Malek Ashraf (), (-1357) was a

Chupanid The Chobanids or the Chupanids ( fa, سلسله امرای چوپانی) were descendants of a Mongol family of the Suldus clan that came to prominence in 14th century Persia. At first serving under the Ilkhans, they took ''de facto'' control ...

ruler of northwestern

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

during the 14th century. He was the last of the Chupanids to possess a significant influence within Ilkhanate.

Early years

He was the second son of

Timurtash Ala ud-Din Timurtash (died 1328; also Temürtaš or Timür-Tash, tr, Demirtaş Noyan) was a member of the Chupanid family who dominated politics in the final years of the Ilkhanate. Early life He was born to Chupan as his second son . Timurtas ...

and his wife Daulat Khatun, born sometime after

Hasan Kucek Hasan Kuchak or Ḥasan-i Kūchik (; 1319 – 15 December 1343) was a Chupanid prince during the 14th century. He is credited with setting up a nearly independent Chupanid state in Iran during the struggles taking place in the aftermath of the I ...

. He was imprisoned with his brothers in Karahisar by Abu Sa'id after their father's execution. Malek Asraf distinguished himself while serving under his brother

, defeating an army 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 ...

sent by Togha Temur against Hasan in 1341. He then became embroiled in the conflict with the

Injuids The House of Inju (Injuids, Injus, or Inju'ids) was an Iranian dynasty of Persian origin that came to rule over the cities of Shiraz and Isfahan during the 14th century. Its members became de facto independent rulers following the breakup of the I ...

over

Shiraz Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As o ...

. Malek Ashraf received a request for assistance by the Injuid Abu Ishaq against his cousin

Pir Hosayn Pir or PIR may refer to: Places * Pir, Kerman, a village in Kerman Province, Iran * Pir, Satu Mare, commune in Satu Mare County, Romania Religion * Pir (Alevism), one of the 12 ranks of Imam in Alevism * Pir (Sufism), a Sufi teacher or spiritu ...

, following which Malek defeated Pir Hosayn in August 1342, allowing Abu Ishaq to temporarily regain control of Shiraz.

De-facto reign

Upon the death of Hasan Kucek in 1343, the Chobanid lands were at first split between Malek and his uncles

Yagi Basti Yagi Basti (d. c. 1344) was a member of the Chobanid family and the ruler of Shiraz for a part of 1343. He was the son of Amir Chupan by his second wife. Career Like most of the other Chobanids, Yagi Basti threw his support behind his nephew Hasa ...

and

Surgan Surgan ( fa, سورگان, also Romanized as Sūrgān) is a village in Irafshan Rural District, Ashar District, Mehrestan County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also cal ...

. However, the division did not last, and Malek defeated Surgan in battle. After having Yagi Basti murdered in 1344, he sent envoys to

Kayqubad I of Shirvan Keykubad (died 1348) was the 31st ruler of Shirvan Shirvan (from fa, شروان, translit=Shirvān; az, Şirvan; Tat: ''Şirvan''), also spelled as Sharvān, Shirwan, Shervan, Sherwan and Šervān, is a historical Iranian region in the ...

in order to secure a marriage alliance, however he refused. Malek had to return to

Kurdistan Kurdistan ( ku, کوردستان ,Kurdistan ; lit. "land of the Kurds") or Greater Kurdistan is a roughly defined geo-cultural territory in Western Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, Kurdish la ...

to fight Surgan in 1345. He then accused

Suleiman Khan Suleiman Khan () was a Chobanid puppet for the throne of the Ilkhanate during the breakdown of central authority in Persia. Life His birth name was Ilyas and descended from the great-grandson of the Ilkhan Hülegü's third son Yoshmut. Like Jal ...

, former puppet khan of murdering Hasan. Suleiman amassed a part of Hasan Kucek's treasury as well and appealed to Hasan Buzurg to intervene, who escorted him to

Tabriz Tabriz ( fa, تبریز ; ) is a city in northwestern Iran, serving as the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. It is the List of largest cities of Iran, sixth-most-populous city in Iran. In the Quri Chay, Quru River valley in Iran's historic Aze ...

. Malek Ashraf raised another puppet named

Anushirwan Anushirwan Khan ( fa, انوشیروان خان, ''Anūshīrvān Khān'') occupied the Ilkhanate, Ilkhanid throne from 1344 until his death in 1357. He was a puppet of the Chobanids, Chobanid ruler Malek Ashraf and possessed no power of his own. H ...

as new Ilkhan in Arran and rode to Tabriz in 1346. He appointed ‘Abd al-Hayy Hammami Tabrizi as his vizier as well. During his time as ruler, Malek became increasingly paranoid, violent and quickly grew unpopular with many of his subjects. Executed his younger brother Misr Malek alongside Aliki Bahadur, viceroy of Nakhchivan. Malek later sent his younger brother, Malek Ashtar, to capture

Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...

in the first half of 1347, but the campaign failed with heavy losses. He even turned on his favorite vizier ‘Abd al-Hayy and seized 300.000

dinar The dinar () is the principal currency unit in several countries near the Mediterranean Sea, and its historical use is even more widespread. The modern dinar's historical antecedents are the gold dinar and the silver dirham, the main coin of ...

s from him by force. In 1350 he also attempted to wrest Fars from the Injuids at the request of

Mozaffarids The Muzaffarid dynasty ( fa, مظفریان) was a Muslim dynasty which came to power in Iran following the breakup of the Ilkhanate in the 14th century. At their zenith, they ruled a kingdom comprising Iranian Azerbaijan, Central Persia, and Pe ...

, but failed to take

Isfahan Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaemenid empire, ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in Sassanian Empire, middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Regio ...

and was forced to settle for tribute.

Downfall

His cruelty combined with the spread of the

bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the plague bacterium (''Yersinia pestis''). One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and vomiting, as well a ...

in the region, prompted many citizens to leave the area. In 1357, he raised a new obscure puppet Ilkhan to the throne,

Ghazan II Ghazan II () was the last nominal ruler of the Ilkhanate. Life His existence is known through works of medieval authors and numismatics, but otherwise is unattested in history. He appears to have been a puppet of Malek Ashraf in 1356. According ...

. However, this was interrupted by

Jani Beg Jani Beg ( fa, , tt-Latn, Canibäk), also known as Djanibek Khan, was a Khan of the Golden Horde from 1342 to 1357, succeeding his father Öz Beg Khan. Reign With the support of his mother Taydula Khatun, Jani Beg made himself khan after el ...

of the

Golden Horde The Golden Horde, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, 'Great State' in Turkic, was originally a Mongols, Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the fr ...

who invaded in 1357 through

Shirvan Shirvan (from fa, شروان, translit=Shirvān; az, Şirvan; Tat: ''Şirvan''), also spelled as Sharvān, Shirwan, Shervan, Sherwan and Šervān, is a historical Iranian region in the eastern Caucasus, known by this name in both pre-Islam ...

. Jani Beg's letter of demanding submission was replied by Malek who said "he is merely an emir under Ghazan". Malek tried fleeing to

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

, but had to fight near Sarab and lost 2000-3000 men in battle. Malek himself fled to

Marand Marand ( fa, مرند; ; also Romanized as Morand) is a city and capital of Marand County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Marand is among major cities in the province. It is located in the north-west of capital of the province Tabriz. Marand ha ...

, but was captured near

Khoy Khoy (Persian and az, خوی; ; ; also Romanized as Khoi), is a city and capital of Khoy County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2012 census, its population was 200,985. Khoy is located north of the province's capital and largest city ...

. He was captured hung in

, to the joy of the local populace. Malek's mother and children were taken by Jani Beg upon his departure from the region.

Family

His only son Temürtas was killed by Hasan Buzurg's successor

Shaikh Uvais Shaykh Uways Jalayir ( fa, شیخ اوویز جلایر) was the Jalayirid ruler of Iraq (1356–1374) and Azerbaijan (1360–1374). He was the son of Hasan Buzurg and the Chobanid princess Dilshad Khatun. Biography Shortly after Shaykh Uways J ...

in 1360, while his daughter Soltanbakht was mentioned as having been in

Reference

Sources

* Chobanids 1357 deaths Year of birth unknown {{Iran-politician-stub