Shah Muhammad (Qara Qoyunlu)

Shah Muhammad (died 5 August 1433) was a 15th century Qara Qoyunlu prince, second son of Qara Yusuf and a governor of Baghdad.

Shah Muhammad
Wali of Baghdad
Reign1410/1– 9 April 1433
PredecessorAhmad Jalayir
SuccessorIspend bin Yusuf
Died5 August 1433
Hamadan
IssueShah Ali
Shah Budaq
DynastyQara Qoyunlu
FatherQara Yusuf

Early years

According to Mamluk historian Ibn Taghribirdi, he grew up in Erbil around Christian community.

Tenure

His tenure in Baghdad is considered as uneventful by historians.[1] He was appointed to this post in 1410[2] or 1411[3] by his father. His son, Shah Ali was his subordinate ruling around Mosul. After strengthening his position, he attacked Shahrizor in 1413, ruled by Muhammad Sāru Turkman. After defeating him, he put Saru Turkman in Hit castle prison, while taking his family to Baghdad. He attacked Shushtar in June-July 1415 and defeated last remnants of Jalayirids, but failed to end their reign elsewhere.

He supported his father in his attacks against Timurids in 1414 but started to act independently in 1417, collecting his own taxes. He went as far as claiming his father went crazy in 1420, not supporting him against Shahrukh.[4] Despite that he travelled to Nakhchivan at the time of his father's death, he didn't claim the sultanate, but instead supported Qara Iskander in his struggle to throne.

His son Shah Ali soon rebelled against him and Muhammad was soon deposed by his brother Ispend in 1421 and sent into exile to Hamadan. Using Qara Qoyunlu infighting, Uvais II of Jalayirids attacked and captured Baghdad for a while. Shah Muhammad reacted by attacking and recapturing the city on 3 May 1422, while Uvais was killed by Ispend. Ispend retreated to Dujail sometime, leaving Baghdad to Muhammad. But this time Shah Ali attacked and harassed Ispend. Ispend finally forced Shah Muhammad out of Baghdad on 9 April 1433.

Exile and death

He is reported to have visited Kadhimiya with his second son Shah Budaq, gathering loyal forces to himself and later conquering Mosul and Erbil, presumably from his own son Shah Ali. Although he captured Baqubah, he didn't manage to reconquer Baghdad. His army was routed by Ispend and he was again forced to seek support elsewhere. He was murdered on orders of Baba Haji Hamadani - governor of Gaverud[5] while his son Shah Ali fled to Qara Iskander.

Religion

Muhammad was described as 'a godless unbeliever', 'an atheist' and a convert to Christianity by Ibn Taghribirdi.[6]

References
  1. Binbaş, Evrim (2020-01-02). "The Jalayirid Hidden King and the Unbelief of Shāh Mohammad Qara Qoyunlu". Journal of Persianate Studies. 12 (2): 206–236. doi:10.1163/18747167-12341340. ISSN 1874-7094. S2CID 214405285.
  2. Minorsky, V. (1955). "The Qara-Qoyunlu And The Qutb-Shahs". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. 17 (1): 50–73. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00106342. ISSN 1474-0699. S2CID 162273460.
  3. Binbaş 2020, p. 219.
  4. Binbaş 2020, p. 220.
  5. Muḥaddis̲, Mīr Hāshim (1982). Tārīkh-i Qizilbāshān [History of Qizilbashes] (in Persian). Tehrān : Bihnām. p. 16
  6. Binbaş 2020, p. 223.
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