Husayn Bayqarah
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Sultan Husayn Bayqara Mirza ( fa, حسین بایقرا / ''Husayn Bāyqarā''; June/July 1438 – 4 May 1506) was the
Timurid Timurid refers to those descended from Timur (Tamerlane), a 14th-century conqueror: * Timurid dynasty, a dynasty of Turco-Mongol lineage descended from Timur who established empires in Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent ** Timurid Empire of C ...
ruler of
Herat Herāt (; Persian: ) is an oasis city and the third-largest city of Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated south of the Paropamisus Mountains (''Selseleh-ye Safēd ...
from 1469 until May 4, 1506, with a brief interruption in 1470. A skilled statesman, Sultan Husayn Bayqara was best known for his interest in the arts and was renowned as a benefactor and patron of learning in his kingdom, with his reign being heralded as the second
Timurid Renaissance The Timurid Renaissance was a historical period in Asian and Islamic history spanning the late 14th, the 15th, and the early 16th centuries. Following the gradual downturn of the Islamic Golden Age, the Timurid Empire, based in Central Asia rule ...
. He has been described as "the quintessential Timurid ruler of the later period in
Transoxiana Transoxiana or Transoxania (Land beyond the Oxus) is the Latin name for a region and civilization located in lower Central Asia roughly corresponding to modern-day eastern Uzbekistan, western Tajikistan, parts of southern Kazakhstan, parts of Tu ...
" and his sophisticated court and generous artistic patronage was a source of admiration, particularly from his cousin, the Mughal emperor
Babur Babur ( fa, , lit= tiger, translit= Bābur; ; 14 February 148326 December 1530), born Mīrzā Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad, was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his ...
. Sultan Husayn Bayqara was the last Timurid ruler of consequence in
Khorasan Khorasan may refer to: * Greater Khorasan, a historical region which lies mostly in modern-day northern/northwestern Afghanistan, northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan * Khorasan Province, a pre-2004 province of Ira ...
.


Early life and lineage

Husayn Bayqara was born as Sultan Husayn in
Herat Herāt (; Persian: ) is an oasis city and the third-largest city of Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated south of the Paropamisus Mountains (''Selseleh-ye Safēd ...
in June/July 1438. His parents were Ghiyas ud-din Mansur Mirza of the
Barlas The Barlas ( mn, Barulās, script=Latn;Grupper, S. M. ‘A Barulas Family Narrative in the Yuan Shih: Some Neglected Prosopographical and Institutional Sources on Timurid Origins.’ Archivum Eurasiae Medii Aevi 8 (1992–94): 11–97 Chagatay/ ...
tribe and his wife, Firuza Sultan Begum. His parents had four other children; a son, Bayqara Mirza II, as well as three daughters, Aka Biki, Badi al-Jamal and Urun Sultan Khanum. His father was a great-grandson of the
Central Asia Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
n conqueror
Timur Timur ; chg, ''Aqsaq Temür'', 'Timur the Lame') or as ''Sahib-i-Qiran'' ( 'Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction'), his epithet. ( chg, ''Temür'', 'Iron'; 9 April 133617–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī ( chg, ''Temür Kür ...
. His mother was the daughter of
Sultan Husayn Soltan Hoseyn ( fa, شاه سلطان حسین, Soltān-Hoseyn; 1668 – 9 September 1727) was the Safavid shah of Iran from 1694 to 1722. He was the son and successor of Shah Solayman (). Born and raised in the royal harem, Soltan Hoseyn ascen ...
of the powerful
Tayichiud The Tayichiud (Mongolian Cyrillic: Тайчууд, Taichuud) was one of the three core tribes of the Khamag Mongol confederation on the Mongolian Plateau during the 12th century, founded by Ambaghai Khan in 1148 CE, and finally ended with Sultan ...
tribe, for whom he was named. Firuza was also herself a great-granddaughter of Timur twice over. Both his parents were also descendants of the
Mongol Emperor Khagan or Qaghan (Mongolian:; or ''Khagan''; otk, 𐰴𐰍𐰣 ), or , tr, Kağan or ; ug, قاغان, Qaghan, Mongolian Script: ; or ; fa, خاقان ''Khāqān'', alternatively spelled Kağan, Kagan, Khaghan, Kaghan, Khakan, Khakhan ...
,
Genghis Khan ''Chinggis Khaan'' ͡ʃʰiŋɡɪs xaːŋbr />Mongol script: ''Chinggis Qa(gh)an/ Chinggis Khagan'' , birth_name = Temüjin , successor = Tolui (as regent)Ögedei Khan , spouse = , issue = , house = Borjigin , ...
. In addition to this, he claimed descent in the ninth generation from
Khwaja Abdullah Ansari Abu Ismaïl Abdullah al-Harawi al-Ansari or Abdullah Ansari of Herat (1006–1088) ( fa, خواجه عبدالله انصاری) also known as ''Pir-i Herat'' () "Sage of Herat", was a Muslim Sufi saint who lived in the 11th century in Herat (m ...
of Herat, also known as Pir-e-Herat (Sage of Herat). Sultan Husayn's father died when he was seven or eight years old. Given that the latter was not a noteworthy personality in the Timurid family, Sultan Husayn adopted the name ''Bayqara'' after his more illustrious grandfather,
Bayqara Mirza I Bayqara Mirza I (1392 – 1422?) was a Timurid prince and a grandson of the Central Asian conqueror Timur by his eldest son Umar Shaikh Mirza I. Described by the biographer Dawlatshah as "the noblest, fairest, and bravest of Timur’s descend ...
. After consulting with his mother, Sultan Husayn (now Sultan Husayn Bayqara) entered the service of his older cousin,
Abul-Qasim Babur Mirza Abul-Qasim Babur Mirza ( Chagatai/ fa, ابوالقاسم بابر میرزا بن بایسنقر بیگ), was a Timurid ruler in Khurasan (1449–1457). He was the son of Ghiyath-ud-din Baysunghur ibn Shah Rukh Mirza, and thus a great-grandson ...
, ruler of Herat in 1452. Abul-Qasim Babur Mirza was not the best ruler. He mismanaged his territory and went into battle against
Abu Sa'id Mirza Abu Sa'id Mirza ( Chagatay/ fa, ابو سعید میرزا; 14248 February 1469) was the ruler of the Timurid Empire during the mid-fifteenth century. Born a minor prince of the Timurid dynasty, Abu Sa'id quickly established himself as the most ...
, the Timurid ruler of
Samarkand fa, سمرقند , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from the top:Registan square, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, view inside Shah-i-Zinda, ...
. Husayn Bayqara, not happy with his employment, tried to go over to Abu Sa'id Mirza by meeting with him. Although Abu Sa'id was inclined to take him into his service, a rebellion on part of Husayn Bayqara's relative, Sultan Awais Mirza, son of Muhammad Mirza, son of Bayqara Mirza, induced Abu Sa'id to arrest Husayn Bayqara and other relatives as a precaution. Eventually on the plea of his mother, Firuza Begum, he was freed and he rejoined Abul-Qasim Babur Mirza till the latter's death two years later.


Period of Anarchy in Khurasan

Following Babur's death in 1457, a period of anarchy ensued in
Khurasan Greater Khorāsān,Dabeersiaghi, Commentary on Safarnâma-e Nâsir Khusraw, 6th Ed. Tehran, Zavvâr: 1375 (Solar Hijri Calendar) 235–236 or Khorāsān ( pal, Xwarāsān; fa, خراسان ), is a historical eastern region in the Iranian Plate ...
. Economic instability and lack of central authority with frequent regime changes invited the invasion of the region by the ruler of
Samarkand fa, سمرقند , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from the top:Registan square, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, view inside Shah-i-Zinda, ...
, Abu Sa'id Mirza who occupied Herat on July 19, 1457. But Abu Sa'id Mirza immediately abandoned the city in order to deal with troubles at home. Next came the invasion of the
Kara Koyunlu The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu ( az, Qaraqoyunlular , fa, قره قویونلو), also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a culturally Persianate, Muslim Turkoman "Kara Koyunlu, also spelled Qara Qoyunlu, Turkish Karakoyunlular, En ...
leader,
Jahan Shah ''Muzaffar al-Din'' Jahan Shah ibn Yusuf (1397 in Khoy or 1405 in Mardin – 30 October or 11 November 1467 in Bingöl) ( fa, جهان شاه; az, Cahanşah ) was the leader of the Qara Qoyunlu Oghuz Turkic tribal confederacy in Azerbaijan and Ar ...
who took Mazandaran. During this chaotic time Khurasan was divided into many territories; *
Asterabad Gorgan ( fa, گرگان ; also romanized as ''Gorgān'', ''Gurgān'', and ''Gurgan''), formerly Esterabad ( ; also romanized as ''Astarābād'', ''Asterabad'', and ''Esterābād''), is the capital city of Golestan Province, Iran. It lies appro ...
to
Sabzevar Sabzevar ( fa, سبزوار ), previously known as Beyhagh (also spelled "Beihagh"; fa, بيهق), is a city and capital of Sabzevar County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, approximately west of the provincial capital Mashhad, in northeastern I ...
Muzaffar-al-Din Jahan Shah ibn Yusuf of
Kara Koyunlu The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu ( az, Qaraqoyunlular , fa, قره قویونلو), also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a culturally Persianate, Muslim Turkoman "Kara Koyunlu, also spelled Qara Qoyunlu, Turkish Karakoyunlular, En ...
*
Balkh ), named for its green-tiled ''Gonbad'' ( prs, گُنبَد, dome), in July 2001 , pushpin_map=Afghanistan#Bactria#West Asia , pushpin_relief=yes , pushpin_label_position=bottom , pushpin_mapsize=300 , pushpin_map_caption=Location in Afghanistan ...
Abu Sa'id Mirza Abu Sa'id Mirza ( Chagatay/ fa, ابو سعید میرزا; 14248 February 1469) was the ruler of the Timurid Empire during the mid-fifteenth century. Born a minor prince of the Timurid dynasty, Abu Sa'id quickly established himself as the most ...
, ruler of
Transoxiana Transoxiana or Transoxania (Land beyond the Oxus) is the Latin name for a region and civilization located in lower Central Asia roughly corresponding to modern-day eastern Uzbekistan, western Tajikistan, parts of southern Kazakhstan, parts of Tu ...
*
Abivard Abiward or Abi-ward, was an ancient Sassanid city in modern-day Turkmenistan. Archaeological excavations at the ancient city of Abiward have been made in the last century about 8 km west of Kaka Kaka may refer to: People Nickname or given ...
Ala al-Dawla Mirza Rukn-ud-din Ala al-Dawla Mirza, also spelt Ala ud-Dawla and Ala ud-Daula, (1417 – 1460) was a Timurid prince and a grandson of the Central Asian ruler Shah Rukh. Following his grandfather's death, Ala al-Dawla became embroiled in the ensu ...
*
Herat Herāt (; Persian: ) is an oasis city and the third-largest city of Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated south of the Paropamisus Mountains (''Selseleh-ye Safēd ...
Ibrahim Mirza Prince Ibrahim Mirza, Solṭān Ebrāhīm Mīrzā, in full Abu'l Fat'h Sultan Ibrahim Mirza ( fa, ابوالفتح سلطان ابراهیم میرزا) (April 1540 – 23 February 1577) was a Persian prince of the Safavid dynasty, who was a favo ...
*
Tus Tus or TUS may refer to: * Tus (biology), a protein that binds to terminator sequences * Thales Underwater Systems, an international defence contractor * Tuscarora language, an Iroquoian language, ISO 639-3 code Education * Technological Univ ...
& Imad Fortress – Shah Mahmud Mirza * Marv
Sultan Sanjar Mirza Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
*
Sistan Sistān ( fa, سیستان), known in ancient times as Sakastān ( fa, سَكاستان, "the land of the Saka"), is a historical and geographical region in present-day Eastern Iran ( Sistan and Baluchestan Province) and Southern Afghanistan (N ...
, Farah &
Isfizar Esfezar ( fa, اسفزار, also Romanized as Esfezār, Esfazār, and Asafzar; also known as Asfarār, Asferār, Esferār, and Isfizār) is a village in Mud Rural District, Mud District, Sarbisheh County, South Khorasan Province, Iran. At the 2006 ...
– Malik Qasim ibn Amir Iskander Turkmen, an Amir.


In Merv and Khwarazm

Husayn Bayqara, unable to compete with these rivals, adopted the life of a mercenary and joined Sultan Sanjar Mirza of
Merv Merv ( tk, Merw, ', مرو; fa, مرو, ''Marv''), also known as the Merve Oasis, formerly known as Alexandria ( grc-gre, Ἀλεξάνδρεια), Antiochia in Margiana ( grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐν τῇ Μαργιανῇ) and ...
who married him to his daughter, Beqa Sultan Begum. To them was born
Badi' al-Zaman Mirza Badi' al-Zaman Mirza ( ota, بديوززامان ميرزا, translit=Bediüzzaman Mirza, fa, بدیع‌الزمان‌میرزا; died 1514) was a Timurid ruler of Herat from 1506 to 1507. He was the son of Husayn Bayqarah, who was a great-gre ...
. Sultan Sanjar Mirza and Husayn Bayqara got along well, but in June/July 1457 when Sanjar appointed Husayn in charge of the city while he was absent, Husayn tried to take power. This was due to him suspecting that the chief dignitary, Hasan Arlat was plotting to kill him. Amirs loyal to Sanjar revolted and the attempt failed. Husayn Bayqara was forced to escape with just five horsemen. But outside the city he was joined by the head of security of trade caravans of Iranji sector, Hasan Charkas and his 200 men. This would become Husayn Bayqara's first mercenary force. To solidify this new relationship, he married Hasan Charkas' daughter, Afāk Begum. He was chased by Sanjar Mirza to
Karakum Desert The Karakum Desert, also spelled Kara-Kum and Gara-Gum ( tk, Garagum, ; rus, Караку́мы, Karakumy, kərɐˈkumɨ), is a desert in Central Asia. Its name in Turkic languages means "black sand": "" means sand; "" is a contraction of : "d ...
. He was continuously pursued until he was forced to march towards
Khwarazm Khwarazm (; Old Persian: ''Hwârazmiya''; fa, خوارزم, ''Xwârazm'' or ''Xârazm'') or Chorasmia () is a large oasis region on the Amu Darya river delta in western Central Asia, bordered on the north by the (former) Aral Sea, on the ea ...
, where he remained between the deserts of Marv and
Khiva Khiva ( uz, Xiva/, خىۋا; fa, خیوه, ; alternative or historical names include ''Kheeva'', ''Khorasam'', ''Khoresm'', ''Khwarezm'', ''Khwarizm'', ''Khwarazm'', ''Chorezm'', ar, خوارزم and fa, خوارزم) is a district-level city ...
.


Timurid-Kara Koyunlu Conflict

Recognizing the weakness of Timurid authority in Herat,
Jahan Shah ''Muzaffar al-Din'' Jahan Shah ibn Yusuf (1397 in Khoy or 1405 in Mardin – 30 October or 11 November 1467 in Bingöl) ( fa, جهان شاه; az, Cahanşah ) was the leader of the Qara Qoyunlu Oghuz Turkic tribal confederacy in Azerbaijan and Ar ...
invaded and took the city on June 28, 1458, which was now occupied by Ibrahim Mirza's father,
Ala al-Dawla Mirza Rukn-ud-din Ala al-Dawla Mirza, also spelt Ala ud-Dawla and Ala ud-Daula, (1417 – 1460) was a Timurid prince and a grandson of the Central Asian ruler Shah Rukh. Following his grandfather's death, Ala al-Dawla became embroiled in the ensu ...
. But Abu Sa'id Mirza could not tolerate this and after negotiations,
Jahan Shah ''Muzaffar al-Din'' Jahan Shah ibn Yusuf (1397 in Khoy or 1405 in Mardin – 30 October or 11 November 1467 in Bingöl) ( fa, جهان شاه; az, Cahanşah ) was the leader of the Qara Qoyunlu Oghuz Turkic tribal confederacy in Azerbaijan and Ar ...
decided to return territorial demarcation to Shah Rukh's times. Thus, Khurasan, Mazandaran and
Jurjan Gorgan ( fa, گرگان ; also romanized as ''Gorgān'', ''Gurgān'', and ''Gurgan''), formerly Esterabad ( ; also romanized as ''Astarābād'', ''Asterabad'', and ''Esterābād''), is the capital city of Golestan Province, Iran. It lies appro ...
were returned to the Timurids and Abu Sa'id Mirza returned and took Herat a second time on December 22, 1458.


Conflict with Abu Sa'id Mirza

Husayn Bayqara had now mustered a force of 1,000 men and took
Jurjan Gorgan ( fa, گرگان ; also romanized as ''Gorgān'', ''Gurgān'', and ''Gurgan''), formerly Esterabad ( ; also romanized as ''Astarābād'', ''Asterabad'', and ''Esterābād''), is the capital city of Golestan Province, Iran. It lies appro ...
on October 19, 1458 from the
Kara Koyunlu The Qara Qoyunlu or Kara Koyunlu ( az, Qaraqoyunlular , fa, قره قویونلو), also known as the Black Sheep Turkomans, were a culturally Persianate, Muslim Turkoman "Kara Koyunlu, also spelled Qara Qoyunlu, Turkish Karakoyunlular, En ...
. Abu Sa'id Mirza invaded Jurjan, which Husayn Bayqara hastily abandoned and fled towards
Khwarazm Khwarazm (; Old Persian: ''Hwârazmiya''; fa, خوارزم, ''Xwârazm'' or ''Xârazm'') or Chorasmia () is a large oasis region on the Amu Darya river delta in western Central Asia, bordered on the north by the (former) Aral Sea, on the ea ...
again. Abu Sa'id Mirza appointed his son,
Sultan Mahmud Mirza Sultan Mahmud Mirza ( 1453 – January 1495) was a prince of Timurid branch of Transoxiana, son of Abu Sa'id Mirza. Biography His father gave him the government of Hisar and Termez in 1459 (according to Babur Astarabad), but lost to Sultan Husa ...
as Jurjan's governor. When Husayn Bayqara learned that Abu Sa'id Mirza had left Herat to crush the rebellion of his relative Muhammad Juki, he attacked Jurjan again and at the Battle of Jauzi Wali in May 1461, he defeated
Sultan Mahmud Mirza Sultan Mahmud Mirza ( 1453 – January 1495) was a prince of Timurid branch of Transoxiana, son of Abu Sa'id Mirza. Biography His father gave him the government of Hisar and Termez in 1459 (according to Babur Astarabad), but lost to Sultan Husa ...
and appointed Abdal-Rahman Arghun the territory's governor. However, he could not follow up this victory when he besieged Herat from August–October 1461. Abu Sa'id Mirza returned and Husayn Bayqara again fled towards
Khwarazm Khwarazm (; Old Persian: ''Hwârazmiya''; fa, خوارزم, ''Xwârazm'' or ''Xârazm'') or Chorasmia () is a large oasis region on the Amu Darya river delta in western Central Asia, bordered on the north by the (former) Aral Sea, on the ea ...
, from where he began making pillaging raids into Khurasan; these raids were conducted in earnest starting in 1464. Seeking to protect himself against Abu Sa'id, he requested the help of the
Uzbeks The Uzbeks ( uz, , , , ) are a Turkic ethnic group native to the wider Central Asian region, being among the largest Turkic ethnic group in the area. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, next to Kazakh and Karakalpak mino ...
. But that help never came since Abul-Khayr Khan, the Uzbek leader died in 1468. This period of 8 to 10 years was the worst in Husayn Bayqara's life. He wandered from one place to the next at times in dire straits.


Becoming ruler of Khurasan

When
Abu Sa'id Mirza Abu Sa'id Mirza ( Chagatay/ fa, ابو سعید میرزا; 14248 February 1469) was the ruler of the Timurid Empire during the mid-fifteenth century. Born a minor prince of the Timurid dynasty, Abu Sa'id quickly established himself as the most ...
went to war against the
Aq Qoyunlu The Aq Qoyunlu ( az, Ağqoyunlular , ) was a culturally Persianate,Kaushik Roy, ''Military Transition in Early Modern Asia, 1400–1750'', (Bloomsbury, 2014), 38; "Post-Mongol Persia and Iraq were ruled by two tribal confederations: Akkoyunlu (Wh ...
, he was defeated at the
Battle of Qarabagh The Battle of Qarabagh was fought on February 4, 1469, between Aq Qoyunlu under Uzun Hasan, and the Timurids of Samarkand under Abu Sa'id Mirza, resulting in the latter's defeat, imprisonment and execution. After the battle, the Timurids forever ...
and captured. The leader of the Aq Qoyunlu,
Uzun Hasan Uzun Hasan or Uzun Hassan ( اوزون حسن; fa, اوزون حسن; 1423 – January 6, 1478; where ''uzun'' means "tall" in Oghuz Turkic) was a ruler of the Turkoman Aq Qoyunlu state and is generally considered to be its strongest ruler. Ha ...
handed him over to the 19-year-old Timurid Yadgar Muhammad Mirza, who had him executed. Upon Abu Sa'ids death, the
Timurid Empire The Timurid Empire ( chg, , fa, ), self-designated as Gurkani ( Chagatai: کورگن, ''Küregen''; fa, , ''Gūrkāniyān''), was a PersianateB.F. Manz, ''"Tīmūr Lang"'', in Encyclopaedia of Islam, Online Edition, 2006 Turco-Mongol empire ...
collapsed. Taking advantage of Abu Sa'id Mirza's absence, Husayn Bayqara had again entered Khurasan and besieged Herat which he finally captured on March 24, 1469. Thus he became the ruler of
Khurasan Greater Khorāsān,Dabeersiaghi, Commentary on Safarnâma-e Nâsir Khusraw, 6th Ed. Tehran, Zavvâr: 1375 (Solar Hijri Calendar) 235–236 or Khorāsān ( pal, Xwarāsān; fa, خراسان ), is a historical eastern region in the Iranian Plate ...
. The sons of the late Abu Sa'id Mirza attempted to march against him, but turned back when they learned that not only had Husayn Bayqara consolidated his control over the city, but the defeated army of their father had joined him.


Conflict with Aq Qoyunlu and Yadgar Muhammad Mirza

Meanwhile, Uzun Hasan sent his protege, Yadgar Muhammad Mirza, to conquer Khurasan. Husayn defeated Yadgar at the Battle of Chenaran on September 15, 1469, but the latter was sent reinforcements. Uzun Hasan demanded that Husayn hand over various Kara Koyunlu officials who had fled to him, a demand which Husayn refused. Yadgar therefore continued his assault, and Husayn was unable to match his forces due to mass desertions. He ended up fleeing Herat, which was occupied on July 7, 1470. Six weeks later, Husayn reoccupied the city after raising a fresh force and defeating the sons of Abu Sa'id, who were attempting to advance into the region. He captured Yadgar and executed him. Husayn's empire was now secure. The Aq Qoyunlu made no further attempts against him, and the Timurids in Transoxiana were too weakened by internal conflicts to advance into his territory. His boundary with the Aq Qoyunlu started on the southern edge of the
Caspian Sea The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, often described as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia; east of the Caucasus, west of the broad steppe of Central Asia ...
, running south, then east across the north of the
Dasht-e Lut The Lut Desert, widely referred to as Dasht-e Lut ( fa, دشت لوت, "Emptiness Plain"), is a large salt desert located in the provinces of Kerman and Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran. It is the world's 33rd-largest desert, and was included on U ...
, ending at
Lake Hamun Lake Hāmūn ( fa, دریاچه هامون, ''Daryācheh-ye Hāmūn''; ps, هامون ډنډ), or the Hamoun Oasis, is a seasonal lake and wetlands in the endorheic Sīstān Basin in the Sistan region on the Afghanistan–Iran border. In Iran, ...
. His border with the Timurids was the
Oxus River The Amu Darya, tk, Amyderýa/ uz, Amudaryo// tg, Амударё, Amudaryo ps, , tr, Ceyhun / Amu Derya grc, Ὦξος, Ôxos (also called the Amu, Amo River and historically known by its Latin name or Greek ) is a major river in Central Asi ...
. He more or less respected both borders, refusing to cross north in an attempt to capture Transoxiana from his former enemies. He was probably aware of the Uzbek threat to the region, and was wise enough not to pursue a border with this dangerous tribal people.


Administration

Husayn was viewed as "a good king, a lover of peace and justice", and he built numerous structures including a famous school; however, he was sick with a palsy for twenty years of his reign. He was forced to deal with several revolts and incursions. In 1490 the brother of Husayn's son Ibrahim Husain's guardian, Darvish 'Ali, conspired with Sultan Mahmud, who by that time ruled in Hisar. Mahmud moved against
Balkh ), named for its green-tiled ''Gonbad'' ( prs, گُنبَد, dome), in July 2001 , pushpin_map=Afghanistan#Bactria#West Asia , pushpin_relief=yes , pushpin_label_position=bottom , pushpin_mapsize=300 , pushpin_map_caption=Location in Afghanistan ...
, which Ibrahim resided in, forcing Husayn to mobilize against him. Some years later, Husayn transferred his eldest son, Badi' al-Zaman, from
Astarabad Gorgan ( fa, گرگان ; also romanized as ''Gorgān'', ''Gurgān'', and ''Gurgan''), formerly Esterabad ( ; also romanized as ''Astarābād'', ''Asterabad'', and ''Esterābād''), is the capital city of Golestan Province, Iran. It lies appro ...
(renamed Gorgan in 1937) to Balkh, but Badi' revolted when his son Muhammed Mu'min was denied rule in Astarabad. Husayn defeated both Muhammed, whom he executed, and Badi', whom he reconciled with. The truce fell apart afterwards, however, and in 1499 Badi' besieged Herat. Husayn Bayqara introduced a ban on the drinking of wine and the shaving of beards. He said that “''Although in the days of some'' ther rulers ''the principles of the Sharia and the community of Islam were at the mercy of heretics'' ... (in his time) ''the arms of the Holy Law and the laws of the Prophet are so strong that''...." going on to boast about how his police maintained morality.


Uzbek threat

In 1501 the Uzbeks conquered Transoxiana from the Abu Sa'id's grandson,
Babur Babur ( fa, , lit= tiger, translit= Bābur; ; 14 February 148326 December 1530), born Mīrzā Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad, was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his ...
. Under
Muhammad Shaybani Muhammad Shaybani Khan ( uz, Muhammad Shayboniy, also known as Abul-Fath Shaybani Khan or Shayabak Khan or Shahi Beg Khan, originally named "Shibägh", which means " wormwood" or "obsidian") (c. 1451 – 2 December 1510), was an Uzbek leader ...
, the Uzbeks could now threaten Khurasan. Suffering from the effects of advanced age, Husayn made no move against them, even after Babur advised him to act. The Uzbeks began conducting raids into his kingdom. Finally changing his mind, he began to march against them but died in 1506 just after beginning his advance. The inheritance of his empire was disputed between his sons Badi' and Muzaffar Husain. Babur, who had begun an expedition in support of Husayn, noted the infighting between the brothers, decided the area was impossible to defend and retreated. The next year, Muhammad Shaybani conquered Herat and caused Husayn's successors to flee, putting an end to Timurid rule in Khurasan.


Culture

Husayn Bayqara was notably a patron of arts and literature, particularly of poets, which led to the blossom of literal culture in Herat. The leading poets of the court were
Jami Nūr ad-Dīn 'Abd ar-Rahmān Jāmī ( fa, نورالدین عبدالرحمن جامی; 7 November 1414 – 9 November 1492), also known as Mawlanā Nūr al-Dīn 'Abd al-Rahmān or Abd-Al-Rahmān Nur-Al-Din Muhammad Dashti, or simply as J ...
(died 1492) and
Ali-Shir Nava'i 'Ali-Shir Nava'i (9 February 1441 – 3 January 1501), also known as Nizām-al-Din ʿAli-Shir Herawī ( Chagatai: نظام الدین علی شیر نوایی, fa, نظام‌الدین علی‌شیر نوایی) was a Timurid poet, writer ...
(died 1501). The former is acknowledged as the last of the great classical
Persian poets The list is not comprehensive, but is continuously being expanded and includes Persian poets as well as poets who write in Persian from Iran, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Georgia, Dagestan, Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Le ...
, while the latter is renowned for being the founder of
Chagatai Turkic Chagatai (چغتای, ''Čaġatāy''), also known as ''Turki'', Eastern Turkic, or Chagatai Turkic (''Čaġatāy türkīsi''), is an extinct Turkic literary language that was once widely spoken across Central Asia and remained the shared literar ...
literature. Under Husayn Bayqara, the amalgation of the cultural sphere of the Turks and Persians reached its zenith, as demonstrated by his support and involvement in the literary culture of both languages. Regardless, Persian remained the dominant language of realm.


Family

;Consorts Husayn had twelve consorts: *Bega Sultan Begum (m. 1457 - div., died 1488), daughter of Sanjar Mirza of Merv, son of Mirak Ahmad Mirza, son of Umar Shaikh Mirza, son of
Timur Timur ; chg, ''Aqsaq Temür'', 'Timur the Lame') or as ''Sahib-i-Qiran'' ( 'Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction'), his epithet. ( chg, ''Temür'', 'Iron'; 9 April 133617–19 February 1405), later Timūr Gurkānī ( chg, ''Temür Kür ...
; *Tulak Begum known as Chuli Begum (div.), daughter of Husayn Sufi, a chief of the Azaks, and sister of Amir Yusuf Sufi Jandar; *Shahr Banu Begum (m. 1469 - div.), daughter of Sultan
Abu Sa'id Mirza Abu Sa'id Mirza ( Chagatay/ fa, ابو سعید میرزا; 14248 February 1469) was the ruler of the Timurid Empire during the mid-fifteenth century. Born a minor prince of the Timurid dynasty, Abu Sa'id quickly established himself as the most ...
; *Payanda Sultan Begum, another daughter of Sultan
Abu Sa'id Mirza Abu Sa'id Mirza ( Chagatay/ fa, ابو سعید میرزا; 14248 February 1469) was the ruler of the Timurid Empire during the mid-fifteenth century. Born a minor prince of the Timurid dynasty, Abu Sa'id quickly established himself as the most ...
; *Khadija Begi Agha, daughter of Amir Muhammad Sarik bin Amir Muhammad Khawaja, and widow of
Abu Sa'id Mirza Abu Sa'id Mirza ( Chagatay/ fa, ابو سعید میرزا; 14248 February 1469) was the ruler of the Timurid Empire during the mid-fifteenth century. Born a minor prince of the Timurid dynasty, Abu Sa'id quickly established himself as the most ...
; *Zainab Sultan Begum, daughter of Amir Taj-al-din Hasan bin Nizam-al-din Charkas; *Afak Begum, another daughter of Amir Taj-al-din Hasan bin Nizam-al-din Charkas; *Zobayda Sultan Aghacha, daughter of Hasan bin Hussain Sheikh Taimur, of the race of the Shaban Sultans; *Latifa Sultan Aghacha, daughter of Amir Sultan Husayn Chaharshanba and a relative of Jahan Shah; *Mangeli Bi Aghacha, an Uzbek concubine, and former slave girl of Shahar Banu Begum; *Baba Aghacha, daughter of Khawaja Muhammad Ataka, and foster sister of Afak Begum; *Begi Sultan Aghacha, a concubine, and mother of Afrasiyab Mirza; ;Sons Husayn had eighteen sons: *
Badi' al-Zaman Mirza Badi' al-Zaman Mirza ( ota, بديوززامان ميرزا, translit=Bediüzzaman Mirza, fa, بدیع‌الزمان‌میرزا; died 1514) was a Timurid ruler of Herat from 1506 to 1507. He was the son of Husayn Bayqarah, who was a great-gre ...
— with Bega Sultan Begum; *Shah Gharib Mirza — with Khadija Begi Agha; *Muzaffer Hussain Mirza — with Khadija Begi Agha; *Abul Hassan Mirza — with Latifa Sultan Aghacha; *Muhammad Muhsin Mirza — with Latifa Sultan Aghacha; *Abu Tarab Mirza — with Mangeli Bi Aghacha; *Muhammad Hussain Mirza — with Mangeli Bi Aghacha; *Feridun Hussain Mirza — with Mangeli Bi Aghacha; *Haidar Muhammad Mirza — with Payanda Sultan Begum; *Muhammad Ma'asum Mirza — with Baba Aghacha; *Farrukh Hussain Mirza — with Baba Aghacha; *Ibrahim Hussain Mirza — with Baba Aghacha; *Ibn Hussain Mirza - with Baba Aghacha; *Muhammad Qasim Mirza — with Baba Aghacha; *Afrasiyab Mirza — with Begi Sultan Aghacha; *Masum Ali Mirza - Latifa Sultan Aghacha; *Sultan Jahangir Mirza — with Khadija Begi Agha; *Jahangir Husain Mirza — with Khadija Begi Agha; ;Daughters Husayn had eighteen daughters: *Zainab Sultan Begum known as Sultanim Begum - with Tulak Begum, married firstly to Sultan Wayis Mirza, son of Bayqara Mirza and Sa'adat Bakht Begum, married secondly to Abdul Baqi Mirza, son of Usman Mirza, son of Sidi Ahmad Mirza, son of
Miran Shah Mirza Jalal-ud-din Miran Shah Beg (1366 – 20 April 1408), commonly known as Miran Shah ( fa, میران شاہ), was a son of the Central Asian conqueror Timur, founder of the Timurid Empire. During his father's reign, Miran Shah was initi ...
; *Ak Begum - with Payanda Sultan Begum, married to Muhammad Qasim Mirza, son of Abu'l-Qasim Arlat and Bega Begum; *Kechek Begum - with Payanda Sultan Begum, married to Mullah Khwajah; *Bega Begum - with Payanda Sultan Begum, married to Babar Mirza, son of Muhammad Qasim Mirza and Rabia Sultan Begum; *Agha Begum - with Payanda Sultan Begum, married to Sultan Murad Mirza, son of Muhammad Qasim Mirza and Rabia Sultan Begum; *Fatima Sultan Begum - with Mengli Bi Aghach, married to Yadgar Farrukh Mirza, son of Farrukhzad Mirza, son of Sidi Ahmad Mirza, son of
Miran Shah Mirza Jalal-ud-din Miran Shah Beg (1366 – 20 April 1408), commonly known as Miran Shah ( fa, میران شاہ), was a son of the Central Asian conqueror Timur, founder of the Timurid Empire. During his father's reign, Miran Shah was initi ...
; *Maryam Sultan Begum - with Mengli Bi Aghacha, married to Sayyid Abdullah Mirza; *Sultan Nizhad Begum - with Baba Aghacha, married to Iskandar Mirza, son of Bayqara Mirza and Sa'adat Bakht Begum; *Sa'adat Bakht Begum known as Begum Sultan - with Baba Aghacha, married to Sultan Masud Mirza, son of
Sultan Mahmud Mirza Sultan Mahmud Mirza ( 1453 – January 1495) was a prince of Timurid branch of Transoxiana, son of Abu Sa'id Mirza. Biography His father gave him the government of Hisar and Termez in 1459 (according to Babur Astarabad), but lost to Sultan Husa ...
and Khanzada Begum; *Munawar Sultan Begum - with Baba Aghacha, married to Sayyid Mirza of Andekhud, descendant of
Ulugh Beg Mīrzā Muhammad Tāraghay bin Shāhrukh ( chg, میرزا محمد طارق بن شاہ رخ, fa, میرزا محمد تراغای بن شاہ رخ), better known as Ulugh Beg () (22 March 1394 – 27 October 1449), was a Timurid sultan, as ...
; *Aisha Sultan Begum - with Zobayda Sultan Aghacha, married firstly to Qasim Sultan, a Shaibani Sultan, married secondly to Buran Sultan, a relative of Qasim; *Khanum Sultan Begum - with Khadija Begi Agha; *Sa'adat Nizhad Begum - with Baba Aghacha; *Salima Sultan Begum - with Baba Aghacha; *Badi-al-Mulk Begum - with Latifa Sultan Aghacha; *Umm Salima Begum - with Latifa Sultan Aghacha; *Munisa Sultan Begum - with Zubayda Sultan Aghacha; *Khurshid Bakht Begum - with Baba Aghacha;


Ancestry


References


Sources

* Francis Robinson (2007). "The Mughal Emperors and the Islamic Dynasties of India, Iran and Central Asia". * * Peter Jackson (1986). ''The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume Six: The Timurid and Safavid Periods''. * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Husayn Bayqarah People from Herat 1438 births 1506 deaths Timurid monarchs Mercenaries History of Herat 15th-century monarchs in Asia 16th-century monarchs in Asia