The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu, also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a culturally Persianate, Muslim Turkoman monarchy that ruled over the territory comprising present-day Azerbaijan, Armenia, northwestern Iran, eastern Turkey, and northeastern Iraq from about 1374 to 1468.
Abu NasrQara Yusuf ibn MohammadBarani was the ruler of the Qara Qoyunlu dynasty from c.1388 to 1420, although his reign was interrupted by Tamerlane's invasion (1400–1405). He was the son of Qara Mahammad Töremish, a brother-in-law to Ahmad Jalayir.
The Shirvanshahs were the rulers of Shirvan from 861 to 1538. The first ruling line were the Yazidids, an originally Arab and later Persianized dynasty, who became known as the Kasranids. The second ruling line were the Darbandi, distant relatives of the Yazidids/Kasranids.
Akhsitan I was the 20th Shirvanshah after 1160, and thought to have reigned until the years 1197–1203/04. He was the son and successor of Manuchihr III. His mother was Tamar, a Georgian princess from the Bagrationi dynasty.
The Ashurbeyovs or Ashurbeylis are an Azerbaijani noble family, with an extensive history and bloodline.
Yazid ibn Ahmad or Yazid II was the tenth Shirvanshah.
BukhtnassarAli was the fourteenth Shirvanshah, ruling from 1049 to 1050. He was the successor and nephew of Qubad. His father Ahmad b. Yazid was a son of Yazid II. He was immediately deposed by his uncle, Sallar. Bukhtnassar managed to escape but was captured and executed by forces of Sallar near Baylaqan.
Afridun the Martyr was the eighteenth Shah of Shirvan. He was appointed governor of Derbent several times during his father Fariburz I's reign. "Afridun" is the arabicized form of the New Persian name Fereydun, an Iranian mythical hero.
Manuchihr III was the 19th Shirvanshah from 1120 to sometime after 1160. He was the son and successor of Afridun I.
Afridun II was a Shah of Shirvan. He may have ruled during a time in Shirvanshah history that scholarship has referred to "a period of total confusion", due to the lack of written records and contradictory numismatic evidence. He was a son of Shirvanshah Manuchihr III. He had had three brothers, Akhsitan I, Farrukhzad I, and Shahanshah. He might not have even ruled. He left no numismatic evidence but known from his son Fariburz II's coins.
Shahanshah was the Shirvanshah from c. 1180 to c. 1203.
Farrukhzad I was the Shirvanshah from between 1187–1203 to sometime before 1225.
Garshasp I was the Shirvanshah from post-1203 to 1233/34. He was the son and successor of Farrukhzad I, whom he may have initially co-ruled with.
Fariburz III was the Shirvanshah from c. 1225 to 1255. He ruled during a time in Shirvanshah history that scholarship has referred to "a period of total confusion", due to the lack of written records and contradictory numismatic evidence.
Farrukhzad II was the 28th ruler of Shirvan. He was a son of Akhsitan II who was executed by Hulagu in 1260.
Akhsitan III was the 29th ruler of Shirvan, now part of Azerbaijan. He is thought to be the son of Shirvanshah Farrukhzad II.
Keykavus was the 30th ruler of Shirvan. He was the second son of Akhsitan III.
Hushang was the Shirvanshah from 1372/73 to 1382.
Dickran Kouymjian is an Armenian-American writer, publisher, editor, historian and professor.
Rashid — was a governor of Derbent during invasions of Jebe and Subutai. He was a younger brother of Garshasp.
