Shah Ismail was the founder and first ruler (shah) of the Safavid Empire. He established Twelver Shiism as the state religion and implemented it throughout his territories.
Related terms
Twelver Shiism: A branch of Shia Islam that believes in twelve divinely ordained Imams after Prophet Muhammad.
Religious Conversion: The process by which individuals adopt a new religious belief system.
Dynastic Succession: The transfer of power within a ruling family from one generation to another.