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The Safavid Capital Transfer to Isfahan 1598
In 1598, Shah Abbas I made a bold decision that reshaped Persia for centuries: he moved the Safavid capital from Qazvin to Isfahan. This episode traces the strategic, economic, and symbolic reasons behind the transfer. We explore how Isfahan was transformed into a jewel of Islamic architecture, with the construction of the Naqsh-e Jahan square, the Shah Mosque, and the Ali Qapu palace. The move was part of Abbas's broader centralization of power, weakening the Qizilbash tribal chiefs who dominated the old capital. We also discuss the role of the gholam slave-soldiers, the Armenian merchants…
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