In 1507 it was seized by Shaybani-khan and in 1510 by Shah Ismail. The city was plundered and the intellectuals, including calligraphers, ornamental artists and miniaturists fled from Herat in a hurry to escape the pursuing fanatical qizilbashs. Some of them found a home among the Central Asian patrons in Mawarannahr (remarks by editor: well know in the Western academic literature as Transoxania), others – at the court of the Sefevids.
The influence of the Herat school on the development of western-Iranian and Central Asian art was rather strong. However this influence was not the only cause of the further blossoming of miniature art in these regions. High social standing and benefits to the artisans of the miniature also played a key role in promoting the development of the arts.
You can learn more about this topic in the book-album “The Collection of the Al-Biruni Institute of Oriental studies, the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan” (part five, “Miniature and Calligraphy”) (Volume XXV) from the series "The Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan".
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