The Safavid Empire
CH. 2 SEC. 2
Vocabulary
 Safavid
 Isma’il
 Shah
 Shah Abbas
 Esfahan
 Persians
The Safavid Empire Grows
 Safavids
 Originally were members of an Islamic religious brotherhood.
 Brotherhood was founded by Safi al-Din
 The land they lived on was between two Empires, so the
Safavids built a huge army for protection.
Taking Over Present Day Iran
 The Safavids continue to build their army until 1499.
 In 1499, a twelve year old boy named Isma’il becomes leader
of the military and uses the Safavid army to take over Persia,
which the country of Iran today.
 Isma’il has himself named shah, which means king.
Life under Isma’il
 Unlike Ottoman rulers, Safavid rulers like Isma’il
hated other religions.
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Any citizen that did not convert “change” religion to Shi’ism
was killed.
In a war with Ottomans, Isma’il destroyed the entire Sunni
religious population in the city of Baghdad.
 By killing all the Sunnis in Baghdad, Isma’il caused
the Ottoman ruler, Selim the Grim, to order the
execution of all Shiites in the Ottoman Empire, these
people practiced the same religion as Isma’il.
Shah Abbas
 After the death of Isma’il, Shah Abbas “Abbas the
Great” becomes ruler in 1587.
 Shah Abbas starts the golden age “time of wealth”
 Reforms:
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Limited power of military
Created two loyal armies
Punished corruption in the government
Brought Christian worshippers into the empire so Europeans
would move into the empire.
Shah Abbas and the Golden Age
Changes under Shah Abbas
 Shah Abbas built a new capital called Esfahan.
 Allowed different groups of artists, painters, and sculptors to
help design and build the city.
 Art Work:
 Abbas allowed hundreds of Chinese artists to create paintings,
glass windows, pottery, that decorate the churches in Esfahan.
 Carpets:
 Countries wanted carpets made in the Safavid Empire
 With so many countries wanting carpets, this helped the
Safavid Empire become friends with different countries.
Safavid Art
How are they
similar?
How are they
different?
Safavid Carpets
The Safavid Empire Falls apart…
 Mistakes of Shah Abbas
 Killed and blinded his oldest sons.
 Chose his weak grandson Safi to be the next ruler.
 Final Ruler
 Nadir Shah Afshar becomes the final Safavid ruler
in 1736.
 He was so cruel that one of his soldiers
assassinated him
 After his death in 1747 the Safavid Empire
collapsed.
Cultural Blending
 Turn to page 78 in your
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textbook.
Work with the person sitting
next to you answer these three
questions…
What is Cultural
Blending?
Where does cultural
blending occur?
What are cultures exposed
to when they meet another
culture?
Causes of Cultural Blending
 Cause Number 1
 Migration
 People moving to different areas
or different countries.
Causes of Cultural Blending
 Cause Number 2
 Religious Freedom
 Moving to a country where you
can practice your religion.
Causes of Cultural Blending
 Cause Number 3
 Trade
 Buying or selling different things
to other people or countries.
Causes of Cultural Blending
 Cause Number 4
 Conquest
 Taking over another country by
force.
Impact of Cultural Blending
 Language: Languages are mixed together, or a
cultures writing is mixed together.
Chinese
language
used in
the
country of
Japan…
Impact of Cultural Blending
 Religion: religions spread into different countries
but change their ideas.
Buddhist
monks
believe in
different
things
from
Japanese
Zen
monks.
Impact of Cultural Blending
 Government: government ideas spread into
different countries but they are not the same.
American
democracy lets
people vote for
leaders, Chinese
democracy does not
let people vote for
leaders.
Impact of Cultural Blending
 Race: different races come together through
marriage.
Mestizo are
people living in
Mexico that
have European
and Mexican
families.
Impact of Cultural Blending
 Art and Architecture: styles of art and
architecture are mixed together when building new
buildings.
Builders of the
U.S. Capitol
building in
Washington
D.C. borrowed
ideas from
Greek buildings
in Europe
Exit Ticket
 Answer the LEQ
 “Why is cultural blending important for any
group of people, or country today?”
 This is your opinion, but explain your answer…