Mohammed Khodabanda

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Mohammed Khodabānda of Khudabānda, also known as Mohammed Shah, was the fourth Safavid Shah of Iran(Persia) (1578–1587) .

He succeeded to the throne of Persia upon his brother Ismail II's death in 1578.

The most important event of Mohammed’s reign was the war with the Ottomans. The Ottoman army under the leader ship of Uthman Pasha had crossed the borders into Iran and invaded Tabriz. Sultam Mohammed sent his oldest son Hamzeh Mirza to fight the Ottomans. Soon after, Uthman Pasha died in Tabriz and the young prince decided to cross the Araz river in order to directly attack the Ottoman territory. His actions eventually forced the enemy to accept the offer of peace and return Tabriz to Iran. Soon after this victory, Hamzeh Mirza was assassinated and his younger brother 'Abbās Mirza ('Abbās the Great) moved to Qazvin to claim the throne for himself. Sultan Mohammed personally put the crown on his son’s head.

Mohammed was a mild-mannered and ascetic figure, also hampered by semi-blindness in his late years: the Safavid Empire substantially weakened during his late years, especially in the Eastern frontiers, which were invaded by Turkmen tribes. After the resignation, he spent the rest of his life in reclusion. He died eight years later and his son brought his body to Karbala for burial.