The Social Science Library » The Ethnic Origin of Iran’s Safawid Dynasty (907-1145/1501-1722): Reflections on Selected Prevailing Views and Requirements for Further Research

The Ethnic Origin of Iran’s Safawid Dynasty (907-1145/1501-1722): Reflections on Selected Prevailing Views and Requirements for Further Research

Author(s)	Marcinkowski, Muhammad Ismail
Abstract	The Safavid empire, which preceded the modern Iranian state, claimed spiritual origins, unlike its contemporaries, the Ottomans and the Mughals. The historiography of Iran’s Safavid dynasty, especially in the 20th century, has pursued its ethnic origins without, however, achieving a consensus of opinion. It is impossible to say if the Safavids were Kurdish, Turkmen, or Persian, especially with the dearth of primary materials in Iran. Recent studies have questioned all assumptions previously held regarding Safavid history and bemoaned the lack of any socioeconomic studies. The Qizilbash (Shiite Turkmen from Anatolia) gave rise to the Safavid movement. The early Safavids had Turkmen adherents, had marriage alliances with Turkmen and used Turkish as the court language, so the most likely possibility is that the Safavids were Turkmen.
IssueNo	2
Pages	5-19
Article	Article Not Available
Source	Journal of the Pakistan Historical Society
VolumeNo	49
PubDate	2001
ISBN_ISSN	0030-9796
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The Ethnic Origin of Iran’s Safawid Dynasty (907-1145/1501-1722): Reflections on Selected Prevailing Views and Requirements for Further Research