Studies on the Khassa Institution of the Islamic Empires

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520807
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Asian history
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: MAEDA HIROTAKE 首都大学東京, 人文科学研究科, 准教授 (90374701)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: サファヴィー朝 / ハーッサ / 奴隷軍人 / コーカサス（カフカス） / グルジア（ジョージア） / 境域 / 王領地

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research the author paid a special attention to the activities of royal ghulam corps of the Safavid empire and its khassa policy. Islamic empires were traditionally active in relying on the human resources from 'the outer world' and the Safavid royal ghulams corps were introduced from the Caucasus region. At the same time each member of the corps preserved their identity and family traditions from their homes at the frontier. The khassa policy was a key for the Safavid royal authority to create more centralized state but its executors possessed a 'frontier' identity and this influenced the imperial policy in turn on the multi level. The study also called the need to deepen the knowledge on the involvements of various ethnic groups from the Caucasus with imperial authority.

Free Research Field

西アジア史・ユーラシア研究