Political Letters and Religious Claims (A Study on the Role of Religion in the Relations of Iran and Transoxiana in the 16th and 17th Centuries)

In the history of Iran after Islam, the Transoxiana region has a special importance for various reasons, such as its political centrality and the conflicts between Iran and its neighbors. In the early sixteenth century, with the emergence of the powerful Shia Safavid government, relations between Iran and the Transoxiana became completely hostile, and this situation continued for about 120 years. From the middle years of the reign of Shah Abbas I, these relations gradually improved. In different studies, the analysis of this situation has frequently been affected by the religious disputes between the Shia Safavids and the Sunni Uzbeks. This paper aims to explore this issue by studying the religious subjects and symbols in the letters and records of that era. The findings of this research show that despite the existence of religious conflicts, the two sides used religion as a disguise and excuse for their political and military actions. That’s why in the later era when the conflicts were settled, there are no more discussions about religious disputes; in this era economic motivations and commercial purposes are the priority. Even in the correspondences of the two sides in this era, there is no sign of religious claims and Shia and Sunni conflicts.