Alqas Mirza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alqās Mīrzā |
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Alqas Mirza meeting Suleiman the Magnificent. Illustration from the Süleymanname.
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| Governor of Astarabad | |
| Tenure | 1532/33–1538 |
| Successor | Sadraddin Khan Ustajlu |
| Lala | Badr Khan Ustajlu |
| Governor of Shirvan | |
| Tenure | 1538–1547 |
| Predecessor | Shahrukh of Shirvan as Shirvanshah |
| Successor | Ismail Mirza |
| Lala | Ghazi Khan Takalu |
| Born | 15 March 1516 near Tabriz |
| Died | 9 April 1550 (aged 34) Qahqaha fortress, near Khiav (Meshginshahr) |
| Spouse | Khadija Soltan Khanum Ustajlu |
| Dynasty | Safavid dynasty |
| Father | Ismail I |
| Mother | Khanbegi khanum Mawsillu |
| Religion | Shia Islam |
Alqas Mirza (born March 15, 1516 – died April 9, 1550) was a Safavid prince. He was the second son of Ismail I, who was the king (called a shah) of the Safavid Empire from 1501 to 1524. In 1546, Alqas Mirza started a rebellion against his brother, Tahmasp I, who was the shah at that time. He had help from the Ottoman Empire.
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Early Life of Alqas Mirza
Alqas Mirza was born on March 15, 1516, near Tabriz. He was the third son of Shah Ismail I. His mother was Khanbegi Khanum.
Alqas Mirza started his military career early. In 1528, he fought in the Battle of Jam against the Uzbeks. When he was 16, his brother Tahmasp made him the governor of Astarabad. A trusted advisor, Badr Khan Ustajlu, was appointed as his lala (a kind of guardian or tutor). Alqas Mirza was given the job of raising an army to fight the Uzbeks. Later, he joined Tahmasp in fighting against the Ottoman Empire and its leader, Suleiman the Magnificent.
Conquering Shirvan
In 1535, the region of Shirvan faced problems after its ruler, Khalilullah II, died. The local nobles chose Shahrukh, a nephew, as their new ruler. This caused unrest, and some people invited Shah Tahmasp to step in.
In March 1538, Tahmasp I ordered Alqas Mirza to lead an army into Shirvan. Alqas Mirza, along with his advisor Badr Khan and other leaders, crossed the Kura river. They captured several castles and then surrounded the Gulustan Fortress. The siege lasted four months. Shahrukh, the ruler of Shirvan, eventually gave up. His surrender was sent to Tahmasp.
After the fortress was taken, Tahmasp ordered it to be destroyed. He then made Alqas Mirza the first beylerbey (a high-ranking governor) of Shirvan. This ended Shirvan's long history as an independent state. However, some parts of Shirvan, like Baku and Shaki, still resisted for a while.
Ruling Shirvan
After Badr Khan Ustajlu was called back, Ghazi Khan Takalu became Alqas Mirza's new lala in 1540. Ghazi Khan was from a different tribe, which caused some tension. He began to act in ways that suggested he wanted more power. In 1544, Alqas Mirza had Ghazi Khan and his brother Mustafa beg removed from their positions.
The reasons for Alqas Mirza's later rebellion are not fully clear. Some say it was due to personal conflicts. Others believe that after Ghazi Khan was removed, Alqas Mirza felt strong enough to rule Shirvan almost independently. He stopped following some Safavid religious practices, possibly to gain support from the local people in Shirvan.
In 1545, Shah Tahmasp sent a messenger to Alqas Mirza. He demanded that Alqas Mirza remove his vizier (a chief minister) from Shirvan. Alqas Mirza refused. However, his mother and son helped them make peace for a short time in 1546. Alqas Mirza agreed to pay a yearly tribute and send horsemen to Tahmasp. But he reportedly refused to remove the Shirvanian nobles as requested.
Tahmasp became angry and ordered Alqas Mirza to return to court. Meanwhile, Alqas Mirza secretly sent a message to the Ottoman Empire asking for help. This message was intercepted and sent to Tahmasp.
In late 1546, Alqas Mirza was ordered to attack the Circassians. Tahmasp wanted to keep Alqas Mirza busy and away from the Ottomans. Alqas Mirza led his army into the mountains but faced harsh cold weather. He was forced to retreat.
Tahmasp then sent forces to capture Alqas Mirza's family. Alqas Mirza's steward moved the family to Gulustan Fortress for safety. Alqas Mirza tried to fight back but was defeated and injured. He then fled to the Ottoman Empire in 1547 with a small group of followers. Even after Alqas Mirza fled, Gulustan Fortress continued to resist for three months before it was captured. Tahmasp then gave Shirvan to his son, Ismail II, who would later become shah.
Life in Exile
In Istanbul, Alqas Mirza met with the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. He explained why he had left Iran and asked for help to return as an Ottoman ally. Alqas Mirza promised that many Qizilbash (Safavid supporters) would join him if Suleiman helped. He may have even changed his religion to gain Ottoman support.
With Suleiman's help, Alqas Mirza marched back into his former country. In July 1548, he captured the city of Khoy. He then defeated Safavid forces near Marand. However, the Qizilbash support he had promised did not appear. Suleiman was forced to retreat.
Still, Suleiman sent Alqas Mirza to conquer parts of Persian Iraq. Alqas Mirza successfully captured Hamadan and even took his brother Bahram Mirza's family. He went on to conquer Qom, raided Ray, and even reached Shiraz before returning to Ottoman areas in January 1549. Fearing punishment for his failures, Alqas Mirza sought help from a Kurdish chief named Surkhab. However, Surkhab handed Alqas Mirza over to Bahram Mirza in October 1549.
Death and Family
Alqas Mirza was taken to the Qahqaha fortress and held there with his sons. Six months later, in April 1550, Alqas Mirza died at the fortress.
He was married to Khadija Soltan Khanum. They had two sons, Soltan Ahmad and Farrukh Mirza. Khadija later remarried twice. Both Soltan Ahmad and Farrukh Mirza died in 1568.
Legacy
Alqas Mirza was known for his love of poetry. He also supported visual arts, and some beautiful books were made for him in Shirvan. He also brought many royal Safavid treasures to the Ottomans, which are still kept in the Topkapi Palace. These treasures influenced Ottoman artists. Shah Tahmasp, his brother, wrote about Alqas Mirza in his memories. He said he loved Alqas Mirza more than his other brothers and sons, but that Alqas Mirza rebelled for no good reason.
See also
- Ottoman–Safavid War (1532–55)
Sources
- Mitchell, Colin P. (2015). "Alqās Mīrzā". Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE. Brill Online.
- Savory, R.M. (1960). "Alḳāṣ Mīrzā". The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition, Volume I: A–B. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
