TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Campaign · 1585
The Ottoman–Safavid War of 1578–1590 was one of the many wars between the neighboring arch-rivals of the Safavid Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Starting several years prior to the war and up to and including most of the war itself, the Safavids were experiencing significant domestic issues and rivalling noble factions within the court since the death of Shah Tahmasp I. The Ottomans decided to declare war in 1577–1578 to exploit the chaos. The war, despite swift Ottoman victories in the first few years and extensive support from the Ottoman vassal Crimean Khanate during several stages of the war, eventually became geo-politically and military relatively stable for several years with both parties losing and winning smaller battles till around 1580.
| Date | 1578–1590 |
|---|---|
| Location | Ottoman Iraq, Caucasus (North and South Caucasus) |
| Result | Ottoman victory · Treaty of Constantinople (1590) |
| Territorial changes | Ottomans gain the Safavid provinces of Georgia, the Erivan Province, Daghestan, Shirvan, Karabakh, Lorestan, Khuzestan, and most of Azerbaijan |
| Belligerents | Safavid Iran And others: Kingdom of Kartli (1578–1588) Kingdom of Kakheti (1578) Principality of Samtskhe (1578, 1582–1587) Principality of Guria (1583–1587) Don Cossacks (1583) Principality of Okotskaya (1583) | Ottoman Empire And others: Crimean Khanate Lezgins Kingdom of Imereti Principality of Guria (1578–1583, after 1587) Principality of Mingrelia Principality of Samtskhe (1578–1582) Shaybanids Circassia Chemguy Principality Kheghach Principality Hatuqay Principality Besleney Principality Zhane Principality Kabardian Princedom |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Mohammed Khodabanda Shah Abbas I Commanders: Imam Kulu Khan Mirza Salman Jabiri Hamza Mirza Aras Khan † Simon I of Kartli Alexander II of Kakheti | Murad III Commanders: Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha Sinan Pasha Özdemiroğlu Osman Pasha Cığalazade Yusuf Sinan Pasha Adil Giray Khan (POW) Prince Heraclius |
| Casualties | Heavy | Unknown |
A peace of Constantinople was concluded on 21 March 1590, in which the Safavids were forced to confirm these Ottoman conquests, as well as promising to end Shiite propaganda in Ottoman territories and persecution of Sunnis in its own lands. By ceding many of its integral regions to the Ottomans, Abbas could settle matters in his crumbling state first, which had been neglected for so long by his father Mohammad Khodabanda. After having the matters settled and the state and military significantly reorganised, Abbas would declare war again on the Ottomans in 1603, crushingly defeating them and reconquering all lost territories by the Treaty of Constantinople.
Took place during the reign of Murad III (1574–1595). Murad III
Open the reign of Murad III on the mapText: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), adapted for the atlas.