Edmund Herzig is a Senior Lecturer in Persian Studies at the University of Manchester. He specializes in the history of Iran during the Safavid and contemporary periods, as well as the Caucasus and Central Asia. He is currently co-editing "The Cambridge History of Inner Asia: The Modern Age." Willem Floor is an independent scholar specializing in the history of Iran in the Safavid and modern ages. His recent publications include The "Persian Textile Industry in Historical Perspective, 1500-1925," "A Fiscal History of Iran in the Safavid and Qajar Periods, 1500-1925," and "Safavid Governmen...