Why did the safavids come into conflict with ottomans?

Answer 1

The two powers came into conflict for several reasons:

Original Difference Between Sunnis and Shiites: The Muslim community was united while Muhammad was the leader of this community. Most Muslims hold, however, that he never specifically chose a successor to his leadership, called a CALIPH. There was a minority in the community that supported the candidacy of 'Ali, the Prophet's son-in-law, this political faction became known as the "Supporters of 'Ali" which in Arabic is Shiat 'Ali (where the modern term "Shiite" comes from). They derived their support from specific hadiths and events that they claimed showed that God had revealed to Muhammad that 'Ali would succeed him. The majority of Muslims held that these hadiths and events showed nothing more than that 'Ali was very pious, something they did not deny. Therefore they gave power to the man who was Muhammad's second-in-command and father-in-law Abu Bakr. This majority were called the People of the Customs [of the Prophet] which in Arabic is Ahl Sunna (from where the modern term "Sunni" comes from.)

As the Ottomans were the standard bearers for Sunni Islam and the Safavids were the standard bearers for Shiite Islam, this religious difference brought about antagonism between the parties. Additionally, the Caliph of the Ottoman Empire was seen as the official successor of Muhammad throughout the Islamic World except for among Shiite Muslims, making the Safavid rejection of the religious authority of the Ottomans even more biting.

Repression of In-Country Religious Minority: The Ottoman Empire discriminated against its Shiite minority population and the Safavid Empire discriminated against its Sunni minority population. As a result, the opposite country was enraged that its dominant group was being treated badly. Some particular incidents that drew particular ire from the other side are the following

The Ottoman Empire saw the Shiites under its purview incorrectly as a fifth column for its rival in Persia, the Safavid Empire, which was a Shiite Islamic State. To prevent Shiite Muslims from becoming a critical mass in the country, the Ottomans massacred large numbers of Shiites, especially the Turkish Alevis, the Syrian Alawites, and many Lebanese Shiite Muslims (mostly Twelvers).

The Persian Safavids fought several wars against neighboring Sunnis in Samarqand to the North and the Ottomans to the West. Ismail I (the first Safavid) adopted Twelver Shiite Islam and began to persecute the Sunnis in Iran. This reduced their community to a small minority in the Persian heartland. He destroyed numerous Sunni mosques and grave sites as well as mandating curses against the first three Rightly-Guided Caliphs. He also imprisoned and killed large populations of Sunnis for their beliefs and compelled conversion to Shiite Islam through violence. The Safavids also spread this form of Sunni oppression through conquest Azerbaijan and of southern Iraq and imposing conversion to Shiite Islam there as well.

Territorial Expansion: The Ottoman Empire and the Safavid Empire were fighting over the control or vassalage of the same territories, primarily in Mesopotamia, Eastern Anatolia, and the Caucasus. As a result of having conflicting territorial ambitions, the two empires went to war several times.

Trade Routes: Both the Ottoman Empire and the Safavid Empire sat along the Europe-to-China trade routes (also called the Silk Road) and each wanted to control the passage from West to East. However, the other empire was in the way of projecting power over the entire passage. (The Ottomans controlled the leg from the Iranian border to the Mediterranean and the Safavids controlled the access from the Middle East to Central Asia.) Of course, with European and Chinese advances in navigation, the Silk Road was eventually abandoned in large part for trade by oceanic shipping.

Answer 2

The two powers came into conflict for several reasons:

Original Difference Between Sunnis and Shiites: The Muslim community was united while Muhammad was the leader of this community. Most Muslims hold, however, that he never specifically chose a successor to his leadership, called a CALIPH. There was a minority in the community that supported the candidacy of 'Ali, the Prophet's son-in-law, this political faction became known as the "Supporters of 'Ali" which in Arabic is Shiat 'Ali (where the modern term "Shiite" comes from). They derived their support from specific hadiths and events that they claimed showed that God had revealed to Muhammad that 'Ali would succeed him. The majority of Muslims held that these hadiths and events showed nothing more than that 'Ali was very pious, something they did not deny. Therefore they gave power to the man who was Muhammad's second-in-command and father-in-law Abu Bakr. This majority were called the People of the Customs [of the Prophet] which in Arabic is Ahl Sunna (from where the modern term "Sunni" comes from.)

As the Ottomans were the standard bearers for Sunni Islam and the Safavids were the standard bearers for Shiite Islam, this religious difference brought about antagonism between the parties. Additionally, the Caliph of the Ottoman Empire was seen as the official successor of Muhammad throughout the Islamic World except for among Shiite Muslims, making the Safavid rejection of the religious authority of the Ottomans even more biting.

Repression of In-Country Religious Minority: The Ottoman Empire discriminated against its Shiite minority population and the Safavid Empire discriminated against its Sunni minority population. As a result, the opposite country was enraged that its dominant group was being treated badly. Some particular incidents that drew particular ire from the other side are the following

The Ottoman Empire saw the Shiites under its purview incorrectly as a fifth column for its rival in Persia, the Safavid Empire, which was a Shiite Islamic State. To prevent Shiite Muslims from becoming a critical mass in the country, the Ottomans massacred large numbers of Shiites, especially the Turkish Alevis, the Syrian Alawites, and many Lebanese Shiite Muslims (mostly Twelvers).

The Persian Safavids fought several wars against neighboring Sunnis in Samarqand to the North and the Ottomans to the West. Ismail I (the first Safavid) adopted Twelver Shiite Islam and began to persecute the Sunnis in Iran. This reduced their community to a small minority in the Persian heartland. He destroyed numerous Sunni mosques and grave sites as well as mandating curses against the first three Rightly-Guided Caliphs. He also imprisoned and killed large populations of Sunnis for their beliefs and compelled conversion to Shiite Islam through violence. The Safavids also spread this form of Sunni oppression through conquest Azerbaijan and of southern Iraq and imposing conversion to Shiite Islam there as well.

Territorial Expansion: The Ottoman Empire and the Safavid Empire were fighting over the control or vassalage of the same territories, primarily in Mesopotamia, Eastern Anatolia, and the Caucasus. As a result of having conflicting territorial ambitions, the two empires went to war several times.

Trade Routes: Both the Ottoman Empire and the Safavid Empire sat along the Europe-to-China trade routes (also called the Silk Road) and each wanted to control the passage from West to East. However, the other empire was in the way of projecting power over the entire passage. (The Ottomans controlled the leg from the Iranian border to the Mediterranean and the Safavids controlled the access from the Middle East to Central Asia.) Of course, with European and Chinese advances in navigation, the Silk Road was eventually abandoned in large part for trade by oceanic shipping.

Answer 3

They came in conflict because of the Muslims about who should be a caliph.