Safavi
Encyclopedia
Safavi is a Persian
surname, best known as the surname of the royal family of the Safavid Dynasty
.
Safavi is an adjective, created for the name "Safi". Translated to English, "Safavi" would correspond roughly to "Safi-ish" or "Safidian"
"Safavi" is the correct Persian language
reference to "Safi", the name of Sheikh Safi-ad-din Ardabili. Similarly we speak of "Edwardian", when making a reference to the era affiliated with king Edward
. Sheikh Safi's descendants have been going by this name for 770 years. There are numerous bearers of the name "Safavi" thriving in modern day Iran
, who claim descent from Sheikh Safi or any of his royal heirs.
Many Safavis can still be found in East Azerbaijan, Ardebil Province and Isfahan Province – the former capital of the Safavid dynasty
– and can also be found in Mashhad
, Razavi Khorasan province. Safavis can also be found all across Iran
. Another branch of the family is found in Kashmir
.
(of which Sheikh Safi is the Eponym
), is likewise referred to as "Safavi" by Persian speakers. The "d" at the end of "Safavid" was added by the principle of analogy with the Greek-derived names of several ancient dynasties, such as the Achaemenid dynasty and the Sassanid dynasty, based on the oblique cases of the Greek names. The English adjective "Safavid" and the name "Safavids" for the dynasty, and the corresponding forms in many European languages, are therefore based on a redundant application of adjective-forming rules.
The names "Safavid/Safavids" are well-established in the English language, however, and have become legitimate terms. When added to a Shah's name however, the original "Safavi", without the "d" at the end, must always be retained, e.g., Shah Ismail I Safavi.
There was a brach of the Safavi Family (direct descendants of Shah Abbas) that settled in parts of Northern and Central India under the titles "Abbasi" and "Alavi".
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
surname, best known as the surname of the royal family of the Safavid Dynasty
Safavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty was one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Persian empires since the Muslim conquest of Persia and established the Twelver school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning...
.
Etymology
Some have argued that Safavi is a cognate of the word "Safaviyeh". And that "Safa" is a cognate of the word Sufi.Safavi is an adjective, created for the name "Safi". Translated to English, "Safavi" would correspond roughly to "Safi-ish" or "Safidian"
"Safavi" is the correct Persian language
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
reference to "Safi", the name of Sheikh Safi-ad-din Ardabili. Similarly we speak of "Edwardian", when making a reference to the era affiliated with king Edward
Edward
Edward is an English given name. It is derived from Old English words ead and weard...
. Sheikh Safi's descendants have been going by this name for 770 years. There are numerous bearers of the name "Safavi" thriving in modern day Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, who claim descent from Sheikh Safi or any of his royal heirs.
Many Safavis can still be found in East Azerbaijan, Ardebil Province and Isfahan Province – the former capital of the Safavid dynasty
Safavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty was one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Persian empires since the Muslim conquest of Persia and established the Twelver school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning...
– and can also be found in Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
, Razavi Khorasan province. Safavis can also be found all across Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. Another branch of the family is found in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
.
Safavid
The term "Safavid", as in Safavid DynastySafavid dynasty
The Safavid dynasty was one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. They ruled one of the greatest Persian empires since the Muslim conquest of Persia and established the Twelver school of Shi'a Islam as the official religion of their empire, marking one of the most important turning...
(of which Sheikh Safi is the Eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
), is likewise referred to as "Safavi" by Persian speakers. The "d" at the end of "Safavid" was added by the principle of analogy with the Greek-derived names of several ancient dynasties, such as the Achaemenid dynasty and the Sassanid dynasty, based on the oblique cases of the Greek names. The English adjective "Safavid" and the name "Safavids" for the dynasty, and the corresponding forms in many European languages, are therefore based on a redundant application of adjective-forming rules.
The names "Safavid/Safavids" are well-established in the English language, however, and have become legitimate terms. When added to a Shah's name however, the original "Safavi", without the "d" at the end, must always be retained, e.g., Shah Ismail I Safavi.
There was a brach of the Safavi Family (direct descendants of Shah Abbas) that settled in parts of Northern and Central India under the titles "Abbasi" and "Alavi".