Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Sultan Husayn so͝oltänˈ ho͞osānˈ [key], d. 1729, Safavid shah of Persia (1694–1722). A weak and superstitious man, Shah Sultan Husayn was surrounded by astrologers and fanatics and was able to...

(Encyclopedia) Bandar Abbas bändärˈ äb-bäsˈ [key], city, S Iran, on the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian ...

(Encyclopedia) Aga Muhammad Khan or Agha Muhammad Khan both: äˈgämo͞ohämˈmäd khän [key], 1742–97, shah of Persia, founder of the Qajar dynasty. He was emasculated by family enemies at the age of five. He w...

(Encyclopedia)  CE5 Iran ēränˈ, ĭrănˈ [key], officially Islamic Republic of Iran, republic (2015 est. pop. 79,360,000), 636,290 sq mi (1,648,000 sq km), SW Asia. The country's name was changed from Persia to...

(Encyclopedia) Firdausi or Ferdowsi both: fərdouˈsē [key], c.940–1020, principal Persian poet, author of the Shah Namah [the book of kings], the great Persian epic. His original name was Abul Kasim Mansur; he i...

(Encyclopedia) Safavid säfäˈwēd [key], Iranian dynasty (1499–1736), that established Shiite Islam in Iran as an official state religion. The Safavid state provided both the territorial and societal foundations...

(Encyclopedia) Firishta or Ferishta both: fĭrĭshtăˈ [key], c.1560–c.1620, Indian Muslim historian. His given name was Muhammad Kasim Hindu Shah. Under the patronage of the shah of Bijapur, he wrote a history o...

(Encyclopedia) Nasir ad-Din näˈsər äd-dēn [key], 1831?–1896, shah of Persia (1848–96). He and his able vizier, Mirza Taqi Khan, were responsible for shaking Persia from a long period of inertia. He traveled...

(Encyclopedia) Sher Khan shä [key], 1486–1545, Afghan ruler in N India. He enlisted in the service of the Mughal leader Babur when the latter invaded India and became governor of Bihar. After Babur's death, howev...

(Encyclopedia) Tahmasp Kuli Khan: see Nadir Shah. ...