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Michael Axworthy has recounted a "roaring tale" (p. xvi) in The Sword of Persia: Nader Shah, from Tribal Warrior to Conquering Tyrant. Using a vivid style, this work chronicles the rise and fall of Nadir Shah from his early origins in northern Khurasan to his assassination by his followers in 1747. The author begins with a prologue describing the zenith of Nadir's career, his conquest of Delhi and the Mughal Empire in 1739, to portray him as an exceptional ruler who prefigured later conquerors and tyrants like Napoleon, Stalin, and Hitler. Nadir's unique story, long regarded as anomalous, is presented as a vehicle to explore early modern Iranian history at a popular level. Acknowledging that the history of "great men" has become passé, Axworthy makes a good case for why the story of Nadir should attract the attention of a larger audience today. This work convincingly argues that Nadir should be seen as one of the first "modern" rulers in Iran, based on what he tried to accomplish and what transpired during his reign.
The text examines Nadir's career from his humble beginnings through his attempts to create an Asian empire. It draws on a variety of recent studies and a considerable range of primary sources to create a work accessible to both specialists and general readers. Information from Middle Eastern...