Political-Economic Functions of Dez-Part Road in the Relationships between the Safavid Government and Bakhtiari Tribe

Dez-Part is one of the most important roads of Bakhtiari land and dates back to ancient times. Due to strategic reasons, this road was of particular importance during the Safavid era. In fact, in order to achieve their purposes, Safavid rulers repaired the road, which had been damaged previously, and used it to their own advantage. A part of Dez-Part was used during the reigns of Shah Abbas I and Shah Abbas II for political and economic purposes. This paper discusses the purposes behind Safavid kings’ attention to this route with respect to political and economic benefits. These purposes
included the spread of the Shi’ite culture in Bakhtiari lands, keeping Bakhtiari rulers under surveillance, conducting national trade between Bakhtiari lands and Isfahan (the Safavid capital), and finally commuting for the purpose of transferring the water of Kuhrang River to Isfahan through building a waterway in the mountain. Following a descriptive-analytic method, this study was conducted through using library resources, observing epigraphs, and examining documents on Safavid history.