The Safavid Sufi Order

A thirteen century Orthodox Sunni Sufi Order. Named after Sheikh Safi ud-Din (he was the ancestor of the Safavid Kings, Shah Ismail, Shah Abbas).

The order was based in the Iranian city of Ardabil. The Sufi order had a large following among the Turkoman (Qizilbash) who were the military wing of the Sufi order.

The Sufi Shaykhs fabricated their genealogy to descent from Ali and Fatima (Prophet daughter).

Shah Ismail, crowned himself as the Persian King of the Safavid Empire at 14 years of age. Although he was/used to be a follower of the extremist Qizilbash sect, he made a tactical decision to establish Shia Imamiyah as the state religion.

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