Abbas the Great vs Qin Shi Huang

Abbas the Great moved the Safavid capital from Qazvin to Isfahan. He initiated a massive building program, constructing the Naqsh-e Jahan Square, the Shah Mosque, and the Ali Qapu palace. Isfahan was transformed into a grand city with parks, bridges, and bazaars, becoming a center of Persian culture and commerce.

Abbas the Great established a new military corps of ghulams (slave soldiers) recruited from Christian subjects in the Caucasus. These troops were trained in modern firearms and artillery, reducing the Safavid reliance on the Qizilbash tribal forces. This reform created a loyal, professional army that strengthened the central government.

Abbas the Great led the Safavid army to victory against the Ottoman Empire at Sufiyan near Tabriz. This battle was part of the Ottoman-Safavid War of 1603-1618. The victory allowed Abbas to recapture Tabriz and other territories lost to the Ottomans in earlier wars.

Abbas the Great allied with the English East India Company to expel the Portuguese from the island of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. A joint Persian-English force captured the Portuguese fort after a siege. This victory ended Portuguese dominance in the Persian Gulf and opened trade routes for Persian and English merchants.

Abbas the Great led a campaign to recapture Baghdad from the Ottoman Empire. The Safavid army besieged the city and forced the Ottoman garrison to surrender. This victory restored Safavid control over Mesopotamia, a region lost since the Battle of Chaldiran in 1514.

Qin Shi Huang commissioned a vast mausoleum complex near Xi'an, guarded by thousands of life-sized terracotta soldiers, horses, and chariots. The project employed hundreds of thousands of workers and reflected his obsession with immortality and imperial power.

From 230 to 221 BCE, Ying Zheng led the Qin state in a series of campaigns that conquered the Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan, and Qi states. This unified China under a single ruler for the first time, ending the Warring States period.

Qin Shi Huang ordered the standardization of Chinese script, currency, and weights and measures across the unified empire. This facilitated administration, trade, and cultural integration, laying a foundation for future dynasties.

After conquering the last independent state, Ying Zheng declared himself Shi Huangdi (First Emperor), founding the Qin Dynasty. He adopted a new title to signify his supreme authority and initiated centralized imperial rule.

Qin Shi Huang ordered the connection and extension of existing northern fortifications to create a unified defensive wall against nomadic Xiongnu raids. This project involved massive conscripted labor and became the precursor to the later Great Wall.

On the advice of Li Si, Qin Shi Huang ordered the burning of historical records and philosophical texts not aligned with Legalist doctrine. He also had 460 Confucian scholars buried alive to suppress dissent and consolidate ideological control.