The Tofangchi-aghasi, also spelled Tufangchi-aqasi, and otherwise known as the Tofangchi-bashi, was the commander of the Safavid Empire's musketeer corps. The tofangchi-aghasi was assisted by numerous officers, i.e. minbashis, yuzbashis, dahbashis, as well as an administrative staff (i.e. vizier, mostoufi). Though the tofangchi-aghasi was considered to be a high-ranking office on paper, de facto, it was one of the lowest on the "military totem-pole" compared to the other commanding offices. Nevertheless, the post was generally held by scions of noble families.

List of Tofangchi-aghasis

Reign of Ismail I

Reign of Tahmasp I

Reign of Ismail II

Reign of Mohammad Khodabanda

Reign of Abbas I

Reign of Shah Safi

Reign of Abbas II

Reign of Suleiman I

Reign of Sultan Husayn

Reign of Tahmasp II

Notes

  1. ^ Held the posts of nazer and tofangchi-aghasi.
  2. ^ Brother of his predecessor. Also known as Mir Fattah-e Thani.
  3. ^ Tofangchi-aghasi and tupchi-bashi in 1660-1661. "He also received Aberqu as a teyul, which, since then, always has been bestowed on the tofangchi-aghasi."
  4. ^ Eldest son of his predecessor, Sheikh 'Ali Khan Zanganeh. Later became mīr shekār-bāshi ("master of the hunt") as well.
  5. ^ Appointed on 27 September 1715. Was disgraced in the "alleged conspiracy" of 1720.
  6. ^ Also referred to as Shahverdi Khan Kivanlu by Mostoufi.

Sources