1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:05,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to Noble Blood, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: and Mild from Aaron Manky. Listener discretion advised. Hey, this 3 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: is Danish Schwartz. Thank you so much for listening to 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: Noble Blood. Just a quick note before we begin. If 5 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: you want to support the show, join the Noble Family 6 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: over on Patreon, where I do monthly bonus episodes, drop 7 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: episode scripts, and have an exclusive seasonal sticker club. We 8 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: also have merch available at DFTBA dot com. Both of 9 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: those are linked in the episode description. But honestly, as always, 10 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: just thank you so much for listening. Let's get started, 11 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:51,279 Speaker 1: shall we. All. Throughout Cosven, the capital of the Sofavid Empire, 12 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: it was rumored that Shaw Tamas the First was dying. 13 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,319 Speaker 1: The news came as no real surprise. The Shaw had 14 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: been ill for more than two years, and he had 15 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: come close to death several times. No, what people were 16 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: talking about now was the fact that the Shah, even 17 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: after those two years spent on the brink of death, 18 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: still had not declared a successor. Successions are often the 19 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: most vulnerable time for any government and things. In the 20 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: Sofovid Empire, which had a border extending past present day, 21 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: Iran were particularly fraught in the spring of fifteen seventy six. 22 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: Shah Tamasp had spent much of his fifty two year 23 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: reign quelling tribal uprisings. With his death, it seemed likely 24 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 1: that such fighting could break out again, even worse, in 25 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: the absence of a clear endorsement from the Shah. Tribal 26 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: leaders in the empire. Had rallied behind two different candidates 27 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: for their next leader, both sons of Tamasp. If Tamasp 28 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: did not choose but between his sons before his death, 29 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: if the transition didn't run smoothly, if a strong leader 30 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: didn't immediately take the throne, many feared that civil war 31 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: would break out. As whispers over the Shah's condition intensified, 32 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: the two candidates, Prince Hadar and Prince Ismail rallied their 33 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: respective troops. Haidar was in the palace at Kasvin alongside 34 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: his dying father, while Ismail was some three hundred miles away, 35 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: imprisoned in Quaquah Castle. Despite his distance, many of Ismail's 36 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: supporters were also in Kasvin, and the situation between his 37 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: supporters and Haydair supporters grew tense and tenser throughout April fifteen, 38 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 1: seventy six. On May fifteenth, the news that everyone had 39 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: been anticipating finally came. Shah Tamasp had died the night before, 40 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: and no successor had been chosen. We don't know why 41 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 1: Tamasp never publicly declared a successor, perhaps having escaped death 42 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 1: multiple times before, he mistakenly thought he would do so again. 43 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: But one thing was clear. The empire now stood on 44 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 1: a precipice after seventy five years. Was the Safovid dynasty 45 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: going to descend into chaos? Would a battle between two 46 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: brothers lead to ruin for the empire? Who would emerge 47 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: victorious and take the seat of the Shah? With all 48 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: eyes on Haidar and Ismaeil, many missed that it was 49 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: not the princes who were pulling the strings at the palace. 50 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: It was their sister, Princess Peri ran Ranum. It was 51 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: she who held the fate of the empire in her hands. 52 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: Over the next two years, she would emerge as a 53 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: force to be reckoned, with a political mastermind whose decisions 54 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: would shape the Safavid dynasty but eventually lead to her 55 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: own untimely tragic death. I'm Dana Schwartz and this is 56 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: noble blood. To understand Princess Parikhanhanum's rise and fall, it's 57 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: important to understand the world she lived in. The Safavid 58 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: dynasty originated from a group of Sufi's or Islamic mystics, 59 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: who came from what is now northwestern Iran. The group 60 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: became known as the Safavids after their founder, a fourteenth 61 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: century spiritual leader named Safi al Din. After Safi Aldin's 62 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: death in thirteen thirty four, leadership of the movement passed 63 00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 1: from father to son. By the mid fifteenth century, the 64 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: group had become more militant, intent on spreading Shia Islam 65 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 1: through military conquest. Under Sheik Khidar, who led the Safavids 66 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: from fourteen sixty through fourteen eighty eight, many members of 67 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:19,239 Speaker 1: the group adopted a tall, narrow scarlet hat with twelve 68 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: sides to commemorate the twelve moms, who are the cornerstones 69 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: of Shia Islam. This led their Turkish enemies to call 70 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: them Kisbash or redheads, and name the group soon adopted 71 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 1: as their own. I know it gets just a little 72 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: complicated here, but Kiselbash, who were in fact an assortment 73 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: of different tribes, served as the military backbone of the Safavids, 74 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: and their leaders were enormously influential. When Haidar was killed 75 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: in fourteen eighty eight, the Safavids retreated somewhat, only to 76 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:56,600 Speaker 1: experience a striking resurgence under the leadership of Haidar's thirteen 77 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: year old son Ismaeil. Those names probably sound familiar, but 78 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 1: this is all background happening about a century before our 79 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: brothers Hadar and Ismaeil, So let's just do that quick clarifier. 80 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: Like many royal dynasties, the Safavids liked to pass down 81 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: royal names. The fourteen hundreds. Hadar and his son Ismaeil 82 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: are the ancestors of our peri Chanhanum, who had brothers 83 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,360 Speaker 1: Hadar and Ismaeil living during the fifteen hundreds, the siblings 84 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: with the dying father who didn't name a successor. But 85 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: flashback back to their ancestors and background. Ismail is rallying 86 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: thousands of Kisobasch troops in the summer of fifteen hundred 87 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: to avenge his father. After defeating the group responsible for 88 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: his father Heydar's death, Ismail continued on acquiring enormous Swatch's territory, 89 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: including much of the land east of modern day Turkey 90 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 1: and west of modern India. By fifteen oh one, Ismail 91 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,480 Speaker 1: had been crowned as Shah of Iran and the Safavi 92 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:07,600 Speaker 1: dynasty was born. The royal family was multi ethnic and 93 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: multi lingual. Shas normally took multiple consorts, often from different 94 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: ethnic groups such as the Georgians, Circassians, and Pontic Greeks. 95 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: The Selfovi Chas were patrons of the arts. The dynasty's 96 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: artists created marvels of mosaics and mirror tiles, stunning illustrated manuscripts, 97 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 1: and beautiful calligraphy. They valued education and religious piety, beauty 98 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 1: and tradition, military prowess and strategic thinking. So now we 99 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: fast forward. It was in that environment that Peri Janranum 100 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: was born in August fifteen forty eight. She was the 101 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 1: second daughter of the second ruler of the Safavi dynasty, 102 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: Shah Tamasp. The first Pari's mother, Sultan Aga Khanum, was 103 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: the second wife of the Shah. If you're wondering about 104 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: the shared matrilineal last name, it's a little bit misleading. 105 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: Ranum is a term that can loosely translate as princess 106 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: and so was a royal surname shared by many royal women. 107 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: During her earliest years, perichran Rnum was raised under the 108 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 1: guidance of a tutor Raliran, who provided her with an 109 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: excellent education in a court that valued artistic skill and intellect. 110 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 1: This upbringing served the princess well. Her intelligence soon caught 111 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: the eye of her father, who made sure that she 112 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: was trained in a range of fields, from poetry to jurisprudence. 113 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: It became clear that this brilliant, clear headed princess was 114 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: her father's favorite daughter. Mahmouda fuschay Natanzi, a Safavid historian 115 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:55,479 Speaker 1: who lived at the same time as perichran Hanum, recorded 116 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: that quote the Shah would act according to her advice 117 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: and at probation in affairs minor and major, financial and administrative. 118 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: All the important affairs of the Shah, from politics and 119 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: international relations to the rules and customs of monarchy, were 120 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 1: carried out according to that wise and just Princess's opinion 121 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: and recommendation, and nothing was done without her knowledge and 122 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: consent end quote. She was also known as a talented 123 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: poet and a passionate patron of the arts, who commissioned 124 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: many works. When she was ten, she was betrothed to 125 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: a cousin, Prince Badi al Zaman, but she never traveled 126 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 1: to his home in Sistan. It was believed that her 127 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: father wanted to keep his beloved daughter close. Despite the 128 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:49,319 Speaker 1: royal family's willingness to educate its daughters and the Shah's 129 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 1: willingness to take political advice from them, it was still 130 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:56,199 Speaker 1: taken for granted that a man would succeed Shah Tamaspa 131 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: on the throne. By fifteen seventy four, when the Shah 132 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: well seriously ill for the first time, two of Parikranhanum's brothers, 133 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: Haidar and Ismail, were seen as the front runners, each 134 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 1: supported by different tribes within the Kizilbash. Shah Tamasp's eldest son, 135 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:19,239 Speaker 1: Muhammed Kodabanda, was blind by this point due to an illness, 136 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 1: which in the Safavid culture disqualified him from ruling. Next 137 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 1: in line would naturally be the second son, Ismael, but 138 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: he faced a slight obstacle. He had been imprisoned since 139 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: fifteen fifty four by his father for reasons that are 140 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: not entirely clear, perhaps because his father thought that he 141 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 1: was disloyal or perhaps because he was known to take 142 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: male lovers. Nevertheless, Ismail had many supporters, including his sister 143 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: perikran Ranum. Ismail's main opponent to the throne was his 144 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: half brother Hadar, about whose early life not much is known. 145 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: Many of hid Our supporters did so because of his 146 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 1: Georgian heritage via his mother. As the Shah grew sicker, 147 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 1: Haidar and his supporters worked to ingratiate themselves with the Shah. 148 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: Haidar attended to his father closely and made sure to 149 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: be at his side on the night of May fourteenth, 150 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: comforting the Shah as he slipped away. On the morning 151 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 1: of May fifteenth, whence news of the Shah's death had 152 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: spread through Cosvin, Haidar decided he needed to take immediate action. 153 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: Though Ismael was still imprisoned hundreds of miles away, Haidar 154 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 1: needed to consolidate his own power. He did so by 155 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: striking at the center of Ismail's support. He detained Princess 156 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:49,680 Speaker 1: perikan Ranum in the palace. It was a dangerous moment 157 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 1: for the princess. Hadar could have easily killed or imprisoned 158 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:58,719 Speaker 1: her for her disloyalty. After all, she had openly supported 159 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 1: his brother, but perifran Ranum saw an out. Haidar needed 160 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: support and she could offer it to him. Exander Begmunci, 161 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 1: another contemporary Safavit historian, wrote that Perigranranum threw herself on 162 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:19,199 Speaker 1: the ground before Hadar, saying, quote, women are foolish creatures. 163 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: If in my stupidity and shortsightedness, I have been guilty 164 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 1: of any misdemeanor, I beg you to pardon me and 165 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: spare my life. In that event, I will follow the 166 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 1: path of obedience to you, and will not deviate by 167 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: so much as a hair's breadth from the court of conduct, 168 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: which is pleasing to your highness end quote. Then she 169 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: bent over and kissed her brother's feet, laying it on 170 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: a little thick but effective. Moved by her words and 171 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: recognizing the importance of her support, Haidar accepted Peri ran 172 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: Ranum's apology on the condition that she secured the support 173 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: of her brother Soleiman Mishra and her uncle sam Cal Sultan. 174 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 1: Peri Chantanum agreed and said she needed to leave at 175 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: once to convince her brother and uncle to join Haidar 176 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: dark granted her permission to go, certain that he was 177 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 1: now safe to proceed. Hadar placed his father's crown on 178 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 1: his head and declared himself Shah. To back up his claim, 179 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 1: he presented a document that named him successor. The document 180 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: bore what looked like the royal seal, but opponents noted 181 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: that the handwriting did not quite look like tamasps. It 182 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,320 Speaker 1: was a dramatic step towards assuming the throne, but it 183 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: was a short sighted one. Every night, the palace guards 184 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: were selected from different tribes of the Kiselbasch. This measure 185 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:51,320 Speaker 1: assured that no one tribe would have dominant presence within 186 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:55,439 Speaker 1: the palace. On May fifteenth, the knight that Hadar made 187 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 1: his immediate move. The guards were all from tribes that 188 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:03,920 Speaker 1: supp hoarded Ismael. Haidar might have been wearing the crown, 189 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:08,559 Speaker 1: but he was surrounded by enemies, one who then refused 190 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: to open the palace gates to let Haidar's supporters in 191 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 1: or Haidar himself out. Another dangerous force was gathering outside 192 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: the palace. These men, supporters of Ismael, possessed a secret 193 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: tool that would soon change the balance of power, and 194 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: it had been provided to them by the very woman 195 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 1: who had just kissed her brother's feet in a show 196 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: of loyalty. Unbeknownst to Haidar, as soon as Peri Chantranum 197 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 1: had gotten outside the palace gates, she had run to 198 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: Ismail's supporters and presented them with a set of keys 199 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: to the palace. Soon the men stormed through the gates, 200 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: calling for Hadar's blood. Haidar, hearing the cries, dressed in 201 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: women's clothing and hid among a group of women leaving 202 00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: the palace, but he was quickly found out. Ismaeil's supporters 203 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: captured Hadar and executed him. His severed head was thrown 204 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: out of the palace for his supporters to see. He 205 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: had not even been show for one full day. With 206 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 1: Hadar dead, Ismael had an easy path to victory, but 207 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: he was still on the road to Kasvin at this point, 208 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 1: and in the meantime, the work of the state had 209 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: to continue. The various nobles and government officials needed someone 210 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: to make decisions on administrative and financial issues. In other words, 211 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: they needed someone to rule, and who better than the 212 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: woman who had, in essence, determined the outcome of the 213 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: succession crisis. For the next month and a half. While 214 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: Ismael was working his way toward the capital, Peri ran 215 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 1: Ranum served as de facto regent, and her authority was unquestionable. 216 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 1: Her position seemed secure. She was confident that her influence 217 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: and power would only continue once Ismail arrived in Cosvin. 218 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: After all, he owed her, didn't he. Ismail and his 219 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: party came to the edge of Cosvin after twenty days 220 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: of traveling in late spring fifteen seventy six, but he 221 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: did not enter the city immediately. Like many Suffovit royals, 222 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: he was a fervent believer in reading the signs of 223 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 1: the stars, and he would only enter cosviin once his 224 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: astrologer told him that the time was right for a coronation. 225 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: While he camped out, Peri chran Ranum continued to serve 226 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: as ruler, giving audiences to nobles who would meet first 227 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: with the princess and then travel to Ismail's camp outside 228 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: the city for an audience with the prince. Ismaeil's twenty 229 00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 1: year long imprisonment had left him paranoid and dist trustful. 230 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: Though perigran Ranum was responsible for his victory, Ismael did 231 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:09,240 Speaker 1: not fully believe in her loyalty. After all, she was 232 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 1: the most beloved daughter of their father. The same father, 233 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 1: who had sent Ismael to prison, and his suspicions only 234 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 1: deepened in his weeks spent on the outskirts of town 235 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 1: as he watched his sister's influence grow. After more than 236 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 1: a month as regent, perigran Ranum had set up a 237 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:34,399 Speaker 1: court of sorts replete with the same regal rituals and 238 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: customs that her father's court had Followed. Nobles and servants 239 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 1: alike behaved with deference to the princess, accorded her respect, 240 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: performed ceremonies on her behalf, and obeyed her decisions. Ismael, 241 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 1: seeing all of this, was furious. The historian Xander Begmundchi 242 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: records that Ismael gathered all of the nobles around and 243 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: berated them, quote, have you not understood, my friends, that 244 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: interference in matters of state by women is demeaning to 245 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 1: the King's honor, and that for men to associate with 246 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: women of the Safavid royal house is an abominable crime. 247 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: End This censure quickly shut down the nobles practice of 248 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:22,639 Speaker 1: visiting perchrand Renum. In fact, it shut down all practice 249 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 1: of anyone visiting her. From that point on, she was 250 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: kept in isolation in her home with only royal guards 251 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 1: for company. It was not only Perigranranum that Ismael was 252 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 1: suspicious of. Early on in his reign, he became convinced 253 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:41,919 Speaker 1: that the only way to secure his grasp on the 254 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 1: throne was to eliminate all competition, and he quickly set 255 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:50,880 Speaker 1: about doing so mercilessly. On one day alone, he had 256 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: six princes murdered. First was Prince Ibrahim, an artist, poet, 257 00:18:56,320 --> 00:19:01,360 Speaker 1: and musician, who was strangled. His wife was so distraught 258 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:05,680 Speaker 1: by the death that she destroyed Ibrahim's entire library and 259 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 1: precious art collection so that the Shah could not have 260 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: his treasures, and she worked herself into such a frenzy 261 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 1: while destroying her husband's possessions that she herself died later 262 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: that month. Then came Prince Mohammed Hussian, who was first 263 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: blinded and then put to death. Next was Prince Mahmoud, 264 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:28,640 Speaker 1: who was thought dead after strangulation, but awoke as whose 265 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: corpse was being prepared for burial, and so then he 266 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: was killed again. Then the Shah had Mahmud's infant son 267 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: killed two Two more princes were brought to the palace 268 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 1: and put to death. Later that same day, Ismael's Killingsbury 269 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: didn't end there. He ordered the deaths of nearly all 270 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 1: remaining male members of the immediate royal family, Prince Thadi 271 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,960 Speaker 1: al Zaman and his royal son Bahram, and then Prince Hasan, 272 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:01,440 Speaker 1: son of Ismail's brother. By this this point, only one 273 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: prince who had been blinded but whose life had been spared, 274 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:09,400 Speaker 1: and the already blind Mohammed Kodabanda, survived. Its thought that 275 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:13,480 Speaker 1: Ismael was less concerned with Mohammed Kodabanda because he had 276 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 1: gone blind long ago, and because his remaining sons were 277 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 1: still very young. Ismail perhaps also felt a sense of 278 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: loyalty to his blind older brother, since they shared the 279 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: same mother. But neither motivation proved quite strong enough. Soon 280 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,440 Speaker 1: the Shah ordered Mohammad and his sons to be placed 281 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:37,199 Speaker 1: under house arrest, and it was rumored that Ismael was 282 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: planning on having them put to death. But before that 283 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:46,159 Speaker 1: could happen, Ismail died suddenly on November fifth, fifteen seventy seven. 284 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 1: The Shah had been in good health. He had spent 285 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: the night before in the company of his close confident 286 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:56,639 Speaker 1: Hassan Bek, wandering the streets of Kasvin together smoking opium 287 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 1: and eating sweets. The two men returned to Hassan Beg's 288 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: room sometime in the early hours. In the morning, these 289 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 1: Shah's attendants gathered outside the room, waiting for Ismaul to 290 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 1: awaken and begin his day, but by late morning there 291 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: was still no sign of him. Too frightened to disturb 292 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: the Shah, the servants hovered nervously around the door until noon, 293 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: at which point a physician was summoned. When the physician 294 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:27,680 Speaker 1: called through the door, Hassan Beg replied, as MUNCHI tells it, quote, 295 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:30,880 Speaker 1: I cannot move to open the door. Open the door 296 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 1: from the outside in whatever way you can and come 297 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 1: in for an astonishing event has occurred. Unquote. What was 298 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: found when the door was finally opened was indeed astonishing. 299 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: Hassan Beg was immobilized, with no sensation in his lower half, 300 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 1: and he had a stuttering voice. The Shah himself was motionless. 301 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: He was already dead. Hassan Beg haltingly recounted the events 302 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:02,360 Speaker 1: of the night. Returning from their walk, the Shah requested 303 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: that his box of herbal medicines be brought to him. 304 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:09,159 Speaker 1: When the box arrived, Hassan Beg noticed that it was 305 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: not sealed as it usually was, and he pointed it 306 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 1: out to Ismail, who shook off his concerns. The Shah 307 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:20,200 Speaker 1: took some medicine and convinced Hassan to as well, though 308 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:23,640 Speaker 1: his companion took less than he had In the morning, 309 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: when Hassan woke, he found himself unable to move his legs. 310 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 1: Ismael was unable to speak. He stopped moving his arms. 311 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: Hassan recounted, but after a while he ceased to move 312 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: and his breathing stopped. As soon as the news of 313 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:44,639 Speaker 1: the strange circumstances of Ismael's death emerged, everyone seemed to 314 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:48,120 Speaker 1: have a theory. Some thought it was a simple matter 315 00:22:48,280 --> 00:22:52,920 Speaker 1: of over consumption. Ismael was known to use excessive amounts 316 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: of opium and eat until he was ill. Others thought 317 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 1: it was a severe recurrence of an occasional stomach problem 318 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 1: that the Shah suffered. But more cynical observers pointed to poison, 319 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:11,879 Speaker 1: and when court physicians examined the Shah's body, they found 320 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: symptoms that seemed to be signs of poisoning. Given Ismael's 321 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 1: wholesale execution of nearly all of his close male relatives, 322 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: he had no shortage of enemies, but there was one 323 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 1: name that seemed to come up most often in the 324 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 1: discussions of suspects, the name of a family member who 325 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: had been betrayed by Ismail, who had given him the 326 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 1: throne and been rewarded with banishment, the Princess Periranranum. Contemporaries 327 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 1: and some historians alike have contended that Periandraanum, furious at 328 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: Ismaeil's treatment of her, had indeed conspired with maid servants 329 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 1: in Ismail's household to poison him. We'll never know for 330 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: sure exactly who or what caused the death of Shah 331 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: Ismail the Second in November of fifteen seventy seven, but 332 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: we do know what happened next whether or not peri 333 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: Rankranum was responsible for the death of Ismael. She played 334 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: the circumstances to her advantage. When a group of nobles 335 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: approached her asking her to take the throne, she demurred, 336 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: saying that it would be improper given that her older 337 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:30,560 Speaker 1: brother Mohammed still lived, a statement no doubt influenced by 338 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:34,360 Speaker 1: her understanding that society at large at the time would 339 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 1: be hesitant about a woman in power, but even nobles 340 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: who were uncomfortable with the idea of a woman formally 341 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: taking the throne recognized the princess's power. After the leaders 342 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 1: of the various tribes and political alliances met to discuss 343 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 1: the next Shah, they went to Perrankranum's house to get 344 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 1: her final approval on their proposal. Their proposal was to 345 00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:02,360 Speaker 1: put Mohammed Kodabundan the throne. It was a proposal that 346 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:07,680 Speaker 1: suited Perkranranum well. Mohammed Kodubanda was known to pursue pleasure 347 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 1: more than political power. With a weak willed and not 348 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: particularly politically minded man on the throne, Pekandranum thought she 349 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: could rule in the shadows. But what she hadn't counted 350 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:27,119 Speaker 1: on was another player in the equation, someone who, like Periandranum, 351 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 1: had been overlooked on account of her sex, but who 352 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: was keenly ambitious, and perhaps just as clever as the 353 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:42,240 Speaker 1: princess herself. It was Mohammed Kudbanda's wife, Hira al Nisabegum. 354 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: Hira al Nisabegum was born in Mazandaran, a province in 355 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: the north of the Empire on the southern shores of 356 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:53,840 Speaker 1: the Caspian Sea. Born to a ruler of the province. 357 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 1: Her childhood was likely a luxurious one, but the privilege 358 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: didn't last in fifteen. In sixty five, her cousin killed 359 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 1: her father and hire on Ni Sabagun was forced to flee. 360 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: She took refuge with the Sapavid court, and though she 361 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 1: was quickly swept up in the activities of the court, 362 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 1: her desire for revenge against her cousin never left her. 363 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 1: She was eventually married to Mohammed Kodabanda, the son of 364 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:25,399 Speaker 1: the shah Tamas the first. Given Mohammed Kodabanda's blindness, the 365 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: family had determined that he would never take the throne, 366 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: and so their family ended up living a relatively low 367 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 1: profile life in the city of Shiraz, where Mohammad nominally 368 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 1: served as governor, spending most of his time with a 369 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 1: group of artists and poets. But with his brother Ismael's death, 370 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:49,679 Speaker 1: their family status rose meteorically. As the court awaited the 371 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 1: arrival of their new Shah. Perry Khanhanum assumed the same 372 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:58,120 Speaker 1: role of unofficial regent that she had between the death 373 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: of Hadar and the coronation of Isma. This period of 374 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 1: control would last, this time for nearly three months. Her 375 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: most notable accomplishment during this time was the liberation of 376 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 1: a large number of political prisoners, including those jailed for 377 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: supporting Hadar. But even as Perichranranum maintained order in the empire, 378 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 1: trouble was brewing within the royal family. It began when 379 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:32,359 Speaker 1: Ismaeil's former Vizir or political adviser, rode out to Shiraz 380 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 1: to warn Mohammed Kodabanda and his wife of Peri Ranranum's ambitions. 381 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: Quote as long as Peigranranum was mistress in the palace 382 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 1: and controlled affairs of the state. When she records the 383 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:49,320 Speaker 1: Vizier saying the Shah would possess nothing but the title 384 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,119 Speaker 1: of king and his wife would not be admitted to 385 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: the hero. The royal couple made it clear that they 386 00:27:55,800 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 1: would not tolerate any usurpation. When news of this declaration 387 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:03,920 Speaker 1: made it back to Perry Chankranum, she and her supporters 388 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: began to take actions to solidify her power. Guards patrolled 389 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 1: the palace, ready to take on any threat to the princess. 390 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 1: In response, the Vizier sent guards of his own to 391 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 1: the state treasury, which was under Perichranhranum's control at that point, 392 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: tensions mounted and several skirmishes ensued between the supporters of 393 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 1: Perry Krankranum and those of Mohammed Codebanda and Chira al Nisabagum. 394 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 1: Peri Franchranum's treatment of the couple upon their arrival in 395 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: Kasvin did nothing to help matters. As Mohammed and his 396 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: wife rode up to the city on February ninth, fifteen 397 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 1: seventy eight, Perichrankranum came out to greet them in an 398 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: opulent litter surrounded by a huge crowd of supporters. It 399 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 1: was a bold statement of authority, and one that certainly 400 00:28:55,840 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 1: rankled the already insecure royal incomers. One story recounted by 401 00:29:01,760 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 1: Munchi alleges that Peri Krankranum snubbed the future empress. The 402 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 1: chier Alni Sabegum kissed perikran Karanum's hand, the princess refused 403 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: to reciprocate with any gesture of respect. Despite this tension, 404 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 1: Peri kran Kranum and her brother Mohammed were able to 405 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 1: conduct a cordial meeting in which they mourned the loss 406 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 1: of their father Chatamas and the deaths of their male 407 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: relatives at the hands of Shah Ismael, but this conversation 408 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 1: was not enough to fix the rupture growing in the family. 409 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: Perry Krankranum was too powerful and her very existence was 410 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: a threat to the power of Mohammed Kodibanda and his 411 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 1: wife chier Alni Sabegum. Two days later, Mohammed Kodibanda entered 412 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 1: the palace in Kasvin and officially took the throne, becoming 413 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:59,719 Speaker 1: Shah of the Safavid Empire. All of the nobles were 414 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: in the attendants to watch his ascension, including Peri Grankranum. 415 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 1: When the ceremony ended, Perry Krankranum boarded her litter and 416 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:13,959 Speaker 1: set off for her home, surrounded by attendants. The roads 417 00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:17,200 Speaker 1: of Cosvin were crowded with the city's citizens out in 418 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: droves to celebrate the new Shah, and so the princess's 419 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 1: attendants turned to re enter the palace grounds, planning to 420 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 1: cut through the harem gardens to reach Parikranranum's house more quickly, 421 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 1: But as the party neared her home, they were intercepted 422 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 1: by a group of men who attempted to seize the litter. 423 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:43,560 Speaker 1: Parikranranum's attendants fought back inside the litter. The princess was 424 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 1: thrown back and forth as the two groups battled for control. 425 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,680 Speaker 1: Peace only came when the attackers revealed that they were 426 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:56,080 Speaker 1: acting on the orders of the Shah, and Perikranranum, realizing 427 00:30:56,120 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 1: what was happening, surrendered herself. In a particularicularly cruel twist. 428 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 1: She saw that the leader of the group was none 429 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 1: other than her old tutor and guardian, Kalikran. He had 430 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 1: been promised Peri Chranranum's entire estate in exchange for orchestrating 431 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: her death. Peri Chranranum was taken to Khalilchhan's house and 432 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,960 Speaker 1: kept as a prisoner. Later that evening, a group of 433 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:29,600 Speaker 1: Khalilchran's men entered the room and strangled the princess to death. 434 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: She was twenty nine years old. In the centuries since 435 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 1: her death, Peri Ranranum's legacy has been debated by historians. 436 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:44,680 Speaker 1: Some see her as a powerful leader, others as a 437 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: conniving backstabber. The truth, as always, is somewhere, probably in 438 00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 1: the middle and definitely more complicated, but her influence and 439 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 1: power between fifteen seventy six and fifteen seventy eight are undeniable. 440 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 1: As the historian Shariah Golshorki put it in her definitive 441 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 1: work on the Princess, quote, it is time to grant 442 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 1: recognition to such Safavid women as Peri gran Ranum, who 443 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:16,240 Speaker 1: took leadership roles and entered the forbidden and formidable realm 444 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:27,760 Speaker 1: of power and intrigue at the court. That's the story 445 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 1: of Pari ran Ranum. To learn more about the fate 446 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: of the woman who helped organize her downfall, chier Alni Sabagum, 447 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 1: listen after a quick commercial break. Once Peri Ranranum was dead, 448 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 1: hier Al Ni Sabagum, the new Empress, became the real 449 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 1: power behind the throne. Like other Safavid empresses, she would 450 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:01,840 Speaker 1: eventually become known as Madhi Julia, which translated to as 451 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 1: sublime cradle or the highest ranking credle. It's as Madiulia 452 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:11,600 Speaker 1: that she is most commonly referred to today. As Empress, 453 00:33:11,640 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: Modulia built out her network of influence, appointing family members 454 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 1: and friends to important positions, gathering information, and dictating political 455 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: and military strategy. Even as she worked to strengthen the 456 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:30,240 Speaker 1: Safavid Empire, she thought constantly of her home province of Mazadaran, 457 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 1: which was now ruled by the son of the man 458 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:37,200 Speaker 1: who had killed her father. This man, Mizra Khan, had 459 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 1: come to court when Madulia and Mohammed Kodabanda first ascended 460 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:45,040 Speaker 1: to the throne to seek forgiveness for his father's actions 461 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 1: and get confirmation of his position as governor. Modiulia grudgingly 462 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:55,680 Speaker 1: granted both, but her forgiveness was only a facade. Some 463 00:33:55,920 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 1: time later, she appointed a new governor, an uncle of her, 464 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 1: and declared Murzahan's authority to be illegitimate. Murzahan, understanding the 465 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 1: potentially deadly implications of this move, hold up in the 466 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:15,760 Speaker 1: fortress of Fijah to try to protect himself, but even 467 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 1: a fortress was no match for Modiulia's power. She sent 468 00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:23,960 Speaker 1: a number of troops to the fort determined to starve 469 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:28,000 Speaker 1: Mirzakhan out, But when the troops arrived at the fortress, 470 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:31,319 Speaker 1: they realized that the siege would be a costly one, 471 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:35,279 Speaker 1: and so their commanding officer decided to try to negotiate. 472 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:41,040 Speaker 1: After prolonged negotiations, Murzahan agreed to leave the fort on 473 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:44,600 Speaker 1: the condition that the officers present, all of whom held 474 00:34:44,640 --> 00:34:47,880 Speaker 1: prominent positions at court, would help him plead his case 475 00:34:48,000 --> 00:34:53,760 Speaker 1: to Modiulia. When Modiulia learned of the deal, she was furious, 476 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:57,239 Speaker 1: since she certainly intended to harm Mirzakhan and now she 477 00:34:57,280 --> 00:34:59,799 Speaker 1: would have to work against her own men to do it. 478 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 1: As the group transporting Mirzarkhan made their way to Kasvin, 479 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 1: Modulia sent out another group of warriors with orders to 480 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:13,480 Speaker 1: capture Murzakhan and to kill him. When this second group 481 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 1: met up with the first, the officers who had sworn 482 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:20,759 Speaker 1: to protect Murzakhan on the terms of the surrender, were 483 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:24,359 Speaker 1: reluctant to hand him over, but eventually they did so, 484 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: fearful of disobeying a royal order and also believing that 485 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:32,760 Speaker 1: the men wouldn't actually kill the prisoner. They were wrong. 486 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:38,239 Speaker 1: Later that night, the second group killed Murzakhan. The officers 487 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 1: present were furious, and though they had been loyal to Modiulia, 488 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 1: their loyalty began to waver after what they saw as 489 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:49,919 Speaker 1: a betrayal. The assassination was the beginning of the end 490 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:54,080 Speaker 1: for Madiulia. It was not the only factor, of course. 491 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:56,840 Speaker 1: She made a number of bold moves, some of which 492 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:00,279 Speaker 1: were politically imprudent, and it additionally cannot be denied that 493 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:03,640 Speaker 1: there was some deep resentment among tribal leaders towards taking 494 00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:07,880 Speaker 1: orders from a woman. In mid fifteen seventy nine, a 495 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:11,960 Speaker 1: group of Kiselbash leaders issued a shocking threat against the 496 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:15,800 Speaker 1: Empress to the Emperor, revealing the extent of their anger. 497 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:20,440 Speaker 1: It read, in part, quote, your Majesty knows well that 498 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:24,880 Speaker 1: women are notoriously lacking in intelligence, weak in judgment, and 499 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: extremely obstinate. Maniulia's power and influence in the government of 500 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:34,200 Speaker 1: the realm is objectionable to all the Kiselbash tribes. If 501 00:36:34,200 --> 00:36:38,560 Speaker 1: she is not removed from power, in all probability, revolts 502 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:41,359 Speaker 1: will occur that will be to the detriment of both 503 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:46,720 Speaker 1: religion and the state. Removed from power in this case 504 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:52,240 Speaker 1: meant killed. Shah Muhammad Kodabanda had no interest in revolt, 505 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:56,640 Speaker 1: but he also had no interest in executing his wife. 506 00:36:56,680 --> 00:37:00,319 Speaker 1: He offered two solutions. Either he would say and his 507 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:04,080 Speaker 1: wife away from cosviin exiling her from the workings of court, 508 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:08,200 Speaker 1: or he himself would abdicate and allow the Kisobash to 509 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 1: choose a new Shah. Mate Elulia provided a more fiery rebuke, 510 00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 1: declaring that she would never back down even if it 511 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: would cost her her life. Ultimately it did. On July 512 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:25,120 Speaker 1: twenty sixth, fifteen seventy nine, only eighteen months after the 513 00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:29,600 Speaker 1: death of Peigrandranum, Modulia was strangled to death in the 514 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:33,560 Speaker 1: palace grounds by a number of Kisobash warriors, who also 515 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:38,840 Speaker 1: killed her elderly mother, who was present. Without Modiulia's guiding hand, 516 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 1: Mohammed Kodabanda's reign quickly fell into disarray. Four years later, 517 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:48,640 Speaker 1: Kisobash leaders executed his vizier, the man who had warned 518 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:54,080 Speaker 1: Mohammed and his wife about Perichrandranum's power rise five years earlier. 519 00:37:54,800 --> 00:38:01,080 Speaker 1: In fifteen eighty seven, several Kisobash tribes initiated full fledged coups, 520 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:06,560 Speaker 1: which ultimately succeeded in October of that year. Eventually, Mohammed 521 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:10,600 Speaker 1: Kodubunda was replaced by one of his sons, a man who, 522 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:14,759 Speaker 1: breaking the family bad luck streak, would go down in 523 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:19,640 Speaker 1: history as the most successful Safavid ruler, the Shah who 524 00:38:19,719 --> 00:38:37,480 Speaker 1: would become known as Avas the Great. Noble Blood is 525 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:41,400 Speaker 1: a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and Mild from Aaron Manky. 526 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:46,000 Speaker 1: Noble Blood is hosted by me Dana Schwartz. Additional writing 527 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:50,280 Speaker 1: and researching done by Hannah Johnston, hannah's Wick, Mira Hayward, 528 00:38:50,440 --> 00:38:54,080 Speaker 1: Courtney Sender, and Lori Goodman. The show is produced by 529 00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:59,160 Speaker 1: rima Il Kayali, with supervising producer josh Thaan and executive 530 00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:03,480 Speaker 1: producers air Manke, Alex Williams, and Matt Frederick. For more 531 00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:08,800 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 532 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:10,640 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.