Latest / The Safavid Empire: Persia's Return to Greatness — Fexingo History
The Safavid Silk Trade: New Julfa and the Global Market
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Safavid silk trade and the remarkable story of New Julfa, the Armenian quarter of Isfahan. They discuss how Shah Abbas I forcibly relocated tens of thousands of Armenians from Julfa in the Aras River valley to his new capital, transforming them into a commercial elite who controlled the silk routes to Europe and the Far East. The conversation covers the terms of the monopoly, the role of the khwajas (merchant-administrators), and the global reach of Armenian traders from Venice to India. They also touch on the fall of New Julfa in 1722 and the…
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