Muṭāli̒āt-i tārīkh-i farhangī(Cultural History Studies)

xamining Role and Function of Interpreters in Safavid Foreign Relations Based on European Travelogue (from the Reign of Shah Abbas to the Fall of Isfahan)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

farhad dashtaki nia
amirali mirahmadizade

Department Faculty University of Tehran,.Tehran.Iran

10.22034/chs.2026.560153.1146
Abstract
During the Safavid period, particularly from the reign of Shah Abbas I (996–1038 AH / 1587–1629 CE) to the fall of Isfahan (1135 AH / 1722 CE), the expansion of Iran’s foreign relations increased the strategic importance of language in diplomatic and political interactions. In this context, translators were not merely linguistic mediators but functioned as intercultural agents actively involved in diplomatic, cultural, and even ideological exchanges between Iran and Europe. Based on a descriptive–analytical approach and drawing primarily on library sources, especially European travel accounts, this article examines the role and position of translators at the Safavid court during this period. The findings suggest that many of these translators were European Christians or converts to Islam who, through long-term residence in Iran, had acquired proficiency in local languages and familiarity with Iranian customs. Case studies of figures such as Petrus Josephus a Rosario, Marre, and Raphael du Mans reveal that these individuals played a crucial role in transmitting complex political, commercial, and cultural concepts between Iran and Europe and were actively involved in the production and circulation of meaning within Safavid diplomatic relations.

Keywords

Safavid-era iran
Safavid diplomacy
court translators
Safavid-era travelogues
Persian language
Raphael du Mans

  • Receive Date 16 November 2025
  • Revise Date 30 January 2026
  • Accept Date 31 March 2026
  • Publish Date 22 November 2025

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