Description:
(Shah of Iran (1501-1524)) Ismail I was the founder and first shah of Safavid Iran, ruling from 1501 until his death in 1524. He established the Safavid Empire, one of the greatest Iranian empires in history, reasserting Iranian identity and expanding the empire's territories to include present-day Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and parts of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. Ismail I proclaimed Twelver Shia Islam as the official religion, leading to significant religious changes in the Middle East. He was also a skilled poet contributing to Azerbaijani and Persian literature.
