Safavid Persia
Learn about Safavid Persia — the dynasty that made Shi'a Islam Iran's state religion and built Isfahan into one of the world's most beautiful cities.
The Safavid Empire (1501–1736) was the dynasty that transformed Persia from a Sunni-majority region into the Shi'a heartland it remains today — one of the most consequential religious transformations in Islamic history. Founded by Shah Ismail I, who declared Twelver Shi'a Islam the state religion, the Safavids created a distinctive Persian-Islamic identity that set Iran apart from its Ottoman and Mughal neighbors.
The empire reached its apogee under Shah Abbas I (r. 1588–1629), who moved the capital to Isfahan and transformed it into one of the most magnificent cities on earth. The Imam Square, the Shah Mosque, and the Ali Qapu palace rank among the finest achievements of Islamic architecture. Abbas reorganized the military along modern lines, established diplomatic relations with European powers to counterbalance the Ottomans, and promoted trade by welcoming Armenian, Indian, and European merchants.
Safavid Persia was a crucible of cultural achievement. Persian miniature painting reached new heights of refinement. Carpet-weaving became both an art form and a major export industry. The Safavids' enduring legacy, however, was religious: their imposition of Shi'a Islam created the sectarian geography of the modern Middle East and established Iran's distinct identity within the Islamic world — a legacy that shapes geopolitics to this day.