Qizilbash

The Qizilbash were a loose confederation of militant followers associated with the Safavid order, a Sufi movement that contributed to the rise of the Safavid dynasty in Iran in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The name, meaning “red heads,” derives from their distinctive red felt hats and red clothing. They were primarily Turkic-speaking tribes who supported the Safavid claim to rule and played a central role in propagating Twelver Shiism.

Their most consequential impact came during the rise of Ismail I, who in 1501 established the Safavid state after allying with the Qizilbash. The Qizilbash provided the core military force, helped expand Safavid authority across Azerbaijan, western Iran, and beyond, and contributed to the political and religious cohesion of the new regime.

Over time, the Qizilbash functioned as a powerful but decentralized tribal base. Their leaders often held autonomous authority in border regions and military districts, which posed challenges for centralization. This tension culminated under Shah Abbas I (reigned 1588–1629), who sought to dilute tribal power by creating a standing army based on gholams (slave-soldier troops) and provincial troops, and by reorganizing frontier governance. These reforms reduced the Qizilbash’s political influence while preserving their religious and cultural role within Safavid society.

Today, historians view the Qizilbash as a key force in the establishment of the Safavid state and in the early spread of Twelver Shiism in Iran. The term is primarily used to describe the historical military and religious milieu of that period rather than a distinct contemporary group.