Shah Abbas: The Ruthless King Who Became an Iranian LegendBloomsbury Publishing, 2014 M04 2 - 288 pages Shah Abbas (1571-1629) was shah of Iran from 1588 (when he assumed power by deposing his father, whom he later murdered) until his death in 1629. He is of critical importance in the history of Iran, restoring the power of the Safavids through war and the strategic negotiation of peace. He is still acclaimed for his strong and decisive rule and the architectural achievements of his reign although he is also recognised as a tyrant, whose paranoia (probably justified) caused him to imprison and assassinate many of his own relatives including his own son, ultimately leaving the throne to his grandson.Remarkably, this is the first biography of Shah Abbas in English. "On a Persian Throne" combines rigorous scholarship with a popular style to produce the definitive, accessible and objective biography of this seminal figure in Iranian history. |
Contents
Abbas Takes Control | |
The Recovery of Khurasan from the Uzbeks | |
English Adventurers at the Service of Shah Abbas | |
A Conflict of Envoys | |
The English Embassy and the Death of Abbas | |
Abbas the Man and the King | |
The Court of Shah Abbas | |
The Throne and Mosque Alliance | |
The City that was Half the World | |
The Merchant King | |
Shah Abbas and the Arts | |
Khurasan the Persian Gulf and a Challenge to the Ottomans | |
Abbas Expels the Ottomans | |
The Search for European Allies | |
Pressure on the Gulf Mass Deportations and the Murder of a | |
the Capture of Hormuz | |
the Capture of Qandahar and Baghdad | |
The Later Safavids | |
Conclusion | |
Notes | |
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