Abbas I vs Minh Mang

Abbas I created a standing army of ghulams (military slaves) recruited from Christian subjects in the Caucasus, particularly Georgians and Armenians. This reduced reliance on the Qizilbash tribal forces, increased royal control, and modernized the military with firearms and artillery.

Abbas I moved the Safavid capital from Qazvin to Isfahan, transforming it into a magnificent city with grand architecture, including Naqsh-e Jahan Square, the Shah Mosque, and the Ali Qapu Palace. This relocation became a symbol of Safavid power and cultural flourishing.

Abbas I sent diplomatic missions to European courts, including those of Philip III of Spain, Rudolf II of the Holy Roman Empire, and Elizabeth I of England, seeking alliances against the Ottoman Empire. These missions opened sustained diplomatic and commercial exchanges between Safavid Persia and Europe.

Abbas I defeated an Ottoman army near Sufiyan, securing Safavid control over Azerbaijan and the Caucasus. This victory was part of the Ottoman-Safavid War of 1603-1618, which resulted in the recapture of Tabriz, Nakhchivan, and Yerevan from Ottoman occupation.

Abbas I, with support from the English East India Company, captured the island of Hormuz from Portuguese control. This ended Portuguese dominance in the Persian Gulf and opened direct trade routes for Safavid Persia with Europe, boosting the silk trade.

Abbas I captured Baghdad from the Ottoman Empire after a siege, restoring Safavid control over Iraq. This victory expanded Safavid territory and gave Abbas control over important Shi'a pilgrimage sites like Najaf and Karbala.

Minh Mang reorganized the Vietnamese bureaucracy based on Confucian principles, centralizing power and reducing regional autonomy. He expanded the civil service examination system and promoted Neo-Confucian orthodoxy.

Minh Mang issued a series of edicts banning Christianity and ordering the destruction of churches. Missionaries were executed or expelled, and Vietnamese Christians were persecuted. This policy increased tensions with France and led to future French intervention.

Minh Mang ordered the brutal suppression of the Le Van Khoi rebellion in southern Vietnam. The revolt, led by a Catholic convert, was crushed with mass executions, and Minh Mang intensified his persecution of Christian missionaries and converts.