Ottoman–Persian Treaties

Abstract

In the sixteenth century, the Ottoman Empire was one of the most powerful states in the world. Starting from the seventeenth century the empire gradually entered into an age of comprehensive stagnation and decline. From the early 1500s until the mid‐nineteenth century there were many conflicts, wars, and ensuing armistice and/or peace treaties between the Ottoman Empire and the Persians. One of the most important issues was the representation of Muslim populations throughout the world. Sultans of the Ottoman Empire claimed to be the protector of all Muslims in the world (halife‐i ru‐yi Zemin); however, Persian rulers, as the forerunner of the Shiite sect of Islam, did not recognize this authority. In addition to this disagreement on identity and authority, some economic issues, trade embargoes, domination over Eastern Anatolia, the Caucasus, and Mesopotamia were important factors in these conflicts, diplomatic initiatives, and peace treaties.