Zand Dynasty, the age of prosperity, peace, and conflicts

The founder of the dynasty, Karim khan, has always been remembered as one of the most popular kings of Iran. By struggling the heirs of the Afsharid dynasty, and defending the heirs of the Safavid dynasty, gradually he obtained the required power and established the Zand dynasty in 1750.

The origin of the Zands was a tribe of the Lor race of Iran, named as Zand. Karim Khan never entitled himself as the king, but always knew himself the regent or advocate of the Iranian people. His time was the era of prosperity and the destructions and declines of the previous decades were compensated. He announced Shiraz his capital and made it the center of commerce, art, and culture the clear evidence of which are still quite obvious in the present day Shiraz.

Karim khan took back some of the occupied lands of Iran but did not go on territory expansion. For instance, he left Khorasan in the hands of the Afsharid princes, though showing no respect towards them. Although his domain was not as large as other great figures of Iranian dynasties, he ruled his kingdom with appropriate care, policy and wisdom, rarely seen in Iran history.

Among his successors, Lotf Ali Khan had a good reputation, though, for most of his ruling period, he was involved in wars, especially against the Qajars. Finally, he was killed by the Qajars in 1794 and this was the end of the Zand dynasty.