Roger Mervyn Savory (27 January 1925 – 16 February 2022) was a British-born Professor Emeritus at the University of TorontoRoger Savory, "Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations"- University of Toronto" who was an Iranologist and specialist on the Safavids. His numerous writings on Safavid political, military history, administration, bureaucracy, and diplomacy-translated into several languages have had a great impact in understanding this period.

Biography Savory was first introduced to Iranian studies as a young man between 1943 and 1947. He started his formal education in Oxford under Professors Hamilton Gibb, Joseph Schacht and Richard Walzer. In 1950 he began lecturing on Persian at the school of SOAS. He completed his Ph.D. under Ann Lambton and Vladimir Minorsky at SOAS in 1958. He then joined the faculty of University of Toronto and was a major factor in establishing the University of Toronto as one of the forerunners of Middle Eastern and Iranian studies in North America.Iranian Studies in Canada Savory died on 16 February 2022, at the age of 97.Roger Mervyn Savory obituary

Besides books and journal articles, he has also contributed to the Encyclopaedia of Islam,1. Savory, R. M. (1960) ‘‘Abbās I’ in H. A. R Gibb, J. H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 1, pp. 7-8, Leiden: Brill.

2. Savory, R. M. (1960) ‘Alḳāṣ Mirzā’ in H. A. R Gibb, J. H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 1, p. 406, Leiden: Brill.

3. Savory, R. M. (1960) ‘Asad Allāh Iṣfahānī’ in H. A. R Gibb, J. H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 1, p. 685, Leiden: Brill.

4. Savory, R. M. (1960) ‘Ashraf’ in H. A. R Gibb, J. H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 1, p. 701, Leiden: Brill.

5. Savory, R. M. (1960) ‘Asīr’ in H. A. R Gibb, J. H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 1, p. 707, Leiden: Brill.

6. Savory, R. M. (1960) ‘Baghdād Khātūn’ in H. A. R Gibb, J. H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 1, pp. 908-909, Leiden: Brill.

7. Savory, R. M. (1960) ‘Bārūd. V. The Ṣafawids’ in H. A. R Gibb, J. H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 1, pp. 1066-1068, Leiden: Brill.

8. Savory, R. M. (1960) ‘Bast’ in H. A. R Gibb, J. H. Kramers, E. Lévi-Provençal, & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 1, p. 1088, Leiden: Brill.

9. Savory, R. M. (1965) ‘Čūbānids’ in B. Lewis, V. L. Ménage, Ch. Pellat & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 3, pp. 67-68, Leiden: Brill.

10. Savory, R. M. (1965) ‘Djamãl al-Ḥusaynī’ in B. Lewis, V. L. Ménage, Ch. Pellat & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 3, p. 420, Leiden: Brill.

11. Savory, R. M. (1965) ‘Djangalī’ in B. Lewis, V. L. Ménage, Ch. Pellat & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 3, pp. 445-446, Leiden: Brill.

12. Savory, R. M. (1965) ‘Djunayd’ in B. Lewis, V. L. Ménage, Ch. Pellat & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 3, p. 598, Leiden: Brill.

13. Savory, R. M. (1965) ‘Farāḥābād’ in B. Lewis, V. L. Ménage, Ch. Pellat & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 3, p. 783, Leiden: Brill.

14. Savory, R. M. (1965) ‘Gulistān’ in B. Lewis, V. L. Ménage, Ch. Pellat & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 3, p. 1135, Leiden: Brill.

15. Savory, R. M. (1971) ‘Ḥamza Mirẓā’ in B. Lewis, V. L. Ménage, Ch. Pellat & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 3, p. 157, Leiden: Brill.

16. Savory, R. M. (1971) ‘Ḥasan-i Rūmlū’ in B. Lewis, V. L. Ménage, Ch. Pellat & J. Schacht (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 3, p. 253 Leiden: Brill.

17. Savory, R. M. (1978) ‘Irān: V – History: (b) Turkomans to Present Day’ in E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 4, pp. 33-43, Leiden: Brill.

18. Savory, R. M. (1978) ‘Īshīk-Āḳasī’ in E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 4, p. 118, Leiden: Brill.

19. Savory, R. M. (1978) ‘Iskandar Beg al-Shahīr bi-Munshī’ in E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 4, pp. 130-131, Leiden: Brill.

20. Savory, R. M. (1978) ‘Abu’l/Ismā‘īl I (Muẓaffar)’ in E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 4, pp. 186-187, Leiden: Brill.

21. Savory, R. M. (1978) ‘Ismā‘īl II’ in E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 4, p. 188, Leiden: Brill.

22. Savory, R. M. (1978) ‘I‘timād al-Dawla’ II’ in E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 4, pp. 281-282, Leiden: Brill.

23. Savory, R. M. (1978) ‘Ḳāsim-i Anwār’ in E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 4, pp. 721-722, Leiden: Brill.

24. Savory, R. M. (1986) ‘Khōī’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 5, pp. 28-29, Leiden: Brill.

25. Savory, R. M. (1986) ‘Khurramābād’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 5, p. 63, Leiden: Brill.

26. Savory, R. M. (1986) ‘Khurramshahr’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 5, pp. 65-66, Leiden: Brill.

27. Savory, R. M. (1986) ‘Khuzistān’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 5, pp. 80-81, Leiden: Brill.

28. Savory, R. M. (1986) ‘Kinkiwar’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 5, pp. 123-124, Leiden: Brill.

29. Savory, R. M. (1986) ‘Kizil-bāsh’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 5, pp. 243-245, Leiden: Brill.

30. Savory, R. M. (1986) ‘Kur’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 5, pp. 396-397, Leiden: Brill.

31. Savory, R. M. (1986) ‘Kūrči’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 5, p. 437, Leiden: Brill.

32. Savory, R. M. (1993) ‘Muḥammad Riḍā Shāh Pahlawī’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W. P. Heinrichs & Ch. Pellat (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 7, pp. 446-451, Leiden: Brill.

33. Savory, R. M. (1995) ‘Ṣafawids: I Dynastic, political and military history; II. Economic and commercial history; trade relations with Europe’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W. P. Heinrichs & G. Lecomte (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 8, pp. 769-774, Leiden: Brill.

34. Savory, R. M. (1995) ‘Ṣafī al-Dīn Ardabīlī’ in C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W. P. Heinrichs & G. Lecomte (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 8, p. 801, Leiden: Brill.

35. Savory, R. M. (2000) ‘Tahmāsp’ in P. J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel & W. P. Heinrichs (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 10, pp. 108-110, Leiden: Brill.

36. Savory, R. M. (2000) ‘Takkalū’ in P. J. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C. E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel & W. P. Heinrichs (eds.), Encyclopaedia of Islam, new edn, vol. 10, pp. 136-137, Leiden: Brill. Encyclopaedia Iranica,1. Savory, R. M. (1985) ‘Abbās I’ in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 1, pp. 71-75, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

2. Savory, R. M. (1985) ‘Abbās II’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 1, p. 76, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

3. Savory, R. M. (1985) ‘Abbās III’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 1, p. 76, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

4. Savory, R. M. (1985) ‘Aḥdāt, woǰūh-e’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 1, p. 635, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

5. Savory, R. M. (1985) ‘Ahmad Solṭān Afšār’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 1, p. 661, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

6. Savory, R. M. (1985) ‘Alā’-al-Dawla Ḏu’l-Qadar’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 1, pp. 771-772, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

7. Savory, R. M. (1985) ‘Ãlam-ārā-ye ‘Abbāsī’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 1, pp. 796-797, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

8. Savory, R. M. (1985) ‘Alī Mīrzā’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 1, p. 868, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

9. Savory, R. M. (1985) ‘Khān ‘Alī Qolī Šāmlū’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 1, pp. 875-876, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

10. Savory, R. M. (1985) ‘Amīr-al-Omarā’. ii. Ṣafavid usage’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 1, pp. 970-971, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

11. Savory, R. M. (1990) ‘Č(ah)ār-Bāḡ-e Eṣfahān’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 4, pp. 625-626, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

12. Savory, R. M. (1990) ‘Carpets: i. Introductory Survey’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 4, pp. 834-839, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

13. Savory, R. M. (1992) ‘Čerāḡ Khān Zāhedī’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 5, p. 263, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

14. Savory, R. M. (1993) ‘Courts and Courtiers: vi. In the Ṣafavid Period’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 6, pp. 371-375, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

15. Savory, R. M. (1993) ‘Dāḡestānī, Fatḥ-‘Alī Khān’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 6, pp. 576-577, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

16. Savory, R. M. (1996) ‘Dīv Solṭān’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 7, p. 431, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

17. Savory, R. M. (1996) ‘Dīvānbegī. Ii. The Ṣafavid period’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 7, pp. 439-440, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

18. Savory, R. M. (1996) ‘Dūrmeš Khān Šāmlū’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 7, p. 597, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

19. Savory, R. M. (1998) ‘Ebn Bazzāz’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 8, p. 8, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

20. Savory, R. M. (1998) ‘Emāmqolī Khān’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 8, p. 394, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

21. Savory, R. M. (1998) ‘Ešīk-āqāsī-bāši’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 8, pp. 600-601, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

22. Savory, R. M. (1998) ‘Eskandar Beg Torkamān’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 8, pp. 602-603, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

23. Savory, R. M. (1998) ‘Esmā‘īl I Ṣafawī’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 8, pp. 628-635, Costa Mesa: Mazda.

24. Savory, R. M. (2004) ‘Ḥosayn Khān Šāmlū’, in E. Yarshater (ed.), Encyclopaedia Iranica, vol. 12, pp. 514-515, New York: Encyclopaedia Iranica Foundation. and other encyclopaedias. He also has dozens of book reviews published in peer-review journals.

Bibliography

Books Savory, R. M. & Wickens, G. M. (1964) Persia in Islamic Times: a Practical Bibliography of its History, Culture and Language, W. J. Watson (ed.), Montreal: Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University. Savory, R. M. (ed.) (1976) Introduction to Islamic Civilisation, New York: Cambridge University Press. Reprint. (1980) “Students’ edition,” New Delhi: Vikas. Eskandar Beg Monshi (1978) The History of Shaah ‘Abbās the Great (Tārīkh-e ‘Ālamārā-ye ‘Abbāsī), 2 vols., R.M. Savory (trans.), Persian Heritage Series no. 28, Boulder: Westview Press. Savory, R. M. (1980) Iran Under the Safavids, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (1984) Īrān-e ‘Asr-e Ṣafavī, trans. A. Ṣabā, Tehran. (1993) Īrān-e ‘Asr-e Ṣafavī, trans. K. ‘Azīzī, Tehran. Savory, R. M. (1980) The Persian Gulf States: a General Survey, C.E. Bosworth, R.M. Burrel, K.M. Mclachlan & R.M. Savory (eds.), general ed. A.J. Coltrell, Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press.