Abbas I (Iran)

Sometimes called Abbas the Great (1571-1629), Safavid shah of Iran (1588-1629). He began his rule by ceding lands to the Uzbeks and the Ottomans in order to gain time to establish a standing army. Beginning in 1588, however, Abbas won back all the ceded territory, and by 1623 he ruled over an empire extending from the Tigris to the Indus River. A superb administrator, Abbas also encouraged commerce and industry. He maintained a lavish court and was a patron of the arts, which flourished during his reign as never before. A zealous builder, Abbas also rebuilt Esfahan, which he made his capital; many of the city's most splendid edifices date from his time.