With the formation of the Safavid dynasty in the early 10th century, various regions of Iran were influenced by its political and social developments. Gilan, on the eve of the Safavid rise, was administered by local governments, which played a significant role in sheltering the Safavids, especially Shah Ismāʿīl, the founder of the Safavid dynasty. Initially, the Safavids' relations with the governments established in Gilan were friendly, but they became hostile over time due to certain reasons. Eventually, the Safavids attacked Gilan in the early 11th century, overthrowing the local governments and incorporating the region into the central government.