Shah Sultan Hussein, the last of the Safavids, had been defeated outside Isfahan by a small band of Afghani tribesmen.

Their leader, Mahmoud (1722-1725), at first showed a degree of clemency but seems to have become progressively more

suspicious eventually murdering every one who had any association with the previous dynasty. He adopted the small palace

behind Ali Qapu, which is shown on the right,  as his headquarters.

Today this is known after him as the Talar of Ashraf and houses the natural history museum.

After an eight month seige he took Shiraz in 1724, but was unable to take Yazd, or to stop the  Russians taking over large

parts of the north of the country. In a fit of penence he immured himself in a dark vault for fourteen days, but on his return

 to daylight, he seems to have completely lost his reason and was eventually suffocated on the orders of his mother,

in April 1725.

He was followed by his cousin Ashraf (1722-1729). Ashraf’s reign was complicated by the aspirations of Tahmasb II,

the last surviving member of the Safavid dynasty who had escaped from Isfahan. Tahmasb’s armies, led by Nader Shah,

defeated the Afghanis in a battle about 70 km to the north of Isfahan,  following which Ashraf returned to the city,

leaving 4.000 Afghanis dead on the field, and executed Shah Suleiman, who was living in retirement in the city.

Ashraf then fled the city taking with him  as much treasure as he could manage and all the ladies of the harem,

and withdrew to Shiraz.

There is a touching story concerning Tahmasb’s return to Isfahan. On seeing him enter the city an old woman threw

her arms around him and burst into tears. It emerged that she was his mother who, since the occupation of the city

by Mahmoud, had disguised herself as a slave  to escape being taken to Shiraz as a hostage.

The Afghanis were persued and routed near Persepolis. Ashraf escaped into the desert but was eventually assasinated

by a Baluchi in 1729, and his head was sent to Shah Tahmasb.

Ashraf’s rule over Isfahan is largely unmarked architecturally. There is an inscription in the Porch of Omar in the

Masjed-e-Jomeh, and the remains of the palace of Farahabad south west of the city on the road to Dastgerd which he burnt.