Chupan
Encyclopedia
Amir Chupan, also known as Choban or Coban (امیر چوپان سلدوز), (d. November 1327), was a Chupanid
noble of the Ilkhanate
, and nominal general of the Mongol Empire
. His father was named Malek of Mongol Suldus clan. His ancestor was Chilaun
(Чулуун) who was one of Chingis Khan's four great companions.
during the latter's successful campaign for the Ilkhanid throne. During Ghazan's march to the throne in 1295, Coban met with him near the Ustunavand castle. Coban served under Ghazan, participating in the campaign against the rebel Nauruz. He acted as a senior commander during Ghazan's three campaigns against Syria
, then under the rule of the Mamelukes. During one of these campaigns, Coban's army, under the command of Ghazan's chief military officer Qutlugh Shah, was defeated by the Mamelukes in the battle of Marjal Suffar (1303). When Qutlugh fled, Coban stayed with the army, and reached Ghazan in June. Ghazan, furious at the defeat, punished both Qutlugh and Coban, though the latter was dealt with more leniently.
In 1305 Coban married the daughter of Ghazan's successor Öljeitü, Dowlandi Katun. In 1307 he was given command of one of four armies assigned to quell the rebellious province of Gilan. Marching from Ardabil
, he convinced the rulers of Astara and Gaskar to surrender peacefully, and then met up with Öljeitü. Qutlugh Shah's army, however, did not fare so well, and he was killed by the Gilakis. Following his death, Öljeitü made Coban his chief military commander (amir of the ulus). Coban was now a major influence behind the throne, though he had to contend with the court viziers. When Öljeitü died in 1316, his son Abu Sa'id
confirmed Coban's status as amir of the ulus, despite the attempts of an Amir Sevinch to gain the position for himself.
In 1319, armies under the command of the khan of the Blue Horde, Öz-Beg, invaded the Ilkhanate. Abu Sa'id led a campaign to stop the invasion. Coban was on his way to assist Amir Husain (the father of the founder of the Jalayirids
, Hasan Buzurg
) against the raids of Chagatai
prince Yasa'ur
, who was devastating Khurasan
, but then turned around to support Abu Sa'id upon receiving word that the latter's position across the Kur River was in danger. Several of Abu Sa'id's officers had deserted, leaving his army weakened. He rushed to his master's position, only to find the troops of the Blue Horde already in flight. Nevertheless, he inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy.
The matter of Abu Sa'id's officers fleeing still needed to be addressed. When the amir enacted punishment against Quromsi (also a potential rival), as well as several other officers, for military negligence, a conspiracy was launched against him. The conspirators included Abu Sa'id's uncle Irenjin, who Coban had dismissed from the governorship of Diyarbakr. With the support of the Ilkhan, Coban dealt with them. Irenjin was defeated near Mianeh
in June 1319. Following these events, Coban gained almost complete control over the Ilkhan, and his sons gained prominent positions as Persia was parceled out between the family. He also married Abu Sa'id's sister Sati Beg
, whom he had been betrothed to since 1316. His sons quickly took advantage of their power; in the winter of 1322 Coban, who was suffering from gout
, had to convince his son Timurtash, governor of Rum
, to end a rebellion against the Ilkhanate.
While Coban was reaching his height in power, he was also sowing the seeds of his fall. While Abu Sa'id lacked a treasury, Coban's son and administrative representative Demasq Kaja spent his wealth extravagantly. This situation annoyed the Ilkhan, who was further influenced against him by his viziers, particularly Rukn al-Din Sa'in, Coban's protégé. Coban's efforts to keep Abu Sa'id from marrying his daughter Bagdad Katun
, who was already married to Hasan Buzurg, did not help the situation.
In 1325 Coban defeated another force led by Öz-Beg, and even invaded the Blue Horde. Early in 1326, Coban led an army to defend against an imminent invasion of Khurasan
. By the request of Abu Said, the Khagan
Yesün Temür
awarded his custodian Chupan the nominal title of a chief-commander of all Mongol Khanates. In the autumn of that year, the Chagatai Khan Tarmashirin crossed the Oxus River, and was defeated by Coban's son Hasan near Ghazna. Vizier Rukn al-Din Sa'in had traveled with Coban, leaving Demasq Kaja in effective control at the Ilkhanid court. Abu Sa'id decided to make his move at this time. In August 1327 Abu Sa'id had Demasq Kaja killed, ostensibly for the latter's activities with a former concubine of Öljeitü's.
Abu Sa'id then undertook a campaign against the other Chobanids. The Khurasanis gained word of the plot, but pretended to act friendly toward Coban. The latter marched west; on his way, he convinced the local religious leader of Simnan, Shaikh 'Ala' al-Daula, to try to negotiate a truce, and then camped near Qazvin
. When the shaikh failed, he continued west, with his troops pillaging on the way. Upon reaching Quha, he was a day's journey away from Abu Sa'id's camp, but as night fell, most of his amir deserted him for the Ilkhan. Instead of facing the Ilkhanid army, he withdrew. Upon reaching Saveh, he sent his wife Sati Beg back to Abu Sa'id. He then traveled in the direction of Tabas
, with the intention of finding refuge in Transoxiana.
Upon reaching the Murghab River, he changed his mind and headed for Khurasan. He was given a friendly welcome into Herat by the local Kartid
ruler, Ghiyath ud-Din. However, when he received an order by the Ilkhan, his master, to execute Coban, Ghiyath had no choice but to obey. Coban and his son Jela'u Khan were both killed. As Coban's friend, Ghiyath ordered that he be killed by strangulation, which was considered an honorable way to die. The Kartid leader then sent one of Coban's fingers to Abu Sa'id as proof of the deed. Many of Coban's sons were to also die in the next few years. He was buried in Medina
, in the cemetery of Baqi, under the supervision of his daughter Bagdad Katun.
By Dowlandi Katun:
By Korducin (probably second wife):
By Sati Beg:
Chupanids
The Chobanids or the Chupanids , were descendants of a Mongol family of the Suldus clan that came to prominence in 14th century Persia. At first serving under the Ilkhans, they took de facto control of the territory after the fall of the Ilkhanate...
noble of the Ilkhanate
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
, and nominal general of the Mongol Empire
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
. His father was named Malek of Mongol Suldus clan. His ancestor was Chilaun
Chilaun
Chilaun was a general in the Mongol Empire, known as one of Genghis Khan's four "talented men". His relatives, specifically his father, helped young Genghis escape from captivity at the hands of the Tayichiuds. His descendants include Chupan . His name "Chuluun" means "rock/rocky" in the Mongolian...
(Чулуун) who was one of Chingis Khan's four great companions.
Rise to Power
Amir Coban was first mentioned as a supporter of GaykhatuGaykhatu
Gaykhatu was the fifth Ilkhanate ruler in Iran. He reigned from 1291 to 1295. During his reign, Gaykhatu was a noted dissolute who was addicted to wine, women, and sodomy...
during the latter's successful campaign for the Ilkhanid throne. During Ghazan's march to the throne in 1295, Coban met with him near the Ustunavand castle. Coban served under Ghazan, participating in the campaign against the rebel Nauruz. He acted as a senior commander during Ghazan's three campaigns against Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, then under the rule of the Mamelukes. During one of these campaigns, Coban's army, under the command of Ghazan's chief military officer Qutlugh Shah, was defeated by the Mamelukes in the battle of Marjal Suffar (1303). When Qutlugh fled, Coban stayed with the army, and reached Ghazan in June. Ghazan, furious at the defeat, punished both Qutlugh and Coban, though the latter was dealt with more leniently.
In 1305 Coban married the daughter of Ghazan's successor Öljeitü, Dowlandi Katun. In 1307 he was given command of one of four armies assigned to quell the rebellious province of Gilan. Marching from Ardabil
Ardabil
Ardabil is a historical city in north-western Iran. The name Ardabil probably comes from the Zoroastrian name of "Artavil" which means a holy place. Ardabil is the center of Ardabil Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 412,669, in 102,818 families...
, he convinced the rulers of Astara and Gaskar to surrender peacefully, and then met up with Öljeitü. Qutlugh Shah's army, however, did not fare so well, and he was killed by the Gilakis. Following his death, Öljeitü made Coban his chief military commander (amir of the ulus). Coban was now a major influence behind the throne, though he had to contend with the court viziers. When Öljeitü died in 1316, his son Abu Sa'id
Abu Sa'id (Ilkhanid dynasty)
Abu Sa'id also Abusaid Bahador Khan, Abu Sayed Behauder , was the ninth ruler of the Ilkhanate state in Iran ....
confirmed Coban's status as amir of the ulus, despite the attempts of an Amir Sevinch to gain the position for himself.
Height and Fall Under Abu Sa'id
Coban attempted to neutralize the influence of the viziers. In 1318, he convinced the discredited former vizier Rashid-al-Din Hamadani to return to the Ilkhanid court. Rashid, who had many enemies, was accused of poisoning Öljeitü soon after he returned. Coban promptly turned on him, and Rashad was put to death in July of that year.In 1319, armies under the command of the khan of the Blue Horde, Öz-Beg, invaded the Ilkhanate. Abu Sa'id led a campaign to stop the invasion. Coban was on his way to assist Amir Husain (the father of the founder of 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....
, Hasan Buzurg
Hasan Buzurg
Shaikh Hasan, called "Buzurg" , was the first of several de facto independent Jalayirid rulers of Iraq and central Iran. He was the son of Husain and Öljetey.-Shaikh Hasan-i Buzurg:...
) against the raids of Chagatai
Chagatai Khanate
The Chagatai Khanate was a Turko-Mongol khanate that comprised the lands ruled by Chagatai Khan , second son of the Great Khan Genghis Khan, and his descendents and successors...
prince Yasa'ur
Yasa'ur
Yasa'ur was a Chagatai prince who launched a revolt against the Ilkhan Abu Sa'id. He was the son of Chübei, and a great-great-grandson of Chagatai Khan.Yasa'ur had originally resided within the Chagatai ulus...
, who was devastating 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...
, but then turned around to support Abu Sa'id upon receiving word that the latter's position across the Kur River was in danger. Several of Abu Sa'id's officers had deserted, leaving his army weakened. He rushed to his master's position, only to find the troops of the Blue Horde already in flight. Nevertheless, he inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy.
The matter of Abu Sa'id's officers fleeing still needed to be addressed. When the amir enacted punishment against Quromsi (also a potential rival), as well as several other officers, for military negligence, a conspiracy was launched against him. The conspirators included Abu Sa'id's uncle Irenjin, who Coban had dismissed from the governorship of Diyarbakr. With the support of the Ilkhan, Coban dealt with them. Irenjin was defeated near Mianeh
Mianeh
Miana or Miyaneh may refer to:*Miana a Seraiki tribe found in Pakistan* Mianeh, Afghanistan* Miyaneh, East Azarbaijan** Miyaneh County, a county in East Azarbaijan Province in Iran* Mianeh , Iran...
in June 1319. Following these events, Coban gained almost complete control over the Ilkhan, and his sons gained prominent positions as Persia was parceled out between the family. He also married Abu Sa'id's sister Sati Beg
Sati Beg
Al-sultana al-radila Sati Beg Khan Khallad Allah Mulkaha was a claimant to the throne of the Ilkhanate during the fragmentation of Persia in the mid-14th century. She was the uterine sister of the Ilkhan Abu Sa'id....
, whom he had been betrothed to since 1316. His sons quickly took advantage of their power; in the winter of 1322 Coban, who was suffering from gout
Gout
Gout is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis—a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe is the most commonly affected . However, it may also present as tophi, kidney stones, or urate...
, had to convince his son Timurtash, governor of Rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
, to end a rebellion against the Ilkhanate.
While Coban was reaching his height in power, he was also sowing the seeds of his fall. While Abu Sa'id lacked a treasury, Coban's son and administrative representative Demasq Kaja spent his wealth extravagantly. This situation annoyed the Ilkhan, who was further influenced against him by his viziers, particularly Rukn al-Din Sa'in, Coban's protégé. Coban's efforts to keep Abu Sa'id from marrying his daughter Bagdad Katun
Bagdad Katun
Bagdad Katun was a Chobanid princess that gained a position of prominence in the closing years of the Ilkhanate. She was a daughter of Coban....
, who was already married to Hasan Buzurg, did not help the situation.
In 1325 Coban defeated another force led by Öz-Beg, and even invaded the Blue Horde. Early in 1326, Coban led an army to defend against an imminent invasion of 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...
. By the request of Abu Said, the Khagan
Khagan
Khagan or qagan , alternatively spelled kagan, khaghan, qaghan, or chagan, is a title of imperial rank in the Mongolian and Turkic languages equal to the status of emperor and someone who rules a khaganate...
Yesün Temür
Yesun Temur
Yesun Temur may refer to:* Yesün Temür Khan, Emperor Taiding of Yuan* Yesun Temur...
awarded his custodian Chupan the nominal title of a chief-commander of all Mongol Khanates. In the autumn of that year, the Chagatai Khan Tarmashirin crossed the Oxus River, and was defeated by Coban's son Hasan near Ghazna. Vizier Rukn al-Din Sa'in had traveled with Coban, leaving Demasq Kaja in effective control at the Ilkhanid court. Abu Sa'id decided to make his move at this time. In August 1327 Abu Sa'id had Demasq Kaja killed, ostensibly for the latter's activities with a former concubine of Öljeitü's.
Abu Sa'id then undertook a campaign against the other Chobanids. The Khurasanis gained word of the plot, but pretended to act friendly toward Coban. The latter marched west; on his way, he convinced the local religious leader of Simnan, Shaikh 'Ala' al-Daula, to try to negotiate a truce, and then camped near Qazvin
Qazvin
Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 349,821, in 96,420 families....
. When the shaikh failed, he continued west, with his troops pillaging on the way. Upon reaching Quha, he was a day's journey away from Abu Sa'id's camp, but as night fell, most of his amir deserted him for the Ilkhan. Instead of facing the Ilkhanid army, he withdrew. Upon reaching Saveh, he sent his wife Sati Beg back to Abu Sa'id. He then traveled in the direction of Tabas
Tabas
Tabas is a city in and capital of Tabas County, Yazd Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 30,681, in 7,962 families.Tabas is located in central Iran, 950 kilometers southeast of Tehran, in Yazd Province. Formerly it was part of the Khorasan province. It is a desert city with...
, with the intention of finding refuge in Transoxiana.
Upon reaching the Murghab River, he changed his mind and headed for Khurasan. He was given a friendly welcome into Herat by the local Kartid
Kartids
The Kartid Dynasty was a Persian dynasty that ruled over a large part of Khorassan during the 13th and 14th centuries...
ruler, Ghiyath ud-Din. However, when he received an order by the Ilkhan, his master, to execute Coban, Ghiyath had no choice but to obey. Coban and his son Jela'u Khan were both killed. As Coban's friend, Ghiyath ordered that he be killed by strangulation, which was considered an honorable way to die. The Kartid leader then sent one of Coban's fingers to Abu Sa'id as proof of the deed. Many of Coban's sons were to also die in the next few years. He was buried in Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
, in the cemetery of Baqi, under the supervision of his daughter Bagdad Katun.
Coban's Children
- Hasan
- Timurtash
- Demasq KajaDemasq KajaDemasq Kaja was a member of the Chobanid family during the middle of the fourteenth century. He was the son of Coban.During the 1320s, Coban accumulated a great deal of power as an amir of the Ilkhanate. While technically serving the Ilkhan Abu Sa'id, he was the effective power behind the throne....
- Shaikh Mahmud
- Bagdad KatunBagdad KatunBagdad Katun was a Chobanid princess that gained a position of prominence in the closing years of the Ilkhanate. She was a daughter of Coban....
(daughter)
By Dowlandi Katun:
- Jela'u Khan
By Korducin (probably second wife):
- Siuksah
- Yagi Basti
- Nowruz
By Sati Beg:
- Surgan