Isfahan: History, Former Names & Timeline
Safavid capital, "half the world", whose Naqsh-e Jahan square is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture.
IsfahanExplore Isfahan in the interactive map
Former names of Isfahan
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 500 BC | Aspadana / Isfahan |
Timeline of Isfahan
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1051 | The Seljuks make Isfahan their capital |
| 1598 | Shah Abbas I moves the capital to Isfahan |
| 1722 | Afghan invaders take Isfahan; the Safavid state collapses |
Who ruled Isfahan
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–324 BC | Achaemenid Empire |
| 323 BC–301 BC | Empire of Alexander |
| 300 BC–2 BC | Seleucid Kingdom |
| 1 BC–399 | Parthian Empire |
| 400–499 | Persia |
| 500–799 | Sasanian Empire |
| 800–899 | Abbasid Caliphate |
| 900–999 | Saffarids |
| 1000–1099 | Buwayhid Emirates |
| 1100–1199 | Seljuk Empire |
| 1200–1299 | Buwayhid Emirates |
| 1300–1399 | Ilkhanate |
| 1400–1491 | Timurid Empire |
| 1492–1599 | Emirate of the White Sheep Turks |
| 1600–1782 | Safavid Empire |
| 1783–1919 | Persia |
| 1920–today | Iran |