LOTF 'ALI KHAN ZAND

born 1769, Shiraz, Zand Iran died 1794, Tehran last ruler of the Zand dynasty of Iran, who was defeated in the civil war of 177994. With the death of Lotf 'Ali Khan's grandfather, Karim Khan Zand, a 15-year civil war ensued between his descendants and Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. Although the Zand forces were weakened by internal dissensions and rivalries, Lotf 'Ali Khan's father, Ja'far Khan, proclaimed himself sovereign in the Zand capital of Shiraz in 1785. Given charge of the Zand armies in the provinces of Larestan and Kerman by his father, Lotf 'Ali Khan was forced to abandon these provinces on Ja'far's death (1789) and return to Shiraz, where a rival had proclaimed himself king. Executing his rival, he had himself proclaimed king; and during the next four years he undertook several campaigns against Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, who possessed superior troops. After the governor of Shiraz treacherously abandoned the city to Qajar forces in 1791, Lotf 'Ali Khan was never able to secure a new base of operations and was constantly on the move. His inability to control significant territory and the consequent loss of revenues doomed the Zand cause to failure. An able and gallant soldier, he won several tactical victories over his opponent after the loss of Shiraz; but the balance of power favoured the Qajars, who could afford to lose minor battles. The final act of the civil war came in 1794, when Qajar forces broke a four-month resistance to take the city of Kerman. Lotf 'Ali Khan managed to flee, but he was captured and delivered to Agha Mohammad Khan, who had him tortured to death.