One of the most important consequences of the Safavid rule in the early 10th century (16th century CE) was territorial unification and a return to the borders of the Sassanid era. In other words, the transition from the status of(ملوک طوایف) "kingdoms of tribes" to "Iran's enclave" (ممالک محروسه ایران) was considered the most important achievement of the Safavid era. Following this situation, civil institutions, including the Royal Secretariat, also adapted themselves to the new vast geography. The following article aims to address the issue of what effect this territorial unification, along with the vast geography of Iran and the concentration of power and authority in the center of government, had on civil positions, and especially on the Secretariat institution, using a historical-analytical approach and focusing on the internal structure of the Secretariat institution. The findings showed that in this new situation, in addition to the changes that occurred in the Secretariat, a number of new positions emerged that were more territorial in nature than bureaucratic or courtly and were in line with the vast geography of Iran at that time.
Keywords: Esnah al-Mamlak, Munshi al-Mamlak, Central Secretariat, Iran's Protected Countries