Tahmasp I inherited the Safavid throne at ten years old in 1524, leaving real power in the hands of Qizilbash tribal chiefs for the better part of a decade. By the early 1530s he had consolidated enough authority to assert control over the coinage system, and the "Second Western standard" designation reflects a deliberate administrative realignment of weight norms across mints following years of factional interference with monetary policy.
Tabriz was the Safavid capital until 1555, when repeated Ottoman incursions — the city changed hands four times between 1514 and 1603 — finally forced the court to relocate to Qazvin.
Tahmasp I inherited the Safavid throne at ten years old in 1524, leaving real power in the hands of Qizilbash tribal chiefs for the better part of a decade. By the early 1530s he had consolidated enough authority to assert control over the coinage system, and the "Second Western standard" designation reflects a deliberate administrative realignment of weight norms across mints following years of factional interference with monetary policy.
Tabriz was the Safavid capital until 1555, when repeated Ottoman incursions — the city changed hands four times between 1514 and 1603 — finally forced the court to relocate to Qazvin.