Eastern Iran and nearby sections of Central Asia were ruled by the rival Timurid dynasty. In 1488, the Shaykh Haydar, the leader of the Safavid order ... Tahmasp became a great patron of the arts. An ...

The Safavid dynasty, which rose to power in the 16th ... This move consolidated clerical power, with religious leaders assuming significant roles in both religious and political affairs.

Intricately patterned Persian carpets are renowned the world over, with the Safavid period considered one of the high points of the art form. But because relatively fewer have survived, other ...