Timeline

mid 14th century: Collapseof the Ilkhanate. Safavids buildsupport among Qizilbash(“redheads”).

1499 Safavid Isma‘il attacks localTurkish rulers.

1501 Isma‘il takes Tabriz.

1501-24 Reign of Isma‘il.

Word List

Transoxania

Timurids

shaykh (Sufimaster)

Safi al-Din(1252-1334)

Map Link: The Safavid Empire:

<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Map_Safavid_persia.png>

Timeline

1510 Safavids have takeneastern Asia Minor, Iraq andwestern Persia. Defeats Özbegsin battle.

1512-13 Safavids defeat Özbegsagain, secures eastern border.

1514 Ottomans defeat Safavidsat Chaldiran, briefly occupyTabriz.

Word List

Ottomans

Özbegs(Uzbeks)

janissaries

wakil(deputy)

shah

Timeline

1524-76 Reign of Tahmasp.

1533 Tahmasp takes de facto power.

1534, 1548, 1554-55 Ottoman invasions ofSafavid territory. Peace finally made, Iraq(including Baghdad) left in Ottoman hands.Safavids keep Tabriz, but Tahmasp movescapital to Qazvin.

Timeline

1587 Murshid Quli Khan raises ‘Abbas tothrone.

1587-1629 Reign of ‘Abbas.

1598 ‘Abbas transfers capital to Isfahan.

1603-23 Safavids push Ottomans out ofnorth-west Persia, Baghdad and south-eastAsia Minor.

Timeline

1629-42 Reign of Safi.

1642-66 Reign of ‘Abbas II.

1645 ‘Abbas II takes de facto power.

1648 Safavids take Qandahar from Mughals.

1666-94 Reign of Safi II/Sulayman.

Timeline

1694-1722 Reign of Sultan Husayn.

1722 Mahmud of Qandahar takes Isfahan.Sultan Husayn abdicates. Mahmud becomesnew ruler of Isfahan, effectively bringingSafavid rule to an end.

Object List F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Axonometric reconstruction of Maidan-i Shah (begun 1598) and thesurrounding buildings. (A)

Pavilion of the ‘Ali Qapu (Gate of ‘Ali, 1597-1660) originallymonumental gateway to royal palaces. (F)

Maidan. View southeast with the Mosque of Shaykh Lutfallah to theleft, ‘Ali Qapu to the right, and the Masjid-i Shah ahead. (A)

‘Ali Qapu, Isfahan. 1600s. View of ceiling and cut out plaster inMusic Room. (A)

‘Ali Qapu, Isfahan. 1600s. Detail view of cut-out plaster in Music Room.(A - 2 slides)

‘Ali Qapu, Isfahan. 1600s. Interior view of wooden latticed windows. (A)

Object List F = Ferret, A = Archnet

‘Ali Qapu, Isfahan. 1600s. Detail view of wooden latticework. (A)

Masjid Shaykh Lutfallah, Isfahan. 1603-19. Dome (1616). (F)

View of Mosque of Shaykh Lutfallah (1603-19), with ‘pink’ evening.(F)

Mosque of Shaykh Lutfallah. View of the entrance. (A)

Various views of the maidan. (A)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Aerial view. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. View of main entrance gate. (F)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Detail inside entryway. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Detail of north side of court withnortheast iwan. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Northwest iwan. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Southeast iwan. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. View of southwest (qibla) iwan andentrance gate. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Dome, showing a good example of tilework. (F)

Object List

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Dome. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Interior. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Detail of interior. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Interior wall elevation. Elaboratepolychrome tile. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Detail of southern prayer hall. (F)

Masjid-i Shah, Isfahan. 1611-66. Dome in front of mihrab. (F)

Madrasa-i Shah (bt. 1706). Reconstructed view of courtyard. (F)

Object List

Madrasa-i Shah (bt. 1706). Entrance portal. (F)

The nightmare of Zahhak from Tahmasp Shahnama, 1525-35. (F)

Mystery object! Tabriz, c. 1540. (F)

Book binding. Tabriz, c. 1540. Lacquer on leather. Inner sides.40 x 25cm. (F - 2 slides)

Young man in a blue coat. Riza. Isfahan, c. 1587. Ink and colour onpaper. 13 x 7cm. (F)

F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Object List F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Picnickers. c. 1647. Chihil Sutun. Isfahan. (F)

Tahmasp receiving Humayun. 1660s. Isfahan at the Chihil Sutun. (F)

Mir Afzal Tuni Album painting of a lady watching a dog drink from abowl. Iran, c. 1640. Illuminated manuscript. (F)

Riza-i ‘Abbasi: The Lovers. 1630. (Metropolitan Museum of Art:<http://metmuseum.org/>.)

Mu‘in: Portrait of the painter Riza-i ‘Abbasi. Produced in Isfahan,Iran, 1673. Watercolour on paper. Riza’s most gifted pupilshows the master at work. (F)

Object List F = Ferret, A = Archnet

Hajji Muhammad: Pen Box with a Europeanizing Landscape. Late 17th–early 18th c. (Metropolitan Museum of Art:<http://metmuseum.org/>.)

Ardabil carpet. Iran. 1539/40. Wool pile on silk warps. 10.51 x 5.35m.(F)

Iranian Kashan Medallion carpet. 16th c. wool, silk and silver thread.2.48 x 1.99m. (F)

Fritware dish. Carved slip. Kirman. 17th c. (F)

Lustre-painted spouted jar. Iran, 17th c. (F)

Imitation blue-and-white bowl. Iran, possibly Mashhad, 17th c.(Metropolitan Museum of Art: <http://metmuseum.org/>.)