Ismail I's Campaigns in Shirvan

• In spring of 1500, Ismail's forces advanced from Archevan to the coast of Goycha lake, eventually reaching Erzinjan
• A conference in Erzinjan in 1500 resolved that Safavid's enemy, Farrukh Yassar, should be targeted.
• Ismail was willing to attack the Shirvanshah state first, as attacking Tabriz would have brought him into conflict with multiple enemies including Agkoyunlu leaders Alvand Mirza and Murad, as well as Shirvanshah Farrukh Yassar.
• At the end of 1500, the battle of Jabani occurred near the Gulustan fortress.
• Shirvanshah lost the battle, and Farrukh Yassar was killed.
• Qizilbash forces seized a portion of the Shirvanshah's luxurious treasury.
• Baku was a significant trading and craftsmanship hub in the 15th century, it also served as the residence for Shirvan rulers.
• Baku housed the treasury and a magnificent palace of the Shirvanshahs.
• Ismail invaded Baku in the summer of 1501, and Qizilbash troops captured its treasury.
• A decisive battle took place on the Sharur plain in mid-1501.
• Alvand escaped to Ganja.
• In the autumn of 1501, Ismail entered Tabriz with ceremony and declared himself Shah, establishing the Azerbaijan Safavid empire with its capital at Tabriz.
• The Safavid empire had a large population of Azerbaijan Turks.
• The military command, financial institutions, district management, and palace positions were under the control of Azerbaijani aristocrats.
• The army consisted of Azerbaijani Turks, and the Azerbaijani language was used in the palace, troops, and diplomatic correspondence.
• Shah Ismail defeated Murad Mirza in a 1503 battle of Almagulaghi.
• The second part of the Agkoyunlu state was destroyed.
• Shah Ismail captured Kum, Kashan, and Isfahan, followed by Yazd and Kirman in 1504.
• From 1506-1508, Qizilbash forces entered Baghdad and invaded Diyarbakir, Hilat, Bitlis, Archish, and Arabin Irak.
• By 1508-1510, all Iranian and Iraqi lands were captured except Khorasan, bordering the Safavid empire.
• The Sheybani state was to the east, and the Ottoman Empire to the west.
• Shah Ismail and Sheybani Khan (1500-1510) were enemies.
• Sheybani Khan captured Khorasan during 1507-1508, taking advantage of Safavid military operations in Asia.
• In 1510, Shah Ismail confronted and defeated Sheybani Khan and captured Khorasan.
• Shah Ismail captured Khorasan, including Herat, Marv, and Balkh, meaning the large area from Amudarya to the Euphrates was now under Safavid territories.
• The Safavid Empire became the most powerful state in the Near East between 1481-1512.
• The Safavid empire was recognized in 1504.
• Shah Ismail addressed Bayazid II as "father" in a letter.
• Shah Ismail considered a clash with the Ottomans inevitable.
• After defeating Sheybani Khan, Ismail I's troops invaded Karahisar and Malatya in 1512.
• Sultan Selim I (1512-1520) altered his approach to the Qizilbash and initiated war against the Safavids, beginning a mass persecution of Shias in Asia.
• Italian diplomats Constantino Laskari and Jovanni Morozoni negotiated with the Safavids.
• Shah Ismail started intercourse with Pope and Venice in 1507-1508.
• A Safavid diplomat Ali bay was sent to Italy in 1510.
• A plan to obtain firearms from the West via the Mediterranean Sea failed.
• Ismail tried to connect with Portugal in order to obtain weapon and artillery experts from the west, using the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
• Portugal gained influence in the Persian Gulf.
• Portuguese naval forces captured Hormuz and blocked Safavid access to the Indian Ocean.
• Sultan Selim I held a meeting in Adirna in the summer of 1514 to conceal aggressive impulses.
• The war against the Qizilbashs was declared as a sacred duty for all Muslims.
• Ismail intended to delay the battle until winter to inflict casualties on the sultan's troops.
• A battle took place on the plain of Chaldiran near Maku on August 23, 1514, resulting in an Ottoman victory due to Western diplomacy.
• The defeat at Chaldiran had serious military and political consequences for the Safavid Empire, with Eastern Anatolia and Northern Iraq, including Arzurum, falling under Ottoman control. Arabian Iraq, including Baghdad, was left to the Safavids.
• In early 1516, a decisive battle took place in Kochisar where the Ottomans won.
• Kharput and the area stretching from Bitlis to Rakki, Mosul were captured by the Ottomans.
• After Shah Ismail's death, his son Tahmasp I (1524-1576) became the ruler.
• Sultan Suleiman Kanuni I (1520-1566) crossed into Azerbaijan with 100,000 troops in the summer of 1534.
• The Ottomans swiftly captured a significant portion of southern Azerbaijan and invaded Tabriz, facing severe resistance.

Challenges Faced

• The Ottomans were unable to remain in Tabriz due to harsh winter conditions and food shortages.
• In spring 1535, Suleiman I invaded Tabriz a second time.
• To prevent the enemy from seizing resources, Shah Tahmasp relocated Tabriz residents, burned vegetation, and culled livestock, prompting the king to flee to Sultaniyya.
• Despite initially occupying Tabriz, the Ottomans were eventually forced to retreat due to famine and hardship.

Shirvan Dependence

• During Shirvanshah Khalilullah II's reign (1524-1535), Shirvan remained under Safavid control.
• Shahrukh (1535-1538) was enthroned after Khalilullah II's death in 1535.
• A revolt occurred at the end of 1537, led by a kalantar claiming to be Muhammad Amin, brother of the Shirvanshah.
• In the summer of 1538, Tahmasp I and Alqas Mirza seized the Bughurd fortress with 20,000 troops.
• Tahmasp I declared Alqas Mirza the first beylerbeyi.
• The Shirvanshah state collapsed, and Shirvan was converted into a beglerbegi within the Safavid empire in 1538.
• Alqas Mirza incited a rebellion against Safavid rule in early 1547, leading to his defeat and escape to Istanbul.
• Shirvan was invaded a second time by Tahmasp I, and Tahmasp's son Ismail Mirza (later Shah Ismail II, 1547-1577) was appointed Shirvan beglerbegi and suppressed three rebellions from 1547-1554.
• Sultan Suleiman I invaded Azerbaijan for the third time in 1548 and captured Tabriz.
• Alqas Mirza was imprisoned in the Kahkaha fortress and killed in 1549. Insurgents were defeated at the battle of Alishaban in 1549.
• Tahmasp I moved the capital to Qazvin away from Ottoman borders in 1555.

Decline of Azerbaijan

• The decline of the independent Azerbaijan state marked the shift of Sheki's supremacy to the Safavid period.
• Darvish Muhammad Khan of Shaki assisted Shahrukh, while Shah Tahmasp I marched to Shirvan in 1538.
• Darvish Muhammad Khan supported Alqas Mirza with military aid.
• Tahmasp abolished Sheki's independence in 1551.
• Sheki's population, khan, and aristocrats fortified themselves in the "Kish" and "Gelersen-Gorersen" fortresses before Abdulla Khan Ustajli was appointed for the Conquest.
• The "Gelersen-Gorersen" conquest was appointed to Abdulla Khan Ustajli.
• The walls of the Kish fortress were destroyed by gunfire, breaking the Sheki resistance.
• Tahmasip I initiated active offensives against the Ottomans in 1552.
• In the summer of 1552, Tahmasp I launched a campaign against the Ottoman Empire from four directions, participating in those operations himself.
• The Qizilbash forces captured Hilat, ruined houses in Van, and destroyed Bitlis, Vostan, and Archish, returning with trophies.
• Sultan Suleiman I marched to Azerbaijan for the fourth time in the spring of 1554.
• On May 29, 1555, the Peace Treaty of Amasya was signed.
• Western Georgia came under Ottoman rule, while Eastern districts of Georgia became Safavid lands.

Renewed Conflicts

• Safavid-Ottoman wars resumed in the 1570s.
• The Diarchy (1577-1578) was established in the Safavid Empire after Ismail II (1576-1577).
• Under Shah Muhammad Khodabanda (1578-1587), the empire's treasury was depleted, and Sultan Murad III (1575-1595) seized the opportunity to attack.
• On August 9, 1578, there was a defeat at Childir due to internal disunity in the Safavid army, arrogance of commanders, lack of attention to the Ottomans, and forced dismissals.
• After the battle of Childir, Mustafa Lala Pasha captured Shirvan, Tbilisi, and Gori in August 1578.
• In September 1578, the Ottoman army suffered heavy losses on the banks of the Qanikh (Alazan) River.
• From 1578 to 1581, the Crimean Tatars marched into Azerbaijan.
• In November 1578, 12,000 soldiers of the Crimean khan Adil Geray was destroyed in Mollahasanli, and Adil Geray was imprisoned.
• The Safavids were victorious in battles in 1578 and 1581.
• In 1581, the Crimean Turks lost a battle between Shamakhi and Shabran.
• In the summer of 1583, the Ottomans were defeated in the battle of Niyazabad.
• The battle of Samur River in 1583, known as the "Flame battle" was won by the Ottomans.
• The Ottomans won the Sufiyan battle in 1585 against the Safavids.
• From 1586 to 1589, the army of Sultan Murad III gradually invaded Azerbaijan.
• Shah Abbas I (1587-1629) implemented reforms to reclaim lost Safavid territories and restore its power.
• Shah Abbas I revoked the right to carry weapons individually for Qizilbashs, allowing other tribes to join the army and ending hereditary tribal leadership.
• Shah Abbas I organized the troops, with different classes consisting of the Qizilbash, Ghulams, Tufangchiyan, and Artillery-gunners.
• The Qizilbash cavalry troops were superlative to army during the XVII century.
• Ghulam troops consisted of special groups of christian children who were gathered, forcibly converted to Islam, and given special training.
• The capital moved from Qazvin to Isfahan in 1598.
• Many Azerbaijan Turks came to the capital Isfahan from Karadagh and Qazvin.
• The "Abbasabad" estate was established for honored Azerbaijan Turks, while Shah Abbas attempted to imitate ancient Iranian state management styles.
• Qizilbash had a special place in the ruling of the Safavid empire, with the Azerbaijani language being superior in the army and Shah's palace.
• Safavid rulers and servants spoke Azerbaijani.
• The Safavid empire lost in the Safavid-Ottoman wars (1578-1590) and was forced to make military reforms.
• Shah Abbas ended resistance from military-migrating Qizilbash aristocrats, strengthening political stability, and boosting economic and military power.
• Shah Abbas's reforms weakened the power of some Qizilbash aristocrats, while reinforcing central authority.
• The devastating wars ended with the Treaty of Istanbul in 1590, dividing Azerbaijan between the Safavids and Ottomans.
• Shirvan, Karabakh, Tabriz, and Maragha, along with lands to the north, fell under Ottoman rule while Khalkhal, Ardabil, Karajadagh, and Lankaran remained with the Safavids.
• Eastern districts of Georgia, and western districts of Iran became part of Safavid empire
• Zanjan, Khalkhal, Ardabil, Karajadagh, Qizilagach, and Lankaran were added to the territory of the Ottomans.
• The Azerbaijan lands between Qiziluzen and Kur river were united into the Azerbaijan beglerbegi in 1593.
• The Safavid empire during the late 16th century had three goals: to defeat the Sheybani state and recover Khorasan, reclaim Azerbaijan lands invaded by the Ottomans (1578-1590), and end Portuguese control in the Persian Gulf to access the Indian Ocean.
• Shah Abbas I defeated Sheybani Khan in 1599 and annexed Khorasan.
• European countries were interested in clash of Safavids with the Ottomans.
• Georgi Tektander, the German ambassador, proposed a military alliance against the Ottoman Empire in Tabriz in 1603.
• Spain promised assistance in the Persian Gulf, and Russia was interested in expelling the Ottomans from Azerbaijan.
• The management of Caspian littoral districts was under Ottoman control, obstructing the Volga-Caspian trade route.
• Shah Abbas I reclaimed Tabriz, Nakhchevan, Ordubad, and Julfa from the Ottomans in 1603, followed by Irevan in 1604.
• Shah Abbas I used a "burnt land" tactic against Ottoman troops, relocating people and destroying property.
• The forced relocation to Isfahan and Mazandaran was known as the "great exile."
• Nakhchevan, Irevan, and Julfa were burned, and their populations were deported.
• Shah Abbas I decided to shift the Europe-Asia silk road south to the Persian Gulf ports, transporting Qizilbash silk towards Europe via Africa.
• Shah Abbas I reclaimed Ganja from the Ottomans in 1606, followed by Baku, Shamakhi, Shirvan, Shabran, and Darband in 1607.
• Shah Abbas released Darband from taxes.

Safavid-Ottoman Wars

• The first period of the Safavid-Ottoman wars from 1603-1612 ended in a Safavid flawless victory.
• A treaty was signed with Ottomans in the Sarab city in 1612, renewing the peace treaty set in 1555 and stipulating that the Safavids not interfere with the building of the Terek tower by Russians.
• The Ottoman Empire formally recognized Eastern Georgia and Eastern Anatolia as belonging to the Safavid Empire.
• A battle occurred near the Siniq Korpu in the Sarab district in 1618, resulting in Ottoman losses.
• The peace treaty was signed in Marand (September 1618).
• Baghdad was captured by the Ottomans in December 1638.
• The peace treaty was signed in Qasri-Shirin on May 17, 1639, confirming the terms of the 1555 Amasya treaty.
• In the 1590s, Jalayir movement originated in Eastern Anatolia, spreading to Azerbaijan in the early 17th century.

End of Safavid-Ottoman Wars

• The Qasri-Shirin contract signed in 1639 ended the Safavid-Ottoman conflict, restoring peace to Azerbaijan until the first half of the 18th century.
• Arabian Irak was given to the Ottomans according to Qasri- Shirin contract, and lands east of the Zanjir fortress were give to the Safavids.
• Safavids agreed not to attack Van, Kars and Ahalsikh.
• The Safavid Empire was divided into four beglerbegis in the second half of the 17th century.
• These four divisions were Tabriz, Chukursad (center was Irevan), Karabakh, and Shirvan.
• These beglerbegis were governed by rulers appointed by the shah.
• Rulers of provinces under these jurisdictions were called kolbeyi and economic matters were managed by viziers.
• Legal affairs were governed under shaikulislam, qazis, and muftis.
• volume of Azerbaijan-Russian trade increased with exports of satin, silk cloth, wool carpets, velvet, leather, copper, tin and paper from Azerbaijan to Russia.
• Russia supplied leather, copper, tin and broadcloth to Azerbaijan.
• Russia began constructing watchtowers in the North Caucasus to serve its strategic aims.
• These towers prompted protests at the palace of Shah Abbas II (1642-1666).
• There were clashes between Safavid military groups and Russians in 1653, lasting until 1662.
• To control Qizilbash silk trade, Russia signed a contract with the Safavid Empire in 1667, granting Russians duty-free trade within Safavid territories.
• Shah Suleiman's decree in 1667 ordered special respect for Russian merchants.
• In 1667, Don Cossack Stepan Razin reached the Caspian Sea, attacking Azerbaijan and Iran's provinces in the summer of 1668.
• Darband, Niyazabad, and Shabran were plundered, followed by Baku and Mashtagha, before raiding the Caspian Sea coast and returning with spoils.
• Russian leaders sought to expand southern borders of the state through invasions, maintain tension between Ottoman and Safavid empires, and saw the Caspian Sea as means of intervention into eastern countries.
• The ownership of the Dagestan territory caused tension in Safavid-Russian relations during the second half of the 17th century.
• State lands (divani), lands of the king and family (khalisa), and lands owned by military/civilians (tiyul) were the systems of ownership employed in Azerbaijan during the 17th century.
• Lands belonging to mosques (vaqf), private owned lands (mulk) and community lands (jamaat) were also property systems.
• State-owned (divan) and crown-owned (khalisa) lands were the two main forms of property.
• Income from state-owned lands was used for state expenses, while income from crown-owned lands was added royalty and spent with Shah’s permission.
• Ruling family income was from for their expenses and private land ownership allowed for free purchase/sale.
• Feudals seized lands owned by people.
• Peasants made up most of the producer and taxpayer class in the second half of the 17th century.
• Almost all known agricultural crops were grown in Azerbaijan.
• Turkish traveler Evliya Chelebi wrote of Tabriz residents cultivating 7 types of wheat,cotton, and grapes.
• Shirvan and Karabakh had sericulture.
• Flax was grown in small amounts in Baku .
• Madder (Qizilboya) was Common in Shirvan and coastal Southern Araz.
• Tobacco cultivated in Azerbaijan was brought over from the American continent by the Portuguese near end of the 17th century.
• Divided into Qizilbash aritsocrats, Supreme Shia Comfessors, Civil Aristocrats, Local Aristocrats, Azerbaijan's feaudal class had land ownership in the second half of the seventeenth century.

Azerbaijan Leaders

• Civil and local aristocrats' leader was called "sadr", they were considered to be the "head confessor" of the state
• Leader was was "navvab", deputy of shah.
• Qizilbash aristocrats preferred living within Azerbaijan
• Aristocrats had stronghold positions with in Karabakh and Shirvan
• Senior aristocrats held the title of "melik"
• In the society of Azerbaijan, tax-paying citizens were referred to as raiyyat, citizens, tax-paying citizens, farmerpeasant.
• Farmers (raiyyat) were required to pay taxes and levies to both feudal lords and the state.
• Farmers with animal and equipment for cultivation was called hampa, a class larger than the group of peasants requiring aid from feudal lords.
• Non-farming workers were called eker, and Elatlar did cattle-breeding and military service as required.
• Land and income was gathered from maljahat, bahra, and kharaj from peasant parts of Azerbaijan.
• The Bahra- tax was gathered on land for water usage
• The Jizya was levied on religious figures, which peasants obliged by state to assist in called biyar.
• Tabriz thrived in the seventeenth century, becoming the second largest city of the Azerbaijan empire with a population of around 500,000.
• Ganja was one of the largest Safavid cities as recorded by Travelers.
• In Shamakhi there was an earthquake on January 4, 1667, which destoyed the city.
• Baku stood as a city-fortress near port during the later half of the 17th Century.
• There was a tragic war in Julfa that struck during the seventeenth century, which lead to significant masters to city.
• Vizier's regulated local financial affairs by appointment, and obeyed central orders.
• Shariat laws were controlled under Dargha .
• Judicial matters were carried out by Qazi, a Kalantar oversaw internal affairs, and craftsman was overseen my Naib.
• Baku's Baku in 1683, Kempfer described rich detail of the city, as well as it's large oil wealth
• Smiths, weavers, potters, shoemakers, jewelers, and weapon makers and other craftsman were united under organizations or "asnaf."
• Craftsmen were divided into three groups; individual workers, private institutions and feudal organizations.
• Bazaar that had spread into Asia that most were in Tarbiz called "Qeysariyya".
• Used caravanserais to make trades in Azerbaijan
• Traded with thoroughbred horses that traded with the Ottomans, who provided silk, and dyes.
• Indian merchantscalled and worked over the borders of the Azerbaijan and India, which followed along the worshiping of fire.
• Used Surakhani, Absheron to practice temple worshipping

Azerbaijani Conflicts

• In the district of Azerbaijan, they performed good carries for travels through Russia via Europe.
• Dinar was the economic monetary unit around the 17th century.
• Safavid money began loosing value in the markets as Kempfer recorded.
• Due to failing power around economic events led to a fall in money
• Silk Road gradually declined in importance.
• Food shortages in Azerbaijan as well as attacks on store houses lead to warring
• The Qajar and Bayat tribes wages unpaid caused revolts in 1677
• Safavid, economic and political powers fell into disrepair near 18th.
• Ruler Shah ordered all money to be rendered to the government from tombs.
• Through taxation, the protest made the public react harshly, with a protest in 1707
• By 1711, people took more arms to protest, and fought to show their true selves in 1709.
• Shirvan rose due to feudals suppressing them, which lead the people into movement, even reaching Darband and Khudat.
• Central authorities were prison bound when sent to jail.
• Increased struggle in local and central regions, Haji escaped prison.
• There was a struggle from 1720 to 1721, Azerbaijan began suppressed more, with rebels escaping from prison.
• Shabran and Khudat was helped to have Haji.
• In a 10 days of August, rebels took Shamakhi.

Conflicts continued

• In Isfahan and Husein, troops lost due to 1722.
• Tanhmasp was forced into becoming astrabad's leader.
• Russian and Ottoman empires were now face to face with each other in the Caucasus.
• Riches grew smaller as powers of neighboring stars had grew to big to manage.
• Russia wanted full control over Azerbaijan, but Peter implemented plans as Peter I desired.
• Russia expanded with trade routes, to establish inner business.
• Russia wanted to have a plan in the Caucasus
• Peter desired a plan to prevent ottermans
• Peter desired to use resources to create wealth, like with kerosene and copper
• Near the mouth of River Kur, peter had intended a city like petersburg near peter i.
• In 1722, he started a march as a plan to release people from the Moslems suppression and give christians power.

Rising Russian Power

• August 15, 1722 the Russian navy hit Darban, the infantry entered to the gate of Aug 23.
• Imamqulu bek gave key to Russian tar.
• Around Europe, war began between Sweden and Russia, The Caspian Region struck hard into ottoman's palace.
• davud helped give mountain protect for the people from Russia.
• Matyushikin had great captured in Baku in 1722.
• There was fighting of ottermans that lead to rasht and occupied Baku .
• Ishmayilbek tried to untie with Russia to help them with military war for the Caspian war to protect the Russian, with Russia confirming.
• Trying to enforce policy in the land, many Russian factors preventing trade .
• Treaty with Istanbul, which used approve terms over to take terms for Russia
• Russia was able to give all that wasn't given near what it had.
• Shirvin declared that Ottomans was not a supporter
• Azerbaijan struggled as it turned into fights.
• Army forces were in the Caucasus that had problems with summer in 1724
• Ottoman also had claimed Kazakhstan
• Used army troops to strike from tabriz, as well as the ganda.
• Ardabil was also captured, even tho not apart of it.
• Celebrated there win together.
• By the orders given regions manage countries from Russia.
• Manage to receive taxes, which also was controlled by Russian officers.
• Owned Javad as of 12 27 in 1728, and Russia owned quba and tenge by Shamakhi.
• Peter wanted to have Armenia over areas given what city and they want, and was important for the community to be safe .
• Needed more forces so they needed to add areas to make up the territory.
• Peter needed so forces

Political manuevering

• Shirvian needed and armenia set a base over to help seize our area in order to make new terms.
• New laws were provided to Azer land, as the sanjaks were means flag in Turkish lang, .
• Military was set in stone during military operations, and was help by sarasgar.
• They released women and children to continue peace.
• During the late of 1730s, and state dramatically change, but there were constant battles around.
• Powers began to over throw areas around state and herat
• Powers began again Ottoman's empire and it's authority to take control under internal affairs by 1730, which left live in over region.
• The region under Khorasan made the news of march to the place .
• Peace began with ottoman territory over Azerbaijan.
• They did signed what they can do to sign with the territory.