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conquer Tabriz, and establish himself as Shah of Iran","Ismail styled himself as a messiah, whose spiritual protection would protect warriors on the battlefield",1,{"id":36,"data":37,"type":38,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":34},"7785f66a-4d05-43f2-be65-5c4a73f8f451",{"type":38,"intro":39},10,[40,41],"How did the Safavids go from a peaceful brotherhood to a powerful gunpowder empire?","Which Safavid ruler claimed to be a messiah?",[43,59,85],{"id":44,"data":45,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":48},"9adefb64-1d9f-4368-b7c6-11c3b4a8a0bd",{"type":34,"markdownContent":46,"audioMediaId":47},"The Safavid Empire started life as a quiet, spiritual movement, but eventually became a powerful gunpowder empire, centered around the modern region of Iran.\n\n![Graph](image://b27cad34-d63c-42ce-9c90-7c1ee4449367 \"The Safavid Empire. Image: Public domain\")\n\nIn the early decades of Safavid power, they were known for their fanatical followers, brutal warfare, and violent executions of anyone who refused to convert to their Shi’a Islam faith. They shared a border with the powerful Ottomans, and clashed on a number of occasions.\n\nBut in later years, the Safavids stabilized into a culture defined by magnificent architecture, beautiful carpets, and devout, well-educated people. The modern country of Iran owes its existence to the Safavids. They established a state whose legacy endures today.","07d34242-e528-4e4c-b2c4-008bf2f91d76",[49],{"id":50,"data":51,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"7fb1a67b-8480-49a3-825f-0ee58940079f",{"type":52,"reviewType":20,"spacingBehaviour":34,"binaryQuestion":53,"binaryCorrect":55,"binaryIncorrect":57},11,[54],"The Safavid Empire was centered around the region now known as what?",[56],"Iran",[58],"Iraq",{"id":60,"data":61,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":64},"0bf63089-6637-4715-8dfe-1294e89a4db7",{"type":34,"markdownContent":62,"audioMediaId":63},"The Safavids were originally a small, peaceful brotherhood, which devoted itself to monk-like spiritualism. They were based in the region now known as Iran, near the coast of the Caspian Sea.\n\nThis changed in the 1400s, when the movement got involved with the Qizilbash. These militant tribes lived in the modern countries of Azerbaijan and Turkey. The tribes had never seen eye to eye before, but found themselves uniting behind the religious messages of the Safavids.\n\n![Graph](image://36cbbbb7-a72d-4f9c-a441-933f1b8dd5f0 \"Shah Ismail. Image: Siamak², CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons\")\n\nIn 1501, Shah Ismail came to power at the head of the Safavid movement. He was a warrior priest, who claimed to be the mahdi – a messianic figure who was prophesized to rid the world of evil, and spread the Islam faith.","94a388e9-efd3-47c1-bd7d-c43623d90242",[65],{"id":66,"data":67,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"b28d24c7-c1aa-494d-8bd4-ef561ab790db",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"collapsingSiblings":68,"multiChoiceQuestion":72,"multiChoiceCorrect":74,"multiChoiceIncorrect":76,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6,"matchPairsQuestion":80,"matchPairsPairs":82},[69,70,71],"3d263db7-a4d2-4d9f-a65e-cf874bc8c8ea","b088e55b-cd17-412c-82a7-984cd669271e","e040d378-4de2-4734-ac48-a69e5699cbbd",[73],"Which warrior priest officially founded the Safavid Empire?",[75],"Shah Ismail",[77,78,79],"Queen Elizabeth","Babur","Prince Dorgon",[81],"Match the pairs below:",[83],{"left":75,"right":84,"direction":19},"Safavid Empire",{"id":86,"data":87,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":90},"781de6be-a4f7-41a2-a7bb-6129ea616808",{"type":34,"markdownContent":88,"audioMediaId":89},"Shah Ismail used his messianic aura to lead the Qizilbash tribes on a religious conquest. His warriors were renowned for their ferocity and loyalty, and would enter the battlefield without armor, believing that Ismail's spiritual powers would protect them from harm.\n\nThis faith was rewarded when they took control of Tabriz in 1501 – a major local city. Ismail declared it a new Safavid capital, and named himself Shah of Iran.\n\n![Graph](image://2a2ef474-d786-490e-9495-064e5609084a \"Shah Ismail crowned as Shah. Image: ninara from Tehran, Iran, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons\")\n\nIt was around this time that he also began writing his divan – a collection of divinely-inspired poetry. This work continued to build on his image as a messianic mahdi: 'Adam has put on new clothes. God is come.'","5bd97dea-5703-4424-9ba0-d0785b5b3b4c",[91,111,130,149,167],{"id":92,"data":93,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"30c86975-33bf-469f-ba5b-aa8e26e152d3",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"collapsingSiblings":94,"multiChoiceQuestion":98,"multiChoiceCorrect":100,"multiChoiceIncorrect":102,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6,"orderAxisType":34,"orderQuestion":106,"orderItems":108},[95,96,97],"d121b676-e6c4-4fbd-8d69-d91f48403bd4","b0653ca1-8c69-4af3-8893-ffac6d20fe7f","45510780-7ccb-48eb-9402-dc98188ba93b",[99],"In which year was the Safavid Empire first established?",[101],"1501",[103,104,105],"1299","1492","1526",[107],"Put the following in order:",[109],{"label":110,"reveal":101,"sortOrder":20},"Start of Safavid Empire",{"id":112,"data":113,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"a2f86bf3-58eb-437a-b93a-990cb8adf3cb",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"collapsingSiblings":114,"multiChoiceQuestion":118,"multiChoiceCorrect":120,"multiChoiceIncorrect":122,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6,"matchPairsQuestion":126,"matchPairsPairs":127},[115,116,117],"19d5fbfc-75ce-4cdf-96d2-9e5b209f3158","a93c7be0-5ded-4f5a-b2c3-df4cb9138200","ab4ca573-85f5-4369-aa63-92b4faac17d1",[119],"Which of these was the original home of the Safavids?",[121],"Caspian coast",[123,124,125],"Anatolia","Andes","Niger River",[81],[128],{"left":129,"right":121,"direction":19},"Original home of the Safavids",{"id":131,"data":132,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"ad026844-7427-4988-9b74-68ec0501dc0a",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"collapsingSiblings":133,"multiChoiceQuestion":137,"multiChoiceCorrect":139,"multiChoiceIncorrect":141,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6,"matchPairsQuestion":145,"matchPairsPairs":146},[134,135,136],"08172239-0df5-407c-a725-404b019f3bc1","48e0cb9b-d586-4b03-9c54-f095afa488ac","61158cd0-f932-46cd-8a44-8c5e7bffd55a",[138],"Which of these was the first Safavid capital, captured by Shah Ismail and the Qizilbash in 1501?",[140],"Tabriz",[142,143,144],"Tenochtitlán","Cusco","Timbuktu",[81],[147],{"left":148,"right":140,"direction":19},"Safavid city",{"id":150,"data":151,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"d1da550e-ecf6-417b-8229-98003cce56a9",{"type":52,"reviewType":152,"spacingBehaviour":34,"matchPairsQuestion":153,"matchPairsPairs":154,"matchPairsShowExamples":6},6,[81],[155,158,161,164],{"left":156,"right":157,"direction":19},"Divan","Divine poetry written by Ismael",{"left":159,"right":160,"direction":19},"Mahdi","Messianic title taken on by Ismael",{"left":162,"right":163,"direction":19},"Qizilbash","Militant tribes who united behind Ismael",{"left":165,"right":166,"direction":19},"Sufi","None of these",{"id":168,"data":169,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"94e6f09e-97d1-4c47-b914-86cde6a8f80a",{"type":52,"reviewType":170,"spacingBehaviour":34,"clozeQuestion":171,"clozeWords":173},4,[172],"A line from Shah Ismael's Divan: 'Adam has put on new clothes. God is come.'",[174],"Adam",{"id":176,"data":177,"type":20,"version":20,"maxContentLevel":19,"summaryPage":179,"introPage":187,"pages":193},"0768f698-0b52-4b65-8397-65e12f53e739",{"type":20,"title":178},"Guns and carpets",{"id":180,"data":181,"type":19,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":34},"cae373cb-3fb1-46be-8a0d-aafb8801234c",{"type":19,"summary":182},[183,184,185,186],"The Safavids forced people to convert to Shi'ism, or otherwise face execution","The Safavids were defeated by the Ottomans at Chaldiran, as the Ottomans had gunpowder weaponry","After Ismael's death, his son Tahmasp worked hard to turn the Safavids into a gunpowder empire","They started expanding again, while building grand structures, and also monopolizing the silk trade",{"id":188,"data":189,"type":38,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":34},"a54a5c23-0099-4682-9802-2378b427545e",{"type":38,"intro":190},[191,192],"How did the Safavid Empire change and evolve after the death of Shah Ismael?","Why did the Safavids become famous for producing carpets?",[194,220,246,268],{"id":195,"data":196,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":199},"952c163c-2a5e-40f4-af74-f30e517d1321",{"type":34,"markdownContent":197,"audioMediaId":198},"The Safavids followed a branch of Islam known as Shi’ism, which differed from the Sunni branch of Islam practiced by the nearby Ottoman Empire.\n\nFollowing the conquest of Tabriz, the Safavids claimed a number of other local cities. On each occasion, they brutally forced the local population to convert to their version of the faith.\n\nIf people refused to convert, they would usually be executed. In 1503, 5000 people were killed in the city of Isfahan. Later that year, 4000 people were killed at Fars. Meanwhile, the Shah’s Qizilbash warriors remained as devoted as ever; each victory enhanced their leader’s messianic reputation.","e5d41101-7082-42df-a36d-405c17ca5776",[200,211],{"id":201,"data":202,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"d97a717f-9778-4549-b2ed-6b17365dc838",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"multiChoiceQuestion":203,"multiChoiceCorrect":205,"multiChoiceIncorrect":207,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6},[204],"Which branch of Islam was practiced by the Safavids and the Ottomans respectively?",[206],"Safavids practiced Shi’a Islam, Ottomans practiced Sunni Islam",[208,209,210],"Ottomans practiced Shi’a Islam, Safavids practiced Sunni Islam","They both practiced Shi'a Islam","They both practiced Sunni Islam",{"id":212,"data":213,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"e05e7121-635b-47db-b9f3-adca2e877d97",{"type":52,"reviewType":20,"spacingBehaviour":34,"binaryQuestion":214,"binaryCorrect":216,"binaryIncorrect":218},[215],"When the Safavids claimed new cities, what did they do to people who refused to convert to Shi'a Islam?",[217],"They executed them",[219],"They expelled them",{"id":221,"data":222,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":225},"f983b425-f320-4d00-ab03-84a50f3e7fef",{"type":34,"markdownContent":223,"audioMediaId":224},"By 1514, the religious fervor of Shah Ismail and the Qizilbash had brought them to the edge of the Ottoman Empire. The two forces clashed at the Battle of Chaldiran – but it did not go well for the Safavids.\n\n![Graph](image://5e40d038-6ddd-43cc-b601-02c1835d2fad \"The Battle of Chaldiran. Image: Public domain\")\n\nThe Qizilbash warriors were no match for the powerful Ottoman army, which was equipped with advanced gunpowder weaponry – this was more than fifty years after they had used these weapons to siege Constantinople. The Safavids were forced into a chaotic retreat. Shah Ismail himself was injured, and almost captured, in the process.\n\nHis aura of messianic invincibility had been shattered by the Ottomans’ modern weapons. After the Battle of Chaldiran, Ismail lost confidence, and reportedly became a recluse. He may have even turned to alcohol; he died ten years later, at the early age of 36.","c4d8b431-5cf8-4dc0-9520-e46d938b3237",[226,237],{"id":227,"data":228,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"8c542d3b-a921-4948-bd8d-4bdcafdf8d1a",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"multiChoiceQuestion":229,"multiChoiceCorrect":231,"multiChoiceIncorrect":233,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6},[230],"At the Battle of Chaldiran, who shattered Ismael's aura of invincibility with the help of some gunpowder weapons?",[232],"The Ottomans",[234,235,236],"The Mughals","The British","The Spanish",{"id":238,"data":239,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"de39262d-3a03-4235-a46e-c03bba835351",{"type":52,"reviewType":20,"spacingBehaviour":34,"binaryQuestion":240,"binaryCorrect":242,"binaryIncorrect":244},[241],"After the Battle of Chaldiran, Shah Ismail became a recluse. He died ten years later, at what age?",[243],"36",[245],"46",{"id":247,"data":248,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":251},"43a0066e-b969-4fc0-b407-e9848d9bf53c",{"type":34,"markdownContent":249,"audioMediaId":250},"After the death of Shah Ismail, the Safavid state was rocked by a decade of civil war, before his son, Tahmasp, managed to assert his authority.\n\n![Graph](image://a0b5e0d7-9703-45ca-863d-f98d2dcf85b5 \"Shah Tahmasp. Image: Public domain\")\n\nHe worked on adopting gunpowder weaponry, to make sure that his army would not be defeated as easily as his father had been at the Battle of Chaldiran.\n\nIn the 1550s, the Safavids were attacked by the Ottomans, and Tahmasp’s army fared much better this time, managing to hold them at bay. Modern historians now refer to the Safavids as a ‘gunpowder empire’, just like the Ottomans, because they embraced the technology so effectively.\n\nTahmasp’s successors continued what he started, gradually strengthening the Safavid state. Another important figure was Shah Abbas, who ascended to the throne in 1588, and rapidly expanded Safavid territory. He even managed to claim some territory from the Ottomans.","a88e5653-eb77-4d98-a6db-ae822d0c7d8d",[252,261],{"id":253,"data":254,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"45da8b4d-17a0-47d7-9483-0fdf05fd60b8",{"type":52,"reviewType":20,"spacingBehaviour":34,"binaryQuestion":255,"binaryCorrect":257,"binaryIncorrect":259},[256],"Following the death of Shah Ismail, who asserted his authority after a decade of civil war?",[258],"Tahmasp",[260],"Abbas",{"id":262,"data":263,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"ed2e2b77-5cf5-44bd-8e09-8ace744c7e69",{"type":52,"reviewType":34,"spacingBehaviour":34,"activeRecallQuestion":264,"activeRecallAnswers":266},[265],"What important technology did Tahmasp adopt, which helped him fend off some Ottoman attacks?",[267],"Gunpowder",{"id":269,"data":270,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":273},"0b4ee40e-eff8-461e-a102-6573a0aac115",{"type":34,"markdownContent":271,"audioMediaId":272},"Shah Abbas – and the Safavids in general – were not only concerned with warfare. He also oversaw the construction of grand palaces, mosques, gardens and bazaars that can still be seen in Iran today.\n\nThe city of Isfahan received the most attention, after becoming a new Safavid capital. The city was renowned for its magnificent architecture, especially Naqsh-e Jahan Square, and the stunning blue mosaic walls of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque.\n\n![Graph](image://d8ea821a-153e-43ad-871e-7dfb9cb8b5c8 \"Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque. Image: Ninara from Helsinki, Finland, CC BY 2.0 \u003Chttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons\")\n\nAbbas was also economically astute. He built a number of carpet factories, and began to monopolize the trade of silk to Europe, bringing significant wealth to the Safavid state.\n\nBy now, they had distanced themselves from the wild band of Qizilbash warriors which had driven their initial ascent. They became known as a well-dressed and well-educated people instead.","1506354c-eee3-479b-98ad-2d85bef7e08b",[274,292,301,312],{"id":275,"data":276,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"1d41f6a4-df7f-47ac-b035-ad5c49f51e2c",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"collapsingSiblings":277,"multiChoiceQuestion":281,"multiChoiceCorrect":283,"multiChoiceIncorrect":285,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6,"matchPairsQuestion":289,"matchPairsPairs":290},[278,279,280],"31af1c48-6d75-41ca-a683-9c786837fda1","aa29db12-ae0f-4ebd-a9df-8d446a837b9b","1ccc5285-766a-4ec9-9c6c-5254601b728e",[282],"Who ruled over the Safavid Empire at the height of its power?",[284],"Shah Abbas",[286,287,288],"Suleiman the Magnificent","Queen Victoria","Shah Jahan",[81],[291],{"left":284,"right":84,"direction":19},{"id":293,"data":294,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"702f113d-f9f8-4cc6-acd1-ad44e0d38192",{"type":52,"reviewType":20,"spacingBehaviour":34,"binaryQuestion":295,"binaryCorrect":297,"binaryIncorrect":299},[296],"Under Shah Abbas, which city became a new Safavid capital, renowned for its magnificent architecture?",[298],"Isfahan",[300],"Tehran",{"id":302,"data":303,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"8e289556-ac57-4a96-a21e-6f20b5b59a9c",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"multiChoiceQuestion":304,"multiChoiceCorrect":306,"multiChoiceIncorrect":308,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6},[305],"What is the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque most famous for?",[307],"Blue mosaic walls",[309,310,311],"Green mosaic walls","Red minarets","Yellow minarets",{"id":313,"data":314,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"dfc14f38-6dc9-47a7-a3c0-1cf3fc12d100",{"type":52,"reviewType":170,"spacingBehaviour":34,"clozeQuestion":315,"clozeWords":317},[316],"Shah Abbas built a number of carpet factories, and began to monopolize the trade of silk to Europe.",[318],"carpet",{"id":320,"data":321,"type":20,"version":20,"maxContentLevel":19,"summaryPage":323,"introPage":330,"pages":336},"92cda9ff-d683-45b7-b4d2-59af5dd624a0",{"type":20,"title":322},"Decline of the Safavids",{"id":324,"data":325,"type":19,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":34},"ccc03e36-b5e8-4bb1-9c98-313a6e379d87",{"type":19,"summary":326},[327,328,329],"The decline of the Safavids began in the late 17th century, mainly due to weak leaders like Shah Husayn","Isfahan fell to Afghan invaders in 1722, leading to the official downfall of the Safavid Dynasty in 1736","The Safavids still left a lasting legacy in modern Iran, shaping its identity as a Shi'a Muslim nation",{"id":331,"data":332,"type":38,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":34},"f7c2eac1-22c9-44ef-8bc4-63755478e4bf",{"type":38,"intro":333},[334,335],"What led to the collapse of the Safavid Empire?","How do the Safavids continue to influence the identity of modern Iran?",[337,361],{"id":338,"data":339,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":342},"d675d93a-330f-4c1f-9f27-b8fdf8e4ab68",{"type":34,"markdownContent":340,"audioMediaId":341},"The Safavid Empire began to decline in the late 17th century, mainly due to a series of weak leaders, who failed to live up to the standards set by Shah Ismail, Tahmasp and Abbas. Shah Husayn was a prime example. He neglected his duties, preferring instead to indulge in wine and women.\n\n![Graph](image://6a4571d8-7fe9-4359-a400-a9f19a6ce72a \"Shah Husayn. Image: Aamir niaz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons\")\n\nWithout a central figure to hold it together, the Safavid Empire started to fall apart. In 1722, the city of Isfahan fell to an invading Afghan force. Many of these Afghans, including their leader, had Qizilbash origins, and shared the military prowess of their predecessors.\n\nThe Safavids clung on for a short while longer, but in 1736, the Safavid Dynasty – a line which stretched back more than two-hundred years to Shah Ismail – was officially dethroned, and replaced by an Afghan king.","2f5ac6c0-0cb7-42c8-89b8-2d50c9d46287",[343,352],{"id":344,"data":345,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"9b1ac36b-b3b2-4723-88c7-a752ec75b4e0",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"multiChoiceQuestion":346,"multiChoiceCorrect":348,"multiChoiceIncorrect":350,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6},[347],"In the late 17th century, the Safavids declined due to a series of weak leaders. Which of these was one of them?",[349],"Shah Husayn",[75,351,284],"Shah Tahmasp",{"id":353,"data":354,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"080168b1-53fc-4f20-bdb6-2da8f412c376",{"type":52,"reviewType":20,"spacingBehaviour":34,"binaryQuestion":355,"binaryCorrect":357,"binaryIncorrect":359},[356],"In which year did the city of Isfahan fall to an invading Afghan force?",[358],"1722",[360],"1736",{"id":362,"data":363,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":366},"3b6a20f4-242e-47c4-bbfa-6a20b478d6c9",{"type":34,"markdownContent":364,"audioMediaId":365},"The legacy of the Safavids can still be felt in modern Iran, as they set a precedent for the nation’s future identity as a bastion of Shi'ism and Islamic culture.\n\nMore than 99% of modern Iranians are Muslim, and 90% are Shi’a Muslim – the branch of the faith first brought to the region by the Safavids. This is in contrast to places like Turkey, whose population is 80% Sunni Muslim, following on from the Sunni leadership of the Ottomans.\n\nThe concept of Iran, as a unified nation, can also be traced to the Safavids. What was once a collection of disparate tribes was brought together as a single culture with a shared territory. The borders established by the Safavid Empire roughly align with the borders of the modern country.","23c83209-17ae-4923-96af-fedb657b0461",[367,385,396],{"id":368,"data":369,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"87b76131-0d5f-454f-901b-830c5db92b17",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"collapsingSiblings":370,"multiChoiceQuestion":374,"multiChoiceCorrect":376,"multiChoiceIncorrect":377,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6,"orderAxisType":34,"orderQuestion":381,"orderItems":382},[371,372,373],"3424da53-f4c4-4d77-a4d2-2b7d50bcf943","4fd6831f-02df-4d45-a32d-715ecaadfa0f","011492c5-4fea-4310-b3bb-ca83fbccef3a",[375],"In which year did the Safavid Dynasty officially come to an end?",[360],[378,379,380],"1857","1868","1912",[107],[383],{"label":384,"reveal":360,"sortOrder":4},"End of the Safavid Empire",{"id":386,"data":387,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"b49251b1-47e6-4789-87d5-6cca81fe8e91",{"type":52,"reviewType":19,"spacingBehaviour":34,"multiChoiceQuestion":388,"multiChoiceCorrect":390,"multiChoiceIncorrect":392,"multiChoiceMultiSelect":6,"multiChoiceRevealAnswerOption":6},[389],"Which of these is true of the Afghan leader who took over from the Safavid Empire?",[391],"He had Qizilbash blood",[393,394,395],"He was descended from Shah Ismail","He had Ottoman blood","He was the step-son of Shah Husayn",{"id":397,"data":398,"type":52,"version":34,"maxContentLevel":19},"49a47b6a-1084-46ff-8549-e0fcccd713c4",{"type":52,"reviewType":20,"spacingBehaviour":34,"binaryQuestion":399,"binaryCorrect":401,"binaryIncorrect":403},[400],"What percentage of modern Iranians are still followers of Shi’a Muslim?",[402],"90%",[404],"10%",[406,505,629],{"id":23,"data":24,"type":20,"version":20,"maxContentLevel":19,"summaryPage":26,"introPage":35,"pages":407},[408,445,475],{"id":44,"data":45,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":48,"parsed":409},{"data":410,"body":413,"toc":443},{"title":411,"description":412},"","The Safavid Empire started life as a quiet, spiritual movement, but eventually became a powerful gunpowder empire, centered around the modern region of Iran.",{"type":414,"children":415},"root",[416,423,433,438],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":419,"children":420},"element","p",{},[421],{"type":422,"value":412},"text",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":424,"children":425},{},[426],{"type":417,"tag":427,"props":428,"children":432},"img",{"alt":429,"src":430,"title":431},"Graph","image://b27cad34-d63c-42ce-9c90-7c1ee4449367","The Safavid Empire. Image: Public domain",[],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":434,"children":435},{},[436],{"type":422,"value":437},"In the early decades of Safavid power, they were known for their fanatical followers, brutal warfare, and violent executions of anyone who refused to convert to their Shi’a Islam faith. They shared a border with the powerful Ottomans, and clashed on a number of occasions.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":439,"children":440},{},[441],{"type":422,"value":442},"But in later years, the Safavids stabilized into a culture defined by magnificent architecture, beautiful carpets, and devout, well-educated people. The modern country of Iran owes its existence to the Safavids. They established a state whose legacy endures today.",{"title":411,"searchDepth":20,"depth":20,"links":444},[],{"id":60,"data":61,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":64,"parsed":446},{"data":447,"body":449,"toc":473},{"title":411,"description":448},"The Safavids were originally a small, peaceful brotherhood, which devoted itself to monk-like spiritualism. They were based in the region now known as Iran, near the coast of the Caspian Sea.",{"type":414,"children":450},[451,455,460,468],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":452,"children":453},{},[454],{"type":422,"value":448},{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":456,"children":457},{},[458],{"type":422,"value":459},"This changed in the 1400s, when the movement got involved with the Qizilbash. These militant tribes lived in the modern countries of Azerbaijan and Turkey. The tribes had never seen eye to eye before, but found themselves uniting behind the religious messages of the Safavids.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":461,"children":462},{},[463],{"type":417,"tag":427,"props":464,"children":467},{"alt":429,"src":465,"title":466},"image://36cbbbb7-a72d-4f9c-a441-933f1b8dd5f0","Shah Ismail. Image: Siamak², CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons",[],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":469,"children":470},{},[471],{"type":422,"value":472},"In 1501, Shah Ismail came to power at the head of the Safavid movement. He was a warrior priest, who claimed to be the mahdi – a messianic figure who was prophesized to rid the world of evil, and spread the Islam faith.",{"title":411,"searchDepth":20,"depth":20,"links":474},[],{"id":86,"data":87,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":90,"parsed":476},{"data":477,"body":479,"toc":503},{"title":411,"description":478},"Shah Ismail used his messianic aura to lead the Qizilbash tribes on a religious conquest. His warriors were renowned for their ferocity and loyalty, and would enter the battlefield without armor, believing that Ismail's spiritual powers would protect them from harm.",{"type":414,"children":480},[481,485,490,498],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":482,"children":483},{},[484],{"type":422,"value":478},{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":486,"children":487},{},[488],{"type":422,"value":489},"This faith was rewarded when they took control of Tabriz in 1501 – a major local city. Ismail declared it a new Safavid capital, and named himself Shah of Iran.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":491,"children":492},{},[493],{"type":417,"tag":427,"props":494,"children":497},{"alt":429,"src":495,"title":496},"image://2a2ef474-d786-490e-9495-064e5609084a","Shah Ismail crowned as Shah. Image: ninara from Tehran, Iran, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons",[],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":499,"children":500},{},[501],{"type":422,"value":502},"It was around this time that he also began writing his divan – a collection of divinely-inspired poetry. This work continued to build on his image as a messianic mahdi: 'Adam has put on new clothes. God is come.'",{"title":411,"searchDepth":20,"depth":20,"links":504},[],{"id":176,"data":177,"type":20,"version":20,"maxContentLevel":19,"summaryPage":179,"introPage":187,"pages":506},[507,529,559,594],{"id":195,"data":196,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":199,"parsed":508},{"data":509,"body":511,"toc":527},{"title":411,"description":510},"The Safavids followed a branch of Islam known as Shi’ism, which differed from the Sunni branch of Islam practiced by the nearby Ottoman Empire.",{"type":414,"children":512},[513,517,522],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":514,"children":515},{},[516],{"type":422,"value":510},{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":518,"children":519},{},[520],{"type":422,"value":521},"Following the conquest of Tabriz, the Safavids claimed a number of other local cities. On each occasion, they brutally forced the local population to convert to their version of the faith.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":523,"children":524},{},[525],{"type":422,"value":526},"If people refused to convert, they would usually be executed. In 1503, 5000 people were killed in the city of Isfahan. Later that year, 4000 people were killed at Fars. Meanwhile, the Shah’s Qizilbash warriors remained as devoted as ever; each victory enhanced their leader’s messianic reputation.",{"title":411,"searchDepth":20,"depth":20,"links":528},[],{"id":221,"data":222,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":225,"parsed":530},{"data":531,"body":533,"toc":557},{"title":411,"description":532},"By 1514, the religious fervor of Shah Ismail and the Qizilbash had brought them to the edge of the Ottoman Empire. The two forces clashed at the Battle of Chaldiran – but it did not go well for the Safavids.",{"type":414,"children":534},[535,539,547,552],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":536,"children":537},{},[538],{"type":422,"value":532},{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":540,"children":541},{},[542],{"type":417,"tag":427,"props":543,"children":546},{"alt":429,"src":544,"title":545},"image://5e40d038-6ddd-43cc-b601-02c1835d2fad","The Battle of Chaldiran. Image: Public domain",[],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":548,"children":549},{},[550],{"type":422,"value":551},"The Qizilbash warriors were no match for the powerful Ottoman army, which was equipped with advanced gunpowder weaponry – this was more than fifty years after they had used these weapons to siege Constantinople. The Safavids were forced into a chaotic retreat. Shah Ismail himself was injured, and almost captured, in the process.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":553,"children":554},{},[555],{"type":422,"value":556},"His aura of messianic invincibility had been shattered by the Ottomans’ modern weapons. After the Battle of Chaldiran, Ismail lost confidence, and reportedly became a recluse. He may have even turned to alcohol; he died ten years later, at the early age of 36.",{"title":411,"searchDepth":20,"depth":20,"links":558},[],{"id":247,"data":248,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":251,"parsed":560},{"data":561,"body":563,"toc":592},{"title":411,"description":562},"After the death of Shah Ismail, the Safavid state was rocked by a decade of civil war, before his son, Tahmasp, managed to assert his authority.",{"type":414,"children":564},[565,569,577,582,587],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":566,"children":567},{},[568],{"type":422,"value":562},{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":570,"children":571},{},[572],{"type":417,"tag":427,"props":573,"children":576},{"alt":429,"src":574,"title":575},"image://a0b5e0d7-9703-45ca-863d-f98d2dcf85b5","Shah Tahmasp. Image: Public domain",[],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":578,"children":579},{},[580],{"type":422,"value":581},"He worked on adopting gunpowder weaponry, to make sure that his army would not be defeated as easily as his father had been at the Battle of Chaldiran.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":583,"children":584},{},[585],{"type":422,"value":586},"In the 1550s, the Safavids were attacked by the Ottomans, and Tahmasp’s army fared much better this time, managing to hold them at bay. Modern historians now refer to the Safavids as a ‘gunpowder empire’, just like the Ottomans, because they embraced the technology so effectively.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":588,"children":589},{},[590],{"type":422,"value":591},"Tahmasp’s successors continued what he started, gradually strengthening the Safavid state. Another important figure was Shah Abbas, who ascended to the throne in 1588, and rapidly expanded Safavid territory. He even managed to claim some territory from the Ottomans.",{"title":411,"searchDepth":20,"depth":20,"links":593},[],{"id":269,"data":270,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":273,"parsed":595},{"data":596,"body":598,"toc":627},{"title":411,"description":597},"Shah Abbas – and the Safavids in general – were not only concerned with warfare. He also oversaw the construction of grand palaces, mosques, gardens and bazaars that can still be seen in Iran today.",{"type":414,"children":599},[600,604,609,617,622],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":601,"children":602},{},[603],{"type":422,"value":597},{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":605,"children":606},{},[607],{"type":422,"value":608},"The city of Isfahan received the most attention, after becoming a new Safavid capital. The city was renowned for its magnificent architecture, especially Naqsh-e Jahan Square, and the stunning blue mosaic walls of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":610,"children":611},{},[612],{"type":417,"tag":427,"props":613,"children":616},{"alt":429,"src":614,"title":615},"image://d8ea821a-153e-43ad-871e-7dfb9cb8b5c8","Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque. Image: Ninara from Helsinki, Finland, CC BY 2.0 \u003Chttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons",[],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":618,"children":619},{},[620],{"type":422,"value":621},"Abbas was also economically astute. He built a number of carpet factories, and began to monopolize the trade of silk to Europe, bringing significant wealth to the Safavid state.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":623,"children":624},{},[625],{"type":422,"value":626},"By now, they had distanced themselves from the wild band of Qizilbash warriors which had driven their initial ascent. They became known as a well-dressed and well-educated people instead.",{"title":411,"searchDepth":20,"depth":20,"links":628},[],{"id":320,"data":321,"type":20,"version":20,"maxContentLevel":19,"summaryPage":323,"introPage":330,"pages":630},[631,661],{"id":338,"data":339,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":342,"parsed":632},{"data":633,"body":635,"toc":659},{"title":411,"description":634},"The Safavid Empire began to decline in the late 17th century, mainly due to a series of weak leaders, who failed to live up to the standards set by Shah Ismail, Tahmasp and Abbas. Shah Husayn was a prime example. He neglected his duties, preferring instead to indulge in wine and women.",{"type":414,"children":636},[637,641,649,654],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":638,"children":639},{},[640],{"type":422,"value":634},{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":642,"children":643},{},[644],{"type":417,"tag":427,"props":645,"children":648},{"alt":429,"src":646,"title":647},"image://6a4571d8-7fe9-4359-a400-a9f19a6ce72a","Shah Husayn. Image: Aamir niaz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons",[],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":650,"children":651},{},[652],{"type":422,"value":653},"Without a central figure to hold it together, the Safavid Empire started to fall apart. In 1722, the city of Isfahan fell to an invading Afghan force. Many of these Afghans, including their leader, had Qizilbash origins, and shared the military prowess of their predecessors.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":655,"children":656},{},[657],{"type":422,"value":658},"The Safavids clung on for a short while longer, but in 1736, the Safavid Dynasty – a line which stretched back more than two-hundred years to Shah Ismail – was officially dethroned, and replaced by an Afghan king.",{"title":411,"searchDepth":20,"depth":20,"links":660},[],{"id":362,"data":363,"type":34,"maxContentLevel":19,"version":20,"reviews":366,"parsed":662},{"data":663,"body":665,"toc":681},{"title":411,"description":664},"The legacy of the Safavids can still be felt in modern Iran, as they set a precedent for the nation’s future identity as a bastion of Shi'ism and Islamic culture.",{"type":414,"children":666},[667,671,676],{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":668,"children":669},{},[670],{"type":422,"value":664},{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":672,"children":673},{},[674],{"type":422,"value":675},"More than 99% of modern Iranians are Muslim, and 90% are Shi’a Muslim – the branch of the faith first brought to the region by the Safavids. This is in contrast to places like Turkey, whose population is 80% Sunni Muslim, following on from the Sunni leadership of the Ottomans.",{"type":417,"tag":418,"props":677,"children":678},{},[679],{"type":422,"value":680},"The concept of Iran, as a unified nation, can also be traced to the Safavids. What was once a collection of disparate tribes was brought together as a single culture with a shared territory. The borders established by the Safavid Empire roughly align with the borders of the modern country.",{"title":411,"searchDepth":20,"depth":20,"links":682},[],{"left":4,"top":4,"width":684,"height":684,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":685},24,"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m9 18l6-6l-6-6\"/>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":684,"height":684,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":687},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M4 5h16M4 12h16M4 19h16\"/>",1778179238510]