Safavids
Anthony Gustely and Delaney Pressler
WHAP B Block
The Safavids (15011736)
Who are they?
● The Safavids were members of the Safavid Empire that ruled Persia (present day Iran) from 15011736 and strayed from Sunni Islam and founded Shia
Islam as the official religion of the state.
Where are they from?
● The Safavids were from Persia, which is now presentday Iran.
What nations or empires bordered this kingdom?
● The Ottoman Empire bordered the Safavid Empire from the west
○ composed of Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Hungary,
Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, parts of Arabia, and much of the coastal strip of
North Africa
● The Mughal Empire from the east
○ most of India and Pakistan. ● The Circassians from the north
○ Southern parts of Russia
● Uzbeks from the northeast
○ presentday Uzbekistan.
Who were the rulers or key leaders of the kingdom?
● Shah Ismail Founder of the Safavids
○ united about 9 local states into his own Iranian state
○ background and lineage was disputed, but he was bilingual from birth
■ possible nationalities: Azeri, Kurdish, Pontic, or Greek
○ was very charismatic and believed he was divine
● Shāh Tahmāsp
○ succeeded his father in 1524
■ he was ten years old and three months
○ There were very many internal power struggles and the government was very structured
■ this led to 10 years of civil war in which rival factions fought for reign of the empire
■ eventually Shāh Tahmāsp came of age and reasserted his authority
○ ruled for 52 years
■ the longest rule in safavid history
● Shah Abbas I
○ came to power in 1587
■ was 16
■ his father, Shah Muhammad Khudābanda, was abdicated
○ he moved the capital to Isfahan, which was deeper in central Iran
■
When did this empire exist?
1501 the Safavid Empire is founded by Ismail I
Anthony Gustely and Delaney Pressler
WHAP B Block
1508 Ismail conquers the city of Baghdad
October 1st, 1587 Abbas the 1st of Persia
WHAP B Block
The Safavids (15011736)
Who are they?
● The Safavids were members of the Safavid Empire that ruled Persia (present day Iran) from 15011736 and strayed from Sunni Islam and founded Shia
Islam as the official religion of the state.
Where are they from?
● The Safavids were from Persia, which is now presentday Iran.
What nations or empires bordered this kingdom?
● The Ottoman Empire bordered the Safavid Empire from the west
○ composed of Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Hungary,
Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, parts of Arabia, and much of the coastal strip of
North Africa
● The Mughal Empire from the east
○ most of India and Pakistan. ● The Circassians from the north
○ Southern parts of Russia
● Uzbeks from the northeast
○ presentday Uzbekistan.
Who were the rulers or key leaders of the kingdom?
● Shah Ismail Founder of the Safavids
○ united about 9 local states into his own Iranian state
○ background and lineage was disputed, but he was bilingual from birth
■ possible nationalities: Azeri, Kurdish, Pontic, or Greek
○ was very charismatic and believed he was divine
● Shāh Tahmāsp
○ succeeded his father in 1524
■ he was ten years old and three months
○ There were very many internal power struggles and the government was very structured
■ this led to 10 years of civil war in which rival factions fought for reign of the empire
■ eventually Shāh Tahmāsp came of age and reasserted his authority
○ ruled for 52 years
■ the longest rule in safavid history
● Shah Abbas I
○ came to power in 1587
■ was 16
■ his father, Shah Muhammad Khudābanda, was abdicated
○ he moved the capital to Isfahan, which was deeper in central Iran
■
When did this empire exist?
1501 the Safavid Empire is founded by Ismail I
Anthony Gustely and Delaney Pressler
WHAP B Block
1508 Ismail conquers the city of Baghdad
October 1st, 1587 Abbas the 1st of Persia