 He was the fourth Safavid Shah of Iran and succeeded his brother, Ismail II.Khodabanda was the son of Shah Tahmasp I by a Turcoman mother, Sultanum Begum Mawsillu, and grandson of Ismail I, founder of the Safavid Dynasty.After the death of his father in 1576 Mohammad was passed over in favour of his younger brother Ismail II.