[1][2] The first half of his revolt started in 1846[3][4][5][6] and was initially very successful, gaining the support of rebellious Turkmen tribes and the Shadlu Kurds who had long hated Qajar rule.

However, with the death of Mohammad Shah Qajar on 4 September 1848, Salar was able to capture Mashhad with the support of the population[7] and then extended his control over most of Khorasan.

[7] One faction was led by Allah Yar Khan Asef al-Dowleh, the uncle of Mohammad Shah and governor of Khorasan.

Asef al-Dowleh's son, Hasan Khan Salar, began to have ideas of his own and planned to seize Khorasan for himself.

Mohammed Yusuf mentions that "Hasan Khan Salar, son of Asif al-Daulah, whose mother was the great-great-grandchild of Khaqan, Fath 'Ali Shah, got the idea of revolting, and chanted this verse repeatedly: I am ashamed of this kind of life; That I be Salar (leader[7]), and act like a slave.

[4]-Hasan Khan Salar Around this time the Tekke Turkmen began to raid around Mashhad with the support of the Jalayer tribe governing Kalat-e Naderi, which had remained independent since the beginning of Qajar rule over Khorasan.

[2] However, Aghasi refused to authorize the plan, viewing it as an attempt for Asef al-Dowleh to gain more power.

Salar began to think of forming a tribal army to conquer Khorasan and expelling the Qajars, using Kalat as a base.

Asef al-Dowleh managed to convince the Shah to make Hasan Khan Salar the governor of Khorasan and appoint himself as guardian of Mashhad.

Shortly after Salar arrived at Mazinan with 24-25,000 men and sent 1,000 cavalry to aid Jafar Qoli Khan Shadlu.

[4] At this point Salar knew he was defeated and when the Qajar soldiers tore his forces to shreds he and his supporters fled to Joveyn and intended to take sanctuary at Kalat, sending his son, Amir Aslan Khan, with his wealth there.

However, the people of Kalat hated the Shadlu occupation of their territory so they rebelled and refused to let Amir Aslan Khan in.

[7][4] Hamzeh Mirza Heshmat od-Dowleh arrived in Buzanjird and appointed Muhammad Ali Khan Maku'i to govern the district.

[7] According to Hidayat, Qaen was reincorporated into government control shortly after this, but Noelle-Karimi suggests that it's more likely the Khozeimeh Amirdom managed to stay free from Salar until his resurgence in late 1848.

[4] They then marched on Buzanjird with 10,000 cavalry, as Mohammad Ali Khan Maku'i had committed atrocities on the populace and thus the people welcomed Salar.

[7][4] When Hamzeh Mirza heard of this, he made the Zafaranlu Ilkhani governor of Buzanjird and marched there along with Mohammad Vali Khan Qajaq Na'ib.

In the winter of 1847-1848[7] Salar left the Turkmens (supposedly due to internal conflicts between the Tuqutmash and Utmash[4]) and fled to the ra'is of Sarakhs, Arad/Araz/Uraz Khan Toqtamish Sarakhsi.

Mirza Mohammad Khan used this to forge alliances with local leaders and encite the people of Mashhad into revolting against the Qajars.

At the same time Qajar troops in Mashhad (in particular the Turkic regiments as well as those of Hamadan[8][4][7]) had harmed the local population and became increasingly unpopular within the city.

Villages up to 10 farsangs away from Mashhad joined Salar and the population welcomed him and the recently returned Jafar Qoli Khan Shadlu.

Yar Mohammad was convinced by this and began to jointly attack the Afghans with the help of Hamzeh Mirza's forces in the citadel.

[4] The other story, told by Fayz Muhammad, says that Jafar Qoli Khan Shadlu convinced Yar Mohammad to march to Mashhad to aid Salar.

Yar Mohammad then manipulated Jafar Qoli Khan Shadlu, claiming "I must first go to the citadel and take possession of it.

[7] Amir Asadollah Khan of Qaen saw that his forces couldn't defend the region from Salar anymore.

[5] During February Hasan Khan Salar lost control over Qaen, Torshiz, Torbat-e Haidari, and Joveyn.

[7] Salar attempted to stop the Qajar force at Joveyn, however he was routed and 200 of his men were killed in the battle.

Reportedly, Zanganeh offered Salar 95,000 tuman and the governorship of Hamadan, Zanjan, and Qazvin if he were to unconditionally surrender.

[7] Morad Mirza sent Nawab Mu'azzam Sulayman Khan Darah Khabri to capture Kalat while he marched toward Mashhad and besieged it in June.

His soldiers had no money and so he had an idea and decided to sack the Imam Reza Shrine to confiscate the ornaments to pay for his troops.