nadir shah and the afghans, 1732–47‘Ismat Allah Beg received a life-threatening wound, so his followers took
him to Hazrat Ishan in expectation of a miracle, only for Rasul’s powers
to fail him. ‘Ismat Allah eventually died and all but the most faithful of
Rasul’s followers deserted him. The mutawalli of Shah-i Mardan, in fear
of his life, allowed the government authorities to enter the sacred precinct
and Rasul was seized, taken outside the sanctuary and executed.
Nadir Shah, hearing of the revolt, marched north and reduced the
Qipchaq strongholds one by one. When the rebels were finally defeated,
the reprisals were terrible. Some 6,500 male members of the Qipchaq tribe
were selected by lot, decapitated and their heads piled into a tower of
skulls. Rasul’s most loyal supporter, who had gone before proclaiming
him as Lord of the Age and Time, was entombed alive in this gruesome
pyramid and his screams could be heard for many days and nights until
death finally ended his torment. The Qipchaqs of Balkh were decimated
The resident malang
at the Zadyan minaret
and shrine, Balkh
province.