Abbas II of Persia
| Shah Abbas II | |
|---|---|
Shahanshah of Iran |
|
Shah Abbas II
|
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| 7th Safavid Shah | |
| Reign | 15 May 1642 – 26 October 1666 |
| Coronation | 15 May 1642, Kashan |
| Predecessor | Safi I |
| Successor | Suleiman I |
| Born | 30 August 1632 Qazvin |
| Died | 25 or 26 October 1666 Khosrowabad, near Damghan |
| Burial | Qom |
| House | Safavid dynasty |
| Father | Safi I |
| Mother | Anna Khanum |
| Religion | Twelver Shia Islam |
| Tughra |  |
Sultan Mohammad Mirza (also spelled Soltan Mohammad Mirza; 30 August 1632 – 25/26 October 1666), better known by his dynastic name of Shah Abbas II (Persian: شاه عباس دوم), was the seventh Safavid king (shah) of Iran, ruling from 1642 to 1666.
Abbas II was undoubtedly the most capable and energetic Safavid shah after his grandfather Shah Abbas I the Great (r. 1588–1629), whom he in many aspects bore resemblance to. Albeit Abbas I ascended the throne at the age of merely 9 years old, he showed considerable toughness and resolve—in 1645, no longer than three years after his succession, the grand vizier Saru Taqi was murdered by a faction of the Qizilbash led by the qurchi-bashi Jani Beg Khan Shamlu, one of the most influential administrators of the country; in the ensuing days, Abbas II had all the perpetrators put to death.
Similar to Abbas I, Abbas II possessed a strong dedication for fairness, and objections of misconduct and injustice by civil servants were promptly taken care of, whilst the responsible individuals were strictly penalized.
Abbas II was born as Soltan Mohammad Mirza in Qazvin on Monday, 30 August 1632. He was the son of Shah Safi I and a Circassian, Anna Khanum. He was the oldest of five brothers. Not much is known about Mohammad Mirza's youth, except that he spent his youth in the Safavid harem, and was tutored by his mentor Rajab Ali Tabrizi. He also learned how to maintain order over a state and other royal matters by the steward (nāẓer) of the royal household, Mohammad-Ali Beg, and the head of the royal bodyguard (qurchi-bashi), Jani Beg Khan Shamlu.
On 15 May 1642, at Kashan, Mohammad Mirza was crowned as shah of Iran and chose "Abbas II" as his dynastic name. Since he was less than ten years old when he became shah, the job of governing Persia was placed in the hands of his mother, Anna Khanum, and the grand vizier, Saru Taqi, while Abbas concentrated on his education at Qazvin. Anna Khanum and Saru Taqi worked closely together, and under them Iran was in secure hands. The French traveller Jean Chardin noted their close working relationship, saying:
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