Safavid Empire (eastern provinces)

Foreign / northwestern kingdom Level 3
1501 – 1736

Persian empire contesting Kandahar with the Mughals.

🗺 See on map in 1619
Capital
Herat
Region
Northwest
Duration
235 years
Main period
Mughal Empire

Approximate extent.

📚 Recommended reading on the Safavid Empire (eastern provinces)

Textbook

Our Pasts I, II & III (Classes 6–8)

NCERT · NCERT

The simplest possible start: short, illustrated and the base of countless exam questions.

NCERT basics UPSC Prelims SSC State PSC
Textbook

Themes in Indian History, Parts I–III (Class 12)

NCERT · NCERT

Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.

NCERT basics UPSC Prelims UPSC Mains SSC State PSC
Textbook

An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I (Class 11)

NCERT · NCERT

The standard base for art and architecture questions — stupas, temples and sculpture.

NCERT basics UPSC Prelims State PSC
Textbook

History of Medieval India

Satish Chandra · Orient BlackSwan

The go-to single volume on the Sultanate, Mughals and regional kingdoms.

UPSC Prelims UPSC Mains SSC State PSC

We may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. See all recommended books →

Contemporaries

Powers that coexisted with the Safavid Empire (eastern provinces) for a significant part of its history. The bar shows when, within its own span.

Sultanate of the Maldives ★
Islands · c. 1153 – 1968
Overlap: 235 years
Malla Dynasty of Nepal ★
Himalaya · 1201 – 1769
Overlap: 235 years
Delhi Sultanate ★
North · 1206 – 1526
Overlap: 25 years
Ahom Kingdom ★
Northeast · 1228 – 1826
Overlap: 235 years
Mewar (Sisodia) ★
West · 1326 – 1949
Overlap: 235 years
Vijayanagara Empire ★
South · 1336 – 1646
Overlap: 145 years
Bahmani Sultanate ★
Deccan · 1347 – 1527
Overlap: 26 years
Kingdom of Mysore ★
South · 1399 – 1950
Overlap: 235 years
Kingdom of Kandy ★
Sri Lanka · c. 1469 – 1815
Overlap: 235 years
Portuguese Estado da Índia ★
Coastal · 1505 – 1961
Overlap: 231 years
Mughal Empire ★
North · 1526 – 1857
Overlap: 210 years
British East India Company ★
Pan-Indian · 1600 – 1858
Overlap: 136 years
Maratha Empire ★
Deccan · 1674 – 1818
Overlap: 62 years
Zamorins of Calicut
South · c. 1124 – 1766
Overlap: 235 years
Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur)
West · c. 1128 – 1949
Overlap: 235 years
Jaffna Kingdom
Sri Lanka · c. 1215 – 1619
Overlap: 118 years
Marwar (Rathore)
West · c. 1226 – 1949
Overlap: 235 years
Kashmir Sultanate
North · 1339 – 1586
Overlap: 85 years
Bengal Sultanate
East · 1352 – 1576
Overlap: 75 years
Malwa Sultanate
Central · 1392 – 1562
Overlap: 61 years
Gujarat Sultanate
West · 1407 – 1573
Overlap: 72 years
Kingdom of Kotte
Sri Lanka · 1412 – 1597
Overlap: 96 years
Gajapati Kingdom
East · 1434 – 1541
Overlap: 40 years
Ahmadnagar Sultanate (Nizam Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1636
Overlap: 135 years
Bijapur Sultanate (Adil Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1686
Overlap: 185 years
Berar Sultanate (Imad Shahi)
Deccan · 1490 – 1574
Overlap: 73 years
Bidar Sultanate (Barid Shahi)
Deccan · 1492 – 1619
Overlap: 118 years
Portuguese Cochin
Coastal · 1503 – 1663
Overlap: 160 years
Koch Kingdom (Kamata / Cooch Behar)
Northeast · 1515 – 1949
Overlap: 221 years
Golconda Sultanate (Qutb Shahi)
Deccan · 1518 – 1687
Overlap: 169 years
Madurai Nayaks
South · 1529 – 1736
Overlap: 207 years
Portuguese Bassein & Bombay
Coastal · 1534 – 1739
Overlap: 202 years
Portuguese Diu
Coastal · 1535 – 1961
Overlap: 201 years
Portuguese Daman
Coastal · 1559 – 1961
Overlap: 177 years
Gorkha Kingdom
Himalaya · 1559 – 1768
Overlap: 177 years
Portuguese Hooghly
Coastal · 1579 – 1632
Overlap: 53 years
Portuguese Ceylon
Sri Lanka · 1597 – 1658
Overlap: 61 years
Dutch East India Company (VOC) in India
Coastal · 1605 – 1825
Overlap: 131 years
Dutch Coromandel (Pulicat)
Coastal · 1610 – 1825
Overlap: 126 years
Bhutan under the Zhabdrung (Druk Desi)
Himalaya · 1616 – 1907
Overlap: 120 years