سایه قدرت: تحلیل روان شناختی مسئله جانشینی در دوره صفویه بر اساس نظریه سایه یونگ

Abstract

One of the key issues in Safavid political history is succession and the grooming of heirs. Despite the monarchy’s relative consolidation of power in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Safavids—like many of their predecessors—lacked a clear, stable model for transferring authority. Consequently, many princes became victims of internal rivalries, the reigning king’s anxieties, and structural violence.

Drawing on Carl Gustav Jung’s concept of the shadow, this article demonstrates that, within the Safavid king’s political‑psychological unconscious, princes were portrayed not as the dynasty’s future but as threats to royal power, even amid the apparent continuity and strength of Safavid rule. Similar patterns can be observed in earlier Iranian dynasties such as the Sasanians and in the Ottomans, the Safavids’ chief external rival. From this perspective, the succession dilemma reflects the monarchy’s failed confrontation with its own psychological shadow, ultimately eroding legitimacy and leading to the dynasty’s collapse.

The study asks how effective Safavid practices of heir‑raising and heir‑selection were and how their shortcomings can be explained through psychological analysis—particularly shadow theory. Findings show that conspiracy paranoia, fear of princely threats, hesitation, and indecision were key psychological factors, while rivalry among influential groups such as the Qizilbash and the royal harem were historical variables that shaped this “shadow” in succession practices. Methodologically, the research is descriptive‑analytical and historical, based on library and documentary source.