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Founding of the Safavid Dynasty (1501)
In 1501, with the support of Qizilbash tribal forces, Ismail I captured Tabriz and proclaimed the founding of the Safavid dynasty, ending the long pe…
Timeline
- 1500–1501Azerbaijan · AzerbaijanWith the support of the seven major Qizilbash tribes, Ismail I advanced eastward from the Erzurum area, defeating the remnants of the Aq Qoyunlu (White Sheep) dynasty and laying the foundation for the capture of Tabriz.
- 1501Tabriz · East Azerbaijan ProvinceSafavid forces entered Tabriz, ending Aq Qoyunlu rule in the city. Tabriz became the capital of the new regime and the early political and military center of the Safavid dynasty.
- 1501Tabriz · East Azerbaijan ProvinceIsmail I formally proclaimed the establishment of the Safavid dynasty in Tabriz, uniting tribes and subjects under Shi'a faith and initiating the process of unifying the Iranian Plateau. In the following years, the regime rapidly expanded into the Persian heartland.
Sources
- Safavid Iran: Rebirth of a Persian Empire — Rudi Matthee (2011)
- Encyclopaedia Iranica: Safavid Dynasty — Roger Savory https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/safavid-dynasty