Ashraf Ghilzay ruled over a considerable portion of Iran as Ashraf Shāh from 1137/1725 until 1142/1729. Ashraf was the eldest son of ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz (r. 1127-9/1715-7), a brother of Mīr Vays (the mayor of Qandahar who launched an Afghan uprising against the Ṣafavids in 1121/1709 and ruled independently 1121-7/1709-15). He was a leader of the Hotak tribe of the Ghilzay Pashtūn confederation. Ashraf was a leader in the Afghan invasion of Iran in 1133-5/1721-2, but upon the