7/6/2021 13:44
Trade and Artisans’ Guilds in the Safavid Era by Dr. Mahdi Keyvani, is published by the Centre for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia (Centre for Iranian and Islamic Studies).
CGIE: Trade and Artisans’ Guilds in the Safavid Era by Dr. Mahdi Keyvani, is published by the Centre for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia (Centre for Iranian and Islamic Studies).
The Safavid era is of special significance, not only in the history of Iran, but also in terms of world history, and focusing on it can shed light on many international political, social and, economic issues. This is why historians have conducted comprehensive studies on this period. With the help of the discovery and publication of books, documents, and other relics of that era in Iran and worldwide, new points of view are exposed to the researchers. Despite the abundance of Eastern and Western studies on the Safavids, there are still many unknown aspects, especially social and economic. Many historical events and subsequent currents in recent centuries, which affected Iran’s relations with the great world powers are rooted in that era. Hence, there is ample opportunity for historians to explore them.
Trade and Artisans’ Guilds in the Safavid Era concentrates on social and economic issues, and it is reasonably expected that the book be effective in promoting Safavid studies.
The book attempts to focus on describing the trade, and the guilds of merchants and artisans in the Safavid era. Guilds, as one of the oldest civil institutions in Islamic Iran, were not successful in sufficiently complying with their economic and social obligations for various reasons, including lack of political independence and comprehensive domination of foreign powers, from the beginning of the Ummayad Caliphate to the rise of the Safavids.
Notwithstanding the provision of relative necessities for the birth and growth of the merchants and artisans’ guilds, as the commencement for the formation of the middle class, the crucial change did not take place in Safavid era. The author attempts to examine the reasons for this failure. The two particular requirements for that change were providing unprecedented security and tranquility, and the availability of sufficient capital. Despite all the privations, Shah Abbas I, wisely provided these two conditions. Strict policies were implemented to ensure the security of cities and roads for the Iranian and foreign traders in an exceptional way. Sufficient capital was also provided through the implementation of the silkworm policy and its sale to European merchants and companies. Hence, gold and silver coins, which could be used as the national capital, entered Iran in a significant quantity for the first time.
Another aspect of the main question is related to the factors that prevented the convenient change from happening. Why did Western businessmen and companies succeed in replacing themselves and dependent Armenian merchants with the Iranian merchants, by ruining the weak but self-sufficient economy of Iran?
By answering these questions, the book seeks to examine the causes of the weakness of native merchant and artisan guilds and the failure in the formation of a middle class.
It seems necessary to mention two points: first, paying attention to the pros and cons of the silk monopoly for the merchants and artisans’ guilds, and second, that despite the lack of Persian resources, fortunately, the existence of dozens of European travelogues allowed the author to write a book on trade and guilds, as the vastest section of the social history of Safavid era, for the first time.
Trade and Artisans’ Guilds in the Safavid Era includes two main parts. The first part contains the following:
Chapter One
Introduction to a philosophy of the Iranian history
The five structures of Iranian history in the Safavid era
The role of Ghezelbash tribes in the administration of Safavid Iran
Chapter Two
An introduction to the economic history of Iran before the Safavids
The growth of the middle class and their role in urban development and urbanization in Europe
A look at the history of urbanization from the beginning to the end of the Safavids
The great cities of Iran in the Safavid era
Chapter Three
Obstacles to the formation of the middle class in the Safavid era
Silk monopoly
Involvement of Safavid kings in domestic and foreign trade
Status of local traders
Armenian merchants
Indian merchants and brokers
Jewish merchants and Zoroastrian traders in domestic trade
Chapter Four
An introduction to the presence of European companies in the economy of Safavid Iran
The Portuguese and the occupation of Hormuz
British East India Company in Iran
Dutch East India Company in Iran
Russian merchants and brokers of the tsars in Iran
An Introduction to Iran-Ottoman Relations in the Safavid Era
Chapter Five
An introduction to domestic trade facilities and services
Caravan Roads
Caravanserai and reservoirs and road safety
Money and coins
Customs and tolls
Export and Import
Conclusion
The table of contents of the second part:
Artisans’ guilds from the beginning to Safavid era
History of artisan and merchant guilds in Muslim lands
History of European guilds
The meaning and definition of “guild” and the number of guilds in the Safavid era
Organization of artisans’ guilds
Governmental and semi-governmental agents of the guilds
Intra-guild organizations of artisans and artists
Guilds and taxes
Price monitoring
Restrictions and monopolies
Guild court and its duties
Social responsibilities of guilds
Political activities of the artisans’ guilds
Royal guilds
Textile guild
Marginal guilds and showmen
Non-Muslim artisans and artists
Trade and Artisans’ Guilds in the Safavid Era by Dr. Mahdi Keyvani in 704 pages has been published by the CGIE press in 500 copies.
It is available from June 11, 2021. Those interested can contact the CGIE press store for more information: 00982122297677, 00989127362684.
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