Safavid Empire Alex Chambers Parker Thiel Browning Dunn

Safavid Empire Alex Chambers, Parker Thiel, Browning Dunn

Social Women: • Seldom in public (veiling of women) • Private sections of the home • Islamic law did allow women to retain property after marriage. Men: • Had all rights • Were supposed to be well rounded (like Renaissance men) Family / Kinship • The Safavid family was a literate family. • The social role of economics in the Safavid Empire was an important. There was a great chain of being for the people in the society.

Political § Like the Ottoman Empire, the Safavids emerged following the struggles of the Mongols. § Of the Muslim empires, the Safavids adopted Shi'ite theology. § The political structure of the Safavid empire was originally started as military based government. § The Safavid state was one of checks and balance, both within the government and on a local level. At the apex of this system was the Shah, with total power over the state. § Nationalism played an important role in the Safavid Empire’s rise. § The empire was brought down due to Shah Abbas not finding a successor.

Interaction § In the 11 th and 12 th centuries, a large migration of Oghuz Turks, not only Turkified Azerbaijan, but also Anatolia. § Azeri Turks were the founders of Safavid dynasty. § It is probable that the Safavid family originated in Persian Kurdistan, and then later moved to Azerbaijan. § The Safavid family adopted the Azari form of the Turkish spoken there. Eventually they settled in the small town of Ardabil during the eleventh century.

Culture § Safavid culture is often admired for the large-scale city planning and the advanced architecture. § The arts played a large role in the Safavid Empire. Persian rugs, book-binding, and writing § Even Shahs themselves supported Persian literature, poetry, and art projects. One of the most famous art projects included the Grand Shahnama, of Shah Tahmasp) § Members of the family had a strong belief in literacy. Some Shahs created their own Persian poetry. § The main philosophy / idea of the Safavid Empire was making the people literate. School was extremely important.

Economics § Subsistence farming and herding major employment § No significant manufacturing sector to speak of § Got silk fabrics from the north to make carpets and other things § No interest in building agricultural economy for same reasons as Ottomans § Grew many kinds of fruits and vegetables that were never herd of in Europe § Best known trade routes were the silk road and the Persian Gulf