Rebellion of Sheikh Ahmad Madani

Rebellion of Sheikh Ahmad Madani
	Part of Naderian Wars, Mohammad Khan Baluch's Rebellion
Date	January 1730-Mid June 1734
Location	Lar and Hormozgan Province, Iran
Result	Rebellion suppressed; Gulf Arabs reincorporated into Safavid Empire;
Belligerents
Safavid Empire; Nader's personal domains Supported by:; English East India Company; Dutch East India Company (VOC)	Forces Loyal to Sheikh Ahmad Madani; Forces Loyal to Sheikh Jabbara; Forces Loyal to Sheikh Rashid bin Sa'id of Basaidu; Rebelling Arab tribes; Hotak remnants and Afghan raiders
Commanders and leaders
Tahmasp Qoli Khan; Emamverdi Khan; (Until 1733) Mohammad Khan Baluch; Sheikh 'Allaq Huwala; Mohammad Latif Khan; Mir Mehr-e 'Ali; Hajji Ghani Beg; Mohsen Khan ; Mohammad 'Ali Khan ; Hajji 'Ali Qoli Khan; Mirza Mohammad	Sheikh Ahmad Madani; Sheikh Jabbara; Sheikh Rashid bin Sa'id of Basaidu; Esma'il Safidbani; Ashraf Hotak; Neda Khan; Ahmad Beg; Mohammad Safidbani
Strength
(1731) ≥5,000 (1732) ≥12,000	(1730) 6,000; (1732) 30,000

The Rebellion of Sheikh Ahmad Madani (Persian: شورش شیخ احمد مدنی) was a revolt in the Garmsirat region of Iran from January 1730 as the Hotaks were being pushed out of Iran up until May 1734 when Sheikh Ahmad Madani was captured.^[1] However, remnants of the rebellion continued to fight until the middle of June 1734 before it was finally crushed.^[2]

It began as a result of the Restoration of the Safavids in late 1729. The Hotaks were expelled from Iran and many fled to the Garmsirat instead of taking the long route back to Kerman.^[3] The coastal Arab chieftains used this opportunity to seize independence and gave shelter to the Afghans.^[2] Outrageous taxes were also a factor in the rebellion.^[4] Many Arabs joined Sheikh Ahmad Madani and Iranian forces sent against Madani were unable to defeat him as they lacked sufficient naval forces to encircle the rebels.^[2]

Dutch East India Company letters reported he was collecting revenue in the areas between Lar and Shiraz.^[1] In the Autumn of 1730 Mohammad 'Ali Khan was able to defeat the rebels several times. However Mohammad 'Ali refused to accept any attempt at peace because he wanted to end them once and for all. He failed to do so however, and Ahmad Madani's stronghold remained safe.^[1] In October 1731 Sheikh Ahmad Madani had taken Lar again and besieged the citadel but were driven off and defeated.^[5]^[1] Sheikh Ahmad Madani still remained a threat to the region however.

In 1732 Mohammad Khan Baluch was sent with some 12,000 men to destroy Sheikh Ahmad Madani.^[1] However, he instead dealt with his own feud with the governor of Jahrom and did nothing to stop the rebels.^[6]^[1] In the autumn of 1733 Mohammad Khan Baluch revolted against Tahmasp Qoli Khan with the help of Sheikh Ahmad Madani, and this was the last straw. Nader Shah marched against the rebels with the assistance of the Dutch and English. By May 1734, Ahmad's stronghold at Maragh had fallen and Sheikh Ahmad Madani was captured. By the middle of June 1734 the Campaign against Sheikh Ahmad Madani was over.^[2] However, some remnants of the rebellions of Sheikh Ahmad Madani and Mohammad Khan Baluch fled to Kish and held it against Safavid forces for a brief period.^[3]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Floor, Willem M. (2009). The Rise and Fall of Nader Shah: Dutch East India Company Reports, 1730-1747. Mage Publishers. ISBN 978-1-933823-32-4.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Floor, Willem M. (2007). The Persian Gulf: The Rise of the Gulf Arabs : the Politics of Trade on the Persian Littoral, 1747-1792. Mage Publishers. pp. 7–8. ISBN 978-1-933823-18-8.
^ ^a ^b Axworthy, Michael (2011). "Nader Shah and Persian Naval Expansion in the Persian Gulf, 1700—1747". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. 21 (1): 31–39. ISSN 1356-1863. JSTOR 23011520.
^ Axworthy, Michael (2009-02-28). The Sword of Persia: Nader Shah, from Tribal Warrior to Conquering Tyrant. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 139–143. ISBN 978-1-84511-982-9.
^ Floor, Willem M. (2014). The Hula Arabs of the Shibkuh Coast of Iran. Mage Publishers. ISBN 978-1-933823-66-9.
^ Ḥazīn, Muḥammad ʻAlī (1830). The life of Sheikh Mohammed Ali Hazin. F. C. Belfour. London, Printed for the Oriental translation fund, sold by J. Murray [etc.]

[:0-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Floor, Willem M. (2009). The Rise and Fall of Nader Shah: Dutch East India Company Reports, 1730-1747. Mage Publishers. ISBN 978-1-933823-32-4.

[:1-2] Floor, Willem M. (2007). The Persian Gulf: The Rise of the Gulf Arabs : the Politics of Trade on the Persian Littoral, 1747-1792. Mage Publishers. pp. 7–8. ISBN 978-1-933823-18-8.

[:2-3] Axworthy, Michael (2011). "Nader Shah and Persian Naval Expansion in the Persian Gulf, 1700—1747". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. 21 (1): 31–39. ISSN 1356-1863. JSTOR 23011520.

[:3-4] Axworthy, Michael (2009-02-28). The Sword of Persia: Nader Shah, from Tribal Warrior to Conquering Tyrant. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 139–143. ISBN 978-1-84511-982-9.

[5] Floor, Willem M. (2014). The Hula Arabs of the Shibkuh Coast of Iran. Mage Publishers. ISBN 978-1-933823-66-9.

[:4-6] Ḥazīn, Muḥammad ʻAlī (1830). The life of Sheikh Mohammed Ali Hazin. F. C. Belfour. London, Printed for the Oriental translation fund, sold by J. Murray [etc.]

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