Khalifeh Soltan

Khalifeh Soltan
Portrait of Khalifeh Soltan, by Mo'en Mosavver, c. 1650, opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper
Grand vizier of the Safavid Empire
In office 1623/4–1632
Monarchs	Abbas I Safi
Preceded by	Salman Khan Ustajlu
Succeeded by	Mirza Talib Khan
Grand vizier of the Safavid Empire
In office 1645–1654
Monarch	Abbas II
Preceded by	Saru Taqi
Succeeded by	Mohammad Beg
Personal details
Born	1592/3 Isfahan
Died	5 March 1654 Ashraf, Mazandaran
Spouse	Khan-Agha Begum
Parents	Mirza Rafi al-Din Muhammad (father) Unnamed Marashi noblewoman (mother)

Sayyed Ala al-Din Hoseyn (Persian: سید علاء الدین حسین) (c.1592 – 5 March 1654), better known as Khalifeh Soltan^[a] (خلیفه سلطان), and also known as Soltan al-Ulama (سلطان‌العلماء آملی), was an Iranian statesman and cleric, who served as the grand vizier of the Safavid king (shah) Abbas I (r. 1588–1629), the latter's grandson Safi (r. 1629–1642), and Abbas II (r. 1642–1666).

A member of a prominent Sayyid family with origins in the royal Marashi family of Mazandaran, Khalifeh Soltan was a well-educated man of letters, who played an important role in the Iranian clergy affairs, and also later in the Safavid administration, when he was appointed as grand vizier in 1623/4.

He was, however, in 1632, disgraced and exiled by the ruthless newly-crowned shah Safi. Later, in 1645, Khalifeh Soltan was re-appointed as grand vizier by the latter's son and successor, Abbas II, whom he became a close companion of, and gained considerable influence. Khalifeh Soltan later died in 5 March 1654 in his ancestral homeland of Mazandaran due to illness, and was succeeded by Mohammad Beg.