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

Azod Khan Afghan, 1747-1754

Afshar rulers

Fath Ali Khan Afshar-Arashlu of Urmia 1754-1757

Donboli rulers

Najaf Qoli Khan I (son of Shahbaz Khan I of Khoy), *1713, †1785, r. 1731-1785, 1734 entered service of Nader Shah Afshar and became chief musketeer, took part in campaign to India, entitled amir ol-'omara (lit. "commander of commanders"), 1731 governor of Churs and Slamas, 1734 governor of Khoy, 1742-1769 beglerbegi (governor-general) of Tabriz, 1747-1785 1rst Khan if Tabriz.
Khodadad Khan (son of Najaf Qoli Khan I), †1787, 1785-1787 governor of Tabriz, 2nd Khan of Tabriz.
Hossein Qoli Khan Donboli of Khoy (relative to Najaf Qoli Khan), *1753, †1798, 1787-1793 and 1797-1798 governor-general of Tabriz and Khoy, 3rd Khan of Tabriz (in personal union with Khoy).
Jafar Qoli Khan of Khoy (brother of Hossein Qoli Khan), 1793-1797 and 1798-1799 governor-general of Tabriz and Khoy, 4rth Khan of Tabriz (in personal union with Khoy).
Amir Aslan Khan of Khoy (his brother), †1738, 1800-1809 governor of Tabriz, 5th Khan of Tabriz.
Najaf Qoli Khan II (great-grandson of Najaf Qoli Khan I), 1809 governor of Tabriz, 6th and last ruling Khan of Tabriz. - After him Tabriz became the seat of the Persian crown prince of the Qajar dynasty who also was acting governor of Azerbaijan.^[6]

References

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