A survey of the Relationship between the Instability of Economic Life in Northeast Iran and Turkmen Attacks Relying on foreign travelogues From the fall of Safavids to the end of the Naserid era

Abstract

The period that began with fall of the Safavids and continued until the end of the Qajar dynasty has been described with many traits. But it may be argued that except for a brief period of this long period, the absence of a central government or its inability to provide security and stability is the best description of the character of government. There is ample evidence to support this claim, but increasing insecurity in different parts of the country is evidence that the central government is becoming weaker day by day. The northeast region of Iran was experiencing a phenomenon known as the Turkmen invasions during this period. These attacks started more or less with the weakness of the central government from the end of the Safavid period and fluctuated according to the weakness and strength of the central government until the end of the Nasseri era. Travel writers who have traveled through the northeastern regions of Iran during this period have commonly referred to this phenomenon, each pointing to evidence of economic instability there. The present study tries to answer the question of what was the cause of the instability of economic life in Northeast Iran during the period of the fall of the Safavids until the end of the Nasseri era, based on the writings of these travel writers, using qualitative analysis. The research hypothesis is that the growing weakness of the government in establishing security has led to increased attacks and economic instability in the region.

Keywords

• northeast of iran
• economic life
• turkmens
• foreign travelogues