Under the
Mongol rule, Qara Qoyunlu's were subject to the
Oirats, and their
kishlaks (winter quarters) were near
Mosul, while
yaylaks were located in the
Van region, specifically
Erciş. In 1337, Qara Qoyunlu were vassalized by the
Sutayids, who gained control of the region. Their head, Pīr Muḥammad was killed by one of his
emirs, Husein Beg, in 1350, who was murdered the next year by Bayram Khwaja, usurping control of the territory. Although Bayram Khwaja was initially unsuccessful in taking
Mosul from Ordu Bugha, Ḥusayn Beg’s nephew, he eventually captured the city and made his brother, Berdi Khwaja, its governor. Bayram is first recorded in service to Huseyin beg, a Turkmen warlord who killed Pir Muhammed of
Sinjar and usurped his city. Huseyin beg and his company were attacked by the
Ayyubid lord of
Hasankeyf, Al-Adil, in 1350; however, they defeated him. Bayram in turn usurped Huseyin Beg's position and declared his independence in 1351. Bayram besieged
Mardin, which at the time was ruled by the
Artuqid Mansur Ahmed (), in 1366. Mansur called for
Shaikh Awais Jalayir's help. Awais responded and defeated and subjugated Bayram Khwaja in a battle near
Muş. He then besieged
Mosul in 1371, but retreated on hearing news of the approach of a
Mamluk force. Bayram acted more independently after Awais' withdrawal. He subsequently invaded Mosul, Sinjar, ,
Khoy and
Nakhchivan in 1374. The new
Jalairid sultan,
Hussain, moved against
Qara Mahammad and attacked
Erciş, his new base. Despite Bayram's help, the Kara Koyunlus suffered heavy casualties and were subjugated in 1374, becoming
vassals of the Jalairid Sultanate, which was centered in
Baghdad and
Tabriz.
Succession Bayram died in 1380 and was succeeded by his brother Berdi Khwaja, about whose reign nothing is known. He was followed by
Qara Mahammad. ==References==