The Safavid Empire
In the early 1500s the Safavid dynasty was founded by Shāh Esmāil. Shāh was the descendant of Safi ad-Din, the leader of a community of Turkish ethnic groups. The Safavid Empire controlled much of Iran and Iraq. They also conquered Persia and areas to the west. They were known as the beginning of modern Persian history. The religion of the people of the Safavid dynasty was Twelver Shia Islam. The empire of Safavid would fall in 1722. ~ Marcus Humphreys