Aq Qoyunlu

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The Aq Qoyunlu (Turkish: or German: "those with white muttons") was a Turkmen tribal federation that emerged after the Mongol rule in Diyar Bakr. It initially dominated parts of Eastern Anatolia, later also Azerbaijan and large parts of Iraq and Iran (1389-1507).

Origin

The Aq Qoyunlu were a nomadic Turkmen tribe, from which a tribal confederation emerged in later times. They were the rivals of the Qara Qoyunlu ("the one with black muttons"), another Turkmen tribe. The origin of the names is not clear. Either one understands totem animals or one assumes that the respective color (black/white) prevailed in the sheep herds.

Ruling House and Confederation

The ruling house of the Aq Qoyunlu belonged to the Oghus clan of the Bayındır. In addition to the Bayındır, the federation consisted of various other Oghusian clans (Bayat, Döğer, Çepni, etc.), who had arrived with the Seljuks from Central Asia and had led an inconspicuous existence under the later Mongol rule.

Etymology of the Name

The name "Aq Qoyunlu" is derived from the Turkic word for "white ram", which was used as the official symbol of the confederation. The affix "lu" at the end of the word gives the lexical meaning of "possession". In Persian, the dynasty is referred to as "Bayandiriya".

History

The Aq Qoyunlu state existed from 1389 to 1507 and was eventually conquered by the Safavids in 1501-1503. In Byzantine sources, the dynasty of Ak-Koyunlu rulers is called Asprobatids.

See Also

* Qara Qoyunlu
* Bayandur tribe
* Oghus clan