In the first quarter of the 16th century, Shah Ismail (r. 1501–24) established the first indigenous Persian state since the 11th century. Throwing off centuries of domination by Arab, Turkic, and Mongol rulers, Ismail established a Shiite (as opposed to Sunni) Muslim state that rapidly expanded into rival Ottoman and Arab territory, capturing Baghdad. This triggered a response, and Ismail's armies were pushed back from the west and east by numerically and, in the case of the Ottoman Turks, technologically and organizationally superior forces. Seeking ways to counter the force of rival neighbors, Ismail made diplomatic contact with western and central European powers such as France, the Holy Roman Empire, and Hungary. Like the Muscovite Tsardom, the Safavids consolidated power and pushed against the boundaries of their territory.