Surpassing Timur: Superiority Claims of the Aqquyunlus Over the Ottomans

Abstract

In the 15th and 16th centuries Timur, who was a source of legitimacy for many Islamic dynasties, was commemorated in the Ottoman and Iranian worlds with images that were very different from each other. Beyond his well-known image in both worlds, his strong legacy and invincibility made Timur a primary figure in struggles for superiority. For several centuries Timur remained a basic criterion and a licit authority in debates of superiority and rivalries both in Ajam and Rumi worlds. This paper attemps to address the efforts of the Aqquyunlus, who presented themselves as heirs of Timur, to express their superiority over the Ottomans through the image of Timur.