A historical analysis of missionary activities in the era of Shah Abbas I's successors (1629-1722)

The presence of Christian missionaries in Iran is one of the significant issues in Safavid studies. From Shah Abbas I on, European priests` activities with political and religious purposes to pursue evangelism increased. Iran`s favorable domestic position, including Iranians hospitality and patience while facing new religions, provided a perfect opportunity for the presence of European priests in Iran. Among various Christian sects, five sects conducted promotional activities and major political missions in Iran, from Safavid to Qajar. These five sects included Carmelism, Dominican, Jesuit, Kapus and Augustine. The attempt to promote Christianity caused the priests to achieve their goals. They came to Iran as political representatives of Pope and European kings to link their evangelical issues to their colonial purposes. During Shah Abbas First, Safavid kings decreased battling Ottomans and as a result the priests failed to attract the Moslems` attention to Christianity. Interestingly, the priests in Safavid era were not actually successful in recruiting minorities, including Christian Armenians, Georgians, Jews and so on. The present article aims at analyzing what Christian missionaries did during Shah Abbas I era, relying on historical documents and sources.