Ottoman-Safavid Relations according to Evliya Chelebi's Travelogue

The Ottoman Empire was a great state that established sovereignty over three continents and continued its existence for more than six centuries. The Safavid Empire was a great Turkish state that ruled over vast lands, primarily Iran and Azerbaijan, for two and a half centuries. These two states, being neighbors, tried to establish sovereignty over the same lands and the regions that were captured in the wars that lasted for years changed hands constantly. The Safavid State, which was established in the geography of Azerbaijan at the beginning of the XVI century, has struggled politically, religiously and economically with the Ottoman State, which was established more than two centuries ago. As a result of these struggles, great changes have taken place in the borders and structures of the above-mentioned states. Sometimes, in the bilateral relations where peace is sometimes dominated by war, while the denominational factor is at the forefront in the beginning, political and economic concerns have prevented sectarian concerns. Although the wars between the two states were written about by historians of both sides, very few sources provide information about how relations were conducted in times of peace. Here, Evliya Chelebi, which we will use as our main source, did not only describe the political relations between the two powers; he also included many areas such as social, cultural, economic, sectarian, etc. in his work. Evliya Chelebi was in the Safavid lands both on official duties and as a traveler. He was sent to the Persian lands for issues such as the surrender of a rebel lord under Ottoman rule, the smooth progression of caravan trade, the prevention of encroachment on border lands, the recovery of usurped goods, and the rescue of a lord captured by the Safavids. He also made great efforts to ensure that bilateral relations were carried out peacefully. Key words: Evliya Chelebi, travel, Ottoman, Azerbaijan, Safavid, Kızılbash.