Qara Qoyunlu: Map & History
Qara Qoyunlu is mapped in the atlas for 1375 CE – 1467 CE, with a peak mapped extent of about 516,574 km².
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Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu, 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.
Modern Countries Once Part of Qara Qoyunlu
At its mapped extent, Qara Qoyunlu covered territory in 5 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Armenia1415–1467 CE · most
- Iraq1375–1467 CE · most
- Iran1375–1467 CE · a small part
- Azerbaijan1415–1467 CE · a small part
- Turkey1375–1467 CE · a small part
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Qara Qoyunlu's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Qara Qoyunlu in Depth
History
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.
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.
Culture
Under Timur, the cultural entity of Iran was renewed by Persian literature, art and culture being patronized throughout the Timurid Empire. Consequently, Qara Qoyunlu art was notably influenced by the Timurids. Jahan Shah wrote his poetry in Azerbaijani and Persian, while the Kitab-i Diyarbakriyya, a history of the Qara Qoyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu, was written by Abu Bakr Tehrani in Persian. The rule of the Qara Qoyunlu and other Turkoman dynasties speeded up the process—well underway by that time—by which Azerbaijan and parts of Fars became ethnically and linguistically Turkic.
Jahan Shah is known for several architectural contributions through western Iran. The Northern Iwan of Darb-e Imam in Isfahan is attributed to him.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Qara Qoyunlu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Qara Qoyunlu: Key Facts
| Capitals | Tabriz, Erciş, Mosul |
|---|---|
| Official language | Persian |
| Religion | Shia Islam |
| Form of government | absolutism, absolute monarchy |
| Currency | Tenge |
| Founded | 1375 |
| Dissolved | 1468 |
Facts from Wikidata Q324470 (CC0).
Qara Qoyunlu Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Qara Qoyunlu appears, with the other states of the time.
Qara Qoyunlu Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 516,574 km² in 1451 CE.
Qara Qoyunlu: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Qara Qoyunlu exist?
Qara Qoyunlu is dated to 1375 CE – 1467 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Qara Qoyunlu?
The capital of Qara Qoyunlu was Tabriz.
How large was Qara Qoyunlu at its peak?
At its peak in 1451 AD Qara Qoyunlu covered about 516,574 km².
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi