safavid empire political structure

This warfare pattern repeated itself under Shah Tahmasp I and Sultan Suleiman I. When Shaykh Junayd, the son of Ibrhim, assumed the leadership of the Safaviyya in 1447, the history of the Safavid movement was radically changed. This was the beginning of the East India Company's long-running interest in Iran. In 1500, Ismil I invaded neighboring Shirvan to avenge the death of his father, Sheik Haydar, who had been murdered in 1488 by the ruling Shirvanshah, Farrukh Yassar. [49] According to Arnold J. Toynbee,[245], In the heyday of the Mughal, Safawi, and Ottoman regimes New Persian was being patronized as the language of litterae humaniores by the ruling element over the whole of this huge realm, while it was also being employed as the official language of administration in those two-thirds of its realm that lay within the Safawi and the Mughal frontiers. The Safavid Empire, based in Persia (Iran), ruled over much of southwestern Asia from 1501 to 1736. Men wore many rings on their fingers, almost as many as their wives. Moreover, Shah Abbas's conversion to a ghulam-based military, though expedient in the short term, had, over the course of a century, weakened the country's strength by requiring heavy taxation and control over the provinces. The Safavid Empire was formed in 1501 and ended by the invasion of Afghans in 1722. Shah Abbas: the ruthless king who became an Iranian legend, p. 165. According to official Safavid history, before passing away, Ali had designated his young brother Ismail as the spiritual leader of the Safaviyya.[31]. Georgian, Circassian and Armenian were also spoken, since these were the mother-tongues of many of the ghulams, as well as of a high proportion of the women of the harem. Blow, D; Shah Abbas: The ruthless king who became an Iranian legend; pp. Abbas I first fought the Uzbeks, recapturing Herat and Mashhad, in 1598. Bureaucracy and landed class who were considered the middle classes. [181], It achieved its greatest influence in the late Safavid and early post-Safavid era, when it dominated Twelver Shii Islam. [72] The victory resulted at least in part from Safavid use of firearms, which they had been acquiring and drilling with since Chaldiran.[73]. (2020, August 25). [78] Having to flee from city to city, Humayun eventually sought refuge at the court of Tahmsp in Qazvin in 1543. Pari Khn Khnum, sister of Ismail and Mohammad, hoped to act as regent for any of the three (including her older brother, who was nearly blind). To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here: The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia: Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed. The capture of Baghdad by Ismail I in 1509 was only followed by its loss to the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman I in 1534. Outside of Iran, Safavid art was the portal to the wider world of Persian art and architecture when art historians first began studying Islamic art in the early nineteenth century. Unlike other empires women had a lot of rights. But the reverse seems not to have been true. He had all his relatives killed except for his older brother, Mohammad Khudabanda, who, being nearly blind, was not a real candidate for the throne, and Mohammad's three sons, Hamza Mirza, Abbas Mirza and Abu Talib Mirza. [6] It appears that with the advent of the Mughal empire, the harem began to directly exert political power. [136][137] Henceforward, the number of diplomatic missions to and fro greatly increased. A new age in Iranian architecture began with the rise of the Safavid dynasty. In the fifteenth century, the Safaviyeh gradually gained political and military clout in the power vacuum precipitated by the decline of the Timurid dynasty. Ismail sought to reintroduce Sunni orthodoxy. Other exports were horses, goat hair, pearls and an inedible bitter almond hadam-talka used as a spice in India. The Chief architect of this colossal task of urban planning was Shaykh Bahai (Baha' ad-Din al-`Amili), who focused the programme on two key features of Shah Abbas's master plan: the Chahar Bagh avenue, flanked at either side by all the prominent institutions of the city, such as the residences of all foreign dignitaries. "[citation needed] At that time, the most powerful dynasty in Iran was that of the Kara Koyunlu, the "Black Sheep", whose ruler Jahan Shah ordered Junyd to leave Ardabil or else he would bring destruction and ruin upon the city. Each magistrate executes justice in his own house in a large room opening on to a courtyard or a garden which is raised two or three feet above the ground. ISBN links support NWE through referral fees. Floor 2001 is a useful, well-sourced survey of the political organization of Safavid society. After a long and bloody siege led by the Safavid grand vizier Hatem Beg, which lasted from November 1609 to the summer of 1610, the Kurdish stronghold of Dimdim was captured. The Safavids were defeated and, as the Ottoman force moved on Tabriz, engaged in scorched-earth combat. The Common people were the lowest class on the pyramid in which they mainly consisted of farmers and herders. The Safavid Empire was a theocracy. This page was last edited on 22 December 2022, at 18:36. Travelling was valued only for the specific purpose of getting from one place to another, not interesting themselves in seeing new places and experiencing different cultures. In earlier times, the Shah had been closely involved in judicial proceedings, but this part of the royal duty was neglected by Shah Safi and the later kings. [78][79] After Humayun converted to Shii Islam (under extreme duress),[78] Tahmsp offered him military assistance to regain his territories in return for Kandahar, which controlled the overland trade route between central Iran and the Ganges. 4, p. 14. [147] In the late seventeenth century, Iranian merchants established a permanent presence as far north as Narva on the Baltic sea, in what now is Estonia. Although Turkish was widely spoken in Safavid Iran this fact is rarely mentioned. The next most important mount, when traveling through Iran, was the mule. A major problem faced by Ismail I after the establishment of the Safavid state was how to bridge the gap between the two major ethnic groups in that state: The Qezelbash Turkmens, the "men of the sword" of classical Islamic society whose military prowess had brought him to power, and the Persian elements, the "men of the pen," who filled the ranks of the bureaucracy and the religious establishment in the Safavid state as they had done for centuries under previous rulers of Persia, be they Arabs, Turkic, Mongols, or Turkmens. The Persian Empire emerged under the leadership of Cyrus II, who conquered the neighboring Median Empire ruled by his grandfather. [145] The Iranian authority was restored in Kakheti, but the Qizilbash Turkics were prevented from settling in Kakheti, which undermined the planned Iranian policies in the respective province. The judge (qazi) was informed of relevant points involved and would decide whether or not to take up the case. This variety of Persian Turkish must have been also spoken in the Caucasian and Transcaucasian regions, which during the 16th century belonged to both the Ottomans and the Safavids, and were not fully integrated into the Safavid empire until 1606. Tahmsp received Humayun as the true emperor of the Mughal dynasty, despite the fact that Humayun had been living in exile for more than fifteen years. Despite falling revenues and military threats, later shahs had lavish lifestyles. In spite of all this, however, the general population of Iran remained mostly Sunni until the Safavid period. [30] The Safavid Shh Ism'l I established the Twelver denomination of Sha Islam as the official religion of the empire, marking one of the most important turning points in the history of Islam. In private they usually wore a veil that only covered the hair and the back, but upon leaving the home, they put on manteaus, large cloaks that concealed their whole bodies except their faces. Ismail I, despite his heterodox Shi'a beliefs, which were not compatible with orthodox Shi'ism (Momen, 1985) patronized Shi'a religious leaders, granting them land and money in return for loyalty. According to historian Roger Savory, "Salim's plan was to winter at Tabriz and complete the conquest of Persia the following spring. 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. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Safavid-dynasty, Efahn, Iran: Masjed-e Shaykh Luf Allh (Sheikh Lofollh Mosque), Efahn, Iran: interior of Masjed-e Shaykh Luf Allh (Sheikh Lofollh Mosque). Tabriz was the center of this industry. Abbas I also supported direct trade with Europe, particularly England and The Netherlands which sought Persian carpet, silk and textiles. Isfahan Define Anarchy Lawless and disorder; no one leader, no government Define Orthodoxy Traditional (not flexible) manner to follow a religion Define Shah King of the Safavid empire Define warfare in the Safavid Empire .They had a system similar to the janissaries. Period 3 April 6, 2011 Safavid and Mughal Mughal and Safavid were a few of the strongest empires in their time. [199], In Safavid Iran there was little distinction between theology and jurisprudence, or between divine justice and human justice, and it all went under Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). It covered all of Iran, and parts of Turkey and Georgia. [16] The inscriptions on Safavid currency were also in Persian. Shah Ismail I himself wrote many poems in Azerbaijani, as well as in Persian and Arabic, while Shah Tahmasp was a painter. On Tahmsps death support for a successor coalesced around two of his nine sons; the support divided on ethnic linesIsmail was supported by most of the Turkmen tribes as well as his sister Pari Khn Khnum, her Circassian uncle Shamkhal Sultan as well as the rest of the Circassians, while Haydar was mostly supported by the Georgians at court although he also had support from the Turkmen Ustajlu. [31], b Official language,[10] coinage,[11][12] civil administration,[13] court (since Isfahan became capital),[14] literary,[11][13][15] theological discourse,[11] diplomatic correspondence, historiography,[16] court-based religious posts. When Abbas had a lively conversation in Turkish with the Italian traveller Pietro Della Valle, in front of his courtiers, he had to translate the conversation afterwards into Persian for the benefit of most of those present. 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. 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. Since two other sons had predeceased him, the result was a personal tragedy for Shah Abbas. In the following centuries, this religious schism would both cement Iran's internal cohesion and national feelings and provoke attacks by its Sunni neighbors. The Ottoman Turks and Safavids fought over the fertile plains of Iraq for more than 150 years. Rosemary Stanfield Johnson, "Sunni Survival in Safavid Iran: Anti-Sunni Activities during the Reign of Tahmasp I,", Abolala Soudavar, "The Patronage of Vizier Mirza Salman,", harvnb error: no target: CITEREFSavory1980 (, harvnb error: no target: CITEREFBomatiNahavandi1998 (, harvnb error: no target: CITEREFAsat'ianiBendianachvili1997 (. Nadir Shah defeated the Afghans in the Battle of Damghan, in 1729. As a result, Iran was cut off from overseas links to East Africa, the Arabian peninsula, and South Asia. They were of Kurdish Persian decent with unique customs. After the decline of the Timurid Empire (13701506), Iran was politically splintered, giving rise to a number of religious movements. To counter the rising Safavid power, in 1502, Sultan Bayezid II forcefully deported many Shiite Muslims from Anatolia to other parts of the Ottoman realm. Members of the Safavid Dynasty likely were of Kurdish Persian descent and belonged to a unique order of Sufi -infused Shi'a Islam called Safaviyya. Women with slender waists were regarded as more attractive than those with larger figures. The Afghans rode roughshod over their conquered territory for a dozen years, but were prevented from making further gains by Nadir Shah Afshar, a former slave who had risen to military leadership within the Afshar tribe in Khorasan, a vassal state of the Safavids. [162], Since pre-Islamic times, the sport of wrestling had been an integral part of the Iranian identity, and the professional wrestlers, who performed in Zurkhanehs, were considered important members of the society. Shah ljeitthe sultan of Ilkhanate converted to Twelver Shiism in thirteenth century. Second place was held by fencing, where the wrist had to be firm but flexible and movements agile. That done, they slap their thighs, buttocks and hips to the rhythm of the drum. There are many reasons as to why the empire was as successful as it was, but some of them include its very strong and organized military and its centralized political structure. Examples of such were the trade and artisan guilds, which had started to appear in Iran from the 1500s. An important feature of the Safavid society was the alliance that emerged between the ulama (the religious class) and the merchant community. On these occasions the royal edicts were drawn up and sealed. He also expelled (1602, 1622) the Portuguese traders who had seized the island of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf early in the 16th century. During his reign, the official language at the royal court was Azerbaijanian. They were able to summon for a divorce and were given a lot more trust and respect than usual. [83] Therefore, in 1540, Shah Tahmsp started the first of a series of invasions of the Caucasus region, both meant as a training and drilling for his soldiers, as well as mainly bringing back massive numbers of Christian Circassian and Georgian slaves, who would form the basis of a military slave system,[84] alike to the janissaries of the neighbouring Ottoman Empire,[85] as well as at the same time forming a new layer in Iranian society composed of ethnic Caucasians. This map shows the Safavid Empire (green) at its greatest extent, including disputed territories (dots) where the Safavids found themselves in conflict with the Ottoman Empire (orange) and the Uzbek rulers of the Khanate of Bukhara (purple). His oldest son, the crown prince Mohammad Baqer Mirza, was executed following a court intrigue in which several Circassians were involved, while two others were blinded. Their sport also provided the masses with entertainment and spectacle. Between 1508 and 1524, the year of Ismail's death, the shah appointed five successive Persians to the office of vakil. A year after his victory in Tabriz, Ismil I claimed most of Iran as part of his territory,[31] and within 10 years established a complete control over all of it. The state religion was Shi'a Islam. The kingdom further extended its territory to include overseas lands that were acquired through declarations of loyalty to the Ottoman Sultan and caliph. All other religions, and forms of Islam were suppressed. [210][211] According to contemporary historians, though, the landlord always had the worst of the bargain with the farmer in the crop-sharing agreements. Usually neither Persian nor European authors mention in which language people communicated with each other. [113] It was clear that Abbas' style of leadership would be entirely different from Mohammad Khodabanda's leadership. This Bakhtrioni Uprising was successfully defeated under personal direction of Shah Abbas II himself. Stefan Sperl, C. Shackle, Nicholas Awde, "Qasida poetry in Islamic Asia and Africa", Brill Academic Pub; Set Only edition (February 1996), p. 193: "Like Shah Ni'mat Allah-i Vali he hosted distinguished visitors among them Ismail Safavi, who had proclaimed himself Shahanshah of Iran in 1501 after having taken Tabriz, the symbolic and political capital of Iran". Tahmasp then handed the prince over to the Ottoman ambassador. [141], Due to his obsessive fear of assassination, Shah Abbas either put to death or blinded any member of his family who aroused his suspicion. Sultan Hosein tried to forcibly convert his Afghan subjects in Qandahar from Sunni to Twelverism. [198] The local sheriff (kalantar), who was not elected by the people but directly appointed by the Shah, and whose function was to protect the people against injustices on the part of the local governors, supervised the kadkhoda. [5] In addition to that, the Safavids' power base included largely Turkic-speaking warrior tribes from Azarbaijan and Anatolia, who were collectively known as the Kizilbash, and were, at certain points in time, the de facto rulers of the empire. The Safavid Empire was one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. By the seventeenth century, trade routes between East and West had shifted away from Iran, causing a decline in commerce and trade. "Greeks and Trkmens: The Pontic Exception", Peter Charanis. The Safavid dynasty descended from diverse and mixed ethnic origins, and there is some disagreement among scholars as to whether they were of Azeri or Persian background. [166], The power structure of the Safavid state was mainly divided into two groups: the Turkic-speaking military/ruling elitewhose job was to maintain the territorial integrity and continuity of the Iranian empire through their leadershipand the Persian-speaking administrative/governing elitewhose job was to oversee the operation and development of the nation and its identity through their high positions. [83] Their formation, implementation, and usage was very much alike to the janissaries of the neighbouring Ottoman Empire. (This book was written by Ferdousi in 1000 AD for Sultan Mahmood Ghaznawi) Another manuscript is the Khamsa by Nizami executed 15391543 by Aqa Mirak and his school in Isfahan. Similarly, within the Safavid empire the harem was seen as an 'internal power structure,' in which women could exert political power. Every office had a deputy or superintendent, whose job was to keep records of all actions of the state officials and report directly to the Shah. Abbas was unable to comply. 904. Chardin specifically noticed the rank of doctors and astrologers and the respect that the Shahs had for them. After becoming the Safaviyeh leader in 1447, Sheikh Junayda descendant of Sheikh Safi Al-Dintransformed it into a revolutionary Shi'a movement with the goal of seizing power in Iran. At its height, the Safavid Dynasty controlled not only the entirety of what is now Iran, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, but also most of Afghanistan, Iraq, Georgia, and the Caucasus, and parts of Turkey, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. [46] The most important local rulers about 1500 were: Ismil was able to unite all these lands under the Iranian Empire he created. Ferrier, R. W.; A Journey to Persia: Jean Chardin's Portrait of a Seventeenth-century Empire; pp 7171. Unlike Usulis, Akhbari did and do not follow marjas who practice ijtihad. In fact, from Sheikh Junayd to Sheikh Ismail Ithe founder of the Safavid Empireall ruling Sheikhs of the Safavids had Turcoman mothers. The dependence of Abbas on the Qizilbash (which provided the only military force) was further reinforced by the precarious situation of the empire, in the vice of Ottoman and Uzbek territorial plunder. Murder was punishable by death, and the penalty for bodily injuries was invariably the bastinado. Establishment of Shi'ism as the state religion, Conflict between Turcomans and Persians during the Safavid period, E. Yarshater, "Language of Azerbaijan, vii., Persian language of Azerbaijan,". What are the religious beliefs of the Safavid Empire? Omissions? Last but by no means least there were the palace eunuchs who were also ghulams "white" eunuchs largely from the Caucasus, and "black" eunuchs from India and Africa. But Selim was an alcoholic and Hrrem's other son, Bayezid, had shown far greater military ability. [76] Under the Peace, the Ottomans agreed to restore Yerevan, Karabakh and Nakhjuwan to the Safavids and in turn would retain Mesopotamia (Iraq) and eastern Anatolia. Shah Abbss remarkable reign, with its striking military successes and efficient administrative system, raised Iran to the status of a great power. [14] David Blow adds; "it seems likely that most, if not all, of the Turkoman grandees at the court also spoke Persian, which was the language of the administration and culture, as well as of the majority of the population. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Once known as Persia, the area encompassing and surrounding modern day Iran has seen many empires rise and fall. This freed him of his dependence on Qizilbash warriors loyal to local tribal chiefs. [197] Shah Abbas I intended to decrease the power of the Qizilbash by bringing some of these provinces into his direct control, creating so called Crown Provinces (Khassa). The Safavid Empire dates from the rule of Shah Ismail (ruled 1501-1524). Turkic) origins. This book was translated into French in 1681 by Angulus de Saint, under the name "Pharmacopoea Persica". The Judge is seated at one end of the room having a writer and a man of law by his side. [83] Although the first slave soldiers would not be organized until the reign of Abbas I, during Tahmasp's reign, Caucasians already became important members of the royal household, Harem and in the civil and military administration,[86][87] and were on their way of becoming an integral part of society. A separate official, the Commander-in-Chief, was appointed to be the head of these officials. In between were nobles, rich merchants, and city people. Chardin described one such event:[163]. Not only did the invasions bring about the end of the Abbasid empire and leave the centre of eastern Islamdom fractured, but the arrival of new Turkic peoples and dynasties throughout much of Islamdom shifted the axes of power into the hands of Turkic clans. Humayun was not the only royal figure to seek refuge at Tahmasp's court. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The empire's rulers, like the Ottoman rulers, were Muslim, yet the Safavid Empire used religion differently to promote order and stability within its realm. It continued until the end of the Qajar reign.[236]. Shah Abbas ordered a general massacre in Beradost and Mukriyan (Mahabad, reported by Eskandar Beg Monshi, Safavid Historian (15571642), in "Alam Ara Abbasi") and resettled the Turkic Afshar tribe in the region while deporting many Kurdish tribes to Khorasan. Since the earliest days of the Safavid dynasty, the Qizilbash generals had been appointed to most of these posts. That is for the women and to get themselves in good form. Abbas I also supported direct trade with Europe, particularly England and The Netherlands, which sought Iranian carpets, silk, and textiles. Isfahan bears the most prominent samples of the Safavid architecture, all constructed in the years after Shah Abbas I permanently moved the capital there in 1598: the Imperial Mosque, Masjid-e Shah, completed in 1630, the Imam Mosque (Masjid-e Imami) the Lutfallah Mosque and the Royal Palace. According to traveller Jean Chardin, for example, farmers in Iran had higher living standards than farmers in the most fertile European countries. First, he bargained for peace with the Ottomans in 1590, giving away territory in the north-west. But the Portuguese ambassador to the Safavids, De Gouvea, still mentions the Council of State[188] in his records, which perhaps was a term for governmental gatherings of the time. Yet over the course of ten years Abbas was able, using cautiously-timed but nonetheless decisive steps, to affect a profound transformation of Safavid administration and military, throw back the foreign invaders, and preside over a flourishing of Persian art. It was a high point for the art of the book and architecture; and also including ceramics, metal, glass, and gardens. The Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal empires were very powerful and well respected in their time. [104] The following year the loyal Qizilbash forces (the Turkmen and Takkalu who controlled Qazvin), with vizier Mirza Salman and crown prince Sultan Hamza Mirza at their head, confronted the rebelling Ustajlu-Shamlu coalition which had assumed control of Khorasan under the nominal rule of young Abbas. In response, a Ghilzai Pashtun chieftain named Mir Wais Khan began a rebellion against the Georgian governor, Gurgin Khan, of Kandahar and defeated a Safavid army. He admired their consideration towards foreigners, but he also stumbled upon characteristics that he found challenging. The greatest of the Safavid monarchs, Shah Abbas (15871629) came to power in 1587, at the age of 16, following the forced abdication of his father, Shah Muhammad Khudbanda. Af first, Kopek Sultn's Ustajlu tribe suffered the heaviest, and he himself was killed in a battle. Since Safavid was a theocracy they followed Gods will through the Shah, who at time was considered the entire government. In general, the farmers lived in comfort, and they were well paid and wore good clothes, although it was also noted that they were subject to forced labour and lived under heavy demands. Shah Abbas ordered a general massacre in Beradost and Mukriyan (Mahabad) (Reported by Eskandar Beg Monshi, Safavid Historian, 1557-1642, in the Book "Alam Ara Abbasi") and resettled the Turkish Afshar tribe in the region while deporting many Kurdish tribes to Khorasan. [70] Decentralized control over Uzbek forces was largely responsible for the inability of the Uzbeks to make territorial inroads into Khorasan. It was also requested from them that they appoint a lawyer (vakil) to the Court who would inform them on matters pertaining to the provincial affairs. When Abbas had a lively conversation in Turkish with the Italian traveller Pietro Della Valle, in front of his courtiers, he had to translate the conversation afterwards into Persian for the benefit of most of those present. Traditional architecture evolved in its patterns and methods leaving its impact on the architecture of the following periods. Thus, Abbas I was able to break the dependence on the Qizilbash for military might and centralized control. He was eventually successful in making the eastern Georgian territories an integral part of the Safavid provinces. Anthony Bryer. As Vladimir Minorsky put it, friction between these two groups was inevitable, because the Qezelbash "were no party to the national Persian tradition." Except for Shah Abbas II, the Safavid rulers after Abbas I were largely ineffectual. It ruled over the western reaches of the late Silk Road, although the overland trade routes were quickly being supplanted by ocean-going trading vessels. [121] Ultimately forming an alliance, the two sought refuge with the Ottoman forces in Ottoman ruled Imereti. [17], c Court,[18][19][20] religious dignitaries, military,[16][21][22][23] mother tongue,[16] poetry. Also, there were the quazi-religious fraternities called futuvva, which were run by local dervishes.