Sara Khatun

Sara Khatun , also Saray Khatun, was an influential woman of the Aq Qoyunlu state, as the political adviser of her son, Uzun Hasan (r. 1457–1478). She was a successful and well-respected diplomatic mediator.During Uzun Hasan’s wars with foreign powers, Sara Khatun served as his envoy. It seems that much of her life was devoted to diplomacy and efforts to establish peace, and she maintained relations with other governments through political correspondence. There is no precise record of Sara Khatun’s birth and death dates, but she is recognized as one of the influential women of the 9th century AH.

Early life According to historian John E. Woods, Sara Khatun was the daughter of Pir Ali Bayandur, the Aq Qoyunlu ruler of Kiğı, and her mother was a daughter of Ahmad b. Qutlu. Pir Ali was himself the son of the Aq Qoyunlu ruler Fakhr ad-Din Qutlu by his Pontic wife Maria Comnena, sister of Alexios III of Trebizond. German orientalist Franz Babinger speculates that Sara Khatun was an Aramaic Christian who grew up near Diyarbakir, but this speculation is based on an earlier assumption by Vladimir Minorsky which he later renounced. Sara Khatun married her paternal cousin Ali, the son of the leader of the Aq Qoyunlu federation Qara Osman. She widowed in 1444.

Political influence She, who accompanied Uzun Hasan through parts of his eventful life, also took part in battles alongside him, and was not only a comrade-in arms but also considered a political and military advisor to his son.

She played a prominent role in the disputes that arose between Uzun Hasan and his brothers, Jahangir and Uways, who were claimants to power, as well as with Uzun Hasan’s sons, who occasionally rebelled disputes that sometimes even escalated to bloodshed. When Uzun Hasan laid siege to Mardin in pursuit of his brother Jahangir Mirza, their mother, Sara Khatun, acted as a mediator for peace between the two brothers and persuaded Uzun Hasan to withdraw. Being an influential and wise woman, she asked Uzun Hasan on behalf of the people: “Where should Jahangir and his family go?” Uzun Hasan, feeling ashamed in front of his mother, abandoned his initial decision. However, he requested that Jahangir Mirza send one of his sons to serve him, which was duly carried out. In this way, their mother successfully established peace between the two brothers. The scope of this reconciliation extended even to Uzun Hasan’s third brother, Uways, who had rebelled. Jahangir Mirza’s son, Ali Khan Mirza, was also taken as a hostage by Uzun Hasan. The following year, Jahangir rebelled again but was ultimately forced to submit. He attempted to flee to the ruler of the Qara Qoyunlu, but after prolonged negotiations and efforts once again initiated by Sara Khatun he was compelled to obey his brother Uzun Hasan.

Family By her husband, Sara Khatun had seven sons and a daughter: Jahangir Mirza Beg Uzun Hasan Beg Hussein Beg Jahanshah Beg Iskander Beg Ibrahim Beg Uveysh Beg Khadija Beyim Khatun. She married Shaykh Junayd of Safavid dynasty between 1456 and 1459. Their son, Haydar Safavi, married his cousin Alamshah Halima Khatun, daughter of Uzun Hassan and Teodora Despina Khatun, and was father of Ismail I and grandfather of Tahmasp I.