Nader Shah's Sack of Delhi: The Greatest Heist in History

In 1739, Persian military genius Nader Shah invaded Mughal India with 55,000 soldiers and crushed an army five times larger. After the Mughal Emperor surrendered, Nader Shah peacefully occupied Delhi - until a false rumor of his death sparked riots that killed several hundred Persian soldiers. His response was biblical in its fury: he ordered a massacre that killed 20,000 to 30,000 people in a single day, then systematically looted the wealthiest city in the world for weeks.

The treasures Nader Shah stole are almost beyond comprehension. He took the legendary Peacock Throne - a solid gold throne encrusted with emeralds, rubies, diamonds, and pearls, worth more than the entire Palace of Versailles. He seized the Koh-i-Noor diamond, one of the largest diam ...