The History Of Nadir Shah, Formerly called Thamas Kuli Khan, The Present Emperor of Persia. To which is prefix’d A short History of the Moghol Emperors…

London: Printed by W.Strahan, for the Author; And sold by G.Strahan, and J.Brotherton, J.Oswald…, 1742., 1742. 8vo. pp. 1 p.l., vi, 234, [6]index & errata, 40. folding engraved frontis. & folding engraved map. woodcut ornaments & initials. later half calf, rebacked & recornered, endpapers preserved (map browned, occasional light foxing). First Edition of "the first book in English treating of Nãdir Shãh, ‘the scourge of God’. It is important not only as a first-hand contribution to the history of contemporary events [Nãdir Shãh invaded India in 1737-38], but also for the number of original documents which it alone has preserved." (DNB) Fraser collected materials for his account during his first stay in India, 1730-40 (he returned as a factor for the East India Company, 1743-49). He managed to acquire some 200 manuscripts in the Persian, Arabic, and Sanskrit languages, a catalogue of which is appended here, with separate title (pp. 40). His collection of Sanskrit manuscripts was the first of that kind ever brought to Europe, although individual manuscripts had reached England and France even earlier. The entire collection eventually came to reside in the Bodleian Library at Oxford University.. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good.