Amir Vali
Encyclopedia
Amir Vali was the ruler of Astarabad and parts of Mazandaran from 1356 until 1366, and again from c. 1374 until 1384. His relatively long reign was dominated by conflict with the Sarbadars
and the Jalayirids
, and ended only upon the arrival of Timur
into eastern Persia
.
and had served as his governor in Astarabad. In 1353 Togha Temür was murdered by the Sarbadars, who annexed Astarabad. Vali avoided the slaughter of Togha Temür's adherents and sought refuge with the neighboring Jauni Kurban tribe.
The Sarbadar state soon descended into civil war, and Amir Vali decided to take advantage of the situation. He moved to Mazandaran, which he used as a staging point to launch raids into the region of Astarabad. The city at that time was ill-equipped to handle such attacks, as many of the Sarbadar forces haddeparted to partake in the civil war. In order to recruit supporters, he claimed to be acting in the name of Togha Temür's son Luqman. By the time Luqman had arrived on the scene, however, Vali had apparently decided to rule in his own name, told Luqman to depart, and sent into exile his relatives and supporters. Furthermore, he declared for the Shi'a in order to gain the support of the Shi'as of Mazandaran against the then-Sunni Sarbadars.
s
After overwhelming a Sarbadar garrison near Astarabad, Amir Vali successfully fought three armies sent to subdue him, including one led by the Sarbadar leader Hasan Damghani himself. In 1356, after the defeat of the first army sent against him, he conquered Astarabad itself. He then expanded, taking Bistam and Damghan
from the Sarbadars in around 1360.
from the Sarbadars. He then attempted to regain Astarabad, but failed. The next few years after that he went on the offensive against the Jalayirids to the west, campaigning in the region of Rey
. The Jalayirid Shaikh Uvais
stopped him, but was unable to follow up on his victory. Uvais tried to convinced 'Ali Mu'ayyad to attack Vali, but the Sarbadar considered him to be a useful buffer against the Jalayirids and refused to move against him. During this time he temporarily switched his allegiance back to the Sunni, although this apparently didn't give him the boost in support he expected, since he reverted to the Shi'a after a few years.
A prolonged war between the Sarbadars and the Kartids
of Herat
allowed Amir Vali to expand his territories at the Sarbadars' expense. By 1374 at the latest he had retaken Astarabad, and sometime between 1374 and 1376 he invaded Khurasan
and besieged Sabzavar, the Sarbadar capital. In 1376 or 1377 'Ali Mu'ayyad himself was overthrown by several radical dervishes who had enlisted Kartid support; he fled to Vali, who saw this as a useful opportunity to expand his influence in Khurasan. Vali laid siege to Sabzavar and took it in around 1380 and restored 'Ali Mu'ayyad in the capital.
when Vali refused to pay homage to him. Vali then proceeded to besiege Sabzavar again, after a falling out between him and 'Ali Mu'ayyad, and enlisted the support of the Jauni Kurban. 'Ali Mu'ayyad, who had already become Timur's vassal, appealed to him for aid, and Timur relieved the city in the winter 1382. He then proceeded to invade Gurgan, forcing Vali to sue for peace. In the following year (1383), Timur sent an army against Vali, then proceeded to invade his territories himself. Vali attempted to stop Timur but in the end he failed and fled to the Jalayirids in 1384, following which Timur occupied Astarabad. He then gave the city to Luqman, whose name Vali had supposedly been acting in almost three decades ago, when he was first establishing himself in the region.
After his loss of power, Amir Vali spent some time in the service of the Jalayirids. He participated in defending Tabriz
during the siege of Tokhtamysh
, khan of the Golden Horde
. After the city was sacked he travelled to Mazandaran, where he attempted to stage a rebellion against Timur in 1386. The rebellion failed and Vali was killed, bringing an end to his long career.
Sarbadars
The Sarbadars were a mixture of religious dervishes and secular rulers that came to rule over part of western Khurasan in the midst of the disintegration of the Mongol Ilkhanate in the mid-14th century...
and the Jalayirids
Jalayirids
The Jalayirids were a Mongol Jalayir dynasty which ruled over Iraq and western Persia after the breakup of the Mongol Khanate of Persia in the 1330s....
, and ended only upon the arrival of Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
into eastern Persia
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
Rise to Power
Amir Vali was the son of Shaykh 'Ali Hindu, who had been a supporter of the Ilkhanid claimant Togha TemürTogha Temür
Togha Temür , also known as Taghaytimur, was a claimant to the throne of the Ilkhanate in the mid-14th century. Of the many individuals who attempted to become Ilkhan after the death of Abu Sa'id, Togha Temür was the only one who hailed from eastern Iran, and was the last major candidate who was of...
and had served as his governor in Astarabad. In 1353 Togha Temür was murdered by the Sarbadars, who annexed Astarabad. Vali avoided the slaughter of Togha Temür's adherents and sought refuge with the neighboring Jauni Kurban tribe.
The Sarbadar state soon descended into civil war, and Amir Vali decided to take advantage of the situation. He moved to Mazandaran, which he used as a staging point to launch raids into the region of Astarabad. The city at that time was ill-equipped to handle such attacks, as many of the Sarbadar forces haddeparted to partake in the civil war. In order to recruit supporters, he claimed to be acting in the name of Togha Temür's son Luqman. By the time Luqman had arrived on the scene, however, Vali had apparently decided to rule in his own name, told Luqman to depart, and sent into exile his relatives and supporters. Furthermore, he declared for the Shi'a in order to gain the support of the Shi'as of Mazandaran against the then-Sunni Sarbadars.
s
After overwhelming a Sarbadar garrison near Astarabad, Amir Vali successfully fought three armies sent to subdue him, including one led by the Sarbadar leader Hasan Damghani himself. In 1356, after the defeat of the first army sent against him, he conquered Astarabad itself. He then expanded, taking Bistam and Damghan
Damghan
Damghan is a city in and capital of Damghan County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 57,331, in 15,849 families.Damghan is situated from Tehran on the high-road to Mashad, at an elevation of...
from the Sarbadars in around 1360.
Loss and Recovery of Astarabad
Eventually the Sarbadars, who since 1361 were under the leadership of 'Ali Mu'ayyad, were able to mount a serious counteroffensive, and Amir Vali was forced out of his territories, including Astarabad, in c. 1366. This defeat proved to be only a temporary one for Vali. Soon after losing Astarabad, he established a new power base by seizing SemnanSemnan, Iran
Semnan is a city in and capital of Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 124,999, in 36,298 families.Semnan is located in the central northern portion of the Islamic Republic of Iran...
from the Sarbadars. He then attempted to regain Astarabad, but failed. The next few years after that he went on the offensive against the Jalayirids to the west, campaigning in the region of Rey
Rey, Iran
Rey or Ray , also known as Rhages and formerly as Arsacia, is the capital of Rey County, Tehran Province, Iran, and is the oldest existing city in the province....
. The Jalayirid Shaikh Uvais
Shaikh Uvais
Shaikh Uvais, also known as Uways or Oways , was a Jalayirid ruler of Iraq and Azerbaijan . He was the son of Hasan Buzurg and the Chobanid Delsad Katun.-Life:...
stopped him, but was unable to follow up on his victory. Uvais tried to convinced 'Ali Mu'ayyad to attack Vali, but the Sarbadar considered him to be a useful buffer against the Jalayirids and refused to move against him. During this time he temporarily switched his allegiance back to the Sunni, although this apparently didn't give him the boost in support he expected, since he reverted to the Shi'a after a few years.
A prolonged war between the Sarbadars and the Kartids
Kartids
The Kartid Dynasty was a Persian dynasty that ruled over a large part of Khorassan during the 13th and 14th centuries...
of Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
allowed Amir Vali to expand his territories at the Sarbadars' expense. By 1374 at the latest he had retaken Astarabad, and sometime between 1374 and 1376 he invaded Khurasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
and besieged Sabzavar, the Sarbadar capital. In 1376 or 1377 'Ali Mu'ayyad himself was overthrown by several radical dervishes who had enlisted Kartid support; he fled to Vali, who saw this as a useful opportunity to expand his influence in Khurasan. Vali laid siege to Sabzavar and took it in around 1380 and restored 'Ali Mu'ayyad in the capital.
Conflict with Timur
In 1381 Amir Vali had his first encounter with the Amir Timur, who sacked EsfarayenEsfarayen
Esfarayen is a city in and the capital of Esfarayen County, North Khorasan Province in Iran. At the 2006 census its population was 51,321, in 13,376 families.Esfarayen is one of the focal points for residence of Aryan tribes after entering into Iran....
when Vali refused to pay homage to him. Vali then proceeded to besiege Sabzavar again, after a falling out between him and 'Ali Mu'ayyad, and enlisted the support of the Jauni Kurban. 'Ali Mu'ayyad, who had already become Timur's vassal, appealed to him for aid, and Timur relieved the city in the winter 1382. He then proceeded to invade Gurgan, forcing Vali to sue for peace. In the following year (1383), Timur sent an army against Vali, then proceeded to invade his territories himself. Vali attempted to stop Timur but in the end he failed and fled to the Jalayirids in 1384, following which Timur occupied Astarabad. He then gave the city to Luqman, whose name Vali had supposedly been acting in almost three decades ago, when he was first establishing himself in the region.
After his loss of power, Amir Vali spent some time in the service of the Jalayirids. He participated in defending Tabriz
Tabriz
Tabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...
during the siege of Tokhtamysh
Tokhtamysh
Tokhtamysh was the prominent khan of the White Horde, who briefly unified the White Horde and Blue Horde subdivisions of the Golden Horde into a single state. He was a descendant of Genghis Khan's eldest grandson, Orda Khan or his brother Tuqa-Timur...
, khan of the Golden Horde
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde was a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate that formed the north-western sector of the Mongol Empire...
. After the city was sacked he travelled to Mazandaran, where he attempted to stage a rebellion against Timur in 1386. The rebellion failed and Vali was killed, bringing an end to his long career.