The Safavid period (1501-1722) is often viewed as the golden era in Iran's history, following the demise of the Sasanian Empire a thousand years earlier. In fact it represented a vital break with past Iranian history. Based on the latest in-depth research and historiography, Safavid Iran shows the extraordinary achievements of the Safavid period--political, economic and cultural. Andrew Newman examines art and architecture, philosophy, science and religion of the age and places them in the context of ruthless statecraft and institution-building.