Nader's Dagestan campaign

The conflict between the Persian Empire & the Lezgis was intermittently fought through the mid-1730s during Nader's first campaign in the Caucasus until the very last years of his reign and assassination in 1747. The incredibly difficult terrain of the northern Caucasus region made the task of subduing the Lezgis an extremely challenging one. Despite this Nader Shah gained numerous strongholds and fortresses from the Lezgis and pushed them to the very verge of defeat. The Lezgis however held on in the northernmost reaches of Daghestan and continued to defy Persian domination. The conflict was fought over many years and only included a few years of actual hard fighting, usually when Nader himself was present, but otherwise consisted of skirmishes and raids throughout. The majority of the Persian casualties were from the extremity of the weather as well as the outbreak of disease, all of which combined with the indomitable will of the Lezgis to wage an insurgency and retreat to their distant strongholds when threatened with a pitched battle made the entire war a quagmire for Nader's forces. Ultimately the Lezgis who had held on in the northern fortresses marched south upon hearing of Nader's assassination and reclaimed most of their lost territories as the Persian empire crumbled.