ESFAHAN

also spelled Isfahan major city of the Seljuq Turks (11th12th century) and of the Safavid dynasty of Iran (16th18th century), now a major city in west central Iran. It lies on the Zayandeh River, about 210 miles (340 km) south of Tehran. Little is known of Esfahan before Sasanian times (c. AD 224c. 651). In the 4th century a colony of Jews was said to have been established in the suburb of Yahudiyeh. When the Arabs captured Esfahan in 642, they made it the capital of al-Jibal province. Toghrl Beg, the Turkish conqueror and founder of the Seljuq dynasty, made Esfahan the capital of his domains in the mid-11th century; under his grandson Malik-Shah I (reigned 107392), the city grew in size and splendour. After the fall of the Seljuq dynasty (c. 1200), Esfahan temporarily declined. The city's golden age began in 1598 when Shah 'Abbas I the Great (reigned 15881629) made it his capital and rebuilt it into one of the largest and most beautiful cities of the 17th century. In the centre of the city he created the immense Meydan-i Shah (Royal Square) as well as the noted Masjid-i Sh ah (Royal Mosque), which was not finished until after his death, and the Masjid-i Sheykh Lotfollah (Lotfollah Mosque). In 1722 the Ghilzay Afghans took the city after a long siege. For many years the greater part of the city was a heap of rubble, and its population dwindled to a fraction of what it had once been. Recovery began during the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi (192541). An industrial quarter was built, and many of the historic buildings were restored. Esfahan, a major textile centre, is well known for its handicrafts and traditional manufactures of tiles, rugs, and cotton fabrics. More modern industries include steelmaking and petroleum refining. The city is the home of Esfahan University (established 1936). Pop. (1985 est.) 1,121,200.