Battle of Nakhchivan (1406)

The Battle of Nakhchivan was fought between Kara Koyunlu under their Bey, Qara Yusuf and the Timurid Empire under the leadership of Timur's grandson Abu Bakr ibn Miran Shah, for control of Azerbaijan on October 14, 1406.^[1] Qara Yusuf decisively defeated the Timurids in this battle and took over Tabriz, the capital of the region.^[2]

Battle of Nakhchivan
Part of Timurid Invasion of Azerbaijan
Map of Nakhchivan city near River Aras.
Date October 14, 1406 Location Nakhchivan near Aras River, modern Azerbaijan Result Qara Qoyunlu victory
Belligerents
Qara Qoyunlu	Timurid Empire
Commanders and leaders
Abu Nasr Qara Yusuf Ispend bin Yusuf	Abu Bakr ibn Miran Shah

Background

After Khalil Sultan became king of the Timurid Empire, his brother, Abu Bakr ibn Miran Shah returned with his army to Azerbaijan and expelled the forces of Sultan Ahmed Jalayir from Tabriz. Sultan Ahmed went to Aujan and after a consultation with Aujan's local ruler, he determined to return to Baghdad.^{[3][better source needed]}

Because Abu Bakr forces can not got into Tabriz, he went to Nakhchivan and summoned Malik Izuddin from Kurdistan, before they jointly agreed to attack the forces of Kara Koyunlu under Qara Yusuf. ^{[3][better source needed]}

Battle

The battle between the belligerents was fought on the bank of Aras River on October 14, 1406 (1 Jumada al-awwal 809).^[4] Qara Yusuf side emerged victorious. The demoralised Abu Bakr's troops retreated and on their way back, they pillaged the city of Tabriz.^{[3][better source needed]} This enraged notable Tabrizi which then invited Qara Yusuf to their city. Meanwhile, Abu Bakr's side continued their retreat to Sultania and passed their time there during the winter.

Aftermath

As Abu Bakr's side was in Sultania, Tabriz fell into the grip of Qara Yusuf. The fall of Tabriz marked Qara Yusuf's as the undisputed master of Azerbaijan.^{[3][better source needed]} In Tabriz, Qara Yusuf attracted some support against the rule of Timurid Empire, one of the supporter was Sultan Mu'tasim.^[4] After consolidating power, Qara Yusuf led the army to march into Sultania where forcefully captured and transferred Sultania's inhabitants to Tabriz, Maragha, and Erbil.^{[3][better source needed]} On 21 April 1408 (24 Dhu al-Qadah 810), Abu Bakr was planning to launch a surprise attack towards Kara Koyunlu, but Qara Yusuf moved more quickly, then decisively defeated Abu Bakr forces in the Battle of Sardrud.^[4]

Qara Yusuf became a powerful ruler in the region and established his stronghold immediately by making alliances with other Turkmen tribes, such as with Bistam Jagir.^[5] He occupied Soltaniyeh, Ardabil, and Maragheh; and moved the population to Tabriz. This would allow Qara Yusuf to face a counterattack in 1408 by the Timurids who intended on retaking Azerbaijan but would be disappointed as they were defeated decisively.^[6] The alliances between Bistam and Qara Yusuf turned sour by 1412/1413. There is no clear explanation regarding the rift, but seems likely to be connected with a wider crisis of authority.^[5]

References

1. Minorsky, Vladimir (1982). Medieval Iran and its neighbours. Vol. 1. London: Variorum Reprints. p. 11. ISBN 9780860781141.
2. Grousset, René (1939). The Empire of the Steppes; a History of Central Asia. Translated by Walford, Naomi. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. p. 458. Qara-Yusuf, having returned from exile in Egypt, went back to Azerbaijan, defeated the Timurid Abu Bakr near Na- khichevan, and reoccupied Tabriz (1406).
3. Howorth, Sir Henry Hoyle (1888). History of the Mongols, from the 9th to the 19th Century. Vol. 3. United States: Burt Franklin. p. 675.
4. Binbaş, İlker Evrim (2016). Intellectual Networks in Timurid Iran: Sharaf Al-Dīn 'Alī Yazdī and the Islamicate Republic of Letters. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 235–236. ISBN 9781107054240.
5. Manz, Beatrice Forbes (2007). Power, Politics and Religion in Timurid Iran. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 131. ISBN 9781139462846.
6. Sicker, Martin (2000). The Islamic World in Ascendancy: From the Arab Conquests to the Siege of Vienna. Praeger. p. 159. ISBN 9780275968922. Abu Bakr tried to retake Azerbaijan in 1408, but he was defeated decisively this time