Qurchi | |
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![]() 17th-century illustration of a qurchi. | |
Active | 1501-1736 |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Type | Royal bodyguard |
Size | c. 1,000-3,000 (under Ismail I)[1] 5,000 (under Tahmasp I) c. 6,000 (under Ismail II)[1] < 3,000 (under Mohammad Khodabanda)[2][b] 10,000-15,000 (under Abbas I) 20,000 (course of the 17th century)[3] |
Commanders | |
First | Abdal Beg Talish |
Last | Qasem Beg Qajar |
Military of Safavid Iran |
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Commanders |
Units |
Conflicts |
The qurchis or qorchis[a] (Persian: قورچی, romanized: qūṛčī) were the royal bodyguard of the Safavid shah. The head of the qurchis was known as the qurchi-bashi.