New Julfa and
the Armenian Christians 
Another way Shah Abbas I tried to gain an
economic advantage over the Ottomans and Mughals was through the silk industry.
Safavid Persia produced the highest quality raw silk and exported it to
the Ottomans, who then wove it into textiles. Because the Ottomans
sold the Persian silk as a finished product (beautiful silk rugs and other
tapestries), they made a higher profit than the Safavids. Shah Abbas
decided that it would be more profitable to his empire to export a completed
product rather than the raw material.
In order to do this, Shah Abbas relocated
an entire community of Armenian Christians in 1604 who were known for their
expert weaving. This was an important political move for two reasons.
Can you think of what they might be?
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here if you think you know (or if you give up)
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