Meet the Qizilbash, the "Redheads" who were the Shi’i, Sufi military backbone of the Safavid Empire! ?️ Mostly composed of Azerbaijani tribes, they were essential to the conquests of Ismail I, the first Safavid Shah, who solidified Iran as a Shi’i stronghold. Known for their mounted archery and conservatism, their political power eventually made them a threat to later Shahs like Abbas I, leading to their decline as the Safavids modernized their army. #Qizilbash #SafavidEmpire #HistoryShorts #Christos #IranianHistory #ShiiIslam #Azerbaijan #Sufism #MilitaryTribes #IsmailI #OttomanEmpire #PersianHistory #HistoricalFacts #Safavids