This year is the 500th
anniversary of the Battle of Chaldiran that took place on 23 August 1514. The
Ottomans led by Selim 1st decisively defeated the Persian Safavids
led by Shah Ismail.
Selim came to the Ottoman throne by
overthrowing his father Bayezid II and winning the subsequent civil war against
his brothers. The Persian Safavids were Shia Muslims and encouraged a revolt in
Ottoman Anatolia. Selim put down the rebellion with great force and advanced on
Persia. The Safavids were also being invaded by the Uzbeks in the east, so they
retreated in the face of the Ottoman army. The Ottomans caught them at
Chaldiran in modern day northwestern Iran.
The Ottomans deployed their heavy
artillery and Janissaries behind a barrier of carts. The Safavids attacked the
Ottoman wings with their cavalry in an unsuccessful effort to avoid the Ottoman
firepower. The Safavid army was primarily armed with traditional weapons and
suffered heavy casualties as a consequence.
After their victory the Ottomans
captured the Safavid capital Tabriz, which they pillaged and then abandoned,
but secured permanent control over the far eastern part of Anatolia and also
over northern Iraq. Shah Ismail did not take part in any
further military engagements for the rest of his reign, delegating the fighting
to his generals.
The Safavids
learned from this battle and adopted firepower infantry and artillery in
addition to their traditional horse archers, many of whom were actually Turkish
tribes.
Here are some Safavids from my collection.
Foot archers
Camel gunners
Cavalry
Musketeers (reforms after Chaldiran)
Qizilbashes (Elite cavalry)
The figures are mostly from the Essex range.
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