Les Six Voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier by Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, 1682
Displayed is a French explanation, by Tavernier, of the Royal Seal of Safavid ruler Shah Abbas of Persia. Shah Abbas (1571-1629) was known as the ruler who expelled Ottoman and Uzbek troops from Persian soil, and as a great patron of the arts and commerce. During his reign, carpet weaving became a major industry, and fine Persian rugs began to appear in the homes of wealthy Europeans. Shah Abbas’s reign is also notable for the refinement of illuminated manuscript making, bookbinding, ceramics, and painting. Despite being a fair and evenhanded ruler, Shah Abbas had an irrational fear of conspiracy, and was extremely harsh toward his sons, whom he feared were plotting against him.