These empires shared many similarities, but one major similarity is their political structures. [194] There were also the large number of gholams or "slaves of the shah", who were mainly Georgians, Circassians and Armenians. The Safavid empire had a strong social structure with kings and royals at the top and peasants at the bottom. His descriptions of the public appearance, clothes and customs are corroborated by the miniatures, drawings and paintings from that time which have survived. At the fourth invasion in 1553, it was now clear that Tahmsp followed a policy of annexation and resettlement as he gained control over Tbilisi (Tiflis) and the region of Kartli while physically transplanting more than 30,000 people to the central Iranian heartlands. He created a religious order based in Shi'a Islam that gradually grew . In response, a Ghilzai Afghan chieftain named Mirwais Hotak revolted and killed Gurgin Khan, the Safavid governor of the region, along with his army. First, he bargained for peace with the Ottomans in 1590, giving away territory in the north-west. Sultan Hosein tried to forcibly convert his Afghan subjects in Qandahar from Sunni to Twelverism. History. The Safavid Empire dates from the rule of Shah Ismail (ruled 1501-1524). [57], Although Ismil I initially gained mastery over Azerbaijan alone, the Safavids ultimately won the struggle for power over all of Iran, which had been going on for nearly a century between various dynasties and political forces. The Safiviyeh came to be led by a fifteen-year old, Ismail I. In 1732 by the Treaty of Resht and in 1735 Treaty of Ganja, he negotiated an agreement with the government of Empress Anna Ioanovna that resulted in the return of the recently annexed Iranian territories, making most of the Caucasus fall back into Iranian hands, while establishing an Irano-Russian alliance against the common neighbouring Ottoman enemy. The elegantly baroque, yet famously misnamed, "Polonaise" carpets were made in Iran during the seventeenth century. -Reorganized the empire's military . Isfahan bears the most prominent samples of the Safavid architecture, all constructed in the years after Shah Abbas I permanently moved the capital to that city in 1598: The Imperial Mosque, Masjid-e Shah, completed in 1630, the Imami Mosque,Masjid-e Imami, the Lutfullah Mosque and the Royal Palace. As non-Turcoman converts to Islam, these Circassian and Georgian olmns (also written as ghulams) were completely unrestrained by clan loyalties and kinship obligations, which was an attractive feature for a ruler like Tahmsp whose childhood and upbringing had been deeply affected by Qezelb tribal politics. In the following centuries, this religious schism would both cement Iran's internal cohesion and national feelings and provoke attacks by its Sunni neighbors. Having started with just the possession of Azerbaijan, Shirvan, southern Dagestan (with its important city of Derbent), and Armenia in 1501,[60] Erzincan and Erzurum fell into his power in 1502,[61] Hamadan in 1503, Shiraz and Kerman in 1504, Diyarbakir, Najaf, and Karbala in 1507, Van in 1508, Baghdad in 1509, and Herat, as well as other parts of Khorasan, in 1510. Adam Olearius, "The Voyages and Travels of the Ambassadors" (excerpts). So absolute was his power, that the French merchant, and later ambassador to Iran, Jean Chardin thought the Safavid Shahs ruled their land with an iron fist and often in a despotic manner. Safavid history begins with the establishment of the Safaviyya by its eponymous founder Safi-ad-din Ardabili (12521334). In 1514, Sultan Selim I marched through Anatolia and reached the plain of Chaldiran near the city of Khoy, where a decisive battle was fought. [136][137] Henceforward, the number of diplomatic missions to and fro greatly increased. The Silk Road, which led through northern Iran to India, revived in the sixteenth century. The Sultanates of Ahmednagar, Bijapur, and Golconda all sought Persian suzerainty not just because of religious or cultural ties, but also because of the need for a counterweight to Mughal expansion. All other religions, and forms of Islam were suppressed. An angry mob gathered and Tahmasp had Bayezid put into custody, alleging it was for his own safety. In order not to favor one Turkic tribe over another and to avoid inflaming the Turk-Persian enmity, he recruited his army from the "third force", a policy that had been implemented in its baby-steps since the reign of Tahmasp Ithe Circassian, Georgian and to a lesser extent Armenian ghulms (slaves) which (after conversion to Islam) were trained for the military or some branch of the civil or military administration. It forever influenced Persian nationalism. Due to the great spiritual charisma of Safi al-Din, the order was later known as the Safaviyya. Commercial Cleaning New York > Cleaning Tips > safavid political structure Why The Right Cleaning Equipment & Supplies Are Vital Posted on February 8, 2022 by From 1553 for forty years the shah was able to avoid being ensnared in tribal treacheries. Nadir had effective control under Shah Tahmasp II and then ruled as regent of the infant Abbas III until 1736 when he had himself crowned shah. The eastern part of Samtskhe (Meskheti) was irrevocably lost to the Ottomans as well as Mesopotamia. [78] Having to flee from city to city, Humayun eventually sought refuge at the court of Tahmsp in Qazvin in 1543. Similarly, within the Safavid empire the harem was seen as an 'internal power structure,' in which women could exert political power. In 1613, Abbas had appointed these trusted Georgian gholams of his on the puppet thrones of Kartli and Kakheti, the Iranian Safavid ruled areas of Georgia. In 1588 Abbs I was brought to the throne. Szczepanski, Kallie. [138], The shah had set great store on an alliance with Spain, the chief opponent of the Ottomans in Europe. He also used his new force to dislodge the Portuguese from Bahrain (1602) and, with English help, from Hormuz (1622), in the Persian Gulf (a vital link in Portuguese trade with India). Clothes that became soiled in any way were changed immediately. [187] To ensure transparency and avoid decisions being made that circumvented the Shah, a complex system of bureaucracy and departmental procedures had been put in place that prevented fraud. They were of Kurdish Persian decent with unique customs. Increased contact with distant cultures in the 17th century, especially Europe, provided a boost of inspiration to Iranian artists who adopted modeling, foreshortening, spatial recession, and the medium of oil painting (Shah Abbas II sent Muhammad Zaman to study in Rome). A specific Turkic language was attested in Safavid Persia during the 16th and 17th centuries, a language that Europeans often called Persian Turkish ("Turc Agemi", "lingua turcica agemica"), which was a favourite language at the court and in the army because of the Turkic origins of the Safavid dynasty. The Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal empires were very powerful and well respected in their time. The army divisions were: Ghulams ("crown servants or slaves" usually conscripted from Armenian, Georgian, and Circassian lands), Tofongchis (musketeers), and Topchis (artillery-men). The Qizilbashi tribes were essential to the military of Iran until the rule of Shah Abbas Itheir leaders were able exercise enormous influence and participate in court intrigues (assassinating Shah Ismail II, for example). In this way, one of his sons was executed and two were blinded. There, the Safavids influenced the local Turcoman tribes, and they themselves were influenced by Turcomans, such that the originally Iranian-speaking Safavids became Turkic-speaking. Abbas I first fought the Uzbeks, recapturing Herat and Mashhad in 1598. Power was shifting to the new class of Caucasian deportees and imports, many of the hundreds of thousands ethnic Georgians, Circassians, and Armenians. He had removed them from power and banished them from Iran by 1729. Thirdly there was horsemanship. Geographical discoveries, in general, and bypassing the Cape of Good Hope, in particular, in South Africa, changed traditional trade routes in Iran's international trade. Later, in 1722, an Afghan army led by Mir Wais' son, Mahmud, marched across eastern Iran, besieged, and sacked Isfahan and proclaimed Mahmud "Shah" of Persia. Robbers had their right wrists amputated the first time, and sentenced to death on any subsequent occasion. Russian Muscovy in the previous century had deposed two western Asian khanates of the Golden Horde and expanded its influence into Europe, the Caucasus Mountains and Central Asia. As the spiritual heir of Sheikh Zahed, Safi Al-Din transformed the inherited Zahediyeh Sufi Order into the Safaviyeh Order. political (1/2 Max 1/2 miranda) -the Safavid political structure is represented by a pyramid with the highest social class at the top or the shah, and the lowest social class at the bottom or the farmers and herders. Despite this, he was disappointed when travelling the country and witnessing the abundance of land that was not irrigated, or the fertile plains that were not cultivated, something he thought was in stark contrast to Europe. Russian Empire, historical empire founded on November 2 (October 22, Old Style), 1721, when the Russian Senate conferred the title of emperor (imperator) of all the Russias upon Peter I. 113131. Early Safavid power in Iran was based on the military power of the Qizilbash. (ed.). Three bodies of troops were formed, all trained and armed in an early modern manner and paid out of the royal treasury: the ghulms (slaves), the tofangchs (musketeers), and the topchs (artillerymen). Regarding the usage of Georgian, Circassian and Armenian at the Royal Court, David Blow states,[195]. However, a mutiny among his officers who refused to spend the winter at Tabriz forced him to withdraw across territory laid waste by the Safavid forces, eight days later". In September of that year, Tahmasp and Bayezid were enjoying a banquet at Tabriz when Tahmasp suddenly pretended he had received news that the Ottoman prince was engaged in a plot against his life. However, Shah Abbas was fearful to the point of paranoia about the assassination and executed or blinded all of his sons to prevent them from replacing him. Turkic) origins. It controlled territories that reached from North . The afav order at Ardabl, however, was distant enough from any political centre to remain neutral, allowing the Persian mystics to build a strong following of their own. State criminals were subjected to the karkan, a triangular wooden collar placed around the neck. And in spite of being transported for more than thirty days, they were fresh when they reached Isfahan After melons the finest fruits were grapes and dates, and the best dates were grown in Jahrom. In the 16th century, carpet weaving evolved from a nomadic and peasant craft to a well-executed industry with specialization of design and manufacturing. Though that language might generally be identified as Middle Azerbaijanian, it is not yet possible to define exactly the limits of this language, both in linguistic and territorial respects. [193], The Safavid court was furthermore a rich mix of peoples from its earliest days. But even here there may have been practical political considerations; namely, "concern about the excessively powerful position of Shii dignitaries, which would have been undermined by a reintroduction of the Sunna. [65] Tahmsp was the ward of the powerful Qizilbash amir Ali Beg Rml (titled "Div Soltn Rumlu") who saw himself as the de facto ruler of the state. History of the Safavids from Iran Chamber, Artistic and cultural history of the Safavids from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Safavid_Empire&oldid=1092454, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. Ismail sought to reintroduce Sunni orthodoxy. At its height, it encompassed the areas of modern-day Iran, Egypt, Turkey, and parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ferrier, RW, A journey to Persia: Jean Chardin's Portrait of a Seventeenth-century Empire, pp. Increased contact with distant cultures in the seventeenth century, especially Europe, provided a boost of inspiration to Iranian artists who adopted modeling, foreshortening, spatial recession, and the medium of oil painting (Shah Abbas II sent Zaman to study in Rome). The Silk Road which led through northern Iran was revived in the 16th century. "afavid Dynasty". After Uzun Hassan's death, his son Ya'qub felt threatened by the growing Safavid religious influence. They also placed jewels on their arms, such as on daggers and swords. But even he stood accountable to a deputy (vakanevis), who kept records of his decision-makings and notified the Shah. Thvenot and Tavernier commented that the Iranian caravanserais were better built and cleaner than their Turkish counterparts. The Ottoman Turks and Safavids fought over the fertile plains of Iraq for more than 150 years. [171], Following the full implementation of this policy by Abbas I, the women (only Circassian and Georgian) now very often came to occupy prominent positions in the harems of the Safavid elite, while the men who became part of the ghulam "class" as part of the powerful third force were given special training on completion of which they were either enrolled in one of the newly created ghilman regiments, or employed in the royal household. Poetry stagnated under the Safavids; the great medieval ghazal form languished in over-the-top lyricism. According to historian Roger Savory, "Sheikh Junayd was not content with spiritual authority and he sought material power. The tribal Afghans rode roughshod over their conquered territory for seven years but were prevented from making further gains by Nader Shah, a former slave who had risen to military leadership within the Afshar tribe in Khorasan, a vassal state of the Safavids. Thus Abbas was able to break dependence on the Qizilbash for military might indefinitely, and therefore was able to fully centralize control for the first time since the foundation of the Safavid state. This unique headdress represented the Shici ideology of the Safavid dynasty, with the twelve folds of the turban symbolizing the imams in Twelver Shiism. With the substantial new revenue, Abbas was able to build up a central, standing army, loyal only to him. Iran weakened appreciably during the reign of Ismls eldest son, Shah ahmsp I (152476), and persistent and unopposed Turkmen forays into the country increased under his incompetent successors. Power was shifting to a new class of merchants, many of them ethnic Armenians, Georgians, and Indians. [146] Overland trade grew notably however, as Iran was able to further develop its overland trade with North and Central Europe during the second half of the seventeenth century. The Canon of Medicine by Avicenna (c. 9801037) was still regarded as one of the primary textbooks in medicine throughout most of the civilized world. More importantly, the Dutch East India Company and later the English/British used their superior means of maritime power to control trade routes in the western Indian Ocean. In July 1501 Isml was enthroned as shah, although his area of control was initially limited to Azerbaijan. Although no one could have bristled more at the power grab of his "mentor" Murshid Quli Khan, he rounded up the leaders of a plot to assassinate the wakl and had them executed. Founded by Shah Ismail in the early 1500s, the Safavid dynasty broke with the Sunni Muslims, declared independence and enforced Shiite Islam as their state religion. Having agreed to do so, a sergeant would investigate and summon the defendant, who was then obliged to pay the fee of the sergeant. Shah ljeitthe sultan of Ilkhanate converted to Twelver Shiism in thirteenth century. . Other exports were horses, goat hair, pearls, and an inedible bitter almond hadam-talka used as a specie in India. P Politics and Governance The early Safavid . The Safavids ruled from 1501 to 1722 (experiencing a brief restoration from 1729 to 1736) and at their height, they controlled all of modern Iran , Azerbaijan and Armenia, most of Iraq , Georgia , Afghanistan, and the Caucasus, as well as parts of Pakistan , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan and Turkey. He was declared Shah of Iran in 1502. Their sport also provided the masses with entertainment and spectacle. In day-to-day affairs, the language chiefly used at the Safavid court and by the great military and political officers, as well as the religious dignitaries, was Turkish, not Persian; and the last class of persons wrote their religious works mainly in Arabic. o Early Safavid women had considerable power and respect and could be patrons of art, architecture, and religious institutions o Early Safavid differed with other Islamic socities o Divorce could be caused by either the wife or husband o After death of Abbas the Great, women lost some rights Political Capitals: Tabriz- Qazvin- Isfahan These cities were later inherited by his Abdali Afghan military commander, Ahmad Shah Durrani, who would go on to found the Durrani Empire in 1747. Ismil's decisive victory over the Uzbeks, who had occupied most of Khorasan, ensured Iran's eastern borders, and the Uzbeks never since expanded beyond the Hindukush. According to the French jeweller Jean Chardin, the variety in agricultural products in Iran was unrivaled in Europe and consisted of fruits and vegetables never even heard of in Europe. The Middle Ages had seen a series of invasions of Iran by Turks, Mongols, and others. [164], As noted before, a key aspect of the Persian character was its love of luxury, particularly on keeping up appearances. After the death of Haydar, the Safaviyya gathered around his son Ali Mirza Safavi, who was also pursued and subsequently killed by Ya'qub. In the previous century, Russia Muscovy had deposed two western Asian khanates of the Golden Horde and expanded its influence into the Caucasus Mountains and Central Asia. The Safavid order soon gained great influence in the city of Ardabil, and Hamdullah Mustaufi noted that most of the people of Ardabil were followers of Safi al-Din. 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