Description
Book SynopsisThe Safavid dynasty, which reigned from the late fifteenth to the eighteenth century, links medieval with modern Iran. The Safavids witnessed wide-ranging developments in politics, warfare, science, philosophy, religion, art and architecture. But how did this dynasty manage to produce the longest lasting and most glorious of Iran's Islamic-period eras?Andrew Newman offers a complete re-evaluation of the Safavid place in history as they presided over these extraordinary developments and the wondrous flowering of Iranian culture. In the process, he dissects the Safavid story, from before the 1501 capture of Tabriz by Shah Ismail (1488-1524), the point at which Shiism became the realm's established faith; on to the sixteenth and early seventeenth century dominated by Shah Abbas (1587-1629), whose patronage of art and architecture from his capital of Isfahan embodied the Safavid spirit; and culminating with the reign of Sultan Husayn (reg. 1694-1722).Based on meticulous scholarship, Newman offers a valuable new interpretation of the rise of the Safavids and their eventual demise in the eighteenth century. "Safavid Iran," with its fresh insights and new research, is the definitive single volume work on the subject.
Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements Map: Iran in the Safavid Period Introduction Laying the Foundations: Ismail I (1488-1524) Reconfiguration and Consolidation: The Reign of Tahmasp (1524-1576) The Second Civil War: Ismail II (1576-1577) and Khudabanda (1578-1587) Monumental Challenges and Monumental Responses: The Reign of Abbas I (1587-1629) Shifts at the Centre and a Peace Dividend: Shah Abbas II (1642-1666) The Peace Dividend Consolidated: Shah Abbas II (1642-1666) Meeting the Challenges: Shah Sulayman (1666.68-1694) Denouement or Defeat: The Reign of Shah Sultan Husayn (1694-1722) Epilogue: Poetry and Politics - The Multiplicity of Safavid Discourse Appendix I: Key Dates Appendix II: Key chronicles and travellers Notes Select Bibliography Index
