Qara Gözlü ([E.I.] F. Sümer, 1997)

Qara Gözlü

Qara Gözlü, Turkish tribe in Iran. It is not mentioned in any 10th/16th or 11th/17th century sources. Originally a member of the famous Shamlu tribe during the Safawid period, the tribe must have taken its name from one of its beys; it is probable that it originated in the Bey Dili sub-tribe of the Shamlu.

The homeland of the Qara Gözlü was the Hamadan region, but in the mid-20^th century there was a small branch known by the same name in Fars. The Qara Gözlü had abandoned a fully nomadic life as early as the beginning of the 19^th century, and lived in large and prosperous villages on the Hamadan plain. Nevertheless, they were foremost amongst those peoples who preserved tribal unity. Today they are divided into two branches, the ‘Ashiklu and the Hadjdjilu. All European travellers who visited the region describe them as a numerous community. Dupré (1807-9) gives their number as 12,000 (Voyage en Perse, Paris 1819, ii, 460); Macdonald Kinneir (1810) records that they were able to field an army of 7,000 men (A Geographical memoir of the Persian Empire, London 1813, 127); while Lady Sheil (mid-19^th century) gives their number as 4,000 (Glimpses of life and manners in Persia, London 1856, 398). The population of the Qara Gözlü was given as 300,000 in 1930. Travellers also describe them as one of the most warlike tribes. Macdonald Kinneir (op. cit., 46) calls them the best horsemen in Iran. According to Muhammad Hashim (Rustam al-tawarikh, ed. M. Mushiri, Tehran 1348, 105), Qara Gözlü Sa’id Beg was one of the most gallant amirs of the reign of Sultan Husayn, the last Safawid ruler. Although the Qara Gözlü were a closely-knit community, they chose to remain subject to other ruling dynasties; for this reason they settled in the Hamadan plain as early as the 19^th century, leading a prosperous life in comparison with other tribes. This can be explained by the fact, that as members of the Shamlu subtribe, they had had a long-established political tradition and experience.

Following the death of Nadir Shah Afshar, the tribe accepted vassalage to Karim Khan Zand; but in the struggle between the successors of Karim Khan and Aqa Muhammad Khan Qadjar, the Qara Gözlü promptly sided with the Qadjars, and played an important part in Aqa Muhammad’s accession to power. The tribe’s loyalty to the Qadjar dynasty continued in later years, and as a result many important military and political figures were appointed from it. Foremost among these was Muhammad Husayn Khan (d. 1240/1824-5), who had rendered important service to Aqa Muhammad in the creation of his state. He was also known as a just and benevolent ruler (J. Morier, A Second Journey through Persia…, London 1818, ii, 263). Rustam Khan, son of the above-mentioned khan, and Hadjdji Muhammad Khan, Nasr Allah Khan, ‘Ali Khan, Mahmud Khan and ‘Abd Allah Khan were the most famous political and military figures of the Qara Gözlü during the periods of Fath ‘Ali, Muhammad Shah and Nasir al-Din Shah (Mirza Muhammad Taqi, Nasikh al-tawarikh, ed. Djihangir Qa’im Maqami, Tehran 1337, ii, 84; iii, 123; Riza Quli Khan, Rawzat al-safa-yi Nasiri, Tehran 1339, ix, 636, 648; 44-5, 211, 226-7, 238-40, 458, 459, 467, 529). Of these, Mahmud Khan and ‘Ali Khan were married to girls of the Qadjar dynasty (J. P. Ferrier, Voyage en Perse dans l’Afghanistan…, Paris 1860, I, 70-1). Chiefs of the Qara Gözlü were among those statesmen assimilated to Western European culture. One of these was Nasr al-Mulk, educated at Oxford University, who was regent in 1914, while his brother Amir Tuman was ambassador in Washington.

Bibliography: For detailed information and bibliography of the Qara Gözlü see F. Sümer Kaçarlar devrinde Türk oymakları, in Selçuklu Araştrmaları Dergisi, v (Ankara 1974).

F. Sümer, Qara Gözlü. Encyclopaedia of Islam², Volume IV (Iran-Kha) (1997)