Asian Culture and History; Vol. 5, No. 2; 2013
ISSN 1916-9655
E-ISSN 1916-9663
Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education
The Religion of the Kara Koyunlu Dynasty: An Analysis
Seyyed Masoud Shahmoradi1, Mostafa Pir Moradian1 & Asghar Montazerolghaem1
1
History Department, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
Correspondence: Seyyed Masoud Shahmoradi, History Department, University of Isfahan, Hezar Jareb Street,
Isfahan, Iran. Tel: 98-914-623-8864. E-mail: shahmoradi86@yahoo.com
Received: January 3, 2013
doi:10.5539/ach.v5n2p95
Accepted: January 27, 2013
Online Published: March 22, 2013
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ach.v5n2p95
Abstract
Different scholars have considered the Kara Koyunlu “Twelver Shiites”, “Radical Shiites” and some others
“Sunnites.” A review of the “criteria for being recognized a Shiite” and comparing them with the Kara Koyunlu
can confirm that they were Shiites. However, the Kara Koyunlu must be considered as having a type of Shia
referred to as doctrinal Shia and Sufic Shia which having been formed through Shi’ization of the Sunnites and
sharing Sufic characteristics, does not belong to any of the common sects of Shia. The present study aims to
prove that the Kara Koyunlu were Shiites using descriptive-analytic method and library research.
Keywords: The Kara Koyunlu, Persia (Iran), Azerbaijan, Shia, Sunni, Sufism
1. Introduction
The religious beliefs of the Kara Koyunlu as a Persian ruling dynasty are important and interesting aspects and
different, sometimes even contradictory opinions have been expressed about them. Various old and
contemporary sources have referred to the Kara Koyunlu as followers of Twelver Shia, Exaggerating Shia, and
sometimes Sunni. A review of the criteria for being recognized a Shiite and the religious transformations in Iran
after the Mongol invasion of Persia can help us substantiate whether or not the Kara Koyunlu were Shiites,
determine the Shia sect they belonged to and thereby pinpoint the reasons for scholars’ various opinions on the
matter of the Kara Koyunlu’s religion. Several Shia history scholars have specified some criteria for the Shia of
some people and families by comparing of which to this dynasty we may arrive at a general verdict about the
Kara Koyunlu’ faith. After the Mongol invasion of Persia due to the political schism in the country and the
Mongols’ religious tolerance which led to the demise of the Sunni rule, the Shiites found the opportunity to
participate in intellectual and political activities. On the o the other hand, Mongol conquest of Persia caused a
general tendency among the public toward Sufism. This phenomenon was the direct result of Mongol tyranny
and tremendous pressure on Iranians and their incapability to confront it. In this era, Sufism had become an
intermediary between Shia and Sunni and paved the way for the expansion of Shia. It was through this process
that many converted to Shia by Sufic ways. Another factor which facilitated this trend was the role of the Shafi’i
faith and its similarity to Shia. Taking into consideration the above factors, we find a type of Shia referred to as
Doctrinal or Sufic Shia which has come into existence through a process called Shi’ization of the Sunni. While
presenting a review of the religious conditions of Persian during the period after the Mongol invasion, the
present study attempts to answer the following questions: what are the criteria for calling a certain ruling person
or family Shiite and what result would be obtained if the Kara Koyunlu matched these criteria? In case it is
proved that the Kara Koyunlu were Shiites, what Shia sect they belonged to? In addition to the two
aforementioned questions, this question will also be answered: what is the reason for scholars’ various and
contradictory opinions about the Kara Koyunlu’s type of religion?
1.1 The Origin and Political History of the Kara Koyunlu
The Kara Koyunlu were one of the twenty four Oghuz Turks or referred to in Islamic sources as Turkmen who,
during the Mongol domination at the time of Arghun of the Ilkhanate dynasty, moved from the Turkestan area
westward and settled down in Azerbaijan, then Arzinjan and Sivas (Mir Ja’fari, 1384, pp. 227-228). The Turkic
term kara koyunlu means black sheep or black sheep owners. Regarding the reasons for this designation, the
image of a black sheep on their flags, their sheep’s breed, their possessing great number of sheep are mentioned
among other reasons. In historical sources, the Kara Koyunlu have also been designated as barani, baranlu, and
baranli. It is highly probable that Baran might have been the place this tribe belonged to (Mir Ja’fari, 1384, pp.
226-227). Sultan Kara Muhammad (1380-1390 C.E) was the first powerful man among the Kara Koyunlu, who
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had great influence on the events of Eastern Anatolia, Persia, Syria and some parts of Iraq because of his active
personality and the geographic situation of the time of his ruling; he also successfully defended his territory
against the invasion of Timur (Mir Ja’fari, 1384, p. 235). The greatest ruler of this dynasty was Kara Yusuf
(1380-1402 C.E) who rose up against Timur and following Timur’s second invasion of Persia, fled to the
Ottoman Bayezid and then sought refuge in the Mamluks (Ibn-e Arabshah, 1356, p. 173). He returned to Tabriz
after Timur’s death in 1406 C.E and ended the Jalayirid domination of Azerbaijan and Iraq (Vale Esfahani, 1381,
pp. 680-705). In fact, the Kara Koyunlu government was established at this time (Mir Ja’fari, 1384, p. 240).
Timurid Shahrukh (1404-1447 C.E), who did not want to leave Azerbaijan in the hands of Kara Yusuf, launched
three campaigns on Azerbaijan to confront him. Kara Yusuf died in 1420 C.E while preparing to battle with
Shahrukh (Samarkandi, 1353, p. 412) and Azerbaijan fell to Shahrukh (Tehrani, 1356, pp. 73-74). Kara Yusuf is
considered the actual founder of the Kara Koyunlu Dynasty and its greatest leader. Eventually, Shahrukh gave
Azerbaijan’s rule to Kara Jahan Shah (1433-1467 C.E), Yusuf’s son (Tehrani, 1356, pp. 138-139). Since the
powerful Timurid Shahrukh died, Kara Koyunlu Jahan Shah expanded his ruling territory to Iraq, Fars, Kerman
and even Oman and turned the Kara Koyunlu Turks into a world power (Bosworth, 1381, p. 522). Jahan Shah,
who was establishing a powerful, expansive government in Western Persian and had won almost all the battles
against his adversaries, was defeated and killed by Uzun Hassan (1457-1477 C.E), the Ak Koyunlu Dynasty
ruler (Tehrani, 1356, pp. 424-430; Ghiasi, 1975, pp. 293-299), and thus the vast Kara Koyunlu empire was
disintegrated (Hinz,1362, p. 61). Jahan Shah is doubtlessly considered the most powerful Kara Koyunlu leader.
After Jahan Shah’s death, his son Hassan Ali enjoyed a brief period of domination, but was finally killed by
Okurlu, Uzun Hassan’s son. Jahan Shah’s brother, Abu Yusuf Mirza was also killed by Okurlu Muhammad.
With the death of the Jahan Shah’s last sons, the Kara Koyunlu resistance was finally broken and Azerbaijan fell
into Uzun Hassan’s hands (Tehrani, 1356, pp. 507-510; Ghiasi, 1975, pp. 41; 331). The Kara Koyunlu rulers
reigned over Iraq and Azerbaijan for one hundred years. Some of these rulers reigned over both Iraq and
Azerbaijan and sometimes one reigned over Azerbaijan and another over Iraq.
1.2 The Religion of the Kara Koyunlu
One interesting point of analysis regarding the social life of the Kara Koyunlu is their religious status for there
are many different opinions about religious beliefs of the Kara Koyunlu. Some scholars believe the Kara
Koyunlu to be followers of Twelver Shia; some others consider them Radical Exaggerating Shiites and others
Sunnites (Hassanzadeh, 1386, p. 49). What is noteworthy concerning the religion of the Kara Koyunlu is that
different scholars have arguably ascribed to the Kara Koyunlu a range of religions from Exaggerating Shia and
Twelver Shia to Sunni. Therefore, the best way to determine their religion would be identifying the criteria
needed to be met by people and families to be “qualified as Shiites” and a applying them to the Kara Koyunlu
and thus determine the religion of this ruling family.
The Criteria for being recognized a Shiite
Some Shia historiographers have delineated some criteria for Shia. These criteria include:
1. An author or historian’s explicit emphasis on the person being a Shiite (considering on what grounds and
which author has ascribed Shia to that certain person);
2. The person’s connection with a city whose people have been unanimously Shiites;
3. Burial in the vicinity of one of the Shia Holy Shrines
4. The explicit admission of the person himself to being a Shiite in a statement (or an incident);
5. Being an Alavid;
6. Imprinting the chant “Ali Vali-ullah” on coins;
7. Having been taught by a Shiite instructor or a book showing his Shia or of Shiite father;
8. Familial connection with or personal attachment to a Shia family (Ja’fari, 1388, pp. 77-87); and
9. Architectural and archeological remnants indicating Shia signs.
By comparing one or a number of the mentioned criteria to the Kara Koyunlu, we may form a more
definitive judgment about this family’s type of Shia.
1.3 The Criteria for Being Recognized a Shiite and Shia Signs in the Kara Koyunlu
1.3.1 An Author or Historian’S Explicit Reference to the Shiism of the Person or Family
In determining one person’s Shiism, the first criterion is a historian’s explicit reference to that certain person’s
Shiism (Ja’farian, 1388, p. 79). In this regard, numerous narratives by the historians can be found in which they
refer to the Kara Koyunlu as Shiites. Historians’ narratives about the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism can be divided into
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two types: narratives in which they refer directly and explicitly to the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism and narratives in
which they show it indirectly by making references implying the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism. Concerning the latter
type of narrative, we should mention the narrative discourse of some reports in the historical sources of the
Sunnites because several Sunnite writers have reported some facts about the Kara Koyunlu and its leaders. Even
though these writers do not mentions the Shia faith of the Kara Koyunlu, if we consider the Sunnite narrative
sources on the Shiites, in particular Shiite rulers, we may arrive at a verdict about the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism
based on those sources.
(a) Narratives explicitly mentioning the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism:
In his well-known book, Majalis-ul-Mo'mineen (Note 1), Qazi Nurullah Shustari, a 16th century historian,
explicitly introduces all Kara Koyunlu leaders, especially Ispand, governor of Baghdad, as Shiites and speaks of
Jahan Shah as “the Shiite Muslim.” Nurullah Shustari describes the Kara Koyunlu as Shiites with certainty. In
order to corroborate his claim, he cites the Shiite inscriptions on the rings worn by two of Kara Iskander Bey’s
(1420-1438 C.E) daughters and the inscriptions on the Mirza Pir Budak’s ring, son of Jahan Shah
(Majalis-ul-Mo'mineen, 1354, pp. 370; 582). As Shustari has explained, some Kara Koyunlu women have also
been famous throughout history for their Shiism, including (in addition to Iskander Mirza’s daughters) Jaan
Begum Khatun, one of the well-known Khatuns of the Kara Koyunlu dynasty, who was Jahan Shah’s wife.
Some scholars refer to her as one of the few “Shiite female rulers” in Persian history. Jaan Begun Khatun was
doubtlessly a Shiite. It was with her order that the Blue (Kabud) Mosque was constructed in Tabriz in 1465. This
mosque is ornamented with the names of Imam Ali and his children (Turkmani Azar, 1385, pp. 331-332; 334).
According to Shustari, because they were constantly occupied with fighting their enemies and opposers, the Kara
Koyunlu never had the time to propagate Shia (Shustari, 1354, p. 367).
Mahmud Ibn Abdullah Ibn Neishaburi is another historian in whose book, This History of the Turkmen¸ states
that the entire Kara Koyunlu family have had Shia faith and relates their numerous wars with Timur and his
predecessors to this matter (Sumer, 1369, pp. 12-13).
Sakhavi, 15th century historian, in his book Al-zoa-ul Lame’, describes Jahan Shah’s son, Pir Budak as an
uncompromising Shiite (Sakhavi, 1412, p. 2).
Other sources that clearly refer to the Kara Koyunlu as Shiites are Tarikh-e Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah (by an
anonymous 17th century writer) and Tarikh-e Asef Hajian by Khan Zaman Khan (19th century historian). These
sources mention explicitly that India’s Qutb Shahs, who were descendants of the Kara Koyunlu, had had Shia
religion before arriving in India (Tarikh-e Sulttan Muhammad Qutb Shah, 1st article; Khan Zaman Khan, 1377, p.
8). It has to be added that on the threshold of the decline of the Bahmani reign in 1512 C.E, the Qutb Shahi
government was founded as one of the five successors of the Bahmani rule. Founder of this dynasty, Sultan Qoli
Qutb Shah was the grandson of one of Jahan Shah’s nephews who had immigrated to India (Roymer, 1380, p.
229). Regarding the Qutb Shahi dynasty, as it is noted in Tarikh-e Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah, it is worth
mentioning that Sultan Qoli had established Shia as the official religion of his territory before Shah Ismail
declared Shia the official religion of Persia in 1501 (Tarikh-e Sultan Muhammad Qutb Shah, n.d., first article).
This can be seen as a sign of the Kara Koyunlu descendants’ rooted and determined belief in the Shia faith. In
any case, we may induce from the sources of the Islamic history of India that the Shia beliefs of the founder of
the Qutb Shahi dynasty- who proved his true faith in Shia with his actions, are a continuation of the Shia beliefs
of the Kara Koyunlu and so be persuaded that the Kara Koyunlu had been Shiites. Furthermore, this fact meets
another criterion for “being a Shiite”, namely “familial connection or personal attachment to a one of the
Shia-faith families (Ja’farian, 1388, p. 81).
(b) Narratives from which the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism may be induced
About the inscription of the phrase “Ali Vali-ullah” in an edifice (apparently in front of the Kabud Mosque)
called “Dar-ul Ziafah”, Hashri Tabrizi (17th century scholar) relates that when informed that Shah Hussein Wali,
one of the sheikhs and mystics of the Kara Koyunlu age, had proved Ali’s Vilayet(Note 2) after debating with
Sunnite religious scholars and had convinced them, Shah Jahan ordered “Ali Vali-ullah to be inscribed inside the
edifice as a blessing (Hashri Tabrizi, 1381, p. 61).
Other historical narratives from which we can infer the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism are narratives about the conflicts
between the Kara Koyunlu and the Mushaʻshaʻiyān. This is one of the important incidents of the period of Kara
Koyunlu rule. Kara Koyunlu Jahan Shah dispatched an army to disperse them, but soon he called the army back
and dissuaded them from warring with Mushaʻshaʻiyān (1356, p. 262). The fact that Jahan Shah sent his army
commander to confront the clique and later on issued a retreating order indicates that since the Kara Koyunlu
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were Shiites and had religious affinities with the Mushashaiyān, the Kara Koyunlu leader had no interest in
fighting with them (Mir Ja’fari, 1384, p. 257).
Other historical narratives show that due to the Kara Koyunlu’s being Shiites, people of some Shia cities such as
Qom and Saveh sought refuge with them at the time of the Timurid invasion. In the era of Kara Yusuf
(1407-1420 C.E), founder of the Kara Koyunlu Empire, who was famed for his Shiite inclinations and his rule
coincided with that of Timurid Shahrukh, the fame of the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism manifested itself in a political
manner with the disobedience of the people of Tabriz and Saveh to the Timurid and submission to the Kara
Koyunlu (Tehrani: 1356, p. 383). At the time of the Kara Koyunlu Jahan Shah (1435-1467 C.E), the Turkmen
were so well known for their Shia inclinations and Shia conversions that when the Timurid Babur (1447-1457
C.E), pursuing his conquests, attacked Saveh and Qom, the people of Saveh and Qom who could not tolerate
Babur’s governors’ oppression, sought refuge with the Turkmen (Hondemir, 1353, p. 46). Therefore, we may say
that this family’s Shiism at the time of Jahan Shah and Kara Yusuf manifested itself politically in the submission
of the people of some Shia cities to the Kara Koyunlu (Turkmani Azar, 1383, p. 231).
Other historical narratives that may be evidence of the Kara Koyunlu being Shiites are those historical sources
that cite the Kara Koyunlu’s reluctance to dispute with the Safavids due to their ideological affinities. According
to the reports of the historical sources, when the fame of the Safavid Junayd attracted many followers to Ardabil,
Jahan Shah became jealous and asked Junayd in a letter to disperse his disciples and leave Ardabil. Thus, Junayd
went to Diyarbakir and was welcomed by Uzun Hassan. When informed of Junayd’s return to Ardabil, Jahan
Shah decided to send him into exile again. As a result, Junayd set out for Trabzon and Cherkess (Hondemir,
1353, p. 426). It is believed that Sheikh Junayd was the first among the Safavid clergymen to claim mundane
title and power and this caused Jahan Shah’s discomfort and misgivings. For Jahan Shah, a Shia follower himself,
it was not expedient to confront with an army a clergyman who had Shia faith (Mir Ja’fari, 1384, p. 258). We
may confirm this inference from the above historical narrative by stating that the Kara Koyunlu were so
militarily powerful that they could thwart any Safavid military coup in Azerbaijan and by leaving Ardabil, the
center of the Safavid movement, Junayd had implicitly confessed to this (Savory, 1386, p. 16). Therefore, their
tolerant approach toward the Safavids in this period was not because of their weakness, but because of their
common stance toward to Shia. On the other hand, Sheikh Ja’far, Junayd's uncle, being appointed custodian of
the Sheikh Safi Mausoleum indicates that Jahan Shah’s behavior toward the Safavids was only because of his
“jealousy” (Hondemir, 1353, p. 426) toward the growing power of a rival Shiite and if Junayd had not taken
steps to come to some kind of power, the Kara Koyunlu ruler would not have had any problems with him.
Other materials in historical sources which implicate that the Kara Koyunlu were Shiites are Shia names such as
Yaar Ali, Pir Ali, Hassan Ali, and Shokr Ali of the Kara Koyunlu princes (Tehrani, 1356, pp. 359-358). Bosworth
has also noted this (Bosworth, 1381, p. 253).
Another source from which we can induce the Kara Koyunlu were Shiites is the Kara Koyunlu Jahan Shah’s
divan. Only a cursory perusal of the poems will reveal Shia feelings and phrases (Mazzavi, 1363, p. 144).
Narrative discourse of the Sunni historical sources implicating the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism:
If one is familiar with the discourse of the Sunni historians, one can easily find that accusations such as “heretic,”
“infidel,” “bad believer,” “religious deviate, and “atheist” were commonly used against Shiites in general and
Shiites governors in particular throughout different times. Minorsky emphasizes that Jahan Shah, the greatest
Kara Koyunlu sultan, was a “terrible heretic” for the Sunnites. Building on Minorsky’s statement, Roymer
introduces Jahan Shah as a “Shiite heretic” and considers the Kara Koyunlu as precursors of the Safavids
regarding differences in belief with the Sunnites (Roymer, 1380, pp. 228-229). Concerning those Sunni sources
whose type of discourse contains references to the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism we should point to Fazlullah Ibn
Ruzbahan Khonji (15th century historian). As a supporter of the Sunnite Kara Koyunlu, he accuses the Kara
Koyunlu of having connection with heresy (Khonji, 1379, p.21). Also in Zubdat at-tavārīkh, Hafiz-i Abru calls
Kara Yusuf a religiously deviate person (Hafiz-i Abru, 1379, p. 73). From Hafiz-i Abru’s writings we can clearly
understand that the religious matters of Kara Yusuf’s era have not been in Sunnites’ way (Rezaei, 1385, p. 72)
which can be sign of the Kara Koyunlu having been Shiites. It must be said that in some cases these accusation
surpassed mere “heresy” condemnation and changed to accusations of “infidelity.” For instance, when Mamluk
sultan was preparing himself for war against the Kara Koyunlu emperor, it was proclaimed among the public that
Kara Yusuf and his son Shah Muhammad, governor of Baghdad, were heretics. The Egyptian caliph and judges
also declared war against Kara Yusuf (Sumer, 1369, p. 118). It is obvious that the Sunnite Muftis would not have
declared the Kara Koyunlu heretics if they had been Sunnites; furthermore, historical sources demonstrate that
the Sunni Muftis never hesitated in calling Shiite governments heretic. The fact that the Egyptian traditional
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Muftis’ declaration of the Kara Koyunlu’s heresy was because of the Muftis’ strong religious prejudice has also
been pointed out by some scholars including Sumer (Sumer, 1369, pp. 129-130). Another accusation –repeatedly
made throughout history by the Sunnites against Shiites is the accusation of “infidelity; the word Abubakr
Tehrani uses when talking about Pir Budak (Tehrani, 1356, p. 371). Dowlatshah-e Samarkandi has also called
Jahan Shah a bad believer (Samarkandi, 1353, pp. 342-346). The “atheism” accusation is a recurrent accusation
common among some Sunnite scholars against Shiites. Monajjem Bashi, Turk historian, and Ibn-e Toqri Berdi
describe Jahan Shah as inclined to “infidelity” and “atheism” and disinclined to divine decrees (Monajjem Bashi,
n. d., p. 150; Ibn-e Toqri Berdi, v. 6, pp. 457-473).
1.3.2 The Explicit Admission of the Person Himself to Being a Shiite in A Statement (or An Incident):
Another criterion for being recognized as a Shiite is when the person himself says something that implies his
being a Shiite or explicitly shows it (Ja’farian, 1388, p. 84). In this regard, we can cite an important piece of
evidence from the era of the Kara Koyunlu. This evidence is Kara Yusuf the Turkman’s letter to Shahrukh Mirza.
In this letter, Kara Yusuf expresses his desire to visit Mashed and in so doing chooses words that explicitly point
to his Shia beliefs (Navaee, 1370, p. 169). Moreover, we should point out that Kara Yusuf is, in fact, considered
founder of the Kara Koyunlu government (Mir Ja’fari, 1384, p. 240). Therefore, this letter signifies that the Kara
Koyunlu were Shia believers right from the start.
3. Being Buried in One of the Holy Shia Shrine
Another criterion for recognizing someone as a Shiite is the person’s burial in the vicinity of the tombs of the
Shia Imams (Ja’farian, 1388, pp. 43-44) or their descendents. Historical sources mention that the tomb of the
Kara Koyunlu Jahan Shah’s mother is situated next to the tombs of two Shia Imams’ descendents in Isfahan.
These two Imam descendents are grandchildren of Imam Ja’far Sadeq, the sixth Imam of the Twelver Shiites
(Honarfar, 1344, pp. 341-343; Kheradmand, 1347, p. 45).
4. Imprinting the Chant “Ali Vali-ullah” on Coins
Another indication of the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism is existence of coins with Shia formulations. Numismatic
findings show that there are coins remaining from the time of Jahan Shah, Hassan Ali Mirza (1467-1468 C.E)
(Torabi Tabatabae, 2535, pp. 14-19) and Ispand Mirza (Shushtari, 1354, p. 370) which contain Shia formulations.
Of course, there are some coins from the Kara Koyunlu era which have Sunni formulations (Hassanzadeh, 1386,
51). It appears that the Kara Koyunlu’s intention in minting coins with Sunni formulations has been either to
avoid an overt Shia policy so as not to scatter their Sunnite supporters or the political exigency demanded that
they be tolerant in this regard because of their Sunnite neighbors. This could be interpreted as, to use Sumer’s
words, the Kara Koyunlu’s “obvious compromise” to survive “the dangerous politico-religious movements of
the time.” (Roymer, 1380, p. 230) We should also bear in mind that perhaps by minting coins with Sunni chants,
the Kara Koyunlu were considering a union of economy and religion. Evidently, striking all Kara Koyunlu coins
with Shia chants might have engendered problems in the Kara Koyunlu government’s international, economic
relations with the Sunnite governments of the region. In the meantime, some scholars have argued that the
simultaneous using of Sunnite and Shiite chants in the Kara Koyunlu coins shows reconciliation between the two
Shia and Sunni faiths because no side objected. According to these scholars, this fact indicates that the
circumstances were in favor of the Shiites more than before (Turkmani Azar, 1385, p. 331).
5. Architectural Works
Another criterion for determining Shia is existence of material work(s) containing themes or references pointing
to a family or person’s Shiism. In this respect, the Kara Koyunlu have left behind some architectural works
which explicitly demonstrate their having been Shiites. The most important remaining work is The Blue (Kabud)
Mosque of Tabriz. It is the first ornamented temple not to have included the names of any Rashidun Caliphate
and its walls and arches are decorated with the chant “Ali Vali-ullah” and names of Imam Hassan and Hussein
(second and third Shiite Imams) (Torabi Tabatabae, 1349, p. 43). In fact, this monument was constructed by the
order of Jan Begum, Jahan Shah’s wife (Ibn-ul Karbalae, 1344, p. 43). This monument, in truth, belongs to the
Shiites (Turkmani Azar, 1384, p. 34).
In addition, there are the two mausoleums of Imam descendents in the Imam’s Gate (Darb-e Emam) Complex in
Isfahan which was built in 1453 in the reign of the Kara Koyunlu Jahan Shah (Mir Ja’fari, 1384, p. 277). These
two are the descendents of Imam Ja’far Sadeq, the sixth Shiite Imam. In the vicinity of these two descendants’
tombs is the grave of Jahan Shah’s mother. The building itself from the one hand and the burial of one of the
members of the Kara Koyunlu family from the other hand can be seen as indication of the Shia beliefs of this
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family. The Imam’s Gate Complex has received much attention by many architects and researchers because of
its Kara Koyunlu artistic and architectural values (Honarfar, 1344, pp. 341-343; Kheradmand, 1374, p. 45).
Once the criteria for establishing person’s belief in Shia are determined and they are applied to the Kara Koyunlu,
it is ascertained that six out of the ten criteria, namely an author or historian’s explicit emphasis on the person
being a Shiite, burial in the vicinity of one of the Shia Holy Shrines. The explicit admission of the person himself
to being a Shiite in a statement (or an incident), imprinting the chant “Ali Vali-ullah” on coins, familial
connection, and architectural works are particularly true about the Kara Koyunlu. Obviously, in most cases, if
any of the aforementioned criteria matches with a person or family, it can be regarded as evidence of that person
or family’s belief in Shia whereas in the case of the Kara Koyunlu, a set of reasons indicate their having been
Shiites. Thus, in this stage, we may judge about the Kara Koyunlu’s Shiism in a general way.
6. The Kara Koyunlu’s Type of Shia
We can corroborate that the Kara Koyunlu were Shiites based on the mentioned criteria and comparing them
with the Kara Koyunlu. However, this question is raised that what was the type of Shia in which the Kara
Koyunlu believed? Were they, as some scholars have mentioned, Twelver Shiites or Exaggerating Shiites? In
order to identify the Kara Koyunlu’s type of religion, we have to explain the religious circumstances of Persia
after the Mongol invasion for in this way we may not only be able to determine the type of Shia in which the
Kara Koyunlu believed, but also to pinpoint the reasons for the researchers’ various and sometimes contradictory
opinions on the religion of the Kara Koyunlu. Three points are noteworthy in the analysis of the religious
transformations of Iran after the Mongol invasion:
1. After the Mongol invasion, due to lack of a strong, central power, political disintegration of Iran (Daftari,
1389, p. 222), decline of the Sunni from its ruling position and the Mongols’ religious tolerance, the Shiites
found a new opportunity to participate in political and ideological activities to the extent that they improved
significantly in different scientific, political and military areas (Navaii & Ghaffari Fard, 1386, p. 4). Therefore,
the situation generally changed in favor of the activities of some movements, most of them Shia ones or
influenced by Shia (Daftari, 1389, p. 222).
2. Another issue was Sufism. With the Mongol conquest of Persia, a new phenomenon is unveiled and that is the
increasing tendency of the public to Sufism. Obviously, this phenomenon was the direct result of oppression
and frequent carnage and pillage by Mongols and Iranians’ inability to deal with it (Turkmani Azar, 1385, pp.
294-295). It is known that Sufism first emerged in the Sunni, but in the process of Sufism’s influence on Shia
during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries (C.E), Sufism’s theoretical foundations were gradually added to
the Shia culture. What made Sufism influence Shia was the similarities between the two such as common leaders
and models (Ja’farian, 1388, p. 761). Besides, some Sufis like Sheikh Najmuddin Akbari stood up against social
injustice. Sheikh Najmuddin’s crusade was a leap in his Sufic thought toward Shia as Shia invites its followers to
fight against oppression (Turkmani Azar, 1385, pp. 294-295). Therefore, the increasing effect of Shia on Iranian
Sufism, the Kobravieh School, has been so much that some assume that the gradual and invisible journey from
Sunni to Shia first manifested in the Kobravieh sect (Farahani Monfared, 1388, pp. 33-34). In this manner, upon
the arrival of the Mongols in Persia, Sufism came nearer to Shia. In this period, Sufism acted like a bridge
between Sunni and Shia and due to many reasons pave the way for the promulgation of Shia (Nasr, 1974, p. 272).
It was through this process that the Sufic sects developed in Persia after the Mongol invasion apparently
remained faithful to Sunni after their establishment, but after some time, some of these Sufic sects officially
declared that they were Shiites (Daftari, 1375, p. 525). That is why Henry Corbin maintains that Shia is, in
actuality, Sufism and true Sufism is contrariwise nothing but Shia (Corbin, 1337, pp. 46-63). The permeation of
Exaggerating and Radical thoughts among the Shiites in the following centuries is somehow associated with
these developments (Ja’farian, 1388, p.763). In addition, during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries (C.E), a
kind of “laic Shia” was being propagated through such Sufic teachings; the Twelver Shiites or other Shia sects
did not propagate this Shia, and these Sufic sects are its actual propagators; hence, Marshal Hodgson calls it
“Sectarian Shia.” Claude Cahen also refers this strange process as “Shi’ization of Sunni” thus distinguishing
from Shia propagation by any certain Shia sects and schools (Daftari, 1389, p. 223). Some other scholars have
called this phenomenon “Sufic Shia” (Ja’farian, 1388, p. 762). This orientation is observed both among the
laymen and the elite. The lay people approached Shia through their affections for the Ahl al-Bayt through “Shia
Sects” and the elites through creation of works in which Shia signs could be seen. We should also mention that
the affinity between Shia and Sufism was not only theoretical. Religious and social movements which were
inherently made of Sufic and Shia essence are a chain whose first ring is the Sarbedars and its last ring is the
Mushaʻshaʻiyān (Savory, 1936, p. 628) and the Kara Koyunlu are exactly in the middle of this chain. The
developments of the mentioned process which ultimately made the grounds for the general acceptance of Shia in
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Iranian society had reached its pinnacle during the Kara Koyunlu reign. That is why that not only are we able to
determine the type of Shia in which the Kara Koyunlu believed, but also we can explain the reasons for various
and sometimes contradictory opinions about the religion of the Kara Koyunlu. To be precise, the type of Shia in
which the Kara Koyunlu believed has to be known as “Sectarian Shia” or “Sufic Shia” which was prevalent
among the Kara Koyunlu in the guise of Sufism (Rezaei, 1385, p. 70). It also justifies some sources’ report of
certain Kara Koyunlu leaders’ popularity, such as Jahan Shah, among Sufis (Mir Ja’fari, 1384, pp. 262-263)
(Ibn-e Karbalae, 1344 & 1349, p. 524). Furthermore, this type of Shia fuses some elements from Sufic thinking,
Twelver Shia, Exaggerating Shia and Sunni in the process of its formation (Ja’farian, 1388, pp. 760-766). Each
of these elements has taken a different shape in the reigns of different Kara Koyunlu leaders; for example, the
Sufic aspect of Shia has manifested in Jahan shah (Mir Ja’fari, 1384, pp. 262-263), its prejudicial aspect in Pir
Budak (Sakhavi, 1412, p. 203; Mazavi, 1363, 65; Mohsen Amin, 1406, pp. 301-303) and its Twelver-Shia
aspects in Ispand Mirza (Shustari, 1354, p. 367) and this has caused many scholars to judge the Kara Koyunlu’s
being Twelver-Imam or Exaggerating Shiites or Sunnites by considering various independent components of this
type of Shia apart from the entirety of the constituents of Sufic Shia and observing its isolated components
among different Kara Koyunlu leaders whereas by recognizing the Kara Koyunlu as “Sectarian Shiites”, we can
firstly reach a verdict about their Shiism and secondarily distinguish their type of Shiism from common Shia
sects such as Twelver and Exaggerating, i.e. Sectarian or Sufic Shia which they have not inherited from common
Shia sects, but it has come to them through a so-called “Shi’ization of Sunni” process.
3. The third factor in this process is the role of “Shafi’i Faith” in the “Sunni Shi’ization” process in Iran. Due to
persistent presence of Shafi’i Faith in Azerbaijan and also due the closeness of the Shafi’i and the Shiites,
particularly concerning the prophet’s family (Ahl al-Bayt), this closeness and eventually transformation of Sunni
to Shia has occurred in a slow and gradual manner. The closeness of Shafi’i faith and Shia is an issue Nurollah
Shustari mentions and writes, “Shams-uddin Muhammad Ibn Yahya Lahiji Nurbakhsh invited his Hanafi-faith
disciples to Shafi’i and then to Shia (Shustari, 1354, p. 153).
7. Conclusion
After determining the “criteria for being recognized a Shiite” and comparing them with the Kara Koyunlu, we
reach the conclusion that among the criteria mentioned for proving a person or family’s Shiism, some of the
criteria including a historian or writer’s explicit reference, burial in the vicinity of Imam descendants’ tombs, the
person’s own admission to being a Shiite, imprinting Shia chants on coins and architectural works are
particularly true for the Kara Koyunlu and thereby we can corroborate the fact that the Kara Koyunlu were, in
general, Shiites. Nevertheless, due to the religious evolutions of Iran in the period after the Mongol that led to
the development of a process referred to as Twelver Sunni and Shi’ization of the Sunnites, a special type of Shia,
called Sectarian Shia or Sufic Shia, spread in Iran which was propagated by the Sufis. This type of Shia contains
various elements from Exaggerating Shia, Sufic Shia, Twelver Shia and even some elements from the Sunni and
the Kara Koyunlu were its heirs. This “Sectarian” or “Sufic” Shia should be considered a different type of Shia
which has come into existence through “the application of Shia concepts to the Sunni” and has not followed its
path through common Shia sects such as Twelver Shia and Exaggerating Shia. It is this fact that not only
determines the type of religion the Kara Koyunlu had, but also explains the variegated opinions of scholars about
the Kara Koyunlu’s religion as every scholar has referenced to the constituents of “Sectarian or Sufic Shia” (such
as Exaggerating, Sufic, Twelver, etc all of which can be more or less seen in Kara Koyunlu leaders) in isolation
disregarding the entirety of the elements of this type of Shia, hence their variegated and sometimes contradictory
opinions regarding the Kara Koyunlu’s religion. Finally, the Kara Koyunlu’s short-lived rule spanning the
present location of Azerbaijan and the Arabic Iraq can be regarded as a positive point in the Shia history of Iran.
Having had Shia inclinations and beliefs, they fostered a suitable environment for the reception of Shia in
Azerbaijan and Tabriz and pave the way for the thriving and establishment of Shia Faith as the official religion
of the Safavid government.
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