Near East Kingdoms

The Black Sheep Emirate / Qara Qoyunlu
AD 1375 - 1469

Turkic Tribes All Modern States Caucuses Tribes Finno-Ugric & Samoyed Tribes Indo-Europeans (Intro)

The Qara Qoyunlu were Turkic vassals of the Jalayirids in eastern Anatolia. They became independent in 1389, after the Jalayirids had been overrun by the Timurids who conquered Persia.

1375 - 1389

1389 - 1400

1400 - 1406

The emirate is overrun and governed by Timur, Mongol founder of the Timurid dynasty in Persia.

Timur effectively recreated the ancient Persian empire through his various conquests over the course of almost forty years, subduing many competing clans and khanates that would begin competing again after his death (click or tap on map to view full sized)

1406 - 1420

Regained power.

1410

The emirate captures Baghdad from the Timurids, ending their control in Iraq and limiting their western border to Iran.

1420 - 1438

1432

The Black Sheep conquer their former overlords, the Jalayirids.

1438 - 1467

Killed by the White Sheep emir.

1451 - 1453

Jahan Shah ends the loyalty of his emirate with the fracturing Timurids in Persia. He besieges Qum and Sava with overwhelming forces which the main Timurid ruler, Babur Ibn-Baysunkur of Herat in Southern Khorasan, is unable to face. Most of Iran is taken by 1452, including Ray, with the last section, Abarquh, falling in 1453.

1458

The Black Sheep Turks invade Southern Khorasan from Persia. They capture Gurgan and defeat the ruler, Ibrahim, outside Astarabad (modern Gorgan). Now assisted by his father, Ibrahim is again defeated and is forced to flee. The Black Sheep take Herat on 28 June 1458, but withdraw soon afterwards.

1461

Abu Sa'id of Transoxiana completes his conquest of much of Southern Khorasan and eastern Iran, agreeing with Jahan Shah to divide Iran (Central Persia) between the two of them.

1467

White Sheep Emir Uzun Hassan is responsible for the death of the powerful Jahan Shah. He threatens to overwhelm the entire Black Sheep emirate, despite it receiving assistance from the Timurid ruler, Abu Sa'id, in Transoxiana.

1467 - 1469

Son.

1467 - 1469

Following the death of Jahan Shah, his son, Hassan Ali, continues to be supported by Abu Sa'id of Transoxiana. Despite this, in 1468, the Black Sheep emirate is conquered by the White Sheep emirate. Abu Sa'id is captured in the Azerbaijan mountains in 1469 while on campaign against the White Sheep emirate, and Abu Said is subsequently executed.