In 1697, the Safavid Empire seized a vital port city to control Persian Gulf trade
The 1697 capture of Basra by the Safavid Empire marked a strategic shift in Middle Eastern power, as two great dynasties battled for control over the lucrative Persian Gulf trade routes.
In 1697, Safavid forces seized the strategic port city of Basra from the Ottoman Empire, beginning a four-year occupation that reshaped maritime commerce. Basra was the gateway to the Persian Gulf, making it a glittering prize for any empire seeking to tax the flow of spices, silk, and precious metals between Asia and Europe.
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