Jahan Shah facts for kids

Jahan Shah (born in Khoy or Mardin between 1397 and 1405 – died in Bingöl in 1467) was a powerful leader of the Qara Qoyunlu (Black Sheep) Oghuz Turkic tribal group. He ruled from about 1438 to 1467. During his time as ruler, he made the Qara Qoyunlu territory much larger than ever before. It included parts of modern-day Iraq, central Iran, and Eastern Anatolia. He was known as one of the greatest rulers of his group. Jahan Shah also supported culture and learning. He had important schools built in his capital city, Tabriz.

Early Life and Rise to Power

Jahan Shah was the son of Qara Yusuf, an earlier Qara Qoyunlu leader. Before his father passed away, Jahan Shah was sent to take back cities like Soltaniyeh and Qazvin.

During the rule of his brother, Qara Iskander, Jahan Shah's life was not safe because he was a possible rival for the throne. He found safety with his other brother, Ispend, who was ruling Baghdad. In 1436, Jahan Shah got help from the Timurid ruler Shah Rukh to defeat Qara Iskander. This allowed Jahan Shah to become the new ruler. At first, he ruled as a vassal, meaning he was under the authority of the Timurids. He was crowned on April 19, 1438.

Expanding the Empire

Campaigns in Georgia

In 1440, King Alexander I of Georgia stopped paying tribute to Jahan Shah. In response, Jahan Shah led an army of 20,000 soldiers into Georgia. His forces destroyed the city of Samshvilde and took over Tbilisi. He then returned to Tabriz.

He led another military trip against Georgia in 1444. His army met the forces of King Vakhtang IV at Akhaltsikhe. The battle did not have a clear winner, and Jahan Shah went back to Tabriz.

Taking Control of Baghdad

Jahan Shah's brother, Ispend, who had ruled Baghdad for twelve years, died in 1445. Ispend wanted his nephew, Alvand Mirza, to take over. However, many leaders preferred Ispend's younger son, Fulad.

Jahan Shah decided to lead a military trip to Baghdad. After a seven-month siege, Baghdad was captured on June 9, 1446. He put his son, Mirza Muhammad, in charge of Baghdad. He also appointed other relatives to govern Mosul.

Independent Rule and Challenges

When the Timurid ruler Shah Rukh died in 1447, Jahan Shah became a fully independent ruler of the Qara Qoyunlu. He began using important titles like sultan and khan.

The Timurid Empire tried to take advantage of conflicts among the Turkoman princes. They captured the cities of Sultaniya and Qazvin. Peace was made when Sultan Muhammad bin Baysonqor married one of Jahan Shah's daughters. Jahan Shah later took back lands he had lost from Mirza Babur.

He faced rebellions from his own sons. In 1458, his son Hasan Ali rebelled. Jahan Shah had to turn back from a trip to Herat because of this. Hasan Ali was later imprisoned. Another son, Pirbudag, also rebelled multiple times. Pirbudag was eventually defeated and executed in 1464.

Conflict with the Aq Qoyunlu

Jahan Shah was often in conflict with the Ak Koyunlu (White Sheep), who were long-time rivals of the Qara Qoyunlu.

Battles with Jahangir

Around 1447, a conflict began when Jahan Shah's nephew, Alvand Mirza, rebelled and fled to Jahangir, the leader of the Ak Koyunlu. Jahan Shah demanded his nephew back, but Jahangir refused. Jahan Shah invaded Erzincan. Eventually, Jahangir accepted Jahan Shah's terms and agreed to be under his rule. Jahangir also married his daughter to Jahan Shah's son, Mirza Muhammad.

Final Conflict with Uzun Hasan

However, Jahangir's brother, Uzun Hasan, did not accept this agreement. He rebelled against Jahangir and captured Amid in 1457. Uzun Hasan was also supported by the Safavids.

Jahan Shah left Tabriz with a large army on May 16, 1466. He learned that Uzun Hasan was raiding his lands with 12,000 cavalry. Jahan Shah's army had to stop their attack because winter was starting. As his troops complained, he decided to move to a winter camp. Uzun Hasan surprised Jahan Shah's army with a sudden attack. Jahan Shah's forces were completely defeated in the Battle of Chapakchur. Jahan Shah was killed while trying to escape on October 30 or November 11, 1467. His death marked the end of the great era for the Qara Qoyunlu. His son, Hasan Ali, succeeded him. Jahan Shah was buried in the southern part of the Blue Mosque in Tabriz.

Legacy and Contributions

The tomb of Jahan Shah within the southern part of the Blue Mosque in Tabriz.

Jahan Shah was known for his fair rule. In 1462, a historian named Abd al-Razzaq wrote that because of Jahan Shah's kind leadership, Azarbaijan was a very successful state. He said that Jahan Shah wanted to be fair, make the country prosperous, and treat his people with respect. The capital city, Tabriz, was full of people and peaceful.

Jahan Shah was also a poet, using the pen name "Haqiqi". He wrote poetry in both Azerbaijani Turkic and Persian. He encouraged culture, learning, and building projects. In 1447, he arranged for his daughter to marry a descendant of the famous mystic Shah Nimatullah Wali, who was highly respected.

Family

Jahan Shah was married several times. His known marriages include a daughter of Alexios IV of Trebizond and Jan Begüm.

Sons

• Pirbudag - He governed Isfahan, Fars, and later Baghdad. He was killed by Mirza Muhammad.
• Hasan Ali - He became ruler after his father.
• Mirza Muhammad - He was married to Jahangir Beg's daughter. He was captured and executed in 1467.
• Mirza Yusuf - He was captured and blinded in 1467. He was later executed in 1469.
• Qasim beg

Daughters

• Saliha Khatun
• Habiba Khatun
• Tutuq 'Ismat - She married Sultan Muhammad, a Timurid ruler.
• A daughter who married a descendant of Nimatullah Vali.

Images for kids

• 

  The tomb of Jahan Shah within the southern part of the Blue Mosque in Tabriz.

Sources

• Minorsky, V. (1954). "Jihān-Shāh Qara-Qoyunlu and His Poetry (Turkmenica, 9)". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 16 (2): 271–97. doi:10.1017/s0041977x00105981.
• Sumer, F. (1997). "Kara Koyunlu". The Encyclopaedia of Islam IV. Brill. 584–588. 

See also

In Spanish: Jahan Shah para niños