Safi I and the Treaty of Zuhab

Shah Safi I, born in Kashan, was the sixth Safavid ruler who succeeded his grandfather Abbas I in 1629. To secure his throne, Safi executed numerous potential royal rivals and court figures, leading to a weakened internal power structure. His reign was dominated by ongoing conflicts with the Ottoman Empire, which resulted in the loss of key territories, including Baghdad. However, the long-standing war ended with the Treaty of Zuhab in 1639, establishing stable borders between the two empires. In the east, Safi faced territorial losses such as Kandahar to the Mughal Empire, while increasingly delegating state administration to close advisers and grand viziers.

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