دانشگاه اصفهان پژوهش های تاریخی 2008-6253 18 3 2026 09 23 Reviving the Khorasan Highway under Shah ‘Abbas I: Preparing a Route for Pilgrimage on Foot احیای شاهراه خراسان در دورۀ شاه عباس اول؛ تمهید یک راه برای زیارت با پای پیاده 1 51 73 30549 10.22108/jhr.2026.148218.2912 FA نغمه اسدی چیمه دانشجوی دکتری دانشکده معماری و شهرسازی، دانشگاه شهید بهشتی، تهران، ایران زهرا اهری دانشیار دانشکده معماری و شهرسازی، دانشگاه شهید بهشتی، تهران، ایران حمیدرضا جیحانی دانشیار دانشکده معماری و شهرسازی، دانشگاه شهید بهشتی، تهران، ایران Journal Article 2026 02 17 Abstract Shah ʿAbbas I held a profound devotion to the pilgrimage to Imam al-Rida. In 1010 AH (1601 CE), he traveled on foot from Isfahan to Mashhad to fulfill a religious vow. Contrary to the view of some scholars who regard this journey primarily as a symbolic gesture serving military and political objectives, the present study argues that the event was rooted in the Shah’s genuine religious convictions. Furthermore, it posits that this pilgrimage catalyzed the revival of the ancient Khurasan Road and enhanced its significance as a major pilgrimage route. This included reconstructing the Shah’s route and improving its stopping places and their facilities—measures that facilitated and promoted pilgrimage among the broader population. The reconstruction of the Shah’s route and the examination of the stopping places show that after this journey, Isfahan was connected to the old Khurasan highway through a shorter and safer road, enabling easier access to Mashhad, especially for the Shiʿis of the central regions of the Safavid realm. The findings also indicate that, in line with pilgrims' daily walking capacity, new stopping places were established or improved at suitable intervals. At each station, basic facilities were provided for the remaining travelers. In this way, during the reign of Shah ʿAbbas I, the Khurasan Road was transformed from a primarily communicative or military route into a pilgrimage route, laying the groundwork for the consolidation of Mashhad’s position as the leading pilgrimage center of the Safavid era. Keywords: Shah Abbas I, Khorasan Road, Mashhad, Pilgrimage on Foot, Staging Posts. Introduction Pilgrimage held great significance for the Safavids, especially for Shah Abbas I. Some scholars have attributed this importance to the intertwining of politics and religion during the Safavid period, emphasizing the ideological function of pilgrimage. However, historical accounts by Eskander Beg Monši indicate that Shah Abbas's numerous journeys to Mashhad were rooted not only in political legitimacy but also in his personal devotion to Imam Reza (AS). He sought the Imam's aid in times of illness and war and traveled to Mashhad in gratitude for victories, spending extended periods in worship and service to the shrine. His generosity included sweeping the shrine's carpets, donating jeweled chandeliers and precious rugs, and establishing extensive endowments. A notable event was his pilgrimage on foot from Isfahan to Mashhad in 1010 AH (1601 CE), undertaken to fulfill a vow after the reconquest of Khorasan. This journey, recorded by the court astronomer Mollā Jalāl, provided a detailed itinerary of the route and staging posts. It reflected the Shah's deep religious motivation and directly influenced subsequent improvements to the road, including new stations, caravanserais, qanats, and reservoirs, all aimed at facilitating future pilgrims. Despite its significance, few scholars have thoroughly examined this pilgrimage. Charles Melville's study, based on official chronicles, questioned the Shah's motives, suggesting possible political or military undertones and failing to accurately identify several staging posts. Caroline Mawer later integrated Melville's work with satellite data and field surveys, offering a more precise route map, yet she interpreted the infrastructure improvements primarily in a military context. Similarly, studies by Siroux and Kleiss viewed the road mainly as serving the Shah's recreational travel to Mazandaran, neglecting the needs of ordinary pilgrims. This study argues that Shah Abbas I's primary intent was to promote and sustain pilgrimage as a Shi'i ritual practice. His personal experience of traveling on foot led him to revive the ancient Khorasan highway, connecting Isfahan via a shorter, safer route through the central desert. He established appropriate facilities—rest stations, water supplies, and accommodations—suitable for pilgrims' daily walking capacity. This historical study draws on key sources, including the chronicles of Eskander Beg Monši, Mollā Jalāl's diary (which provides unique first-hand details of the 1010 AH journey), and other contemporary travel accounts, to demonstrate that the Shah's interventions transformed the Khorasan road from a purely military or connective route into a lasting pilgrimage infrastructure. Materials and Methods The present study employs a historical research method. Primary sources include Safavid chronicles such as Tārīkh-i ʿĀlam-ārā-yi ʿAbbāsī, Tārīkh-i Abbasi (Ruznameh-ye Molla Jalal), and Afżal al-Tavārīkh. Additional evidence is drawn from Islamic geographical texts, manuscript sources, travel accounts, and modern historical studies. Route reconstruction was conducted through comparative examination of textual and geographical evidence. Research Findings The findings of the study indicate that a substantial portion of Shah Abbas’s route followed the ancient Khorasan road. He established a new branch linking Isfahan directly to the highway via a shorter, safer route. In hazardous desert areas, especially across the central salt flats, he ordered the construction of paved roads, bridges, and guideposts. The study also shows that new stations were established at intervals matching pilgrims’ daily walking capacity. Caravanserais, ribats, qanats, and water facilities were either built or improved along the route. Furthermore, new settlements, such as Abbasabad, were founded to support travelers and pilgrims. Shah Abbas I, driven by his religious policies and personal belief in the pilgrimage to the eighth Imam of the Shi'a, sought to promote pilgrimage among the general public by preparing the Khorasan road. To this end, he attended to the road at various levels. His first fundamental measure—undertaken through the selection and traversal of the route—was to connect Isfahan to the ancient Khorasan highway via a shorter and safer path. This action enabled direct access from the capital and the central Shi'a-populated regions to Mashhad, thereby consolidating the position of this route within the Safavid communication network. At another level, drawing on his own experience of traveling on foot, Shah organized the route from Isfahan to Mashhad in accordance with the requirements of pedestrian travel. In hazardous areas, particularly in the central desert and salt flats, he ordered the construction of a paved road, appointed officials to oversee its execution, and personally supervised the process. He also established new stations at long intervals between staging posts, so that pilgrims could stop at distances appropriate to their daily walking capacity. These measures ranged from creating a solid platform over the salt flat to constructing caravanserais and even founding new settlements. Providing basic facilities at the staging posts was another of the Shah's initiatives, undertaken following his own journey on foot. Discussion of Results and Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that the pilgrimage of Shah Abbas I to Mashhad in 1010 AH (1601 CE) represented more than a personal act of piety and should be understood within the broader context of pilgrimage infrastructure development in Safavid Iran. Although the Khorasan road had long served as a major communication route linking central Iran with the eastern provinces, the evidence suggests that the Shah’s journey contributed significantly to its revitalization and adaptation for religious travel. The reconstruction of the route demonstrates that, following his pilgrimage, Shah Abbas implemented measures to improve access to the shrine of Imam Reza. These included establishing a shorter connection between Isfahan and the Khorasan road through Khwar, constructing and restoring caravanserais and ribats, creating additional stopping places, and providing water through qanats, wells, reservoirs, and ponds. Such measures closely align with the practical needs of pilgrims traveling on foot and reflect an awareness of the challenges posed by long distances and the arid environment of central Iran. The evidence further suggests that the Shah’s direct experience of the route influenced these initiatives. By reducing distances between stations, improving access to water, and providing safer facilities for travelers, the Safavid government transformed sections of the Khorasan Highway into a route better suited to large-scale pilgrimage. Consequently, access to Mashhad became easier for pilgrims from central Iran. In this respect, Shah Abbas’s pilgrimage can be regarded as a turning point in the development of the Khorasan road as a major pilgrimage route and in the expansion of pilgrimage culture in Safavid Iran. شاه عباس اول به زیارت حضرت رضا (ع) باور داشت. او در سال ۱۰۱۰ق برای زیارت و به‌قصد ادای نذر، مسیر اصفهان تا مشهد را با پای پیاده پیمود. برخلاف دیدگاه برخی پژوهشگران که این سفر را حرکتی نمادین در راستای اهداف نظامی و سیاسی دانسته‌اند، مقالۀ حاضر برآن است که نشان دهد این رویداد، برآمده از انگیزة دینی شاه و مقدمه‌ای بر احیای راه کهن خراسان و تقویت کارکرد زیارتی آن بود. مدعای اصلی پژوهش آن است که تجربۀ زیارت با پای پیاده توسط شاه، به مداخلاتی در امتداد راه، منزلگاه‌ها و امکانات آن‌ها انجامید؛ مداخلاتی که تسهیل و ترویج زیارت در میان عموم مردم را ممکن می‌کرد. این تحقیق با راهبرد تاریخی به انجام رسیده و داده‌های آن از متون جغرافیایی، تاریخ‌نامه‌ها و سفرنامه‌های دورة صفوی گردآوری شده است. بازسازی مسیر حرکت شاه و بررسی منزلگاه‌ها نشان می‌دهد که پس‌از این سفر، اصفهان ازطریق راهی کوتاه‌تر و ایمن‌تر به شاهراه کهن خراسان متصل شد و دسترس به مشهد به‌ویژه برای شیعیان نواحی مرکزی قلمرو صفوی فراهم آمد. یافته‌ها همچنین حاکی از آن است که به‌تناسب توان پیمایش روزانۀ زائران پیاده، منزلگاه‌های تازه‌ای در فواصل مناسب ایجاد یا تقویت شد و در هر منزل امکاناتی چون کاروان‌سرا، آب‌انبار، قنات و سکونتگاه‌های کوچک برای استراحت مسافران فراهم آمد. به‌این‌‌ترتیب، راه خراسان در عهد شاه عباس اول از کارکردی فقط ارتباطی یا نظامی به مسیری برای زیارت بدل شد و زمینة تثبیت جایگاه مشهد را به‌عنوان مهم‌ترین کانون زیارتی عصر صفوی فراهم ساخت.

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