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1501 - 1524
Shah Ismail I united all of Persia under Iranian leadership after some nine centuries of foreign or fragmented rule. Being a Shi'ite, he declared Shi'ism as the state religion and converted virtually all of Persia and some surrounding areas under his control from Sunnism to Shi'ism. Shi'ism became a medium for the Persians to differentiate themselves from the rest of the Islamic world, in particular the Sunni Ottomans. To ensure its continuation as the state religion, the Safavid kings in general supported the Shi'ite clergy. 1587 - 1629 The reign of Shah Abbas the Great marked the pinnacle of the Safavid dynasty. He developed a disciplined standing army and defeated the Ottomans. In 1598, he chose Esfahan as his capital. A supporter of the arts, especially architecture, he adorned Esfahan with some of the finest Islamic monuments in the world. He built a number of mosques, schools, bridges and a major bazaar. During his reign, Persian craftsmen and artists excelled in creating fine silks, cloths, porcelain, metalwork, calligraphy, miniatures and carpets. |
Shah Abbas |
Ali Qapu Palace. Under Shah Abbas I, Iran prospered. The old Sufi bands, which had been formed into artificial tribal units for military purposes during the dynasty's formative period, were replaced by a standing army trained and equipped on European lines with the advice of Robert Sherley. Sherley was an English adventurer versed in artillery tactics who, accompanied by a party of cannon founders, reached Kazvin with his brother Anthony in 1598. |
Hotel Shah Abbas (Esfahan) |
1501 - 1722 : |
1722 :
Mahmoud Khan, an Afghan chieftain and a vassal of the Safavids, attacked Persia and captured Esfahan with virtually no resistance, thus ending the Safavid dynasty. |
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