Safawid epigraphy in Isfahan : the Masjid-i Shah

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dc.contributor.authorKhoury, Nuha Nairn Nasrallahen_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-14T18:31:48Z
dc.date.available2024-08-14T18:31:48Z
dc.date.copyright1983en_US
dc.date.issued1983
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of History in Art
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Art History and Visual Studies
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts M.A.en
dc.description.abstractThe New Isfahan of Shah 'Abbas I is a reflection of hi s plans for a new Iran. Shah 'Abbas adopted Isfahan as his capital in 1597-98 and developed the provincial ci ty into a sophisticated urban center. In 1611 A.D. the Royal Mosque or Masjid-i Shah was added to Isfahan. In a city known as 'half the world', this mosque was regarded as 'the second Ka'ba. The Masjid-i Shah conforms to the four-eyvan plan typical of large mosques. Its distinguishing feature is the vast body of epigraphs which covers its surfaces. These epigraphs are scattered over the portal, the minars, the eyvans, domes and mihrabs. Collectively, they form a strong argument in support of Shah 'Abbas' Safawid regime, his national and international reforms. The inscriptions of the Royal Mosque rely on both hadith and Qur'an. The hadith is composed of various incidents in support of the caliphate of the Prophet Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law and the Safawids' chief ancestor: 'Ali b. Abi Taleb. The Qur'anic citations are used as proof for the arguments of the hadith and as evidence of 'Ali's superiority. The main purpose of the entire program is the reinstitution of both temporal and religious authority to one deserving person, a descendant of the Prophet and protector of Shi'ism, Shah 'Abbas. While Shah 'Abbas and his dynasty adhered to the Ithna 'Ashari Shi'i sect, their primary enemies were orthodox or Sunni Muslims. The wars between the Safawids and the Ottomans were declared holy jihad by each of the opposing parties. As each empire struggled to maintain its legitimacy within an Islamic context, religious argument played an increasingly important role. Religious opinions became a form of propaganda performing the double purpose of upholding one regime while attacking the other. It is in this period that the Masjid-i Shah was built and complemented with its epigraphs. From the information offered by the inscriptions we may begin to see that the epigraphs are not the only form of propaganda, rather the mosque itself is a monument built for the propagation of Shah 'Abbas' ideals and as a reflection of his power.
dc.format.extent343 pages
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/18469
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.titleSafawid epigraphy in Isfahan : the Masjid-i Shahen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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