safavid military strength safavid military strength
BACKGROUNDTHE SAFAVID SUFI ORDER. Religious and political power were completely intertwined, and encapsulated in the person of the Shah. State criminals were subjected to the karkan, a triangular wooden collar placed around the neck. Their rulers also focused a great deal of their attention on this. 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. According to author Moojan Momen, "up to the middle of the 19th century there were very few mujtahids (three or four) anywhere at any one time," but "several hundred existed by the end of the 19th century. As the former represented the "people of the sword" and the latter, "the people of the pen", high-level official posts would naturally be reserved for the Persians. Those who joined Mughal service were enrolled as mansabdars - an individual who holds a mansab, meaning a position or rank. [251] According to Professor Roger Savory:[252][253]. Their military power was essential during the reign of the Shahs Ismail and Tahmasp. [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. They in turn would be replaced by the Shamlu, whose amir, Husain Khan, became the chief adviser. [157] There even are numerous recorded accounts of laymen that rose to high official posts, as a result of their merits. Shah Ismail I was the first of the Safavids to try to establish once again an alliance against the common Ottoman enemy through the earlier stages of the HabsburgPersian alliance, but this also proved to be largely unfruitful during his reign. Sultan Hosein tried to forcibly convert his Afghan subjects in Qandahar from Sunni to Twelverism. "The Safavid Period" in Jackson, Peter; Lockhart, Laurence. His descriptions of the public appearance, clothes and customs are corroborated by the miniatures, drawings and paintings from that time which have survived. Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (/ s f v d, s -/), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. Anthony Bryer. The Safavid and Ottoman empires are usually compared because of the wars that broke . [195] Abbas himself was able to speak Georgian as well. In 1726 an Afghan group destroyed the ruling dynasty. [224][225][226], In the long term, however, the seaborne trade route was of less significance to the Persians than was the traditional Silk Road. The Safavid and Ottoman empires are usually compared because of the wars that broke . Between 1508 and 1524, the year of Ismail's death, the shah appointed five successive Persians to the office of vakil. 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. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Although Esml's predecessors had also formed troops of their followers, it is certain that the prototype for the military forces of the Safavid state was formed at that particular moment, for the partisans of the Safavid order had been dispersed after the defeat of Soln Al, Esml's brother, in . [83] Their formation, implementation, and usage was very much alike to the janissaries of the neighbouring Ottoman Empire. (2009). [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. "IRAN ix. The art of the Safavids is simply magnificent. The 'Amili (Shiite scholars of what is know South Lebanon) operating through the Court-based religious posts, were forced to master the Persian language; their students translated their instructions into Persian. 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. 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. According to William Cleveland and Martin Bunton,[232] the establishment of Isfahan as the Great capital of Iran and the material splendor of the city attracted intellectual's from all corners of the world, which contributed to the city's rich cultural life. These series of wars were the result of expansionism and the desire for control of the Middle East by both sides, specifically the threat that the Safavids posed to Ottoman territory. In 1619 he appointed the loyal Simon II (or Semayun Khan) on the symbolic throne of Kakheti, while placing a series of his own governors to rule of districts where rebellious inhabitants were mostly located. Whether Abbas had fully formed his strategy at the onset, at least in retrospect his method of restoring the shah's authority involved three phases: (1) restoration of internal security and law and order; (2) recovery of the eastern territories from the Uzbeks; and (3) recovery of the western territories from the Ottomans. [165], The most precious accessory for men was the turban. (1986). "Greeks and Trkmens: The Pontic Exception", Peter Charanis. [13] 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. This Bakhtrioni Uprising was successfully defeated under personal direction of Shah Abbas II himself. Two years later in 1587, the massive invasion of Khorasan by the Uzbeks proved the occasion whereby Murshid Quli Khan would make a play for supremacy in Qazvin. Consequently, they were slowly able to take on administrative jobs in areas which had hitherto been the exclusive preserve of the ethnic Persians.[168]. While the initial attacks were repelled, the Ottomans continued and grabbed considerable territory in Transcaucasia, Dagestan, Kurdistan and Lorestan and in 993/1585 they even took Tabriz.[103]. Password Strength: Weak . [180], The Akhbari movement "crystalized" as a "separate movement" with the writings of Muhammad Amin al-Astarabadi (died 1627 AD). [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. Thus, the majority of the people suffered from rapacity and corruption carried out in the name of the Shah. "[194] Lastly, due to the large amount of Georgians, Circassians, and Armenians at the Safavid court (the gholams and in the harem), the Georgian, Circassian and Armenian languages were spoken as well, since these were their mother tongues. The first result of this was that the military forces became less effective. His painting and calligraphic style influenced Iranian artists for much of the Safavid period, which came to be known as the Isfahan school. The school reached its apogee with that of the Iranian philosopher Mulla Sadra who is arguably the most significant Islamic philosopher after Avicenna. Furthermore, the dynasty was from the very start thoroughly intermarried with both Pontic Greek as well as Georgian lines. [159], Jean Chardin, the 17th-c French traveler, spent many years in Iran and commented at length on their culture, customs and character. They ruled one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Iran . 2205. masterpiece of the Safavid scholar Mulla Sadra (d. 1641) al-Asfar al-Arba'an, and, apart from several new texts on grammar and syntax, three major texts in the Dars-i Nizamiyya.5 In all regions during the Traditions (HadTths) 3 1 Exegesis (TafsTr) 2 2 Astronomy 8c maths (Riyaziyyat) Several 5 Medicine (Tibb) 1 Mysticism (Tasawwuf) 5 1 But in spite of a weak economy, a civil war and foreign wars on two fronts, Tahmsp managed to retain his crown and maintain the territorial integrity of the empire (although much reduced from Ismail's time). The Safavid Empire began in 1501 BC when the Safavid leader Esma'il conquered Persia. Realizing the limits of his military strength, Abbs made peace with the . The series of campaigns that Tahmsp subsequently waged after realising this in the wider Caucasus between 1540 and 1554 were meant to uphold the morale and the fighting efficiency of the Qizilbash military,[169] but they brought home large numbers (over 70,000)[170] of Christian Georgian, Circassian and Armenian slaves as its main objective, and would be the basis of this third force; the new (Caucasian) layer in society. It was just a brief setback, however, as Abbas had already been making long-term plans to prevent further incursions. Numbers of Red Heads, Safavid followers because of their red headgear increased. Poetry lacked the royal patronage of other arts and was hemmed in by religious prescriptions. The capture of Baghdad by Ismail I in 1509 was only followed by its loss to the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman I in 1534. The Safavids ruled from 1501 to 1722 (experiencing a brief restoration from 1729 to 1736 and 1750 to 1773) and, at their height, they controlled all of what is now Iran, Republic of Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Armenia, eastern Georgia, parts of the North Caucasus including Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, as well as parts of Turkey, Syria, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. 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. After subsequent campaigns, the Safavids recaptured Baghdad in 1623 during the OttomanSafavid War (162339) yet lost it again to Murad IV in 1638 after Abbas had died. She was by no means content to exercise a more or less indirect influence on affairs of state: instead, she openly carried out all essential functions herself, including the appointment of the chief officers of the realm. The Safavid Empire was held together in the early years by conquering new territory, and then by the need to defend it from the neighbouring Ottoman Empire. [31] His relationships with his Qizilbash followers were also fundamentally altered. The latter were all secular functionaries working on behalf of the Shah.[200]. use of the Persian language. After the death of Shah Abbs I (1629), the Safavid dynasty lasted for about a century, but, except for an interlude during the reign of Shah Abbs II (164266), it was a period of decline. Extortion, intimidation and harassment were practiced against Sunnis.[88]. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Most sources agree that the Ottoman army was at least double the size of that of Ismil;[48] furthermore, the Ottomans had the advantage of artillery, which the Safavid army lacked. Enemies increased. [46] The most important local rulers about 1500 were: Ismil was able to unite all these lands under the Iranian Empire he created. Although every one of the Gunpowder Empires had this as a strength, the Safavid Empire is particularly notable due to the powerful artillery, firearms, and cannons that they produced. The terms of trade were not imposed on the Safavid shahs, but rather negotiated. The Safavids' archrivals, the neighbouring Ottomans, invaded western and northwestern Safavid Iran and took swaths of territory there, including the city of Baghdad. They in turn provided for the safety of the travelers, and both Thevenot and Tavernier stressed the safety of traveling in 17th century Iran, and the courtesy and refinement of the policing guards. With their major enemy keeping quiet, the Safavid Shahs became complacent, and then corrupt and decadent. Most of the extant poetry of Shah Ismail I is in Azerbaijani pen-name of Khatai. [138], The shah had set great store on an alliance with Spain, the chief opponent of the Ottomans in Europe. [175] Thus, starting from the reign of Tahmsp I but only fully implemented and completed by Shah Abbas, this new group solely composed of ethnic Caucasians eventually came to constitute a powerful "third force" within the state as a new layer in society, alongside the Persians and the Qizilbash Turks, and it only goes to prove the meritocratic society of the Safavids. (1986). [185] Majlisi promoted specifically Shii rituals such as mourning for Hussein ibn Ali and visitation (ziyarat) of the tombs of the Imams and Imamzadas, stressing "the concept of the Imams as mediators and intercessors for man with God."[186]. Tahmsp resolved to end hostilities and sent his ambassador to Soleymn's winter quarters in Erzurum in September 1554 to sue for peace. Contacts with the Pope, Poland and Moscow were no more fruitful. Ismil's successors, most manifestly Shh Abbs I, successfully diminished the influence of the Qizilbash on the affairs of the state. Argues that, while Europeans in Safavid Iran were well treated, Iranians viewed Europegiven its distance from Iran and its foreign religionas a place of relatively little import and interest even if they were curious about Western manners and customs and were aware of Western military strength. Safavid dynasty, (1501-1736), ruling dynasty of Iran whose establishment of Twelver Shiism as the state religion of Iran was a major factor in the emergence of a unified national consciousness among the various ethnic and linguistic elements of the country. Mongols and Mamluks were military elites that hailed from the Eurasian Steppe. Shah Ishmael I, the first Shah and founder of the Safavid Dynasty, conquered Azerbaijan in 1501, followed by Hamadan, Shiraz, Najaf, Baghdad, and Khorasan, among others. 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. The Safavids benefited from their geographical position at the centre of the trade routes of the ancient world. The original name was just turki, and so a convenient name might be Turki-yi Acemi. Roemer, H. R. (1986). Safavid slave soldiers (usually indicated as golams) are fully part of this political and military tradition. Second to the Prime Minister post were the General of the Revenues (mostoufi-ye mamalek), or finance minister,[189] and the Divanbegi, Minister of Justice. The 16-year-old Abbas I was installed as nominal shah in 1588, but the real power was intended to remain in the hands of his "mentor," Murshid Quli Khan, who reorganized court offices and principal governorships among the Qizilbash[108] and took the title of wakl for himself. This would not change with the Arab conquest of Iran, and it was primarily the Persians that took upon them the works of philosophy, logic, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, astrology, music and alchemy. The demise of Tamerlane's political authority created a space in which several religious communities, particularly Shii ones, could come to the fore and gain prominence. He returned to Kartli, and in two punitive campaigns he devastated Tbilisi, killed 6070,000 Kakheti Georgian peasants, and deported between 130,000 and 200,000 Georgian captives to mainland Iran. Abbas's tolerance towards Christians was part of his policy of establishing diplomatic links with European powers to try to enlist their help in the fight against their common enemy, the Ottoman Empire. 5 Pages. 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. To promote Shi'ism the Safavids brought in scholars from Shi'ite countries to form a new religious elite.