Khorshidi dynasty facts for kids

The Khorshidi dynasty (1184–1597), also known as the Atabaks of Little Lorestan, was a Kurdish ruling family. They controlled the northern parts of a region called Lorestan in the Middle Ages. Their main city was Khorramabad. The Khorshidi rulers were related to the Hazaraspids. The Hazaraspids ruled the southern areas of Lorestan, which was known as Larger Lorestan. While the Hazaraspids were powerful for a time, the Khorshidi dynasty became very important later. This happened especially during the Safavid era, after the Hazaraspids' rule ended. The Khorshidi dynasty played a key role in the struggles between the Safavids and the Ottomans.

How the Dynasty Began

People say that two Kurdish brothers, Badr and Mansour, divided Lorestan around the year 913. The younger brother, Mansour, received an area called Little Lorestan. This land stretched from Hamadan to Khuzestan. It included important cities like Khorramabad and Borujerd. His older brother received a larger area. This bigger territory included places like Izeh and Shulistan. It became known as Larger Lorestan.

The Khorshidi Rulers

The Khorshidi dynasty came from the Jangardi tribe. They took the name "Khorshidi" from their first ruler. Their land included Khorramabad and areas once held by another group, the Annazids.

Early Leaders and Challenges

In the 12th century, a leader named Šoǰāʿ-al-dīn Ḵoršīd b. ʿAlī became an independent ruler. He took the title of Atabak. An Atabak was like a governor or a prince. He even received land in Khuzestan from Caliph Al-Nasir of the Abbasid Caliphate. Šoǰāʿ-al-dīn Ḵoršīd died around 1224.

His nephew, Sayf al-dīn Rostam, took power next. He was a strong and capable ruler. After him, several other leaders followed, including Šaraf al-dīn Abū Bakr and ʿEzz-al-dīn Garšāsp. The last of these, Ḥosām-al-dīn Ḵalīl, was killed in a family fight.

Dealing with the Mongols

Caliph al-Nasir did not want Ḥosām-al-dīn Ḵalīl's brother, Badr-al-dīn Masʿūd, to become the new leader. So, Masʿūd sought help from the Mongols. With their support, he kept his position. He even received a share of the treasures from the Siege of Baghdad in 1258. Badr-al-dīn Masʿūd died in 1260.

After his death, there was a struggle for power. Tāǰ-al-dīn Šāh b. Ḵalīl became the new ruler. Not much is known about his time in power. He was killed in 1278 or 1279 by order of the Ilkhanate, a Mongol kingdom.

His land was then divided between two sons of Badr-al-dīn Masʿūd. These sons managed to expand their territory. It stretched from Hamadan to Shushtar and from Isfahan to Arab-populated areas. In 1293, Gaykhatu, an Ilkhanate ruler, removed both sons from power. He then put Jamāl-al-dīn Ḵeżr in charge.

Jamāl-al-dīn Ḵeżr died in 1294. Ḥosām-al-dīn ʿOmar took over but quickly lost power to Ṣamṣām-al-dīn Maḥmūd. Ṣamṣām-al-dīn Maḥmūd was executed in 1296 by Ghazan, another Ilkhanate ruler. This happened because he was involved in the murder of Ḵeżr.

After this, ʿEzz-al-dīn Aḥmad Ḥosayn ruled the land. His cousin, Badr-al-dīn Masʿūd, was his guardian. The land was divided between them for a short time. However, ʿEzz-al-dīn eventually gained control of all the land. He ruled until the late 1310s. His wife, Dawlat Ḵātūn, then gave the land to her brother, ʿEzz-al-dīn II Maḥmūd. This started a new line of rulers. ʿEzz-al-dīn II Maḥmūd ruled until 1329 or 1330. His son, Šoǰāʿ-al-dīn Moḥammad, followed him and died sometime between 1349 and 1369.

Timur's Invasions

Timur, a powerful conqueror from the Timurid Empire, invaded the Khorshidi territory in 1386. He claimed the dynasty was charging too much tax from the people. Timur completely destroyed their capital, Khorramabad, and also devastated Borujerd.

At the time of this invasion, ʿEzz-al-dīn III was the ruler. He was sent away to Turkestan but was allowed to return three years later. When Timur invaded a second time in 1392 or 1393, ʿEzz-al-dīn III managed to escape. He was killed in 1403 or 1404.

His son, Sīdī Aḥmad, was able to get the land back after Timur died in 1405. He ruled until 1412 or 1413. His brother, Shah Ḥosayn, then took over. Shah Ḥosayn ruled until his death around 1466 and 1469.

The End of the Dynasty

Shah Rostam and his grandson Oḡūr supported the Safavids. However, not much is known about the dynasty during this time.

When Shah Ismail II died, Moḥammadī was the ruler of the Khorshidi dynasty. He had recognized the power of the Ottoman Empire but later renewed his loyalty to the Safavids. Shah Abbas I even married the daughter of the Khorshidi ruler at the time, Šāhverdī.

When Shah Abbas approached him, Šāhverdī fled to Baghdad. He was put back in power in 1594 or 1595. He became a subordinate ruler, meaning he was under the Shah's control. Šāhverdī was eventually executed in 1597 or 1598. This event marked the end of the Khorshidi dynasty. Later governors, called walis, of Lorestan would claim to be descendants of this dynasty.