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Mughal-Persian Alliance

Type Event Region South Asia Time 1544–1550

During his 1540s exile in Persia, Humayun allied with Safavid Shah Tahmasp I: Persia supplied about 12,000 troops to help him retake Kandahar, in exc…

Timeline

  1. 1544Qazvin · PersiaDuring his exile, Humayun converted to Shi'ism (or at least publicly embraced it) and sought an audience with Safavid Shah Tahmasp I, requesting military aid against the Sur Empire and to recover lost territories. The two sides negotiated the terms of assistance.
  2. 1544–1545Persia · PersiaTahmasp agreed to provide about 12,000 Persian troops and artillery support to aid Humayun's attack on Kandahar. In return, Humayun promised to promote Shi'ism in designated territories after restoring his empire and to cede Kandahar to Persia. This bargain tightly linked religious propagation with geopolitics.
  3. 1545–1547Kandahar · AfghanistanWith Persian military support, Humayun besieged and recaptured the strategic city of Kandahar, his first major military victory since going into exile. Kandahar became a forward base for Mughal restoration and later a focal point of Mughal-Persian territorial disputes.

Sources