Bayram Khwaja

Bayram Khwaja (died 1380, r. 1351–1380) was the founder of the Kara Koyunlu state. The Kara Koyunlu, also called the Black Sheep Turkomans (Persian: قره قویونلو‎), were a Muslim Oghuz Turkic monarchy that ruled over the territory comprising present-day Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia (1406), northwestern Iran, eastern Turkey, and northeastern Iraq from approximately 1374 to 1468.[1][2]

Bayram Khwaja
Bey of Kara Koyunlu
Reign1351 - 1380
PredecessorQara Mansur
SuccessorQara Mahammad
Died1380
DynastyKara Koyunlu
FatherQara Mansur
ReligionShiite

Family

Bayram Khwaja was the son of Qara Mansur.[3] He had a brother named Qara Dursun, whose son, Qara Mahammad, succeeded Bayram. He had two other brothers: Murad, was governor of Baghdad c. 1364; and Berdi Khwaja. He belonged to the Baranlu clan of the Yiva Oghuzes.

Biography

Bayram is first recorded in service to Huseyin beg, a Turkmen warlord who killed Pir Muhammed of Sinjar and usurped his city. Huseyin beg and his company were attacked by the Ayyubid lord of Hasankeyf, Al-Adil, in 1350; however, they defeated him.[4] Bayram in turn usurped Huseyin Beg's position and declared his independence in 1351.[5]

Bayram besieged Mardin, which at the time was ruled by the Artuqid Mansur Ahmed (r. 1363–1367), in 1366. Mansur called for Shaikh Awais Jalayir's help. Awais responded and defeated and subjugated Bayram Khwaja in a battle near Muş. He then besieged Mosul in 1371, but retreated on hearing news of the approach of a Mamluk force.

Bayram acted more independently after Awais' withdrawal. He subsequently invaded Mosul, Sinjar, Surmelu, Khoy and Nakhchivan in 1374. The new Jalairid sultan, Hussain, moved against Qara Mahammad and attacked Erciş, his new base. Despite Bayram's help, the Kara Koyunlus suffered heavy casualties and were subjugated in 1374, becoming vassals of the Jalairid Sultanate, which was centered in Baghdad and Tabriz.

Succession

Bayram died in 1380 and was succeeded by his brother Berdi Khwaja, about whose reign nothing is known.[5] He was followed by Qara Mahammad.

References
  1. Hovanissian 2004, p. 4.
  2. Encyclopædia Britannica. "Kara Koyunlu". Online Edition, 2007
  3. Minorsky, V. (1955). "The Qara-qoyunlu and the Qutb-shāhs (Turkmenica, 10)". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 17 (1): 50–73. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00106342. JSTOR 609229.
  4. A., Sinclair, T. (1987–1990). Eastern Turkey : an architectural and archaeological survey. London: Pindar Press. p. 397. ISBN 978-0907132325. OCLC 16887803.
  5. Encyclopedia of Islam, vol 7 - "Karakoyunlular"
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