Abbas II of Persia
Encyclopedia
Shah Abbas II (born 31 December 1632; died 25/26 October 1666) was Shah
of Iran
from 1642 to 1666. He was the seventh Shah of the Safavid Dynasty
. He was the son of Shah Safi I
and a Circassian, Anna Khanum, and originally bore the name Sultan Muhammed Mirza before his coronation on May 15, 1642. Since he was less than ten years old when he became shah, the job of governing Persia was placed in the hands of the grand vizier
Saru Taqi, while Abbas concentrated on his education.
Saru Taqi led a drive against corruption and made many enemies. On October 11, 1645 he was assassinated by a group of army officers. He was succeeded by Khalifa Sultan, who held the office of grand vizier until his death in 1653 or 1654.
Unlike his father, Abbas took an active interest in government once he began to rule for himself (probably around age 15). His reign was relatively peaceful and is significant for being free of any Ottoman
attack. In 1648 Abbas managed to conquer Kandahar
and hold it against attacks by Mughal India (Mughal–Safavid War
). He died in Khusruabad near Damghan
on the night of 25–26 October 1666. The early death of this capable ruler was greatly regretted.
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
from 1642 to 1666. He was the seventh Shah of the Safavid Dynasty
Safavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty was one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Persian empires since the Muslim conquest of Persia and established the Twelver school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning...
. He was the son of Shah Safi I
Safi of Persia
Shah Safi was Shah of Iran from 1629 to 1642. He was the sixth ruler of the Safavid dynasty.Safi was given the name Sam Mirza when he was born. He was the son of Mohammed Baqir Mirza, the eldest son of Shah Abbas I, and Dilaram Khanum, a Georgian wife. In 1615, Abbas had Mohammed Baqir killed,...
and a Circassian, Anna Khanum, and originally bore the name Sultan Muhammed Mirza before his coronation on May 15, 1642. Since he was less than ten years old when he became shah, the job of governing Persia was placed in the hands of the grand vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
Saru Taqi, while Abbas concentrated on his education.
Saru Taqi led a drive against corruption and made many enemies. On October 11, 1645 he was assassinated by a group of army officers. He was succeeded by Khalifa Sultan, who held the office of grand vizier until his death in 1653 or 1654.
Unlike his father, Abbas took an active interest in government once he began to rule for himself (probably around age 15). His reign was relatively peaceful and is significant for being free of any Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
attack. In 1648 Abbas managed to conquer Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
and hold it against attacks by Mughal India (Mughal–Safavid War
Mughal–Safavid War (1649–1653)
The Mughal–Safavid War of 1649-1653 was fought between the Mughal and Safavid Empires in the territory of modern Afghanistan. The war started after a Persian army, while the Mughals were at war with the Janid Uzbeks, captured the fortress city of Kandahar and other strategic cities that controlled...
). He died in Khusruabad near Damghan
Damghan
Damghan is a city in and capital of Damghan County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 57,331, in 15,849 families.Damghan is situated from Tehran on the high-road to Mashad, at an elevation of...
on the night of 25–26 October 1666. The early death of this capable ruler was greatly regretted.
Sources
- The Cambridge History of Iran Volume 6, edited by William Bayne Fisher (1968)