The Role of the Shiah in the Political Movemonts of the Ghizilbash Sufis

The nomadic tribes and clans who inhabited Azerbijan, Arran, and Asia Minor, gradually turned to Shصah Islam. They, who had been bred in the sufi order of Ardabil from the time of Shaikh Safi ه ed ه Din Ardabili onwards, rose to defend their sufi order called Safaviyyeh)or the Safavids(. Later, they slowly inclined toward Politics and government distancing themselves from their original spiritual ideals. By establishing the Ghizilbash Union, they created their idealogical and military base. Then, by strengthening it, they succeeded to put on the throne Shah Esmail I as the founder of the Safavid dynasty. This historic event which was in line with lvan's unity and national identity was welcomed by the lranian public and finally spread the Safavid reign all over the country. Nevertheless, as all other dynasties, that at first come to power on a wave of ideal principles and then fall short of their early ideological aspirations, the Ghizilbash also was in the end overtaken by the luster of power and wealth. They interfered in social and political issues to such an extent that caused social unrest and their own final disintegration. Hence, Shah Abbas I pracically dissolved their union and yet, by substituting it whit a new organization called the Shahsavan, continued to give the Safavid monarchy the military protection it already enjoyed, in a different way.