The Safavid Dynasty, a Golden Age in Iran, witnessed a cultural flowering under the charismatic Isma'il and and his son Tahmasp, the first two Shahs of the dynasty. This essay is a short history of ...

"When the Safavid dynasty, founded in 1501, built a state that championed Iranian identity and Twelver Shi'ism, ... Record ID siris_sil_1164621. arrow-up Back to top. Sign up for Smithsonian e-news ...

Tourists visit the Golestan Palace in Tehran, Iran, on Aug. 27, 2023. Golestan Palace is one of the oldest complexes in Tehran, originally built during the Safavid dynasty in the historic walled city.

The Safavid Empire, which had ruled Iran since 1501, had fractured. Nadir Shah picked up the pieces and, in a series of military victories, expanded Iranian domains well into present day Iraq and ...