Army and war in Safavid Iran

In this study, the issue of the transformation of the Safavid army from the traditional structure based on the Qizilbash-Turcoman tribes to a more organized, crowded and modern structure in which firearms are widely used has been mentioned. The factors that hinder and accelerate the transformation have been tried to be analyzed through the data obtained from various historical sources such as chronicles, travel books and ghazavatnamehs. Revealing the effects of military transformation on strategy and border policy and chasing its reflections on tactical practices on the battlefield are among the main objectives of this study. In the researches carried out for these purposes, it has been understood that the Safavids adapted to the military developments of the period, albeit belatedly, and restructured their armies by making progress in artillery, transition to infantry order and fortification. Depending on this development, it has been determined that the Safavid army increased its competitiveness against external threats, expanded the operation area within its territory, put an end to the revolts of local forces and contributed to the centralization process of the state. Other conclusions reached in the study are that the Safavid State never gave up trying the new combat methods and tactics of the period in the field, and served as an important bridge in the transfer of military technology from the west to the east. It is possible that the state's subsequent collapse in the process can be explained by the erosion of traditional values such as bravery, as well as the reluctance to fight and indifference to military developments brought about by the long-term peace environment that has been experienced recently.