How did conflicts with the Ottomans and Uzbeks influence Shah Abbas I's decision to move the capital?
Shah Abbas I’s decision to move the capital from Qazvin to Isfahan was a strategic move made possible only after he successfully addressed the military threats posed by the Ottomans and Uzbeks.12
Early in his reign, Abbas faced a two-front conflict that he could not win simultaneously. To manage this, he signed an unfavorable peace treaty with the Ottomans in 1590, ceding significant territory to secure his western border and focus his military efforts on the Uzbeks in the northeast. After years of military reform—specifically the creation of a standing army—he finally defeated the Uzbeks in 1598–99.321
With the Uzbek menace eliminated, Abbas moved the capital to Isfahan. This location was chosen because it was more centrally positioned than Qazvin, allowing for better control over the entire country and improved communication with trade outlets in the Persian Gulf. Following this relocation, he was able to turn his attention back to the Ottomans, successfully recovering lost territories from 1602 onward.132