Campaigns of Ismail I

In the early sixteenth century, Persian conqueror Shah Ismail (1487 – 1524) embarked on a series of campaigns within the Greater Iran region that led to the establishment of the Safavid Empire. He was the first native Iranian monarch since late antiquity to achieve dominion over the entirety of Iran (and beyond it). This article provides an overview of Ismail's wars.

In the initial seven years of Ismail’s reign, the Qizilbash dominated almost entirely, holding key governmental and military posts. Yet, upon reaching maturity, Ismail began appointing certain roles to native Persian-speaking individuals, referred to then as "Tajiks." This move aimed to counterbalance the Qizilbash’s authority and limit their control.