Tahmasp II (1704? – 1732) was one of the last Safavid rulers of Persia, which today is known as Iran.
Tahmasp was the son of Husayn (Safavid), the shah of Iran at that time. When Husayn was forced to abdicate by the Afghans in 1722, Prince Tahmasp wished to claim the throne. He fled to Tabriz where he established a government. He gained the support of the Sunni Muslims of the Caucasus, as well as several tribes including the Afshirs under Iran's future ruler, Nadir Shah. Tahmasp also eventually gained the recognition of both the Ottoman Empire and Russia, each worried about the other gaining too muchinfluence in Iran. By 1729, Tahmasp had control of most of the country. Several years after his death, the weak Safavid dynasty was overthrown by Nadir Shah.
