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The Safavid Siege of Yerevan 1604: Scorched Earth Against the Ottomans
In 1604, Shah Abbas I faced a brutal choice: let the advancing Ottoman army capture the fortified city of Yerevan, or destroy it himself. This episode dives into the Safavid scorched-earth campaign that depopulated the Aras River valley, the desperate Ottoman counter-march under Cığalazade Sinan Pasha, and the fortress of Yerevan (Iravan) that became a symbol of Safavid defiance. We explore the forced relocation of Armenians as a military tactic, the role of the Qizilbash and gholam troops in this grueling campaign, and how Shah Abbas used time and terrain to win a war without a pitched…
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