Qurchi (royal bodyguard)

Qurchi
17th-century illustration of a qurchi.
Active1501-1736
Allegiance Persia
TypeRoyal bodyguard
Sizec. 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
FirstAbdal Beg Talish
LastQasem Beg Qajar

The qurchis or qorchis[a] (Persian: قورچی, romanizedqūṛčī) were the royal bodyguard of the Safavid shah. The head of the qurchis was known as the qurchi-bashi.

  1. ^ a b Floor 2001, p. 159.
  2. ^ Floor 2001, p. 160.
  3. ^ Floor 2001, p. 161.