The Function of the Silk and its Armenians Merchants in Safavids Economy and Politics (From the Shah Abbas I Period to the End of the Safavids)

The mass production of Silk and its importance as goods exportable and strategic caused its monopoly by the Shah-Abbas I (996-1038 A.H.) and then the recruitment of the Armenians merchants in his monopoly. Therefore, the question is what function had the three related factors (Silk, Monopoly politics and Armenians) in Safavids economy and politics. For a careful investigation, after a review of the Silk production, this article is going to study the causes of adoption of the monopoly politics and the role of Armenians in its performance. The Armenians, as an experienced trader people, were able to find the new Markets for Silk in all around the World. Hence, the investigation and evaluation of their activities in this field form another part of this study. In the end, the situation of the Silk trade and Armenians merchants will be investigated until the fall of the Safavid dynasty in 1722. On the whole, study of the three mentioned factors shows that they affected Safavids foreign economic- political relations, developed external trade, increased import of the monay and coins and brought about the foreign trade in a balance.