ABBAS, the uncle of Mohammed, the Arabian prophet, and the chief promoter of his religion (d. 652), was the founder of the family of the Abbasides, who ruled as caliphs of Bagdad from 749 to 1258, and afterwards exercised the spiritual functions of the caliphate in Egypt, under the protection of mamelukes, till 1517, when that dignity passed to the Turkish sultan.  Descendants of this family still live in Turkey and India.—The Abbasides in Persia were desscended from the race of the Sofi, who ascribed their origin to the caliph Ali.  This race acquired dominion in 1500, and became extinct in 1786.  Among them, Abbas I., surnamed the great, was the most eminent ruler.  He came to the throne 1586, and died 1628.  His reign was marked by a series of victories over the Turks.  In alliance with England, he destroyed, in 1621, the Portuguese colony at Ormuz. (Chambers's Encyclopaedia, v.1, 1887)

ABBAS, I, a renowned monarch of Persia, was the youngest son of shah Mohammed Khodahendah.  He made a successful rebellion against his father; caused one or more of his brothers to be murdered, and took possession of the throne when but 18 years old, in 1585.  He went against the predatory Uzbeks, who plundered Khorasan, defeating them in 1595 in a great battle near Herat, and driving them out of his domains.  He was in almost continuous war with the Turks, over whom he gained many important successes, adding territory to his dominions.  By a victory at Bassorah, in 1605, he extended his empire beyond the Euphrates, and Achmed I. was forced to cede Shirwah and Kurdistan.  In 1618 he defeated the combined forces of the Turks and Tartars near Sultaineh, and made an advantageous peace.  But the Turks soon renewed the war, whereupon, in 1623, Abbas took Bagdad after a year's siege.  When he died, in 1628, his empire extended from the Tigris to the Indus.  He distinguished himself not only by the successes of his arms and the magnificence of his court, but by many administrative reforms, especially encouraging commerce...  He was tolerant to foreigners, especially Christians, though to his own family he was cruel, causing his eldest son to be killed, and the eyes of his other children to be put out. (The International Cyclopaedia, v.1, 1892)