Abbas II of Persia

Who was Abbas II of Persia?

Shah Abbas II was Shah of Iran from 1642 to 1666. He was the seventh Shah of the Safavid Dynasty. He was the son of Shah Safi I and a Circassian, Anna Khanum, and originally bore the name Sultan Muhammed Mirza before his coronation on 15 May 1642. Since he was less than ten years old when he became shah, the job of governing Persia was placed in the hands of the grand vizier Saru Taqi, while Abbas concentrated on his education.

Saru Taqi led a drive against corruption and made many enemies. On 11 October 1645 he was assassinated by a group of army officers. He was succeeded by Khalifa Sultan, who held the office of grand vizier until his death in 1653 or 1654.

Unlike his father, Abbas took an active interest in government once he began to rule for himself. His reign was relatively peaceful and is significant for being free of any Ottoman attack. In 1648 Abbas managed to conquer Kandahar and hold it against attacks by Mughal India. He died in Khusruabad near Damghan on the night of 25–26 October 1666.