Political system, socio-economical and cultural

progress of Safavid empire.

The main direction of internal policy of Shah Ismail I was the
idea of establishing central powerful empire. That empire was known
as Safavid empire. The empire was ruled by shah who had
unlimited power. He was considered ecclesiastical leader of shias
at the same time.
There was Supreme parliament as a consultant of shah. During first
Safavid period, lawyer who was deputy of shah in worldly and
religious issues, was considered the second person in the empire. The
first time in Safavid empire, Shah Ismail’s tutor Husein bek Shamli
was charged of that duty.
Head commander in Safavid empire was amir-ul-umara. The basis of
military power of the empire consisted of special military groups
as known cherik that were Azerbaijani tribes. Qorchubashi was
their leader. Civil problems was led by vizier. He was engaged in
fiscal problems and controlled income-outcome. Religious offices
were led by sadr (chairman). Judicial issues was carrying on the basis of
shariat. Gazi was the judge in court. Territory of Safavid empire
administratively divided into beylerbeyis and beylerbeyis were
divided into mahals (districts). Beylerbeyis were chosen by ruler and
they should be Azerbaijan military aristocrats. They sent gathered taxes
from people to the depository and kept certain military force.
According to the shah’s order, beylerbeyis were responsible
participating in military marches. They had great independency in
internal issues. At the first part of the XVI century Azerbaijan was
consisted of three beylerbeyis: Shirvan which center is Shamakhi,
Karabakh which center is Ganja, The south lands which center is
Tabriz. Districts were led by naibs who chosen by beylerbeyis. Villages
were led by kantkhudas, cities were led by kalantars. Dargha who
controls emergency in the city, was dependent on kalantar.
At the first part of the XVI century there were five land property form
in Azerbaijan: state lands (divan), lands of shah’s family (khass),
feudal lands (tiyul), private lands of feudals (mulk), lands of religious
offices (vagf). Conducting policy that centralizes state power, first
Safavid rulers (shahs) were trying to diminish soyurgal land property
and gave lands as tiyul. Owner of tiyul- tiyuldar was responsible to
serve to the state; tiyuldar had right to take some part of the income
that comes from the land given to him. Tiyul could be inherit, only
with the permission of shah.
At the second part of the XVI century-the first part of the XVII century
the main work of Azerbaijan people was agriculture. Seven kind of
cotton was cultivated in Azerbaijan. In 1565 Tahmasp I canceled tax
of tamga (approximately 80 thousand tumens) which gathered from all
districts. It had positive impact on development of craftsmanship and
trade.
“Shaikh Safi carpet” was knitted by the order of Shah Tahmasp I in
1539, holds in the museum of “Victoria and Albert”.
There opened huge library in Tabriz in the XVI century. Shah Ismail I
sent mathematician and astronomer Qiyaseddin to Maragha for
restorating of Maragha observatory. Notable Azerbaijan historian
Isgender bek Munshi was the historian of Shah Abbas I.
Shaikh Junayd mausoleum which built in Hazra village of Kusar
district in 1544, the bridge which constructed over the Alinja river
in Nakhchevan, Eastern gates of Baku, Ardabil and Tabriz
monuments were the memorials of the XVI century. Azerbaijan
musical civilization also progressed in the XVI century. Hafiz Lala
was the eminent songster of the XVI century.