Qara Qoyunlu

Quick Facts: Who was Qara Qoyunlu?

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Qara Qoyunlu

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Muslim Turkoman dynasty ruling over parts of modern Azerbaijan and Iran (c. 1374–1468).

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Origins & Early Life

The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu (Azerbaijani: Qaraqoyunlular, قاراقویونلولار‎; Persian: قره قویونلو), also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a Turkoman, culturally Persianate, Muslim dynasty that ruled over the territory comprising present-day Azerbaijan, Armenia, northwestern Iran, eastern Turkey, and northeastern Iraq from about 1374 to 1468. The name Qara Qoyunlu literally means "[those with] black sheep". They were likely so named because of the black sheep that was painted on their flags. It has been suggested that this name refers to old totemic symbols, but according to Rashid al-Din Hamadani, the Turks were forbidden to eat the flesh of their totem-animals, and so this is unlikely given the importance of mutton in the diet of pastoral nomads. Another hypothesis is that the name refers to the predominant color of their flocks.

Career & Major Achievements

The ruling family descended from the Yıwa tribe of the Oghuz Turks, specifically the Baharlu, who by the fourteenth century possessed territories north of Lake Van and Mosul in Upper Mesopotamia. The tribes that comprised the Qara Qoyunlu besides the Baharlu were the Saadlu in what is now Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the Karamanlu in Ganja and Barda, the Alpaut and the Agacheri in Maraş, the Dukharlu in Erzurum and Bayburt, the Jagirlu in Ardabil, and the Hajilu. According to Faruk Sümer, the Qara Qoyunlu were undoubtedly a sub-tribe (oba "camp, tribe") of the Oghuz, and Vladimir Minorsky's claim that this subtribe belonged to the Yiwa is probably true. By a number of researchers, the Oghuz dialect of Qara-Qoyunlu is connected with the Azerbaijani language. So, for example, Faruk Sumer noted that the East Oghuz dialect, which was spoken by Qara-Qoyunlu, is today called the Azerbaijani dialect.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Serdar Gündoğdu and Ali İçeri (Serdar Gundogdu and Ali Icher) call the Azerbaijani language a legacy that came from the Turkoman tribes of Qara-Qoyunlu. Sultan Qara-Qoyunlu in 1435-1467 Jahan Shah is a recognized representative of Azerbaijani poetry. Duharlu Turkmens, a branch of the Qara Qoyunlu, first appeared in the Chronicle of Michael Panaretos of the rump state of the Empire of Trebizond. It is probable that the Duharlu came to Anatolia from Central Asia during the Mongol conquest of Anatolia, as testified by the legendary traditions of the Qara Qoyunlu. During the 14th century, the Qara Qoyunlu had several encounters with the powerful Jalayirid Sultanate, which was based in Baghdad and Tabriz.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1374: 1374 Milestone — The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu (Azerbaijani: Qaraqoyunlular, قاراقویونلولار‎; Persian: قره قویونلو), also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a Turkoman, culturally Persianate, Muslim dynasty that ruled over the territory comprising present-day Azerbaijan, Armenia, northwestern Iran, eastern Turkey, and northeastern Iraq from about 1374 to 1468.
2. 1435: 1435 Milestone — Sultan Qara-Qoyunlu in 1435-1467 Jahan Shah is a recognized representative of Azerbaijani poetry.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Qara Qoyunlu

True or False: “The Qara Qoyunlu were primarily named after the black sheep painted on their flags.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the name means 'those with black sheep,' it is more likely that the name refers to the predominant color of their flocks.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Emperor Go-Kōgon — Historical peer (Died in 1374) (1374): Northern Emperor during the tumultuous Northern and Southern Courts period in Japan.
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• Zara Yaqob — Historical peer (Died in 1468) (1468): Emperor of Ethiopia, known for literary flourishing and military prowess.
• Andrea del Verrocchio — Historical peer (Born in 1435) (1435): Master Florentine sculptor, painter, and goldsmith, renowned for teaching Leonardo da Vinci.
• Andrea della Robbia — Historical peer (Born in 1435) (1435): Master Italian Renaissance sculptor renowned for pioneering glazed terra-cotta ceramics.
• Bartolomeu Dias — Historical peer (Born in 1467) (1467): Portuguese explorer who rounded the southern tip of Africa in 1488.
• Pedro Álvares Cabral — Historical peer (Born in 1467) (1467): Portuguese explorer credited with the discovery of Brazil and major voyages to India.

Frequently Asked Questions about Qara Qoyunlu