00:00 The podcast discusses the city of Isfahan, its history as the capital of Persia, and the rule of Shah Abbas during the golden age of the Safavid Persians.

05:08 Shah Abbas decided to transfer the capital from Asvin to Esfahan in order to start fresh, connect trade routes, and celebrate the peace treaty with the Ottomans, and with the help of advisors like Sheikh Bahai, he planned and built the new capital over the course of his 42-year reign.

10:44 Shah Abbas transformed Isfahan into a green city by bringing in wealth through trade, particularly the silk trade, and strategically opening new trade routes, connecting Persia to the rest of the world and creating opportunities for commerce with the East India Company and the Armenian merchant community.

15:40 Isfahan, once known as Yahudi, has a rich history and was a wondrous city 400 years ago, larger than London and more cosmopolitan than Paris, filled with architecture the world had never seen before, attracting artisans and architects who were not forced to come but were attracted by the wealth and large-scale planning and building, resulting in a perfectly aligned, planned city centered around the Maidan, a vast open space with arcades of shops and a massive congregational mosque at the south end.

20:42 Isfahan had a complex watering system to cool down the Maidan, which was a vast open space filled with shops, a congregational mosque, and a palace entrance, and it was also the site of daily markets, polo matches, and ceremonial processions, while the private mosque of Sheikh Lotfullah was described as a jewel box and one of the great architectural wonders of the world.

25:52 The private mosque in Isfahan was not open to the public for Friday prayer, but rather served as a symbol of the royal household's devotion to Shi'i teachings, and the tilework in Isfahan is unique and unparalleled in the world.

30:37 The Safavid Shahs in Isfahan were considered legitimate rulers based on ancient Iranian kingship, Shi'i ideas, and accessibility, and the city's construction was largely due to the work of elite slaves and women from the royal household.

35:56 In Isfahan, there were accessible places of entertainment, including cafes and taverns, where courtesans and musicians would entertain guests, and the Chahasotun palace was known for hosting large receptions and serving a variety of courses of food, including stews and rice dishes with fruits and nuts.

41:11 In Isfahan, stews were a common dish in Persian cookery, often served in deeper bowls and presented on shallow platters with rice arranged in a pyramidal shape, while the fashion of the time was intricate and ornate, with men wearing voided velvet coats and women having limited freedom of movement in public spaces.

46:11 In Safavid Esfahan, there was fluidity in gender and sexual relationships, as seen in paintings and objects, and the city was cosmopolitan, filled with people from all over the world engaging in trade and commerce.