The Spanish Monarchy and Safavid Persia in the early Modern period

The Spanish Monarchy and Safavid Persia in the early Modern period

1st International Seminar
The Spanish Monarchy and Safavid Persia in the
early
Modern period: Politics, War and Religion.
Instituto de Historia, CSIC, Madrid
Madrid, 7th November 2013
Venue Ramón Carande Lecture Hall
Map of Persia, from the 'Theatrum Orbis Terrarum', published by Abraham Ortelius (1527-98) Antwerp,
c.159. Dutch School, (16th century).
C/Albasanz 26-28.
28037 Madrid, España.
Tel. 916 022 300
Fax. 916 022 917
http://www.cchs.csic.es
Seminar Organizing Committee
Prof. Enrique García Hernán (CSIC)
Dr. José Cutillas Ferrer (University of Alicante)
Peer Review Committee
Rudi Matthee (Delaware University)
Jorge Flores (Instituto Europeo de Florencia)
Kathryn Babayan (University of Michigan)
Paul Losensky (Indiana University Bloomington)
Rhoads Murphey (University of Birmingham)
Recent scholarship has transformed our understanding of the relationship between the
Spanish Monarchy and the Safavid Persian Empire in the sixteenth- and seventeenthcenturies. Around twenty years ago historians began to explore diplomatic links
between „the Sophi‟, as the leading representative of Shi’a Islam, and „His Catholic
Majesty‟, the title commonly used by the Habsburg Kings of Spain. The foundations of
this relationship were set down during the reign of Shah „Abbas I (1587-1629). This
diplomatic alliance was of considerable strategic importance, being conceived of as
part of a coherent military and economic policy directed against the common enemy of
both regimes – the Ottoman Empire, representative of Sunni Islam.
In recent years academic studies have greatly improved our understanding of the
diplomatic relations between the two „superpowers‟. Scholars have delved into a
number of related themes, looking at the social status of immigrants from Persia to
Spain and examining in depth their integration into Castilian life. These studies have
brought to life patterns of employment, networks of correspondence and lines of
literary collaboration that spanned frontiers, and so have underlined the contribution
of Persian immigré communities to the intellectual and cultural life of Spain. These
groups left a deep and enduring legacy, establishing lines of communication,
interchange and dialogue that endured throughout the early modern period.
The aim of this seminar is to extend the frontiers of knowledge, examining a number of
crucial aspects of the relationship between the Spanish Monarchy and Safavid Persia in
the early modern period. Particular emphasis will be placed on topics or themes that
require innovative approaches and methodologies.
C/Albasanz 26-28.
28037 Madrid, España.
Tel. 916 022 300
Fax. 916 022 917
http://www.cchs.csic.es
9.30. Welcome and registration
10.00. Enrique García Hernán, CSIC, „The Persians of God: conversion and community
among the Persian communities in Spain in the early modern period‟.
10.30. Miguel Angel de Bunes, CSIC, „The “Turks” and the “Persians” in Spain:
confessional rivalries, common identities and shared hostilities‟.
11.00. Rui Manuel Loureiro (Lisbon University), to be confirmed.
11.30 Coffee Break
12.00. Oscar Ruiz, (University of Bucharest-UTCB), „An uncommon affair? The Ormuz
conflict from the perspective of the Spanish Embassy in London‟.
12.30. Beatriz Alonso Acero. „Persians in the capital: community, integration and
confessional identity in Madrid, 1500-1700‟.
13.00. Dolores Perpinán McCabe, to be confirmed.
13.30. Silva Couto Dejanirah (Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes), to be confirmed.
14.00. Lunch.
15.30. Federico Palomo, (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), „A Trade in Spices and
Souls? Persia and Portugal in the early modern period‟.
16.00. Sussan Babaie (Courthauld Institute of Art), to be confirmed.
16.30. Phillip Williams (CESEDEN, Spain), „Lords of all the Muslims? Christian
perspectives on the Safavid-Ottoman conflict and their rival claims to leadership of the
Muslim community‟.
17.00. José Cutillas (Universidad de Alicante), to be confirmed.
17.30. Coffee break
18.00. Closing remarks and discussion: „Areas for future research‟ Jorge Flores.
C/Albasanz 26-28.
28037 Madrid, España.
Tel. 916 022 300
Fax. 916 022 917
http://www.cchs.csic.es