مطالب

In the Safavid era, cities played a decisive role in the activities of urban social life, especially with regard to commodity, distribution and exchanging system between urban and rural society as well as defining the role of organizations in the commercial process. This paper is based on historical analyzing method where the authors could utilize primary sources to study social and economic states of urban life in Persian cities during Safavid. Farah Abad, Isfahan and Bandar Abbas in North, Center and South of Iran have been examined. These cities were selected considering their functional nature as producer, industrial (processor) and exporter centers. The outcome of the study shows that the cities founded and developed during Safavid, specially on Silk Road, during the reign of Shah Abbas I (996-1038 AH), played the role of producer, distributer and exporter in north, center and south of Iran. Based on their functional capacities, cities of that era are divided into three types: producer of raw materials, intermediary and processing, and finally exporter (port) cities. The analysis of economic relations of those cities indicates that the king had despotic monopolization of all aspects of the cities where the urban economy deeply on agricultural economy of countryside.

The history of Tabaristän, from the late Sassanid era through the middle Islamic age, underwent significant social and political changes the result of which were independence seeking movements leading to some semi-independent local governments. Each of these governments claimed political and social governance over a particular region. Castles, as important and influential military bases, were means at the disposal of the commanders and governors to maintain their sociopolitical power. Among the known castles in the mountains of Mazandaran province, Pouläd Castle in Nour, the capital of Nour County, is one of the symbols of territorial defense. It is located on a tall mount off the city of Baladeh in Nour County. Being built on an elevated location and overlooking the important surrounding regions and strategic ways has made Pouläd Castle one of the important centers in the sociopolitical changes. The present study follows a field work method as well as a library research method to investigate the defense structure of Pouläd castle and its geopolitical and geostrategic role in the power distribution pattern over the region of Rouyän in Tabaristän during the Islamic middle ages. The results show that the builders had tried their best to enhance the stability of the castle by building several layers of walls, utilizing the slope of the mountain, building several defense towers, and using rocky and impervious points as natural forts. Architectural analysis shows that Pouläd Castle, with both its military and political functions, has had a prominent role in the political changes of western Tabaristän.