The longest-lasting Shia dynasty since the Arab conquest of Iran some eight hundred years earlier, established in northern Iran in 1501 by a Sufi master, Ismail Safavi. Their rule lasted to 1765. In their early days, they successfully resisted pressure from the Ottoman (Sunni) Empire; later, they collapsed under the combined pressure of Russian and Ottoman power.- Category ID : 459939
An account of the dynasty, their roots in opposition to the Al Khanids, their adherence to Shia belief and practice, and their decline. Includes a list of rulers and dates.