born July 17, 1487, Ardab 012B; l, Azer.
died May 23, 1524, Ardab 012B; l, 1E62; afavid Iran
Shah of Iran (150124) and founder of the Safavid dynasty .
Born into a Sh 012B; 02BD; ite family with close ties to the Sunnite Sufi tradition, he became head of a Sh 012B; 02BD; ite military force, the Kizilbash, at age 14. He captured Tabr 012B; z in 1501 and proclaimed himself shah of Iran, bringing the whole country and portions of modern-day Iraq under his control. In 1510 his troops defeated the Sunnite Uzbeks. His proclamation of Sh 012B; 02BD; ism as the official creed prompted the staunchly Sunnite sultan of the Ottoman Empire to order an invasion of Iran in 1514. Ism 0101; 02BD; 012B; l lost the Battle of Chaldiran, but mutiny among the Ottoman troops forced their withdrawal. The conflict between the 1E62; afavids and their Sunnite neighbours continued for over a century.