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Chapter 8 The Muslim Empires. Section 2 The Rule of the Safavids. Rise of the Safavid Dynasty. 16 th Century – the Safavids took control of the area extending from Persia into central Asia. They were Shiite Muslims. Rise of the Safavid Dynasty. Shah Ismail founded the Safavid dynasty.
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Chapter 8The Muslim Empires Section 2 The Rule of the Safavids
Rise of the Safavid Dynasty • 16th Century – the Safavids took control of the area extending from Persia into central Asia. • They were Shiite Muslims.
Rise of the Safavid Dynasty • Shah Ismail founded the Safavid dynasty. • Descendant of Safi al-Din, who led the Turkish ethnic groups in Azerbaijan, near the Caspian Sea, in the early 14th century.
Rise of the Safavid Dynasty • 1501 – Ismail seized much of Iran & Iraq. • Called himself the shah (king) of a new Persian state. • He sent Shiite preachers into Anatolia to convert Turks in the Ottoman Empire. • Massacred Sunni Muslims when he conquered Baghdad in 1508.
Rise of the Safavid Dynasty • Ottoman ruler Selim I won a major battle against them near Tabriz. • Within a few years, Ismail regained control of Tabriz. • Safavids tried to use the Shiite faith as a unifying force. • The shah & sultan claimed to be the spiritual leader of Islam.
Rise of the Safavid Dynasty • Ottomans attacked in 1580s conquering Azerbaijan & controlling the Caspian Sea. • Abbas, the Safavid shah, signed a peace treaty & lost a lot of territory. • The Safavid capital moved east from Tabriz to Isfahan.
Safavids reached their high point under Shah Abbas (1588-1629). Created a system similar to the Ottoman’s & strengthened his army with the latest weapons. Glory and Decline
Glory and Decline • Early 17th century, with the help of European allies, Abbas moved against the Ottomans to regain territories. • Had little success, but in 1612 a peace treaty returned Azerbaijan to their control. • The dynasty lost strength after Abba’s death (1629).
Glory and Decline • The pressure to conform to traditional religious beliefs, or religious orthodoxy, increased and curbed the empire’s intellectual freedom. • Persian women were now forced into seclusion and forced to adapt the veil.
Glory and Decline • Afghan people seized the capital of Isfahan in the early 18th century. • Safavid rulers retreated to their earlier homeland, Azerbaijan. • Turks seized territories and Persia sank into a long period of political and social anarchy.
Political Structures • Mixed society of Turks & Persians. • Turks were nomadic peoples. • Persians were farmers and townspeople.
Political Structures • Pyramid-shaped political system. ShahBureaucracy Landed classes Common People
Political Structures • Shiism was the state religion. • Shahs were surprisingly available to their subjects, even eating meals with them. • Most shahs controlled 2 things: • Power of the landed aristocracy • Bringing many lands under their control
Political Structures • Appointment to the bureaucracy was by merit, not birth. • Shahs were active in trade & manufacturing. • Large, affluent middle class also participated in trade. • Most goods traveled by horse or camel. • The Safavid Empire was not as prosperous as the Ottoman or Mogul.
Safavid Culture • Knowledge of science, medicine, and math under the Safavids equaled that of other societies. • Arts blossomed under Shah Abbas. • Isfahan was a grandiose planned city. • Silk & carpet weaving based on new techniques flourished.
Safavid Culture • Riza-i-Abbasi was the most famous artist of the period. • Painted simple subjects. • Soft colors and flowing movements were dominant features of the period.
End of Section 2 Next: The Grandeur of the Moguls