Evaluate the impact on the Ottoman Empire of contest [competition] with the Safavids.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of the impact of competition between the Ottomans and Safavids on the Ottoman Empire. They may note the impact of military conflict, including Ottoman victory in the Battle of Chaldiran, through which the Ottomans secured their eastern frontier and brought thousands of captured Persians to Istanbul. Many of these prisoners were skilled craftsmen and intellectuals, and contributed to the cultural enrichment of the empire. The protracted series of wars fought between 1532 and 1555 were costlier and more damaging, even though the outcome was some territorial gains and the consolidation of Sunni power in Anatolia. Candidates may also note the significance of economic competition, which became more pronounced with the decline of trade along the Silk Road and growing rivalry in the carpet industry.