File:Karim Khan-e Zand.png|65px]]
|[[Karim Khan Zand|Karim Khan]]
|1751 – 1 March 1779''{{Sfn|Perry|2011}}''<br /><small>(28 years)</small>
|Seized power over much of Iran{{Sfn|Baker|2005|p=13}}
|-
|{{Centre|—}}
|[[Mohammad-Ali Khan Zand|Mohammad-Ali Khan]]
|2 March – 19 June 1779{{Sfn|Busse|1983}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1779|3|2|1779|6|19}})</small>
|Son of Karim Khan.''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}'' Joint co-ruler with his brother Abol-Fath Khan.{{Sfn|Busse|1983}}
|-
|{{Centre|—}}
|[[Abol-Fath Khan Zand|Abol-Fath Khan]]
|2 March – 22 August 1779{{Sfn|Busse|1983}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1779|3|2|1779|8|22}})</small>
|Son of Karim Khan.''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}'' Initially joint co-ruler with his brother Mohammad-Ali Khan.{{Sfn|Busse|1983}}
|-
|[[File:Image of sadiq khan zand.png|60px]]
|[[Sadeq Khan Zand|Sadeq Khan]]
|22 August 1779 – 14 March 1781{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=311}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1779|8|22|1781|3|14}})</small>
|Brother of Karim Khan''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}''
|-
|{{Centre|—}}
|[[Ali-Morad Khan Zand|Ali-Morad Khan]]
|14 March 1781 – 10 January 1785{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=311}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1781|3|14|1785|1|10}})</small>
|Member of the 'Hazāra' branch of the Zand family''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}''
|-
|[[File:Ja`far Khan.png|60px]]
|[[Jafar Khan]]
|17 January 1785 – 23 January 1789{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=311}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1785|1|17|1789|1|23}})</small>
|Son of Sadeq Khan''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}''
|-
|{{Centre|—}}
|[[Sayed Morad Khan]]
|23 January – 7 May 1789{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=311}}<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1789|1|23|1789|5|7}})</small>
|Cousin of Ali-Morad Khan. Mutinied against Jafar Khan (leading to Jafar's death) and opposed the accession of Jafar's son, Lotf Ali Khan.''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}''
|-
|[[File:Lotf Ali Khan Zand.jpg|65px]]
|[[Lotf Ali Khan]]
|7 May 1789{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=311}} – November 1794''{{Sfn|Perry|2000}}''<br /><small>({{Age in years, months and days|1789|5|7|1794|11}})</small>
|Son of Jafar Khan.{{Sfn|Spuler|1977|p=311}}
|}