The leader of the Bayandur tribe, Pahlavan bey, tried to establish a tribal union in the middle of the 13th century, but failed. His son Tur Ali Bey first established the Aq Qoyunlu tribal union in 1340 He refused to submit to the Mongol Jalairi state, which ruled Azerbaijan and the surrounding territories, and married his son Fakhraddin Gutlug bey to Maria Komnin, the sister of Emperor Alexis III of Trabzon. After the death of his father in 1362, Fakhraddin Gutlug bey maintained friendly relations with Trabzon, established a state apparatus with its center in Bayburt, and formed an alliance with Amir Teymur in the struggle against the Jalairis. After the death of his father in 1389, Kara Yulug Osman accepted the title of "bey", but his authority weakened due to the defeat in a clash with the Qara Qoyunlu tribe, and he was forced to share power with his brothers. As the closest ally of Amir Teymur, he took part in many of his marches, was given the city of Diyarbakir and surrounding areas for his capture of Sivas and his activity in the battle of Ankara. In 1403, he again became the sole leader of the Aq Qoyunlus. Although defeated in the struggle against the Qara Qoyunlus, he was able to retain power and Diyarbakir. In 1430 he expanded his territory, and in 1435 he made an alliance with Shirvanshah I Khalilullah. After the death of Kara Yulug Osman in the battle with the Qara Qoyunlus in 1435, his son Ali Bey came to power, made an alliance with the Mamluk sultanate, but died in 1438 His brother Hamza ibn Qara Osman, who came to power, for the first time began to mint the money of Aq Qoyunlu, turned Diyarbakir and Mardin into the most powerful fortresses in the region, and maintained peaceful relations with its neighbors. In 1444, Ali Bey's son Jahangir Hamza was overthrown and declared himself Bey. He strengthened his principality by carrying out economic reforms, started a new war with the Qara Qoyunlus, but was defeated and signed the Diyarbakir Agreement and became dependent on the Qara Qoyunlus. In protest, he was defeated by his brother Uzun Hasan in 1453 and lost the title of bey. Uzun Hasan defeated the Qara Qoyunlu state in 1467, founded the Aq Qoyunlu state and accepted the title of king.
Uzun Hasan (full name: Nusrat ad-Din Abu Nasr Hasan) was born in 1424 in Diyarbakir. His father was Ali ibn Qara Yuluq Uthman, and his mother was Sara Khatun. He was brought up in a good family and had good morals. He took part in the battles from an early age, at the age of 11 he began to serve under the ruler of the city of Kemah, his uncle Yagub Bey, and got acquainted with the conduct of state affairs. He personally took part in the battles at a young age, and was known as "Uzun Hasan" due to his height.
When he was the groom and the head of state, he took part in the battles as a commander and became famous for his leadership talent. As the head of state, he was popularly known as the "Righteous Sultan" because of his gentle attitude toward the common people. He gained a great reputation among the emirs for his personal bravery, commanding talent, and wise work in public affairs. Even the most arrogant rulers were reluctant to speak in his presence.
Foreign travelers and diplomats describe Uzun Hasan as an open-faced, tall, handsome man with a Turkish face, a man prone to fun and drinking, and a music lover who can interfere with the performances of musicians and musicians. Despite having palaces in Diyarbakir and Tabriz, he led a simple life, even in peacetime he lived in a tent set up in a tent camp near the capital, not in such a palace. Although he ate and drank a lot during the banquets, in his daily life he ate mainly honey and fruit.
He was proud of belonging to the Oghuz people and Bayandur. He translated not only the Qur'an, but also the hadiths into Azerbaijani. He considered it a good deed to translate religious books into the native language and to spread them among the common people.
Uzun Hasan, who embraced Islam as a path to purity and purity, gathered scholars every Thursday and recited hadiths from Imam al-Bukhari's al-Jami us- sahih.
Uzun Hasan managed to turn the Aq Qoyunlu state from a small principality into a large empire stretching from the Kura River to the Persian Gulf. All of South Azerbaijan, up to the Kura River, Northern Azerbaijan, all of Iran, Arab and Ajam Iraq were part of his state, and the Shirvanshah state accepted its dependence on it. When Uzun Hasan ascended the throne in Tabriz in 1468, he wrote in a letter to Mehmet II: "Now all of Azerbaijan, Iraq, Persia, Kerman, Shiraz, Iraq are under our rule."
When Uzun Hasan came to power, he carried the title of "bey", when he created the state, he accepted the title of "king", and after conquering large territories, he accepted the title of "sultan". He was considered the supreme commander-in-chief of the state's troops, acting as commander-in-chief "amir al- umara" (emir of emirs), and was considered the second person after the king. The next place was taken by "sadr-azam", nicknamed "Mawlana" (aga). He presided over clergy, foundations, madrassas and religious institutions, tax collection and litigation. The "prime minister" oversaw domestic and foreign affairs and finances. The country was divided into provinces, districts and districts.
In order to strengthen the central government, Uzun Hasan tried to break the resistance of the nomadic nobility and ensure the economic development of the country. Uzun Hasan allocated large sums of money for the development of cities. During his time, Tabriz and the Sultanate functioned as the largest trade centers in the East.
The most important step taken in the financial and tax system of the state was the issuance of the "Legislation". The aim was to regulate the tax system and put an end to the arbitrariness of officials and nobles in this area. The "Legislation" clarified the main types of taxes levied on the population and reduced their amount. The amount of the stamp tax left by the Mongols, which hindered the development of handicrafts and trade, was halved, and the tax on caravanserais was clarified. The country collected 30 taxes.
A far-sighted statesman, Uzun Hasan closely followed the processes taking place in the world in the 15th century, taking into account them and protecting the interests of his state. The change of global trade routes from East to West, the exit of the oceans by European maritime trade, the Great Geographical Discoveries could not but touch the Aq Qoyunlu state.
Located on the Great Silk Road, an ancient international trade route, the Aq Qoyunlu state, which made huge profits from international trade, sought to take its place in a changing world.
In the 15th century, Azerbaijan's silk industry was of international importance. Shirvan silk became very popular in Europe and Asia. The Venetian ambassador Contari noted that excellent velvet is made from Shirvan silk in European and Asian countries. Silk made in Shamakhi was known in Venice as "plundering silk." Another European, Shiltberger, noted that Shirvan silk was used to make fine fabrics in Damascus, Kashan, Bursa, Venice, and other cities, and to weave excellent velvet. Beautiful silk fabrics, gulabatin, cotton, cloth, and cloth were the main sources of income for Azerbaijan. From here, raw silk and silk fabrics were exported to Moscow, Venice, Asia Minor, Syria, Iraq and other countries. European countries (the Republic of Venice, the papacy, the Kingdom of Naples, Austria-Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Duchy of Burgundy, etc.) had extensive trade relations with Azerbaijan.
Uzun Hasan's foreign policy was focused on gaining control of international trade routes and access to the seas, primarily the Mediterranean. As the Ottoman Empire pursued the same policy, war broke out between the two great Turkic states. In order to secure the interests of his state, Uzun Hasan established diplomatic relations not only with Eastern countries, but also with European countries, expanded trade relations, and even tried to form a military-political alliance.
Uzun Hasani's mother Sara Khatun is considered the first female diplomat in the history of Azerbaijan.
Sara Khatun, the daughter of Pir Ali Bey of Aq Qoyunlu, married her cousin Ali Bey, and they had 7 sons (Jahangir, Hussein, Uzun Hasan, Jahanshah, Iskander, Ibrahim, Uveys) and one daughter (Khadija bey). Sarah, known for her deep knowledge and determination from a young age, ruled the city of Harput while her husband was away.
Sara Khatun's diplomatic qualities were manifested in the 50s of the XV century. Sarah, who intervened in the conflict between her sons Jahanshah and Uzun Hasan in 1452 before it turned into a civil war, made peace between the brothers.
Although Sarah Khatun, who began negotiations with the Ottoman sultan Mehmet II during his march to Trabzon in 1461, could not change her mind, she succeeded in handing over the treasury of the Trabzon Empire to the Aq Qoyunlus and saving the emperor and his family from execution. Sara Khatun also played an important role in the signing of the Yassicheman peace between the Aghkoyunlular and the Ottomans.
Concerned about the success of the Aghkoyunlular in Diyarbakir in 1466, the Egyptian Mamluk Sultanate was threatened with war when troops marched on the border. Sarah went to Cairo, held talks with Sultan Seyfeddin Chakhmak and reached a peaceful settlement. During the reign of Sultan Khoshgadam, the Aq Qoyunlu side was represented by Sara Khatun.
When the Timurid ruler Abu Sa'id began the march in 1469, Sara Khatun first met Abu Sa'id in the Kalbush province of Khorasan, and in Miyana when the enemy set foot in Azerbaijan, and warned him of the dangers that awaited him and advised him to end the march.
When the ambassadors of European countries came to Azerbaijan in the 70s of the 15th century, their governments advised them to meet with Sara Khatun, to show respect and to learn her opinion.
Sara Khatun is also known as a philanthropist: the mosque she built in Harput is still called "Sara Khatun Mosque".
The name of Sara Khatun is mentioned as "Saray Khatun" in the 15th century "Kitabi-Diyarbakiriya".
After Uzun Hasan's death in 1478, his son Sultan Khalil declared himself head of state, but died in the battle of Khoy that year.
Sultan Khalil's brother, Sultan Yagub, who came to power, defeated the attacking army of the Mamluk Syrian sultan in 1480, maintained friendly relations with the Shirvanshah state, married the daughter of Shirvanshah Farrukh Yasar, and helped him repel the marches of the Safavid sheikhs. Sultan Yagub Mamluk marched to the Mediterranean Sea and Georgia through the Egyptian state and gained access to the Black Sea.
After his death in 1490, his son Sultan Baysungur ruled the country from 1490 to 1492, after his death, Sultan Rustam, the grandson of Uzun Hasan, died in 1492-1497, then Sultan Ahmad, the grandson of Uzun Hasan and Mehmet II (Godek Ahmad). managed.
The civil wars that began after 1497 resulted in the division of the state into two parts in 1500 In 1501, Shah Ismail I, the son of Sheikh Heydar of Alemshah Bey, the daughter of Uzun Hasan and Despina Khatun, founded a new state - the Safavid state.
His son Sultan Yagub and later his grandson Shah Ismail Khatai continued Uzun Hasan's policy of creating a stable, developed state, gaining access to the seas, and controlling international trade routes to ensure his country's income through global trade.
Sultan Yagub, son of Uzun Hasan (full name Qiyas as-Saltana Abu-l Muzaffar Sultan Yagub-khan) was the ruler of Aq Qoyunlu state in 1478–1490. Sultan Yagub was born in 1464 and received a perfect education. Uzun Hasan took all his children, including Yagub, with him to the battles, trying to get acquainted with the rules of martial arts from an early age. Trying to acquaint children with public affairs at a young age, he appointed them as deputies of various provinces of the country (with the help of experienced assistants). Yagub, the successor of Diyarbakir province, gained great prestige among the emirs
After coming to power in June 1478, Sultan Yagub continued his father's domestic and foreign policy. In order to gain access to the seas, he tried to divert his country's foreign trade to the ports of the Mamluk state of Egypt. In 1480, the troops of the Mamluk state of Egypt attacked the lands of Aq Qoyunlu, but Sultan Yagub defeated them. Later, strong diplomatic and trade relations were established between the two countries. While preventing the arbitrariness of some local rulers inside the country, Sultan Yagub faced uprisings of large feudal lords, but the rebels in Hamadan, Gum and Shiraz were crushed by Yagub's troops. In 1487, Sultan Yagub Kartli, who marched on Georgia, defeated Tsar Constantine II, overthrew him and proclaimed Alexander II tsar, who accepted dependence on the Aghkoyunlular. According to the agreement on friendship and mutual assistance between the Aq Qoyunlus and the Shirvanshahs, in 1488 he assisted Shirvanshah Fariburza III and sent troops to Shirvan to repel Sheikh Heydar's march.