The Safavids

Rise, Height, and Decline

• founded by Shah Esma' il
• took over a lot of Iran and Iraq
• Shah Abbas took the Safavids to their high point
• The Shia faith was a unifying force
• Abbas had a strong army with the latest weapons
• decline began after Abba died in 1629
• the hight was the intellect of the empire

Role of Shah, Economy/Trade, Culture

• Shah- made Shia Islam state religion, controlled landed aristocracy power
• economy/trade- most goods traveled by horses and camel caravans
• culture- science, math, and medicine
• a lot of art was used

Awareness Groups

• MHAG and MHANT
• they speak about how their religion really is and why it isn't too bad a religion
• teens have specific dress and are looked at as strange for their clothes

Taj Mahal

• combines Persian, Indian, and Islamic influences
• in India
• a tomb
• a place of ar