Iran Substates

Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Substates of Iran/ An ancient Kingdom became an Islamic Republic in 1979

The Arskadies and Sasanides (or Elymasis)

BCE circa 82-65 Joint Ruler Queen Anzaze
Ruled together with King Kamnaskires II

Banu-Salgar

1260-62 Regent Dowager Princess Turhan Hatun

Principality of Fars

Circa 1147-68 Ruler Zahida Khatun

Ruled the territory after the death of her husband, Amir Boz-Aba, and ounded the madrasa in Shiraz.

1261-63 Regent Dowager Princess Terken Khatun
After the death of her husband, Atabeg Sa'd II bin Abi Bakr bin Sa'd bin Zangi, she was duly confirmed by ruler of Fars by the Ilkhan Hülegü. She then married a kinsman, presumably as part of some now forgotten dynastic pact, but he killed her in a drunken frenzy and subsequently rebelled against the Ilkhan. After his defeat and death in 1263/64, Hülegü nominated her infant daughter, Abish Khatun to be the ruler of Fars.

1271-95 Politically influential Padshah Khatun
She was the second daughter of Qutluqh Terken's sister and as the principal wife of the Ilkhan Abaqa she was well-placed to look after her mother's and Kirman's interests, and became involved in the intrigues of the last Qutlugh-Khanid contenders, eventually being strangled in 1295 by order of the Ilkhan Baydu for her murder of her half-brother, Soyurghatmish..

Circa 1282-89 Politically Influential Bibi Terken in Kirman

Also known as Bibi Khatun, she was a major player in events both in the ordu (at the court) and in Kirman until her death in 1288 or 1289

1291-95 Ruler Kürdüjin of Kirman
1319- Ruler of Fars

She was the eldest daughter of Abish Khatun, the last Atabeg (Ruler) of Fars 1263-75 and 1283-87. She was first married to the sixth Qutlugh-Khanid ruler of Kirman, Soyurghatmish and made two other significant marriages before the Ilkhan Abu Sa'id (717-36/ 1317-35) granted her the tax-farm of the province of Fars, but the but the new Ilkhan Ghazan (1295-1304) replaced her with a son of Hajjaj, and she either lived at the ordu or in Fars until Abu Sa'id granted her the revenues of Fars, where she ended her life as a magnificent ruler and patron.

1263-75 Atabeg Regnant Abisha Hadud Khatun
1283-87 Governor
Also known as Abish Khatun or Aubee Khatton, she was nominated as ruler by the Ilkhan of the Khwarazham Empire in Persi, after her mother, Terken Khatun, was killed. Her name was read in the khutha and struck on the coinage. In 1274, when she was about fifteen, she was taken to the Ilkhan's ordu, and married to Tash-Möngke (Mengü Temür), a younger son of Hülegü This was a marriage, forbidden in Islamic law, between a Muslim woman and a shamanist, but presumably the will of the Ilkhan transcended all other considerations. She became his chief wife and had two daughters by him, Kürdüjin and Alghanchi. When her husband was sent as governor to Fars, she was retained in the ordu, but 1283, the new Ilkhan, Ahmad Tegüder (1282-84), recalled him from Shiraz and appointed her in his place. Her financial recklessness, coinciding with a drought throughout Fars, meant that she defaulted on her revenue payments, so that Ahmad Tegüder's successor, Arghun (1284-91), ordered her to appear at the ordu. Perhaps relying on the good offices of Öljei Khatun, Hülegü's widow, to protect her from the Ilkhan's wrath, she declined to go and behaved outrageously toward the officials sent to supersede her. She was eventually forced to capitulate and submitted to the Ilkhan (Öljei Khatun did indeed intercede for her), dying at the ordu in 1287, after having lived (circa 1269-87).

Khurasan

1252-60 Regent Orgina Khatun

Kirman

1282-89 Politically Influential Bibi Terken

Also known as Bibi Khatun, she was a major player in events both in the ordu (at the court) and in Kirman until her death in 1288 or 1289

1291-95 Ruler Kürdüjin of Kirman
1319- Ruler of Fars

Qutlug Khan

1257-82 Regent Dowager Sultan Ismat ad-Duyan Wa’l-Din Qutlug Turhan Hatun
Until 1267 she reigned for Sultan Haggag (Hağğağ) and afterwards alone.

127?-82 Regent Dowager Turkan Hatun
Of the Mongol Chagatid Horde.

1292-95 Regent Dowager Sultan Safwad ad-Din Padshah Hatun

Ray and Hamadan

997-1028 Regent Dowager Khanum Sayyida Ray
997-1016 Hamadan
Also known as Seyyedh, she became regent after the death of her husband, the Buyid Amir Fakhr al-Daula, for two sons in two principalities, Abu Taleb Rostam in of Ray and Abu Taher in Hamadan. They both declared themselves independent and assumed the title of Shâhanshâh, but by 1009 or 1010 at the latest had recognized the authority of Baha' al-Daula, who controlled Fars and Iraq, and abandoned the title. In 1006 or 1007, with the assistance of the vizier Abu 'Ali ibn 'Ali, the oldest son attempted to throw off her regency, but she escaped to the Kurd Abu Najr Badr ibn Hasanuya, and together with her younger son they put Ray under siege. After several battles, the city was taken and the older son, Abu Taleb Rostam, who was also known as Majd al-Daula was imprisoned him in the fort of Tabarak, while her younger son took to power in Ray. After a year, the oldest son was released and reinstated in Ray; the younger returned to Hamadan. And she continued to hold power. Gorgan and Tabaristan had been lost to the Ziyarids in 997, while several of the western towns were seized by the Sallarids of Azerbaijan. There were also internal troubles, such as a revolt in 1016 or 1017. Towards the end of her life, she had to prevent her younger son from seizing Ray from his brother, but after her death, he was deposed. (d. 1028).

Selsjuk Principality

1092-94 Regent Dowager Princess Turhan Hatun

Last update 06.12.06