Editing Shiraz (section)

===Safavid Empire===
[[File:76 Chardin Shiraz.jpg|thumb|260px|An illustration of Shiraz by French traveler [[Jean Chardin]] in 1670s while he was travelling through the Safavid Empire]]

In 1504, Shiraz was captured by the forces of [[Ismail I]], the founder of the [[Safavid dynasty|Safavid Dynasty]]. Throughout the Safavid Empire (1501–1722) Shiraz remained a provincial capital and [[Imam Quli Khan (governor)|Emam Qoli Khan]], the governor of Fars under [[Abbas the Great]], constructed many palaces and ornate buildings in the same style as those built during the same period in [[Isfahan]], the capital of the Empire.<ref name="Shiraz history" /> After the fall of the Safavids, Shiraz suffered a period of decline, worsened by the raids of the [[Pashtun people|Afghans]] and the rebellion of its governor against [[Nader Shah]]; the latter sent troops to suppress the revolt. The city was besieged for many months and eventually sacked. At the time of [[Nader Shah]]'s murder in 1747, most of the historical buildings of the city were damaged or ruined, and its population fell to 50,000, one-quarter of that during the 16th century.<ref name="Shiraz history" />

Shiraz soon returned to prosperity under the rule of [[Karim Khan Zand]], who made it his capital in 1762. Employing more than 12,000 workers, he constructed a royal district with a fortress, many administrative buildings, a mosque, and one of the finest covered bazaars in Iran.<ref name="Shiraz history" /> He had a moat built around the city, constructed an irrigation and drainage system, and rebuilt the city walls.<ref name="Shiraz history" /> However, Karim Khan's heirs failed to secure his gains. When [[Agha Mohammad Khan]], the founder of the [[Qajar dynasty]], eventually came to power, he wreaked his revenge on Shiraz by destroying the city's fortifications and moving the national capital to [[Tehran]].<ref name="Shiraz history" /> Although lowered to the rank of a provincial capital, Shiraz maintained a level of prosperity as a result of the continuing importance of the trade route to the Persian Gulf. Its governorship was a royal prerogative throughout the [[Qajar dynasty]].<ref name="Shiraz history" /> Many of the famous gardens, buildings and residences built during this time contribute to the city's present skyline.

Shiraz is the birthplace of the co-founder of the [[Baháʼí Faith]], the [[Báb]] (Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad, 1819–1850). In this city, on the evening of 22 May 1844, he first declared his mission as the bearer of a new divine revelation.<ref name="babism-browne">{{cite encyclopedia|author=Browne, E.G.|title=Babism|encyclopedia=Religious Systems of the World: A Contribution to the Study of Comparative Religion|pages=333–53|publisher=Swann Sonnenschein|location=London|year=1890|url=http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/articles/A-E/browne/brbabism.htm|access-date=21 February 2007}}</ref> For this reason Shiraz is a holy city for Baháʼís, and the city, particularly [[Báb's house|the house of the Báb]], was identified as a place of [[Baháʼí pilgrimage|pilgrimage]].<ref name="smith2">{{cite encyclopedia|last=Smith|first=Peter|encyclopedia=A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith|title=Shiraz: the House of the Báb|year=2000|publisher=Oneworld Publications|location=Oxford|isbn=978-1-85168-184-6|pages=[https://archive.org/details/conciseencyclope0000smit/page/314 314]|url=https://archive.org/details/conciseencyclope0000smit/page/314}}</ref> Due to the [[persecution of Baháʼís|hostile climate towards Baháʼís]] in Iran, the house has been the target of repeated attacks; the house was destroyed in 1979, to be paved over two years later and made into a public square.<ref name="smith2" />

In 1910, a [[pogrom]] of the Jewish quarter started after [[1910 Shiraz blood libel|false rumours]] that the Jews had ritually murdered a Muslim girl. In the course of the riots, 12 Jews were murdered and about 50 were injured, and the 6,000 Jews of Shiraz were robbed of all their possessions.<ref name="Littman12">{{Cite book|author=Littman|date=1979|pages=12, 14|title=Jews Under Muslim Rule: The Case of Persia}}</ref>

During the [[Pahlavi dynasty]], Shiraz became the center of attention again. Many important landmarks like Tombs of Poets' such as [[Saadi (poet)|Sa'di]]<ref name="saadi-iranchamber" /> and [[Hafiz Shirazi|Hafiz]],<ref name="hafez-iranica" /> were constructed and presented to the public.

Lacking any great industrial, religious or strategic importance, Shiraz became an administrative center, although its population has nevertheless grown considerably since the [[Iranian Revolution]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Clint Lucas|url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/iran/shiraz/history|title=Shiraz History – Shiraz Travel Guide|publisher=Lonely Planet|date=29 April 2011|access-date=5 May 2011|archive-date=13 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913160141/http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/iran/shiraz/history|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{{Clear}}
<gallery mode="packed" heights="130">
File:Shiraz en 1671 André Daulier Deslandes.jpg|Shiraz, André D. Deslandes, 1671
File:La ville de Sieras en Perse.jpg|Shiraz, [[Jean Jansen Struys|Jean Struys]], 1681
File:Lotf Ali Khan.jpg|[[Lotf Ali Khan]] (1769–1794), ruler of the [[Zand dynasty]]
File:Bazar Shiraz as seen by Jane Dieulafoy, 1881.jpg|Illustration of the [[Vakil Bazaar]] by [[Jane Dieulafoy]], 1881
File:Women from Shiraz as seen by Jane Dieulafoy in 1881.jpg|Women from Shiraz, by Dieulafoy in 1881
File:Harold f Weston - Iran23.jpg|Qur'an Gate, [[Harold Weston|Harold F. Weston]], 20th century painting
</gallery>