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Rise of the Black Sheep dynasty
In the 1390s the Black Sheep dynasty under Kara Yusuf rapidly expanded in Azerbaijan and western Iran, taking Tabriz and clashing fiercely with the T…
Timeline
- 1390–1391Tabriz · IranAfter his father Kara Muhammad died, Kara Yusuf took over the tribes, quickly seized the core of Azerbaijan and entered Tabriz, advancing the Black Sheep from a tribal alliance into a regional power.
- 1393–1394Western Iran · IranTimur regarded the Black Sheep dynasty as a serious challenge to his western rule and launched large-scale campaigns. After defeat Kara Yusuf was forced to abandon Tabriz and flee with his tribes, and the dynasty's power was severely damaged.
- 1395–1399Mesopotamian frontier · West AsiaKara Yusuf reorganized tribal forces along the Iraq and Anatolia frontier and contended with the Aq Qoyunlu and other powers. Timur's late campaigns were dispersed, allowing the Black Sheep to preserve their core strength, setting the stage for rapid recovery after Timur's death.
Sources
- The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 6: The Timurid and Safavid Periods — Peter Jackson, Lawrence Lockhart (eds.) (1986)
- Encyclopaedia Iranica: Qara Qoyunlu https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/qara-qoyunlu