There have been three most glorious eras in Persian history, namely the ancient Persian Empire, the Sassanid Empire, and the Safavid Empire. During the Safavid Empire, the indigenization and nationalization of ****** religion was completed, and it became one of the three major empires of the ****** world at that time, but it was always in a state of hostility with its western neighbor, the Ottoman Turkish Empire.

In the early conflicts with the Ottoman Empire, the Safavid Empire was largely on the defensive. It was only due to the harsh climate on the northwest frontier and the "scorched earth policy" adopted by the Persian army that the Ottoman army had difficulty in supplying, and it was barely able to withstand the opponent's repeated attacks, keep the new state, and avoid the fate of dynastic overthrow.

It was not until Abbas I succeeded to the throne and carried out military reforms that the situation was gradually reversed, and in May 1639, the Persian Safavid Empire signed the Treaty of Schillingburg. The status quo on the Polish-Turkish border has also ended the hostilities between the two sides for nearly 100 years.

The army of the Safavid Empire in Persia consisted mainly of the Safavid Standing Army and the Red Riding Hood Army.

In order to counter the threat of the Ottoman Empire and the Uzbek Empire, and to counterbalance the power of the Red Hat Army, Abbas I carried out a fairly deep reform of the Persian military.

One of the most striking features is the creation of a new type of army. He was dominated by Circassians, Armenians, Georgians and other ethnic groups in the Caucasus, most of whom were prisoners of war or slaves. In addition, with the British and French as instructors, a new standing army of 60,000 people was formed, and it was equipped with muskets, artillery and other firearms equipment.

Abbas I optimized the combination of melee infantry, gunpowder troops, light cavalry, heavy cavalry and other arms of the Persian army, which greatly improved the combat effectiveness of the Persian army. By the end of the 16th century, the Persian army had become the most combat-ready army in Central and Western Asia, with a very complete military system and the ratio of arms.

Abbas I formed a standing army of musketeers and cavalry, and formed an artillery training ground and artillery units. After the reform, Iran's army has a strength of 120,000 troops, including a standing army of 44,000. The feudal army was 75,000 people.

The newly formed cavalry unit numbered 10,000 men, mainly composed of Circassian, Armenian, Georgian and other ethnic groups in the Caucasus, and was called "Gulam", but it was still usually called "the king's close friend".

The equipment of these cavalrymen was similar to that of the Sipahi cavalry and the Uzbek cavalry. Wears chain mail and chain mail, and is equipped with a spear, a synthetic bow, and a sword. They may also be wearing scale armor. They may also be like the Indians, wearing a padded velvet called a thousand nail armor, covered with metal bubble nails, and covered with iron blades. Mounts may also have protective gear made of leather or metal, often decorated with brightly colored fabrics.

The Red Hats were called the Zizbash Legion because the soldiers of this military force wore red turbans and felt hats, and sometimes painted their armor and waistcoats red.

Members come from various Turkic-speaking peoples, including Turkmen, Azerbaijanis, Afshar, Uzbeks, etc., among which Turkmens are the majority, and they believe in the heretical sect of Shia. Contrary to ****** orthodox Sunnis. They followed the Persian royal family.

The Red Riding Hood Army is a natural warrior, with a strict military organization and division of labor, mainly cavalry, from light cavalry, medium cavalry to fully armored mounted cavalry. Because they are a militarized organization, coupled with their fierce and brave character, their individual bravery and coordinated tactics are equal to those of the Sipahi cavalry and the Uzbek cavalry.

At present, the standing army of Persia, the Red Riding Hood army, and the tribal forces of the local sultans together amounted to about 300,000 people. And they are all veterans who have fought with the Ottoman Empire for many years, and they are superb in horsemanship. Experienced in combat.

Ever since the Far Eastern Army destroyed the Mughal Empire, the Safavid Empire has been on guard against the Far Eastern Company. On the one hand, he tried his best to show goodwill to the Far Eastern Company. Large-scale trade with the Far East, while actively developing armaments.

In order to strengthen the military power of the empire, Sultan Mustafa IV also mobilized the whole country and formed a new standing army of 40,000, bringing the number of standing troops of the empire to nearly 100,000. He also increased the number of Red Hats reduced by Abbas I from 30,000 to 80,000. In addition, a large number of tribal troops were recruited by Sudanese tribes in various places.

Sultan Mustafa IV also by various means. A large number of arquebuses and artillery were equipped with a large number of arquebuses and artillery by means of outsourcing and self-production, so that the proportion of firearms in the army was further increased, and the strength was greatly enhanced.

More than 200,000 troops of the Far Eastern Army's samurai group army were stationed on the front line of Herat in Afghanistan and Gwadar Port in India.

The Safavid Empire of Persia, of course, was aware of the intentions of the Far Eastern Army. Therefore, the reigning Sultan Mustafa IV also mobilized most of the empire's elite standing army and the Red Riding Hood Army to assemble, ready to resist the attack of the Far Eastern Army at any time.

Today, the strength of the Safavid Empire has reached more than 300,000, including more than 100,000 of the most elite standing army and the Red Hat Army. The two sides were tense, and the entire front line was filled with an atmosphere of a big war coming.

When the Mughal Empire fell, it was definitely not a period of imperial decline, but a period of its strength. However, the Mughal Empire lasted only a few months before the huge empire collapsed. Even if the Safavid Empire were to attack the Mughal Empire with all its might, not only would it be impossible to conquer, but it would also be a lose-lose situation.

The Far East is not only a powerful land force, but also a sea power. The Portuguese occupied the island of Hormuz and used it as a base to develop trade across the Indian Ocean, and finally drove the Portuguese out with the help of the British.

Abbas I's military reform was also a standing army built with the help of the British, and the Safavid Empire saw the power of the firearms of the Western colonizers, as well as the galleons at sea, all of which showed the strength of the Western colonizers' maritime power.

But who would have thought that the powerful maritime power of the Western colonists would be swept away by the Far Eastern Company in an instant, and now the Western colonists in the entire Indian Ocean have to look at the eyes of the Far Eastern Navy.

Countless sailing ships from the Far East cruising the Indian Ocean are like playing in their own ponds, and they are extremely domineering. Although the Persian Gulf was not affected, ships from all countries and regions had to pay silver coins to enter and leave the Indian Ocean.

If you dare to sneak into the Indian Ocean without paying the silver coins, the ending is often very miserable. Countless sailboats of the Far Eastern Company, like sharks that smell blood, will pounce in an instant, the cargo of the ships will be confiscated, and the crew will have to pay a huge fine to be ransomed. (To be continued.) )