Study Guide for Morgan, "Shah Isma'il and the Establishment of Shi'ism"

  • Morgan focuses on the origins of the Safavids in Iran, with Shah Isma'il, and his imposition of Shi'ism on a predominantly Sunni Iranian population. What were the intellectual and political origins of the Safavids?
  • Why did Shah Isma'il pick Twelver Shi'ism?
  • What were the long-term effects of this choice?
  • What were the major characteristics of his policy towards the Ottomans? towards his eastern neighbors?