Tabriz Khanate

The Tabriz khanate was one of the Azerbaijani khanates, located in Azerbaijan which became for nearly fifty years semi-independent from the Iranian mothercountry.

Until the end of the Safavid dynasty the city of Tabriz and the surrounding regions belonged to Iran and was the capital of the province (beylik) of Azerbaijan. After the death of Nader Shah Afshar his empire was divided among his heirs and grandees, and Azod Khan Afghan, a Pashtun warlord got Azerbaijan.[1] With the war of succession about the throne of Iran between the Qajar and Zand princes, the Donboli lords of Khoy and Salmas could establish their rule also in Tabriz and extended their influence over the whole province. Najaf Qoli Khan Donboli, son of Shahbaz Khan I of Khoy, entered service of Nader Shah and remained also in the position of governor-general in the time of his successor. He founded the khanate with Tabriz as its centre. Najaf Qoli Khan and his nephew Shahbaz Khan II joined Fath Ali Khan Afshar-Arashlu, the khan of Urmia, who broadened its boundaries by occupying Ardabil, Khalkhal, and certain parts of southern Azerbaijan. Finally, Fath Ali Khan made himself supreme ruler over all of Azerbaijan, and Tabriz became capital of his kingdom broadened its boundaries by occupying Ardabil, Khalkhal. The acting ruler of the khanate was commissioned to Najaf Qoli Khan.[2] After the death of Fath Ali Khan, the Tabriz khanate regained its independence.[3][4] The Donboli khans pledged their allegiances then first to Mohammad Hassan Khan Qajar, later to Karim Khan Zand and at the end to Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, who was proclaimed 1792 shahanshah and emperor of all of Iran. The khanate of Tabriz with the home domains of the Donboli clan, the Khoy Khanate became a vassal to Iran and finally in 1809 was incorporated into the new established regency (velayat) of the Qajar crown prince, who hold traditionally the post of vicegerent (vali) of Azerbaijan with his seat of power at Tabriz.[5]

Line of Khans of Tabriz

Afghan rulers

Afshar rulers

Donboli rulers

References

  1. Cambridge History of Iran, vol. 7: From Nadir Shah to the Islamic Revolution, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1989.
  2. Oberling: "DONBOLI", in: Encyclopædia Iranica.
  3. "Azerbaijan :: Khanate of Tabriz". Azerbaijans.com. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  4. "Azerbaijan :: Khanate of Tabriz". Archive.is. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  5. Heribert Busse: Persia's History under Qajar Rule, p. 8ff.
  6. Oberling, Pierre. "DONBOLI". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 2011-11-29.

See also