Erotic images from Greece and Rome, £16.99
Shah 'Abbas – the image of a ruler
Shah 'Abbas was restless, decisive, ruthless and intelligent. Within two years of usurping the throne from his father, he ordered the assassination of the guardian who had helped him. He would also kill, or blind, three of his five sons so that they would not overthrow him, as he had overthrown his father. Yet despite his ruthlessness, he mixed with his subjects and enjoyed feasting and elaborate entertainments.
‘The character of the Shah contains some
contradictions; for instance, his fiery temper, his imperiousness,
his majesty and regal splendour are matched by his mildness,
leniency, his ascetic way of life, and his informality. He is
equally at home on the dervish’s mat and the royal
throne.’
Iskandar Munshi Beg, Safavid biographer,
1629
Unlike Europe, where the image of a monarch
would appear on coins and in sculpture in public places, the only
portraits of Shah 'Abbas were either p
roduced by
non-Iranian artists or for privately-owned albums. Calligraphy
(which means beautiful writing) on coins and buildings was the main
method by which he could display his name and titles to his
subjects.
He was also keen to create a lasting visual
style for his empire that would be associated with him rather than
the rulers who came before him. As well as new buildings in
Isfahan, Shah 'Abbas also used architecture to promote Shi'ism as
the state religion of Iran, and in the process undertook skilful
acts of public relations to promote an image of piety to his
subjects. He renovated Shi'i shrines and presented them with
collections of precious items.
Charity is one of the five Pillars of Islam
and public donations to shrines are particularly pious. These
waqf (charitable donations) were an important aspect of
Shah 'Abbas’s reign and in 1608 he announced a major donation to
the Ardabil Shrine. The donation consisted of Chinese porcelains,
Persian poetic and historical manuscripts, jades, and other
precious objects. He made similar gifts to shrines at Qu
m and Mashhad.
The Shrine of Imam Riza at Mashhad in northeast Iran contains the tomb of 'Ali ibn Musa al-Riza, the eighth Shi`i Imam – a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad – who died in AD 818 near the city. Imam Riza is the only Shi'i Imam buried in Iran and therefore his tomb is hugely important to Shi’i Iranians. During most of Shah 'Abbas’s reign, the Ottoman Turks controlled the popular pilgrimage sites in Iraq and Mecca and Medina. Shah 'Abbas first visited the shrine as shah in 1598 and promoted Mashhad as an alternative pilgrimage site, advancing the idea that visiting Mashhad provided the same spiritual benefits as going on the hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
More information about the objects featured here (from top):
- Silver 'Abbasi coin of the Safavid Dynasty
- Album page with a couplet of poetry
- Pouring vessel, by the craftsman Mahmu Micmar-i Yazdi
- Painting of an
old pilgrim, by an anonymous artist