When Shah Abbas I ascended the Safavid throne in 1587 after the forced abdication of his father, he inherited an empire on the brink of disintegration. He faced a rebellion from Turkoman tribal leaders and invasions by the Ottomans from the west and the Uzbeks from the east. Within fifteen years he crushed the rebels and routed the Uzbeks and Ottomans. Subsequently, Abbas defeated the Mughals in 1621, taking Kandahar, seized the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain in 1622, and with English help expelled the Portuguese from their trading post at Ormuz in the same year. In addition to his military exploits, Abbas encouraged foreign and domestic trade, lent his support to manufacturing enterprises, and presided over a glorious era in Persian culture!Part of Abbas’ strategy to make Persia strong and prosperous was the cultivation of useful contacts with foreigners, especially Europeans. Two English brothers, Anthony and Robert Sherley, helped the shah enlarge and modernize his army and used their contacts to increase Persian trade with the English and Dutch. Abbas also sought alliances with European states against his enemy, the Ottomans. To that end he sent two embassies to Europe in 1599 and 1608 and tolerated the activities of Catholic missionaries, who were encouraged to think he might convert.
Such was the background for the negotiations between the envoys of Abbas I and Pope Clement VIII in 1600 that led to the dispatch of three Carmelite friars to Isfahan in 1604 to explore opportunities for missionary work. After an arduous journey through Poland and Russia, the three friars reached Isfahan in 1605 and remained in Persia six months. One of the three, Father Paul Simon of Jesus Mary, a Genoese who became a Carmelite friar in 1595, traveled extensively during his visit. After a hair-raising return journey on foot through Ottoman territory, Father Simon presented a report on Persia to the new pope, Paul V. Paul then dispatched Father Simon to Spain to discuss with King Philip III the complaints of Abbas I concerning the activities of Portuguese merchants in Ormuz, an important port city in the shah’s territory, which the Portuguese (now subjects of the King of Spain) had controlled since 1507. Until his death in 1643, Father Simon held a number of administrative posts within his order. Please click here to read excerpts from Father Paul Simon’s report to Pope Paul V on Shah Abbas I (you'll have to scroll down a little bit).
After you have read the document, I would like you all to think about and discuss the following: What sort of impression does Abbas attempt to make on his subjects? What strategies does he use to make this impression? What methods has Abbas used to suppress the powerful descendants of the Kizilbash who helped Ismail I establish the Safavid state (referred to by Father Simon as “the old nobles of Persia”)? What impresses Father Simon about Abbas’ army? How do his comments and observations resemble Busbecq’s characterization of Suleiman’s troops? On the basis of Father Simon’s account, what conclusions can be drawn about Abbas’ religious views? What factors seem to have shaped Abbas’ policies toward the European Christians? Despite the impressive strength of the Safavid Empire under Abbas, it quickly declined after his death. What underlying weaknesses do you see in the empire during Abbas’ rule? Your thoughts…
6 comments:
Abbas wants to be treated with the utmost respect and regarded with the greatest power as shah, but at the same time he also wants to show them that he's a good leader and personally cares for them. In the document, Father Simon talks about how Abbas will talk with the lower class people and make his subjects remain sitting while he stands and talks. Meaning he wants them to trust him but at the same time show him the greatest authority. Abbas's simple style of dress shows his modesty and in a way it gives the people an idea of making them comfortable around the shah, thus trusting him and being loyal. The document also displays Abbas's want to learn about the Christian faith and shows his religious tolerance, although Simon is not sure of Abbas's views on religion. Abbas did show enthusiasm towards Christianity, but I also think that he kissed up to the three friars in order to get European help to attack the Ottomans.
Abbas wants to make friends with everyone so that he can have everyone on his side. He does not act harshly or try and prove that he is better than anyone because he knows there is no point. He has no problems speaking with the lower classes and tries to get along with everyone. He realizes that European kings rule just for there own pleasure, while he rules for the people. Abbas respected all religons and did not particularly care for any one religon. When he did have a preference of a religon, he changed his mind due to conflicting views.
he was definitely treated with the utmost respect because anyone who didn't treat him that way was killed. as for why the friars were impressed with his army there are several reasons: for one he himself tested a lot of the weapons, his army consisted of around 100,000 men who all received pay for the whole year, and that everyone who was his well-wisher, as said in the document, will take up arms and follow him in whatever campaign he wishes to undertake.also i think he wasn't very religious but that he did use it very much in getting what he wanted because he did so much for the friars and he wanted european support in attacking the ottomans.
Abbas did everything for the benefit of his country. He wasn't misuse his power. He did what had to be done and did it. He was a good negotiator with the Europeans, and treated everyone fairly. He didn't like fancy stuff like this, and that. It's pretty amazing, what his personality was both courteous but serious at the same time. He still saw himself as king but could lower himself to talk to the low classes. Abbas was strong and everything and brought his country to new highs. He was very tolerable with new ideas from his people and took everything into consideration.
(Before Commenting...)Hail Persia! Hail Shah Abbas I!
From the first few paragraphs, you can tell Abbas I does not emphasize his social superiority. Instead he acts as an equal to his subjects. He tries to set an exmaple in their presence, of what it should mean to be a ruler, which is not to rule over ones servants as if they were mere slaves, but to earn their support as if they are your dearest friends.
He is courteous with others, but very strict. He does not let his own appeals to get in the way of his judgement, he punishes equally, if not his favorites worse, just to show that he is not corrupt of mind. It goes on to give an example of how he executes his judgement.
He demands total respect and enforces it well among his people. Nobles are constantly threatened as the higher classes, who tend to find themselves highwe than most, sometimes even the shah himself.
Abbas I had a strong military power, that he was executed well, like most of his actions. He was very open to the innovations of weapon technology, the same can't be said of The Janissaries.
In dealing with his heirs, Abbas I was doing weell by marrying his children away to lower class people. Instead of having a bunch of diabolical infants in harems, he organizes them into marriage and gives Shah to the oldest son, with making blind sons or addicts to be in line for the throne.
Abbas I's religious views were complicated, in that he showed no preference to either Islam or Christianity but a liking to both. When Augustinian Fathers visited, Abbas I embraced them and Christianity with the utmost respect. He even permitted that churches be built in land captured from the Turks to preach the Gospel. However, his respect quickly turned when the king of Spain began to turn away from his promises, and that Shah Abbas I would rather join with Turks to attack Christians for their disrespect. A common enemy...a common cold.
abbas's main goal is to become friends with everyone to have them on his side, which is a very smart tactic instead of being mean to the lower class as other people would.. and truthfully havin religions in a country tends to start alot of conflict so he was smart in not having one
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