A study of Scientific and Cultural Institutions in Isfahan during AfsharidDynasty and ZandDynasty based on Historical Sources

Document Type : Original Article

Author

M/A from Qazvin International University, Department of History

Abstract

Afghan invasion of Isfahan in 1135 AH caused a deep crisis in the functioning of scientific and cultural institutions. Due to these increasing pressures many scholars and scientists left their city so that these institutions encountered huge problems. Although social changes and political instabilityduring afsharid Dynasty and Zand Dynasty also leads to the migration of scientists andincreased the stagnation of science in the scientific centers of Isfahan, but in this period there was no change in the number of scientific centers in Isfahan. Therefore, these events had a negative effect on the scientific prosperity in the traditional sciences, and also in this era scientists of the intellectual sciences were few in number and lacked brilliant scientific activity or works.The purpose of this study is to analyze the scientific and educational structures as well as the function of scientific and cultural institutions in Isfahan during the Afsharidynasty and Zandi dynasty after the fall of Safavids.The results of this study showed that the rise and glory of Isfahan suddenly disappeared after the invasion of Afghans and the fall of Isfahan in 1334 AH and there was a lot of devastation and political chaos in Isfahan.  Isfahan was repeatedly occupied by the Afshari and Zandi claimants after its conquest by the Afghans until the end of the Zand dynasty,and each time it was increasingly destroyed.During this period, Isfahan lost almost everything it had gained in the Safavid era. During the Afshari period, the city of Isfahan experienced a great crisis, especially in the scientific and cultural aspects. Reasons such as political decentralization, social unrest, and Nader Shah's focuson military affairs, and as a result, his lack of love for scholars, writers, and scientists, led many of them to emigrate to India and Atbat(holy shrines).In Zandieh period, although due to Karim Khan's great interest in science and his effective actions in this field, the return of scholars and scientists was facilitated and the situation wasrelativelyimproved, but the city of Isfahan never regained its former glory which it had in the Safavid era.The outbreak of the Afghan invasion in 1135 AH was the beginning of the transformation of Isfahan from a large political and religious center to a subordinate city.This incident, as a tragic social event, devastated the city economically and politically, natural disasters such as famine and various diseases and repeated riots also had obviously a long time impact on the city. Isfahan lost its glory which it had in the Safavid era. On the political and military issues, Nader Shah Afshar and Karim Khan Zand also made efforts to revive the glory, but Nader Shah Afshar paid too much attention to military affairs and he had great interest in the development of Mashhad, Karim Khan Zandalso was more interested to Shiraz and there was disorders after his death, then there was not any progress in Isfahan and scientific and cultural institutions were stagnated.During Zand Dynasty a literary society was established which can be considered as the progress of the situation.

Keywords

References

 
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International Journal of Iranian-Islamic Studies
Volume 10, Issue 2 - Serial Number 19
summer 2020
July 2020
Pages 101-120

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History

  • Receive Date: 12 April 2020
  • Revise Date: 19 May 2020
  • Accept Date: 05 July 2020

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