MarshalBraginsky
Banned
The Safavids were famous for unifying the Persian lands for the first time since the Muslim conquest and gained a reputation for converting the Persian Sunnis into Twelve House branch of Shia Islam. Furthermore, they seem to be the tolerant bunch who were probably good towards Christians, Jews and possibly many more. Although I'm not sure if it was true that the Hapsburg rulers of Europe were chummy towards them due to their hatred of the Ottoman Empire.
However, there were other potential (though existing rulers) who had existing dynasties that were present, ranging from:
- Marashiyans
- Kara Koyunlu plus other Qizilbash
- Paduspanids
- Mihrabanids
- Afrasiabs
As well as the (in)famous Timurids that also ruled Persia.
Was there any time when the Safavids could have been prevented from taking over Persia and replaced by either one of the five existing Persian domains above? Could Persia have remained a Sunni Muslim state and still maintained its connections to other Iranic groups like the Tajiks, Pashtuns, Baloch and Pamiris? Or could Persia have been united from a rather different kind of Sunni or Shia Muslim dynasty that came from the East (Afghanistan)?
However, there were other potential (though existing rulers) who had existing dynasties that were present, ranging from:
- Marashiyans
- Kara Koyunlu plus other Qizilbash
- Paduspanids
- Mihrabanids
- Afrasiabs
As well as the (in)famous Timurids that also ruled Persia.
Was there any time when the Safavids could have been prevented from taking over Persia and replaced by either one of the five existing Persian domains above? Could Persia have remained a Sunni Muslim state and still maintained its connections to other Iranic groups like the Tajiks, Pashtuns, Baloch and Pamiris? Or could Persia have been united from a rather different kind of Sunni or Shia Muslim dynasty that came from the East (Afghanistan)?