Latest / The Safavid Empire: Persia's Return to Greatness — Fexingo History
The Silk Route of Faith: Safavid Pilgrimage Roads
In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the pilgrimage networks that knit the Safavid Empire together. From the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala in Ottoman Iraq, these routes were lifelines of faith, trade, and politics. Lucas explains how Shah Abbas I rebuilt caravanserais along the way, how the silk trade subsidized the hajj, and how the Safavid state managed the delicate politics of sending Shi'i pilgrims across Sunni Ottoman lands. Along the way, they meet the Armenian merchants of New Julfa, the mutawalli custodians of the shrines, and the tax…
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