Safavid

The Safavid Dynasty, also known as Safavids, was a major Iranian empire that ruled from 1501 to 1736. It originated from the Safaviyya Sufi order, named for Safi-ad-din Ardabili, and was founded by Shah Ismail I, who established Twelver Shiism as the state religion and unified much of Iran for the first time since late medieval periods.

Ismail I seized Tabriz in 1501 and rapidly expanded, consolidating control over most of Iran and parts of the Caucasus. The early Safavids rotated between military campaigns and administrative reorganizations, eventually creating a centralized system that reduced the power of regional tribes. The dynasty reached its height under Shah Abbas I the Great (reigned 1588–1629), who strengthened the central administration, built Isfahan as a thriving capital, and promoted arts, architecture, and trade. Notable architectural achievements include the Naqsh-e Jahan Square complex and related mosques and palaces. The Safavids fostered a rich Persian culture of painting, textiles, and carpet weaving and enhanced connections with Europe, the Ottoman realm, and the broader Indian Ocean world.

Religion and society were closely intertwined with state power. Shiism served as a unifying creed and political framework, shaping jurisprudence and education, while the ruling elite implemented reforms to balance the influence of qizilbash tribal factions and later ghulam soldiers.

Decline began in the early 18th century, with Afghan invasions culminated by the fall of Isfahan in 1722 and the dynasty’s collapse in 1736, when Nader Shah established the Afsharid Dynasty. The Safavids left a lasting legacy on Iranian identity, Shi’a Islam as a state ideology, and Persian art and architecture that shaped the region for generations.