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IRAN
AND THE WORLD IN THE SAFAVID AGE
Abstracts
Dahmardeh, Dr. Barat,
University of Sistan & Baluchistan, Department of History,
Faculty of Literature & Humanities, Zahedan, Sheibani
Uzbeks, Mughals and
Safavids in Sistan: The Struggle for
Domination, 1589-1622
This article aims to
study the politics of Safavids, Uzbeks and Mughals in Sistan.
Questions raised are:
i) What were the most
important factors that linked the Mihrabanid Maliks and the
Safavids and how did political interaction between them develop
and with what results?
ii) What was the
political, social and economic impact of the Uzbek attacks on
Sistan?
iii) What were the
factors that drew the Sistan Maliks to the Indian Mughals?
The Mihrabanid Maliks had
ruled Sistan since the 13th century.
They had fled to the Sarhad (northern Baluchistan) owing to
Timurid and Uzbek military pressure at the end of the fifteenth
century. When the
Safavids were victorious over the Uzbeks at Merv (1510), the
Maliks returned to Sistan. The Maliks gave allegiance to the Safavids because of their
superior military power. Although
the Safavids supported their continued rule, they nevertheless
intended to control the Maliks by sending a representative to
Sistan. In spite of this situation the Maliks wanted to establish
their independence at the first opportunity.
This was demonstrated by, for example, the expulsion of the
Safavid representative from Sistan and the Maliks' support of Sam
Mirza, Shah Tahmasb's brother (1536).
These actions led to Safavid military retaliation that
resulted in the direct Safavid rule in Sistan for 42 years.
Despite the Mihrabanid
Maliks' flight to the Sarhad after the failed revolt in 1536, they
did not give up their dream of coming back to Sistan.
However, Safavid military power prevented this.
When Shah Tahmasp died (1576) and internal problems
resulted in Safavid weakness, the Mihrabanid Maliks began to expel
the Safavid troops from Sistan, conquered some of the neighbouring
areas and proclaimed their independence.
Although the time was favourable for increasing the Maliks'
domain, internal disputes and conflicts with the governors of
Qandahar and Zamindavar thwarted this ambition.
The Maliks, however, were able to sever their relations
with the Safavids and to cooperate with other regional powers.
When the Uzbeks attacked
Sistan, the then-reigning Malik Jalal al-Din tried to avoid
subjugation by offering to recognize their over-lordship.
However, Uzbek efforts to militarily occupy Sistan
prevented any agreement. The
ten-year period of Uzbek attacks caused many political, social and
economical problems for Sistan and, consequently, many people
migrated from Sistan to other regions such as Qandahar.
Because of Uzbek attacks in eastern Iran, the governors of
Zamindavar and Qandahar joined forces with the Mughals, but Malik
Jalal al-Din still held out. However, continued Uzbek military pressure, Safavid weakness,
lack of military support, and internal disagreements, forced him
to join the Mughals.
Although the Sultan Akbar
tried to conquer Sistan he was unable to consolidate his gains
because of Shah Abbas I's victory against the Uzbeks at Rubat
Pariyan (1598). Shah
Abbas I, who was angered with Malik Jalal al-Din because he had
joined the Mughals, was not ready to give him Sistan.
However, in view of Sistan`s devastation and destruction,
the people's loyalty to the Maliks and the presence of Malik Hamza,
son of Malik Jalal al-Din, together with thousands of Sistani
families in Qandahar who could create difficulties in eastern
Iran, Shah Abbas changed his mind and decided to give the
governorship of Sistan to him.
This decision and Safavid military power transformed Sistan
into an Iranian province.
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