Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
For a brief time in the 1730s and 40s, Iran was a major power under the emperor Nadir Shah. But his aggressive centralization and militarism led to his assassination in 1747 and a subsequent civil war. After half a century of political fragmentation, the Qajar dynasty emerged and re-unified Iran in the 1790s. Almost immediately afterwards, it would find itself at the prey of Russian imperial ambition, as Russia sought to expand its influence in the Caucasus, which Iran regarded as its territory. The two countries went to war in 1804, and Iran lost badly. Even Napoleon’s conquest of Moscow in 1812 did not stop Russia from defeating the Qajars and imposing the treaty of Gulistan, which annexed a chunk of the Caucasus and imposed an unequal trade relationship on Iran. In 1828, Iran lost another war with Russia, lost mor e of the Caucasus, and suffered further economic restrictions in the Treaty of Turkmenchay.
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Music Used:
Doug Maxwell - Arabian Nightfall (Sting):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bRzD...
If any of the images or songs are yours, please let me know I will amend them. Please don't report me straight away!
0:00 Intro & Context
3:38 Afghanistan's Uneasy Independence
8:43 Turkic Khanates Face The Russian Bear
11:49 Persia Caught In The Crosshair
16:24 Concluding Remarks
For a brief time in the 1730s and 40s, Iran was a major power under the emperor Nadir Shah. But his aggressive centralization and militarism led to his assassination in 1747 and a subsequent civil war. After half a century of political fragmentation, the Qajar dynasty emerged and re-unified Iran in the 1790s. Almost immediately afterwards, it would find itself at the prey of Russian imperial ambition, as Russia sought to expand its influence in the Caucasus, which Iran regarded as its territory. The two countries went to war in 1804, and Iran lost badly. Even Napoleon’s conquest of Moscow in 1812 did not stop Russia from defeating the Qajars and imposing the treaty of Gulistan, which annexed a chunk of the Caucasus and imposed an unequal trade relationship on Iran. In 1828, Iran lost another war with Russia, lost mor e of the Caucasus, and suffered further economic restrictions in the Treaty of Turkmenchay.
FREE NEWSLETTER:
https://mailchi.mp/a69f93be6c66/hikma-history-newsletter
- Become a Patron for as little as a dollar a month to vote on upcoming and keep the movement going!
patreon.com/user?u=12397811
Massive thank you to our Patreons:
Elman
Walid
Preston P
Adam
Mohammad
Areeb
Awais
Omar
Farid
Ibrahim
Ari
Joshua
Haseeb
Amir
Mahmoud
Joel
CoreBard
- Join our social media community:
Twitter:
twitter.com/HikmaHistory
Instagram:
instagram.com/hikmahistory
Facebook:
facebook.com/HikmaHistory
Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hikma...
#russia #greatgame #britain
Images Used:
Music Used:
Doug Maxwell - Arabian Nightfall (Sting):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bRzD...
If any of the images or songs are yours, please let me know I will amend them. Please don't report me straight away!
0:00 Intro & Context
3:38 Afghanistan's Uneasy Independence
8:43 Turkic Khanates Face The Russian Bear
11:49 Persia Caught In The Crosshair
16:24 Concluding Remarks
