Azerbaijanis consider Shah Ismail I as one of their ancestors, but here is the reality

Shah Ismail I Safavid (years of rule 1502-1524) was the founder of the Safavid Empire in Persia. The origin of Shah Ismail is shrouded in mystery. According to some sources, he was a Kurd, a Talysh or a Persian. Among his maternal ancestors were Uzun-Hasan, the ruler of the Ak-Koyunlu state, and one of the Byzantine princesses. His army mainly consisted of the Shia Turkic-speaking Qizilbash tribes. The official language of his court was Persian. He was also a poet. Some of his poems, written in Persian and Turkic (Turkic, not Azerbaijani) languages, have been preserved. One of the centers of his power was the city of Tabriz in Atropatene (historical Azerbaijan). There is not a single document where he mentions himself as an Azerbaijani.

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