The Islamic World to 1600

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Beginnings to 1501

The Ottoman Empire was by far the most powerful empire in the Islamic world in the 15th century, but by 1501 in Persia and 1526 in India, the Ottomans had competition. The Safavid Empire in Persia, which was established by Ismail I in 1501 and lasted until its overthrow by Afghan invaders in 1722, was the shortest-lived of the three Great Islamic Empires, but it was influential nonetheless, particularly because of its adherence to Shi'a Islam as the official religion. The formation of the Safavid Empire differs from that of both the Ottoman and Mughal Empires because it had religious, rather than military, beginnings. Whereas the Ottoman Empire grew from successful territorial gains by gazi warriors in the 13th and 14th centuries, the Safavid Empire began as a peaceful Sufi religious order that developed military and political traits later.

Sufism

The origins of the Safavids are somewhat controversial, however, because of their eventual emergence as a Shi'ite empire. According to some historians and religious scholars, the Sufi order they came from, under the leadership of Sheikh Safi al-Din - from whom the order's name is derived - practised Sunni Islam. This side argues that Sheikh Safi was Sunni, and that the Safavid Shi'ites in the 16th century changed documents and invented Shi'ite origins for Sheikh Safi to legitimise their rule. Other experts believe that Sheikh Safi was indeed a Shi'ite from the beginning, hence explaining the Safavid Empire's official adherence to Shi'ism. Regardless of his origins, Sheikh Safi (1252-1334) was an important figure in the Il-Khan Empire the Mongols established in Persia in the 13th century, and his influence carried on through his descendants, who inherited the leadership of the order.

Proceed to Safavid Empire: Shah Ismail, 1501-26