GARAGOỲUNLY TÜRKMENS

Islamic calendar 780-874                  Gregorian 1378-1469

The Turkmen clans and tribes, which carried the name of Garagoýunly up to the end of 14th century, were named after their flags which had a figure of a black sheep. The Garagoýunly Turkmens captured the land from the Van Lake, in the eastern part, to the western part of Turkey. They established a Hanate which included Armenia and Azarbaycan in its territory by concluding an agreement with Soltan Huseyin.

Garayusuf, the second ruler of the Garagoýunlys, was defeated and expelled by Timur (Tamerlane) a couple of times but he managed to return. After the death of Timur, Garayusuf recaptured in 1405 (807) all the lands he had formerly ruled. He took the Jelayirs under his rule in 1411. However, in 1469 (874) the Garagoýunly Turkmens accepted the rule and sovereignty of the Akgoýunly Turkmens, whose leader was then Uzun Hasan.