Background of the Expansion of Silk Trade in the Persian Gulf based on Expanding Commercial Relationships with Europeans during the Reign of Shah Abbas I

Silk production and trade have a long history in Iran. Particularly, in the Safavid era and during the reign of shah Abbas I, through giving the exclusive right of silk trade to the king and the thriving of related industries, the economy of the country greatly flourished. Shah Abbas I intended to transfer the major part of the country’s commercial activities to the Persian Gulf for to some political and economic reasons. To accomplish this task, he expanded the political and commercial relationships of the country with Europeans and seized control of the Persian Gulf through deporting the Portuguese from its economic center or Hormoz. This marked the beginning of the expansion of the commercial activities of large companies in the Persian Gulf and, as a result of this huge accomplishment, Bandar Abbas, in particular, experienced great development and prosperity for several decades.