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Safavid Siege of Kandahar 1637: Ali Mardan Khan's Betrayal
In 1637, the Safavid Empire faced one of its most dramatic internal crises when its own governor of Kandahar, Ali Mardan Khan, defected to the Mughals, handing over the strategic fortress city without a fight. This episode dives into the political intrigue that led to the betrayal—Ali Mardan Khan's growing frustration with the Qizilbash faction at court, his secret correspondence with Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, and the swift fall of Kandahar that shocked the Safavid court under Shah Safi I. We explore the shifting loyalties of the gholam class, the role of the Arg-e-Mukhlis citadel, and how…
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