Latest / The Safavid Empire: Persia's Return to Greatness — Fexingo History
The Safavid Queen Who Ruled from Behind the Veil
When Shah Tahmasp I died in 1576, the Safavid Empire faced a succession crisis—and for a brief, extraordinary moment, a woman held the reins of power. This episode tells the story of Mahd-i Ulya, the queen mother who governed as regent while her son Shah Ismail II was imprisoned. From the harem of Qazvin to the halls of power, she maneuvered between the Qizilbash chieftains and the religious establishment, only to be executed on her own son's orders. We explore the role of royal women in Safavid court politics, the precarious position of the harem as a political arena, and how the empire was…
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