Shāh ‘Abbās I or Shāh ‘Abbās, The Great (Persian: شاه عباس بزرگ) born on (January 27, 1571 - January 19, 1629) was Shah of Iran, and the most eminent ruler of the Safavid Dynasty of the Persian Empire. He was the third son of Shah Mohammad. “Farsi” redirects here. ... is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events January 11 - Austrian nobility is granted Freedom of religion. ... is the 19th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 4 - Massachusetts Bay Colony is granted a Royal charter. ... The Safavids were a long-lasting Turkic-speaking Iranian dynasty that ruled from 1501 to 1736 and first established Shiite Islam as Persias official religion. ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the old Persian homeland, and beyond in Western Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. ... Mohammed Khodabānda of Khudabānda, also known as Mohammed Shah, was the fourth Safavid Shah of Iran(Persia) (1578–1587) . He succeeded to the throne of Persia upon his brother Ismail IIs death in 1578. ...

Shah ‘Abbās I at a banquet.
Detail from a celing fresco; Chehel Sotoun palace; Isfahan

Shah ‘Abbās King of the Persians.
Copper engraving by Dominicus Custos, from his Atrium heroicum Caesarum pub. 1600-1602.

Shah ‘Abbās I and a page.
The dedication reads: "May life grant all that you desire from three lips, those of your lover, the river, and the cup". Tempera and gilt; Muhammad Qasim, 1627; Louvre, Paris.

The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (736x1164, 244 KB) Published 1600-1602 File links The following pages link to this file: Abbas I of Safavid ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (736x1164, 244 KB) Published 1600-1602 File links The following pages link to this file: Abbas I of Safavid ... Shah Abbas and Wine Boy Muhammad Qasim (1627) Wine Pourer Illuminated miniature of Shah Abbas I (1571-1629) of Persia, embracing his wine boy. ... Shah Abbas and Wine Boy Muhammad Qasim (1627) Wine Pourer Illuminated miniature of Shah Abbas I (1571-1629) of Persia, embracing his wine boy. ...

Biography

Accession to throne and war against the Uzbeks

‘Abbās was born in Herat (now in Afghanistan) from a Georgian mother^[1]. The Safavid empire had substantially weakened during the reign of his semiblind father, allowing usurpations and the inner feuds of the Kizilbash amīrs, leaders of the Turcoman tribes constituting the backbone of the Safavid army. Furthermore, Ottoman and Uzbek inroads were harassing the West and Eastern provinces, respectively. In the midst of such upheaval, he was proclaimed ruler of Khorāsān in 1581. Herāt (Persian: ‎ ) is a city in western Afghanistan, in the province also known as Herāt. ... Kizilbash (Turkish: KızılbaÅŸ, Azerbaijani: QızılbaÅŸ, Persian: قزلباش Qezelbāsh) - Red Heads - name given to a wide variety of extremist Shiite militant groups (ghulāt) who helped found the Safavid Dynasty of Iran. ... Khorasan (Persian: خراسان) (also transcribed as Khurasan and Khorassan; Horasan in Turkish) is a region located in eastern Iran. ...

In October 1588 he attained the Persian throne by revolting against his father Mohammad, whom he imprisoned. He accomplished the coup with the help of Morshed Gholi Ostajlou, whom he later killed in July, 1589. Determined to raise the fallen fortunes of his country, he signed a separate peace with the Ottomans (1589-90, including the cession of large areas of west and northwest Persia) and then directed his efforts against the predatory Uzbeks, who occupied and harassed Khorāsān. 'Abbās needed some ten years to launch a decisive offensive: this was caused by his decision to form a standing army. Cavalry was comprised of Christian Georgians, Armenians and descendants of Circassian prisoners (ghulāms, "slaves"), instead of the mistrustful Kizilbash tribal cavalry levies of former times; Persian peasantry formed the infantry. Budgetary problems were resolved by restoring to the Shah's control the provinces formerly governed by the Kilibash chiefs, the revenues of which supplemented the royal treasury. The new Ghulāms were often appointed as governors of the provinces. Circassian language is used in a number of ways: as a synonym for the Adyghe language; as a synonym for the Kabardian language; as a term for a distinct language that includes both Adyghe and Kabardian. ...

After a long and severe struggle, 'Abbās regained Mashhad, and defeated the Uzbeks in a great battle near Herat in 1597, driving them beyond the Oxus River. In the meantime, taking advantage of tsar Ivan the Terrible's death in 1584, he had gained the homage of the provinces on the southern Caspian Sea, which had depended on Russia till then. Mashhad (Persian: , literally the place of martyrdom) is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shiah world. ... The Amu Darya (in Persian آمودریا; Darya means river in Persian) rises in the Pamirs and flows mainly north-west through the Hindu Kush, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to join the Aral Sea in a large river delta. ... Ivan IV (August 25, 1530–March 18, 1584) was the first ruler of Russia to assume the title of tsar. ... The Caspian Sea (Russian: Каспийское море; Kazakh: Каспий теңізі; Turkmen: Hazar deňizi; Azeri: XÉ™zÉ™r dÉ™nizi; Persian: دریای خزر Daryā-ye Khazar) is the largest lake on Earth by area[2], with a surface area of 371,000 square kilometers (143,244 sq mi) and a volume of 78,200 cubic kilometers (18...

He moved his capital from Qazvin to the more central and more Persian Isfahan in 1592. Embellished by a magnificent series of new mosques, baths, colleges, and caravansaries, Isfahan became one of the most beautiful cities in the world. For other uses, see Qazvin (disambiguation). ... Part of Shah Abbas large urban project in his new capital, the Chahār Bāgh Four Gardens, is a four-kilometer avenue in the city of Isfahan. ...

War against the Ottomans and conquest of the Persian Gulf

A few years later, in 1599, the English gentleman of fortune Robert Shirley and the shah's favorite ghulam Allahverdi Khan directed a major army reform. The massive introduction of muskets and artillery marked a great improvement from former times. With his new army, 'Abbās launched a campaign against the Ottomans in 1602. In the following year he obtained a first pitch victory, which forced them to give back the territory they had seized, including Baghdad. In 1605, following a victory at Basra, he extended his empire beyond the Euphrates; Sultan Ahmed I was compelled to cede Shirvan and Kurdistan in 1611. Hostilities ceased momentarily in 1614 with the Persian Army at its acme. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Sir Robert Shirley (c. ... Allahverdi Khan (died June 3, 1613) was an Iranian general and statesman of Georgian origin who, although initially a private ghulām (slave) soldier, rose to high office in the Safavid state. ... Muskets and bayonets aboard the frigate Grand Turk. ... For other uses, see Artillery (disambiguation). ... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... This article is about the city of Basra. ... Surfer Rosa The Euphrates (IPA: /juːˈfreɪtiːz/; Greek: EuphrátÄ“s; Akkadian: Pu-rat-tu; Hebrew: פְּרָת PÄ•rāth; Syriac: Prâth; Arabic: الفرات Al-Furāt; Turkish: Fırat; Kurdish: فرهات, Firhat, Ferhat, Azeri: FÉ™rat) is the western of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia (the other... Ahmed I (Ottoman Turkish: احمد اول Aḥmed-i evvel) (April 18, 1590 – November 22, 1617) was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1603 until his death. ... Shervan or Shirvan was a former Persian province in Caucasus, a state ruled by the Shervanshahs and the birthplace of the Persian poet Khaqani. ... For other uses, see Kurdistan (disambiguation). ...

In 1615 he killed more than 60,000 Georgians and deported a further 100,000 in Tblisi after a rebellion, the united armies of the Turks and Tatars were completely defeated near Sultanieh in 1618, and Abbas made peace on very favorable terms; and on the Turks renewing the war, Baghdad fell into his hands after a year's siege in 1623. With the support of the British fleet, in 1622 'Abbās took the island of Hormuz from the Portuguese: much of the trade was diverted to the town of Bandar 'Abbās which he had taken from the Portuguese in 1615 and had named after himself. The Persian Gulf was therefore opened to a flourishing commerce with Portuguese, Dutch, French, Spanish and British merchants, which were granted particular privileges. Agents treating with the Westerners were mostly of Armenian nationality. Trades and travel were boosted in all the Empire. View of Tiflis from the Grounds of Saint David Church, ca. ... This article is about the people. ... An interior view. ... Baghdad (Arabic: ) is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate. ... Distorted from Persian Ohrmuzd, Ahura Mazda. ... Categories: Iran geography stubs | Cities in Iran | Coastal cities ...

Reforms and assessment

'Abbās' reign, with its military successes and efficient administrative system, raised Iran to the status of a great power. 'Abbās was a skilled diplomat, tolerant of his Christian subjects in Armenia. He sent Shirley to Italy, Spain and England in order to create a pact against the Ottomans. According to the Encyclopedia of World Biography, One of the hallmarks of contemporary great power status is permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council. ... This page is about negotiations; for the board game, see Diplomacy (game). ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

"Abbas King of Persia", as seen by Thomas Herbert in 1627.

Mistrusting the once ruling class of the Qizilbash, 'Abbās gained a strong support from common people. Sources report him spending much of his time among them, personally visiting bazaars and other public places in Isfahan. Shiʻa Islam (Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite) makes up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%–35% of all Muslim. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Qizilbash or Kizilbash (Ottoman Turkish/Persian: Qezelbāš, Turkish: KızılbaÅŸ, Azerbaijani: QızılbaÅŸ) - Turkish for Red Heads - name given to a wide variety of extremist Shiite militant groups (ghulāt) who helped found the Safavid Dynasty of Iran. ...

Isfahan became the center of Safavid architectural achievement, with the mosques Masjed-e Shah and the Masjed-e Sheykh Lotfollah and other monuments like the Ali Qapu, the Chehel Sotoun palace, and the Naghsh-i Jahan Square. His painting ateliers (of the Isfahan school established under his patronage) created some of the finest art in modern Persian history, by such illustrious painters as Reza Abbasi, Mohammed Qasim and others. Despite the ascetic roots of the Ṣafavid dynasty and the religious injunctions restricting the pleasures lawful to the faithful, the art of Abbas' time denotes a certain relaxation of the strictures. Historian James Saslow interprets the portrait by Muhammad Qasim as showing that the Muslim taboo against wine, as well as that against male intimacy, "were more honored in the breach than in the observance". Contemporary European observers at the Shah's court reflected similarly on prevalent customs. Among them was Thomas Herbert, the nineteen-year-old secretary to the British amabassador, who later related that he saw "Ganymede boys in vests of gold, rich bespangled turbans, and choice sandals, their curled hair dangling about their shoulders, with rolling eyes and vermilion cheeks." A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... Shah Mosque is a mosque in Isfahan,Iran standing in soyth side of Naghsh-i Jahan square. ... Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque can be seen on the left. ... Ali Qapu (the Sublime Gate) is a grand palace in Isfahan, Iran. ... Chehel Sotoun is a pleasure pavilion in Isfahan, Iran, built by Shah Abbas I to be used for the shahs entertainment and receptions. ... Naghsh-i Jahan (Persian: ميدان نقش جهان ), also known as shah or imam square (maidan in Farsi), situated at the center of Isfahan city, Iran, is one of the largest city squares in the world. ... Art studio A studio is an artists workroom. ... Reza Abbasi, in full Aqa Reza Reza-e abbasi, sometimes known as Reza (1565 - 1635) was the most renowned Persian painter and calligrapher of the Isfahan school, which flourished during the Safavid period under the patronage of Shah Abbas I. Princely Youth and Dervish by Reza Abbasi, ca. ... This article is about cultural prohibitions in general, for other uses, see Taboo (disambiguation). ... Sir Thomas Herbert (1606 - 1682), traveller and historian, belonged to an old Yorkshire family, studied at Oxford and Cambridge, and went in connection with an embassy to Persia, of which, and of other Oriental countries, he published a description. ... The Rape of Ganymede, by Rubens In Greek mythology, Ganymede, or closer to the Greek Ganymede the great man that leads (in Greek — Γανυμήδης, GanumÄ“dÄ“s) was a divine hero whose homeland was the Troad. ... A Sikh man wearing a turban The turban (from the Persian , dulband via the Turkish ) is a headdress consisting of a long scarf-like single piece of cloth wound round the head or an inner hat. ...

'Abbās died in Mazandaran in 1629. His dominions extended from the Tigris to the Indus, even overcoming the Persian borders of pre-Islamic times. He is still today a popular figure in Iran, featuring in numerous traditional tales. His fame is tarnished, however, by numerous deeds of tyranny and cruelty, particularly against his own family. Afraid of a coup by his family (as he had done to his father), he locked them up in palaces in order to keep them without knowledge of the outside world. This resulted in weak successors. He killed his eldest son, Safi Mirza, leaving his throne to his grandson Safi. It is believed that Safi Mirza was killed because the Shah had learned the story of king Absalom who rebelled against his own father as depicted in the illustrations of the Morgan Crusader's Bible which was sent to him as a gift by Cardinal Maciejowski in 1604. Mazandaran (Persian: مازندران) is a province in northern Iran, bordering the Caspian (Mazandaran) Sea in the north. ... The Tigris is the eastern member of the pair of great rivers that define Mesopotamia, along with the Euphrates, which flows from the mountains of Anatolia through Iraq. ... The Indus River (Urdu: Sindh; Sindhi: Sindhu; Sanskrit and Hindi: सिन्धु ; Persian: حندو ; Pashto: ّآباسنFather of Rivers; Tibetan: Lion River; Chinese: Yìndù; Greek: Ινδός Indos) is the longest and most important river in Pakistan and one of the most important rivers on the Indian subcontinent and has given the country India its... Shâh Sâfî (r. ... Absalom or Avshalom (אַבְשָׁלוֹם Father/Leader of/is peace, Standard Hebrew AvÅ¡alom, Tiberian Hebrew ʾAḇšālôm), in the Bible, is the third son of David, king of Israel. ...

See also

• Safavid
• History of Persia
• Isfahan
• Ottoman Empire
• Shiism

The Safavids were a long-lasting Turkic-speaking Iranian dynasty that ruled from 1501 to 1736 and first established Shiite Islam as Persias official religion. ... Persian art is conscious of a great past, and monumental in many respects. ... Naghsh-i Jahan Square, Isfahan This article is about the city of Isfahan. ... “Ottoman” redirects here. ... Shiʻa Islam (Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite) makes up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%–35% of all Muslim. ... Mohammed Khodabānda of Khudabānda, also known as Mohammed Shah, was the fourth Safavid Shah of Iran(Persia) (1578–1587) . He succeeded to the throne of Persia upon his brother Ismail IIs death in 1578. ... One of the worlds longest-lasting monarchies, the Iranian monarchy went through many transformations over the centuries, from the days of Persia to the creation of what is now modern day Iran. ... The Safavid Empire at its 1512 borders. ... 1587 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Events March 4 - Massachusetts Bay Colony is granted a Royal charter. ... Shâh Sâfî (r. ...

References

• H. Nahavandi, Y. Bomati, Shah Abbas, empereur de Perse (1587-1629), ed. Perrin, Paris, 1998.
• The Persian Encyclopedia's entries on "Abbas I of Safavid" and "Mohammad of Safavid"
• Encyclopedia of World Biography
• Iran Chamber
• Dimdim.
• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

Wikisource has an original article from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica about:

Abbas I (Persia)