Isa Khan Safavi

Painting of Isa Khan Safavi.

Isa Khan Safavi (Persian: عیسی خان صفوی), also known as Isa Khan Shaykhavand (آوند عیسی خان شیخ) was a Safavid prince, who occupied high offices under king (shah) Abbas I (r. 1588–1629).

Biography

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Isa Khan was the grandson of the Safavid vizier Masum Beg Safavi, and was married to one of Abbas' daughters. In 1612, he was appointed by Abbas I as the head of the royal bodyguard (qurchi-bashi).[1] In 1625, Isa Khan was appointed as the commander of the Safavid army of Georgia and fought a group of Georgian rebels on June 30. During the battle, he was almost defeated by the rebels, until reinforcements arrived from Azerbaijan and helped Isa Khan defeat the rebels.[2]

In 1629, Abbas I died and was succeeded by his grandson Safi, who in 1631 executed Isa Khan including his three sons.[3] Isa Khan's successor in the qurchi-bashi post was Cheragh Khan Zahedi.[3]

During the reign of Safi's son and successor Abbas II (r. 1642–1666), a mausoleum was constructed for the three sons of Isa Khan.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Newman 2008, p. 54.
  2. ^ Blow 2009, p. 134.
  3. ^ a b Matthee 2011, p. 37.
  4. ^ Newman 2008, p. 89.

Sources

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  • Blow, David (2009). Shah Abbas: The Ruthless King Who became an Iranian Legend. London, UK: I. B. Tauris & Co. Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84511-989-8. LCCN 2009464064.
  • Matthee, Rudi (2011). Persia in Crisis: Safavid Decline and the Fall of Isfahan. I.B.Tauris. pp. 1–371. ISBN 978-0857731814.
  • Babaie, Sussan (2004). Slaves of the Shah: New Elites of Safavid Iran. I.B.Tauris. pp. 1–218. ISBN 9781860647215.
  • Matthee, Rudi (2010). "ḴALIFA SOLṬĀN". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. XV, Fasc. 4. pp. 382–384.
  • Newman, Andrew J. (2008). Safavid Iran: Rebirth of a Persian Empire. I.B.Tauris. pp. 1–281. ISBN 9780857716613.
Preceded by Qurchi-bashi
1612-1631
Succeeded by