Considerations on the role of women in the expansion of theSafavid's pious foundations

Historical sources do not report the motivation of women to endow their property. There is no precise explanation in deed of endowment except for stereotypes phrases. It seems that there is a meaningful relationship between the social base and the financial power of these women and the attention to the endowment of property. The women of the Safavid period paid great attention to social and cultural-religious issues and despite their perceptible Non-attendance in the society were indirectly affected on these activities. They influenced on the implementation of these affairs by allocating part of own property for cultural- religious affairs and welfare works. They followed from the principles governing the nature of society and were effective in increasing and unifying these principles by the type of their endowments and the
conditions for which they were appointed. Women have not had any prohibition or limitations to assigning their property for endowment. Despite women’s deprivation of direct participation in the social arenas, they have done a lot of effort to improve the situation of the community through construction and endowment of various buildings and therefore they have showed participation and their abilities. Pious foundations from them prove that there was no gender perspective in endowment and women are endowed regardless of any kind of gender perspective. There were also no limitations for women’s endowments by the community.