Shakhseveny

Shakhseveny

 

an ethnographic group of Azerbaijanis living in northwestern Iran and parts of the southern Azerbaijan SSR. The formation of the Shakhseveny was initiated in the 16th century by Shah Abbas I, who, in an attempt to weaken the influence of the Kizilbash tribal leaders, organized a special guard recruited from members of the Kizilbash tribal confederation (seeKIZILBASH). The guard was named Shakhseveny, from the Azerbaijani shakhïsevan (literally, “shah-lovers”). Abbas I granted the Shakhseveny extensive holdings in the regions of Ardebil, Mugan, Saveh, and Qazvin. Most of the Shakhseveny adopted a settled way of life in the late 19th century.