PERSIA(Great Dariush)

Описание

The period 1501-1736 became the era of the Persia's Safavid dynasty. The 17th and early 18th century reigns are: Shah Abbas I (1587-1629), Safi I (1629-42), Abbas II (1642-66), Safi II (1666-94), Shah Soltan Hosseyn (1694-22), Tahmasb II (1722-25), Abbas III (1732-36). The years 1722-1729 were marked by an interregnum of Ghalzay Afghan rulers with Mahmud (1722-1725) and Ashraf (1725-29). The Safavids came back into power in 1729 yet ultimately had to give over to the Afshari, ruling from 1736 to 1749. In administrative terms Persia was a kingdom. Isfahan became the capital under Abbas I. Whilst the Moghul Empire in the East and the Ottoman Empire in the West financed themselves to a good deal through territorial expansions, Persia suffered the problematic situation of the big block between these two neighbouring powers. State finances rested on the "crown lands" while the frontier provinces were entrusted to tribal warriors under Divan administration. Crown-property administrators "wezirs" were appointed to the crown provinces for limited periods of power during which they strove to enrich themselves while exacting as much as possible for the crown – a system which lead to a decline and an economic crisis reducing both production and revenues in the 17th century. The dual system of crown an divan administration proved impractical. Provinces like Fars with great productive capacities could no longer be maintained as crown property and came back under divan rule, the central government had to relieve the financial burden and lost revenues. The financial position of the royal house got worse with the money it spent on royal endowments to finance projects like the Safavid family shrine or improvements of the infrastructure such as caravansaries, bridges, and dams (Fragner, Camb. Hist. Iran, p. 527). The collapse of the Safavids, beginning with the Afghan war in the second decade of the 18th century, lead Persia into a long-term crisis in both political and economical terms. Isfahan lost its leading role, Persian politics saw a revival of tribalism and a reversal of the centralizing tendency which had characterised the preceding century. After a decade of insecurity the Afsharids seized power. Nader Shah's (1148-60/1736-47) Indian expedition of 1151-52/1738-39, culminating in the plundering of Delhi with an Indian death toll of an estimated 30,000, marked not only the beginning of the end of the Moghul Empire. The booty outweighed the cost of the adventure and justified the following Transoxanian expedition; whilst state finances began to follow the pattern of redistribution of claims to resources among the supporters of the new regime at the costs of its opponents.