Home Region: Iran (Southwest Asia)

Safavid Empire

1501 CE 1722 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 ir_safavid_emp / IrSafvd

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

1339 CE 1501 CE Ak Koyunlu (ir_ak_koyunlu) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity:

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General Description

The Safavid period of rule in Persia (1501-1722 CE) was begun by Shah Ismail (1501-1524 CE) and is known as a ’gunpowder empire’ due to the now widespread use of artillery and muskets on the battlefield. ^[1]
Shah Ismail, whose original power base was near the Caspian sea, began the conquest of Iran with the capture Tabriz from the Ak Koyunlu. He declared that the state religion was Shi’ia and the Safavids were decisive for the spread of Shi’ism in Iran.
While initially the governing system was "largely a continuation of its Aq Qoyunlu counterpart and its Turco-Mongolian traditions" ^[2] it eventually became a "highly centralized and complex bureaucratic system" ^[3] based at the Safavid court in the capital city. The highest officials of the Safavid court included the Vazir-e-azam (chief minister), Amir al-omard (commander in chief of the army, later titled Sepdhsdldr-e koll-e lasgar-e Iran), the Sadr (judiciary and religious minister), and vice-regent. ^[4]
As a defensive measure against Ottoman attacks Shah Tahmasp (1524-1576) moved the capital from Tabriz to Qazvin, but Shah Abbas I (1587-1629 CE) moved it again, further south, to a new monumental city at Isfahan. Under Shah Abbas Isfahan’s population grew to 200,000. ^[5] The rule of Shah Abbas I (1587-1629 CE) is widely thought of as representing the peak Safavid achievement. Incredible wealth acquired from the state monopoly over the silk trade, was spent on large-scale building works. Abbas also made key reforms to improve the administration and the army. ^[6] ^[7] ^[8]

[1]: (Haneda 1989, 62) Masashi Haneda. January 1, 1989. “The Evolution of the Safavid Royal Guard.” Iranian Studies 22, no. 2/3.

[2]: (Mitchell 2009, 29) Mitchell, Colin P. 2009. Practice of Politics in Safavid Iran, The: Power, Religion and Rhetoric. I.B. Tauris. London.

[3]: (Lambton 2011) Lambton, Ann K S. 2011. CITIES iii. Administration and Social Organization. Encyclopedia Iranica. http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/cities-iii

[4]: (Mousavi 2008, 23-24) Mohammad A. Mousavi. January 1, 2008. “The Autonomous State in Iran: Mobility and Prosperity in the Reign of Shah ’Abbas the Great (1587-1629).” Iran & the Caucasus 12, no. 1 doi:10.2307/25597352.

[5]: David Blow. 2009. Shah Abbas: The Ruthless King Who Became an Iranian Legend. London: I.B. Tauris, 2009, p.193.

[6]: (Matthee 2008) Rudi Matthee. 2008. ‘SAFAVID DYNASTY’. IranicaOnline. http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/safavids

[7]: (Savory 1967, 75) R M Savory. 1967, “The Sherley Myth.” Iran 5

[8]: (Ward 2009, 49) Steven R. Ward. 2009. Immortal: A Military History of Iran and Its Armed Forces (Washington, D.C: Georgetown University Press.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

3 Capital

2 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

3 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

2 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

3 Linguistic Family

3 Language

Religion

1 Religion Genus

1 Religion Family

1 Religion

1 Alternate Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

1 Occupational Complexity

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

1 Fastest Individual Communication

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions

11 Power Transition

Instability Events

70 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp) was in:
(1471 CE 1505 CE)	Southern Mesopotamia
(1505 CE 1533 CE)	Southern Mesopotamia / Susiana
(1533 CE 1722 CE)	Susiana

Home NGA: Susiana

General Variables

Identity and Location Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	39 S	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Original Name	Safavid Empire	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Capital	Tabriz	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Capital	Qazvin	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Capital	Isfahan	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Alternative Name	mamalik-i Iran	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Alternative Name	mamlikat-i Iran	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Temporal Bounds Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	1629 CE
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Duration	[1501 CE ➜ 1722 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	alliance with [---]	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Turco-Mongol	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Perso-Islamic	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Shia-Islamic	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Succeeding Entity	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	2,700,000 km²	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	elite migration	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Preceding Entity 1339 CE 1501 CE	Ak Koyunlu (ir_ak_koyunlu) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Language Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Linguistic Family	Semitic	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Linguistic Family	Afro-Asiatic	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Language	Persian	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Language	Turkic	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Language	Arabic	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Religion Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion Genus	Islam	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Religion Family	Shia	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Religion	Twelver	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Alternate Religion	Uncoded Undecided	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	200,000 people	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Polity Territory	2,700,000 km²	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Polity Population	9,000,000 people	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[4 to 5]	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Religious Level	[5 to 6]	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Military Level	[6 to 7]	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Administrative Level	6	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Professions Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Occupational Complexity	Uncoded Undecided	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Merit Promotion	Absent	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Examination System	Absent	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Law Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Judge	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Court	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Irrigation System	Present Inferred	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Port	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Canal	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Bridge	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Information / Writing System Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Script	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Sacred Text	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Practical Literature	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Philosophy	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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History	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Fiction	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Calendar	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Information / Money Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Precious Metal	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Paper Currency	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Article	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Information / Postal System Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	1501 CE 1722 CE
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General Postal Service	Absent	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Courier	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Fastest Individual Communication	- Undecided	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Information / Measurement System Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Modern Fortification	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moat	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Ditch	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Military use of Metals Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Iron	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Copper	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Bronze	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Projectiles Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present Inferred	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Present Inferred	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Sling	Absent Inferred	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Self Bow	Absent Inferred	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Javelin	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Crossbow	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Handheld weapons Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Sword	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Spear	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Polearm	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Dagger	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Animals used in warfare Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Elephant	Absent Inferred	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Donkey	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Dog	Absent	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Camel	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Armor Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Shield	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Scaled Armor	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Plate Armor	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Limb Protection	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Laminar Armor	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Helmet	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Chainmail	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Breastplate	Present Inferred	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Naval technology Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Unknown Suspected	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	1501 CE 1722 CE
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Human Sacrifice Safavid Empire (ir_safavid_emp)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More