Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A teenage Ismail Savafi (r 1502-24) takes Tabriz and, within 10 years, territories from
Baghdad to Uzbekistan to establish the Safavid Empire.
1514
The Ottomans rout the Safavids at the battle of Chaldoran, starting 41 years of warring
that sees Persia lose control of eastern Anatolia and Iraq.
1587
Strong, paranoid Safavid Shah Abbas I (Abbas the Great, 1587-1629) moves the capit-
al to Esfahan and embarks on a monumental building program from which Naqsh-e Ja-
han emerges.
1736-47
Nader Shah crowns himself shah, moves the capital to Mashhad, drives the Ottomans
from Georgia and Armenia and the Russians from the Caspian coast, reclaims Afgh-
anistan and invades India for treasure.
1750
Karim Khan Zand emerges from three years of war to claim power. He moves the cap-
ital to Shiraz and is remembered as a humble ruler who calls himself
vakil
(regent)
rather than shah.
1795
After years of war Qajar ruler Aga Mohammad Khan finally defeats the Zand. He
moves the capital to Tehran before being murdered by his servants.
1797-1834
Fath Ali Shah presides over two disastrous wars with expansionist Russia that illustrate
how Iran has fallen behind the world. Iran is forced to cede Caucusus territories (mod-
ern Azerbaijan and Armenia).
1848-96
Nasser al-Din Shah attempts to modernise Iran, all the while siring hundreds of princes
who take from the treasury at will. Russia and Britain assert control in domestic polit-
ics and trade.
