Hello all, I've read some of your AARs with mirth and admiration, so I decided to do one of my own. I haven't seen many done on Persia (Iran), so I decided to do one of my own. Here is the beginning.
Aryana Redux- The history of Safavid Persia
Prologue- Iran, up to the foundation of the Safavid State
Iran has an ancient history. Under the Achmenaeid dynasty, Iran or Persia was at the time the largest empire seen in history, controlling a vast area stretching from Egypt to the Indus River, the frontiers of India. Achmenaeid Persia was destroyed by Alexander the great, before falling into disarray, and the rise of the Parthian Arascid dynasty. This was later succeeded by the powerful Sassanid dynasty, who ruled from the 4th century AD to the 7th. In these times, most Iranians (or Aryans- Iran means “Home of the Aryans”) were followers of the teaching of Zarathustra. This changed during the 7-8th centuries, when the Muslims under Caliph Umar rode out from Arabia, leading to the downfall of the Sassanids and the establishment of Islam in Iran.
During the medieval period, the fortunes of Iran would be dictated by the fortunes of the various Islamic caliphates. She prospered under the Abassid dynasty, but as Islam became divided her riches were faught over by a variety of invaders. The Seljuq Turks established their rule over much of Persia, but weakened by the attentions of the Assassins, they fell into disarray. This allowed another Turkish group, the Kwazrim Turks, to take control, for a brief period. Before consolidating their rule however, the Kwazrim were destroyed by a much more savage and disciplined invader, the Mongols of Chenghis Khan. They established the Il-Khanate of Persia, ruled mostly by the house of Hulegu, for many decades. The Il-Khanate was later replaced by the savage conqueror Timur Lenk (Timur the Lame, hence Tamerlane), and much of Persia’s greatest cities were laid waste by the hordes of Timur. Timur failed to consolidate his rule, and his much more benevolent successors, such as Ulug Beg and Shah Rukh, were unable to maintain control. Persia passed to the rule of the Turkish hordes of the Ak Koyonlu (The White Sheep), who having destroyed their brothers the Qara Koyonlu (Black Sheep), drove the Timurids out of Persia and ruled a large part of the middle east. And it was from the Ak Koyonlu that a new Iranian dynasty would emerge, founded by Ismael Safav, himself of Turkic origins, who would found the greatest Persian dynasty since the fall of the Sassanids almost a thousand years earlier.
The foundation of the Safavid state cannot be explained in terms of nations- “nationalism” would have no meaning in the late 15th century. Instead, the foundation of the Safavid state was due to the religious divisions within Islam. The founder, Ismael Safav was of the Shia sect- the theological differences between the Shiites and the majority Sunni are too complex to explain in detail here, but it is sufficient to say that the Shiites were normally a persecuted minority, hated by the majority Sunni population. Each regarded themselves as the only true followers of Allah, whose words the prophet Mohammed had brought. But due to differences in interpretation of the Quran and the Hadith, each regarded the other as foul heretics, and any Sunni ruler saw it as his duty to attack any Shiite ruler, and vice versa.
Shiite influence in Iran had always been present, but had been only a small minority, probably even less important than the remnants of Zarathustrianism. This changed however, largely due to the influence of one man- the charismatic, mysterious, yet energetic, intelligent and tactically brilliant Ismael Safav, a Shiite mystic of obscure Turkic origins. Slowly, Shiite influence within Iran grew. This naturally displeased the Sunni rulers of the Ak Koyonlu- until 1492 the Shiites were troublemakers, but could safely be ignored. This changed however, when the Khan of the White Sheep, in January 1492 announced a most savage persecution of the Shiites. As the only thing a Shiite spoke was lies, they would have their mouth sewn shut, or their throats ripped out. Thousands of Shiites were killed, and Safav’s movement turned from a peaceful unimportant religious movement into a full scale rebellion. As the Ak Koyonlu were not very careful where their persecutions were directed, many Sunni Iranians were unjustly targeted. All throughout 1492, The Shiites grew in strength, as more and more people followed Safav. In their minds Safav was changed from a dangerous rebel and heretic, to an unjustly persecuted innocent, before becoming a revered leader of Iran and finally, into a near saint, who would guide his people into a new era of peace and prosperity, leaving behind the devastations of the Chenghis Khan and Timur Lenkh.
Safav possessed not only charisma, but also great military ability- throughout 1492 his forces slowly gained strength, and defeated the Ak Koyonlu hordes in numerous battles. By 1493, Safav had gained control of much of Iran, from Isfahan to Mekran, with his capital in Tabaristan. A temporary peace came when infighting within the Ak Koyonlu over how to deal with Safav allowed a temporary respite, and the consolidation of Safav’s territories into an organised state. However, this was only temporary, and in February 1493, the Sultan of the White Sheep declared a jihad against Safav and announced his intention to destroy the Shiites once and for all. The war however, was never really in any doubt, and the Safav’s force quickly overcame the remnants of the hordes, and forced the Ak Koyonlu to surrender numerous territories to the Safav, including Iranian Sunni territories such as Khorosan, and even the Christian lands of Armenia. By 1495, Safav had brought peace to Persia, and was proclaimed Shah of Iran, and Caliph, although his second title was recognised only by the Shiites. Safav was almost universally hailed as the saviour of Iran. Such was the esteem with which he was held, that the majority of Sunnis converted to the path of Shia- even the Armenians abandoned their Christian beliefs, although there were some riots by Christian rebels which had to be out down. Safav could now begin his tasks in earnest- the rebuilding of Iran, and the holy mission to convert the Sunni Muslims and other infidels to Shia.
Aryana Redux- The history of Safavid Persia
Prologue- Iran, up to the foundation of the Safavid State
Iran has an ancient history. Under the Achmenaeid dynasty, Iran or Persia was at the time the largest empire seen in history, controlling a vast area stretching from Egypt to the Indus River, the frontiers of India. Achmenaeid Persia was destroyed by Alexander the great, before falling into disarray, and the rise of the Parthian Arascid dynasty. This was later succeeded by the powerful Sassanid dynasty, who ruled from the 4th century AD to the 7th. In these times, most Iranians (or Aryans- Iran means “Home of the Aryans”) were followers of the teaching of Zarathustra. This changed during the 7-8th centuries, when the Muslims under Caliph Umar rode out from Arabia, leading to the downfall of the Sassanids and the establishment of Islam in Iran.
During the medieval period, the fortunes of Iran would be dictated by the fortunes of the various Islamic caliphates. She prospered under the Abassid dynasty, but as Islam became divided her riches were faught over by a variety of invaders. The Seljuq Turks established their rule over much of Persia, but weakened by the attentions of the Assassins, they fell into disarray. This allowed another Turkish group, the Kwazrim Turks, to take control, for a brief period. Before consolidating their rule however, the Kwazrim were destroyed by a much more savage and disciplined invader, the Mongols of Chenghis Khan. They established the Il-Khanate of Persia, ruled mostly by the house of Hulegu, for many decades. The Il-Khanate was later replaced by the savage conqueror Timur Lenk (Timur the Lame, hence Tamerlane), and much of Persia’s greatest cities were laid waste by the hordes of Timur. Timur failed to consolidate his rule, and his much more benevolent successors, such as Ulug Beg and Shah Rukh, were unable to maintain control. Persia passed to the rule of the Turkish hordes of the Ak Koyonlu (The White Sheep), who having destroyed their brothers the Qara Koyonlu (Black Sheep), drove the Timurids out of Persia and ruled a large part of the middle east. And it was from the Ak Koyonlu that a new Iranian dynasty would emerge, founded by Ismael Safav, himself of Turkic origins, who would found the greatest Persian dynasty since the fall of the Sassanids almost a thousand years earlier.
The foundation of the Safavid state cannot be explained in terms of nations- “nationalism” would have no meaning in the late 15th century. Instead, the foundation of the Safavid state was due to the religious divisions within Islam. The founder, Ismael Safav was of the Shia sect- the theological differences between the Shiites and the majority Sunni are too complex to explain in detail here, but it is sufficient to say that the Shiites were normally a persecuted minority, hated by the majority Sunni population. Each regarded themselves as the only true followers of Allah, whose words the prophet Mohammed had brought. But due to differences in interpretation of the Quran and the Hadith, each regarded the other as foul heretics, and any Sunni ruler saw it as his duty to attack any Shiite ruler, and vice versa.
Shiite influence in Iran had always been present, but had been only a small minority, probably even less important than the remnants of Zarathustrianism. This changed however, largely due to the influence of one man- the charismatic, mysterious, yet energetic, intelligent and tactically brilliant Ismael Safav, a Shiite mystic of obscure Turkic origins. Slowly, Shiite influence within Iran grew. This naturally displeased the Sunni rulers of the Ak Koyonlu- until 1492 the Shiites were troublemakers, but could safely be ignored. This changed however, when the Khan of the White Sheep, in January 1492 announced a most savage persecution of the Shiites. As the only thing a Shiite spoke was lies, they would have their mouth sewn shut, or their throats ripped out. Thousands of Shiites were killed, and Safav’s movement turned from a peaceful unimportant religious movement into a full scale rebellion. As the Ak Koyonlu were not very careful where their persecutions were directed, many Sunni Iranians were unjustly targeted. All throughout 1492, The Shiites grew in strength, as more and more people followed Safav. In their minds Safav was changed from a dangerous rebel and heretic, to an unjustly persecuted innocent, before becoming a revered leader of Iran and finally, into a near saint, who would guide his people into a new era of peace and prosperity, leaving behind the devastations of the Chenghis Khan and Timur Lenkh.
Safav possessed not only charisma, but also great military ability- throughout 1492 his forces slowly gained strength, and defeated the Ak Koyonlu hordes in numerous battles. By 1493, Safav had gained control of much of Iran, from Isfahan to Mekran, with his capital in Tabaristan. A temporary peace came when infighting within the Ak Koyonlu over how to deal with Safav allowed a temporary respite, and the consolidation of Safav’s territories into an organised state. However, this was only temporary, and in February 1493, the Sultan of the White Sheep declared a jihad against Safav and announced his intention to destroy the Shiites once and for all. The war however, was never really in any doubt, and the Safav’s force quickly overcame the remnants of the hordes, and forced the Ak Koyonlu to surrender numerous territories to the Safav, including Iranian Sunni territories such as Khorosan, and even the Christian lands of Armenia. By 1495, Safav had brought peace to Persia, and was proclaimed Shah of Iran, and Caliph, although his second title was recognised only by the Shiites. Safav was almost universally hailed as the saviour of Iran. Such was the esteem with which he was held, that the majority of Sunnis converted to the path of Shia- even the Armenians abandoned their Christian beliefs, although there were some riots by Christian rebels which had to be out down. Safav could now begin his tasks in earnest- the rebuilding of Iran, and the holy mission to convert the Sunni Muslims and other infidels to Shia.
