The Image of Territorial Boundaries of Iran and India: the Maps of Safavid Iran by the European Cartographers in the 16-18th Centuries

One of the most valuable sources of Safavid Iran is historical maps produced by Europeans in the 16-18th centuries. While these maps portray different aspects of Iran's history and geography, they also offer crucial information concerning the boundaries, particularly with India. By studying the Safavid maps, this research attempts to examine the evolution of the territorial boundaries of Iran with India. The findings show that European cartographers in the 16th century had an ancient notion of boundaries, which developed and grew closer to the reality of the Safavid era during the 17th century. In the 18th century, cartographers began to record additional details, such as routes and demographic categories.