Safavid Iran

Iran, 1501–1736. Draft, not yet reviewed

Safavid Iran was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled by the Safavid dynasty from 1501 to 1736, albeit others place the end on the year 1722, when Isfahan fell to the Afghans. Shah Ismail I established Twelver Shi'ism as the official religion of the empire, marking one of the most important turning points in the history of Islam. At their height, they controlled all of what is now Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, eastern Georgia, parts of the North Caucasus including Russia, and Iraq, as well as parts of Turkey, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Seat of power: Isfahan

Rulers

Ismail I

list of Safavid monarchs, 1502–1524

He was the founder and first shah of Safavid Iran, ruling from 1501 until his death in 1524. Under Ismail, Iran was unified under native rule for the first time since the Islamic conquest of the country eight-and-a-half centuries earlier.

Portrait of Ismail I: Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād, Public domain, file

Tahmasp I

list of Safavid monarchs, 1524–1576

The first years of Tahmasp's reign were marked by civil wars between the Qizilbash leaders until 1532, when he asserted his authority and began an absolute monarchy. The war with the Ottoman Empire ended with the Peace of Amasya in 1555, with the Ottomans gaining sovereignty over Iraq, much of Kurdistan, and western Georgia.

Portrait of Tahmasp I: Artist circa 1575, Public domain, file

Ismail II

list of Safavid monarchs, 1576–1577

Ismail, with the support of his sister, Pari Khan Khanum, overcame his opponents and usurped the crown. In order to relieve himself of potential claimants, Ismail purged all the male members of the royal family, except for his full-brother, Mohammad Khodabanda and his three sons.

Portrait of Ismail II: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, file

Mohammad Khodabanda

list of Safavid monarchs, 1578–1587

Following Ismail II's short and bloody reign, Khodabanda emerged as the only heir and became Shah in 1578 with the backing of the Qizilbash tribes. Khodabanda's reign was marked by a continued weakness of the crown and tribal infighting as part of the second civil war of the Safavid era.

Portrait of Mohammad Khodabanda: Ahmad Monshi Qomi, Public domain, file

Abbas the Great

list of Safavid monarchs, 1588–1629

Although Abbas would reign over Safavid Iran at its military, political and economic height, he came to the throne during a period of instability in the empire. He is generally considered one of the most important rulers in Iranian history and the greatest ruler of the Safavid dynasty.

Portrait of Abbas the Great: Bishandas (attribution), Public domain, file

Safi of Persia

list of Safavid monarchs, 1629–1642

A reclusive and passive character, Safi was unable to fill the power vacuum which his grandfather had left behind. In order to assert his authority, Safi purged every potential claimant to his throne, including the sons of the Safavid princesses, and the sons of Abbas the Great, who were blinded and thus were unqualified to rule.

Portrait of Safi of Persia: Unknown author, Public domain, file

Abbas II of Persia

list of Safavid monarchs, 1642–1666

Abbas II's reign was marked by peace and progress. In 1645, at age thirteen, he was able to remove Saru Taqi from power, and after purging the bureaucracy ranks, asserted his authority over his court and began his absolute rule.

Portrait of Abbas II of Persia: Circa 1647, Public domain, file

Suleiman I of Persia

list of Safavid monarchs, 1666–1694

He was crowned a second time on 20 March 1668, simultaneously with Nowruz, with the new name Suleiman. He was indifferent to the state affairs, and often would not appear in the public for months.

Portrait of Suleiman I of Persia: 1660, Public domain, file

Sultan Husayn

list of Safavid monarchs, 1694–1722

Soltan Hoseyn ascended the throne with limited life experience and more or less no expertise in the affairs of the country. He was installed on the throne through the efforts of his powerful great-aunt, Maryam Begum, as well as the court eunuchs, who wanted to increase their authority by taking advantage of a weak and impressionable ruler.

Portrait of Sultan Husayn: Original: Muhammad Ali (painter)Cropped: TRAJAN 117, Public domain, file

Tahmasp II

list of Safavid monarchs, 1729–1732

When Soltan Hoseyn was forced to abdicate by the Afghans in 1722, Prince Tahmasp wished to claim the throne. From the besieged Safavid capital, Isfahan, he fled to Qazvin, where on 10 November 1722 he declared himself shah and assumed the regnal name of Tahmasp II.

Portrait of Tahmasp II: Mirza Mahdi Khan Astarabadi, Public domain, file

Culture

The Safavids established control over parts of Greater Iran and reasserted the Iranian identity of the region, thus becoming the first native dynasty since the Buyids to establish a national state officially known as Iran.
In the 17th century, Armenian, Georgian, and Circassian gholams (slave-soldiers) emerged as the "Third Force" and became the primary military authority until the fall of the Safavids.
Despite their demise in 1736, the legacy that they left behind was the revival of Iran as an economic stronghold between East and West, the establishment of an efficient state and bureaucracy based upon "checks and balances", their architectural innovations, and patronage for fine arts.

Picture

Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan was constructed between 1598 and 1629 and is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

Image: احمد جمالی مقدم, CC BY-SA 4.0, file

Sources

Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.