SHAH ABBAS
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He was born in 1557. He was the son of Muhammed Hudabende from the Safevi Dynasty. He revolted against his father in Herat. He captured Kazvin and declared himself the sovereign, in 1587. He restored and saved the Safevi State. He organised an army called ‘Tufekci’(Riffle Corps) by imitating Janissaries. He had defeated the Uzbeks around Herat, in 1597. Meanwhile, the Ottomans were dealing with the revolts in Anatolia and also they were in war with the Europeans. He benefited from this situation and declared war in the last years of Sultan Mehmed III. He defeated the Ottoman Army around Tebriz, in 1605 and invaded Tebriz, Erivan and Kars castles. Sultan Osman II was killed and revolts began in Anatolia, Shah Abbas took advantage again and captured Baghdad, Kerbela, Necef, Musul and Diyarbakir.

Shah Abbas tried to develop and renovate Iran He built many roads, bridges, palaces, and many inns. But, his administration was rather tyrannical. He killed Mursid Kuli Khan who had favoured him in his throne struggle and he killed his own son Safi Mirza. In 1628, he died and his grandson Shah Mirza Safi replaced him.

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