Injuids
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The Injuids (also Injus or House of Inju) were an
Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...
dynasty of Persian origin that came to rule over the cities of
Shiraz Shiraz (; ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the popu ...
and
Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...
during the 14th century. Its members became de facto independent rulers following the breakup of the
Ilkhanate The Ilkhanate or Il-khanate was a Mongol khanate founded in the southwestern territories of the Mongol Empire. It was ruled by the Il-Khans or Ilkhanids (), and known to the Mongols as ''Hテシlegテシ Ulus'' (). The Ilkhanid realm was officially known ...
until their defeat in 1357 against the Muzaffarids.


Before the breakup of the Ilkhanate

The Injuids gained control of parts of
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
, mostly Fars, in 1304 at the beginning of the reign of the Ilkhan テ僕jeitテシ. The Ilkhan had given Sharaf al-Din Mahmud Shah control of the ''injテシ'' (or ''inji''; the
Mongol Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China (Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family of M ...
word for the royal estates). Before progressively gaining independence, the "Injuids" had been appointed initially by テ僕jeitテシ as "
margrave Margrave was originally the Middle Ages, medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or a monarchy, kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain Feudal ...
", or local governors, for the area of Fars. Sharaf al-Din was reportedly descended from ' Abd-Allah Ansari, an 11th-century mystic of
Herat Herト》 (; Dari/Pashto: ルリアリァリェ) is an oasis city and the third-largest city in Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated south of the Paropamisus Mountains (''Se ...
. His son, Amir Ghiyas al-Din Kai-Khusrau, assisted another family, the Muzaffarids, in their takeover of Yazd. By 1325 Sharaf al-Din had gained nearly an absolute grip on the region. His power displeased テ僕jeitテシ's successor Abu Sa'id, who ordered Sharaf al-Din removed and sent a Sheikh Hussein ibn Juban to replace him. Kai-Khusrau, who ruled Shiraz for his father, resisted; and Sheikh Hussein was forced to return with an Ilkhan army. Also during Abu Sa'id's lifetime, Sharaf al-Din was imprisoned in
Tabriz Tabriz (; ) is a city in the Central District (Tabriz County), Central District of Tabriz County, in the East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan province of northwestern Iran. It serves as capital of the province, the county, and the distric ...
for a failed attempt to murder his successor.


Independence

With the death of Abu Sa'id in 1335, Arpa Ke'un took the throne. He had Sharaf al-Din executed; two of Sharaf's sons in the royal encampment (Amir Jalal al-Din Mas'ud Shah, who fled to Hasan Buzurg; Shaikh Abu Ishaq to Amir 'Ali Padishah) withdrew from the scene. Meanwhile, Kai-Khusrau was asserting his authority in Shiraz. When Arpa Ke'un was captured by rebels, he was sent to Mas'ud Shah, who killed him. Mas'ud Shah then served as vizier under the Jalayirid puppet Ilkhan Muhammed Khan; when the latter was killed, he made his way to Shiraz. The two brothers came into conflict, which was only settled when Kai-Khusrau's died (1338/9). Mas'ud Shah was quickly faced with more challenges to his reign. A year after Kai Khusrau's death, a fourth son of Sharaf al-Din named Shams al-Din Muhammad escaped from his brother's prison of Qal'a-yi Saf'id, whereupon he joined the Chobanids. Shams al-Din, together with the Chobanid Pir Hosayn, marched to Shiraz, which they captured. Mas'ud Shah fled to
Luristan Lorestan province () is one of the Provinces of Iran, 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Khorramabad. Lorestan is in the Western Iran, western part of the country in the Zagros Mountains and covers an area of 28,392 km2. In ...
. Pir Hosayn, however, murdered Shams al-Din; this act lost him support in the city, and he had to withdraw. Pir Hosayn reconquered the city in the next year, however. Mas'ud Shah attempted to take advantage of Chobanid infighting, and allied with Yagi Basti to take the city, which had in the meantime fallen into the hands of Abu Ishaq. He had been given Isfahan by Pir Hosayn, and he now took Shiraz as well. When Yagi Basti murdered Mas'ud Shah that same year, Abu Ishaq became the sole surviving son of Sharaf al-Din. He took Shiraz from Yagi Basti in March 1343.


Fall of the Injuids under Abu Ishaq

Jamal al-Din Abu Ishaq's goal was to conquer Kerman; he therefore undertook expeditions against the Muzaffarids, who were led by Mubariz al-Din Muhammad. The rivalry between the two heated up during a campaign against the Muzaffarid city of Yazd during 1350 and 1351. In retaliation, Mubariz al-Din invaded Fars in 1352. After defeating the Injuids in battle, he laid siege to Shiraz in 1353. Abu Ishaq, who grew increasingly paranoid, ordered the extermination of two-quarters of the city in order to root out traitors. The chief of another quarter, fearing for his people, gave the key for his gate to Mubariz al-Din's son Shah Shuja. Abu Ishaq was forced to surrender, but he escaped and made his way to Isfahan with the support of the Jalayirids. Mubariz al-Din, however, laid siege to that city also, and captured it in 1357. Abu Ishaq again surrendered, was sent to Shiraz, and was executed. The Injuid lands now fell into the hands of the Muzaffarids, who would hold them until the onslaught of
Timur Timur, also known as Tamerlane (1320s17/18 February 1405), was a Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty. An undefeat ...
forty years later.


Arts of the book

The Injuids, having been appointed initially by テ僕jeitテシ as "
margrave Margrave was originally the Middle Ages, medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or a monarchy, kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain Feudal ...
", or local governors, for the area of Fars, tried to assert their independence by the creation of a specific literature with elaborate illustrations. This efforts helped
Shiraz Shiraz (; ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the popu ...
become a recognized and admired center for the arts of the book throughout the 14th century. The Injuid school of Shiraz is characterized by a fairly consitent style, and many of the manuscripts are signed and dated. The paintings are very rich in color, using red, yellow ocher, or sometimes plain-paper backgrounds. The painting are quite original compared to others of the period, the style is rather vigorous, the action scenes are dynamic. The depiction of mountains in particular is quiet characteristic, with strong symbolic peaks painted over yellow backgrounds, although this is probably derived from
Mongol Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China (Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family of M ...
painting. Some of the faces tend to be Iranian, and derive from traditional
Sassanid The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...
styles. File:Isfandiyar battles the Simurgh or Persian Phoenix, Shah Nama (Book of Kings) Shiraz, 1330 (detail).jpg, Shahnama of 1330, Shiraz, Injuid period File:Samak-e Ayyar Folio 061a Ilkhanid Battle scene.jpg, '' Samak-e Ayyar'', Injuid, circa 1330 File:Wolf Head kneeling as a prisoner in front of Esfandiar, Shahnama, Shiraz, 1331.jpg, Shahnama of 1330, Shiraz, Injuid period File:Bahram Gur Hunting with Azada, Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings) Author Abu'l Qasim Firdausi Iranian dated 753 AH-1352 CE, Shiraz, Injuid period (miniature).jpg, Shahnama, 1352 CE, Shiraz, Injuid File:Bahram Gur and Azadeh in hunting place, Istanbul Shahnameh, Shiraz 1331.jpg, Bahram Gur and Azadeh in hunting place, Istanbul Shahnameh, Shiraz 1331.


Architecture and decorative arts

Various architectural creations are known from the Injuid period. A remarkable ''
mihrab ''Mihrab'' (, ', pl. ') is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the ''qibla'', the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca towards which Muslims should face when praying. The wall in which a ''mihrab'' appears is thus the "''qibla'' wall". ...
'' in '' mo'araq'' cut-tile mosaic dated to 755 AH (1354窶55 CE), at the time the city was still under the control of the Injuids of Abu Ishaq, and just before the city fell to the Muzaffarids in 1356窶57, was recovered from a ''
madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: ルリッリアリウリゥ , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
'' in
Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...
, the '' Imami Madrasa''. The ''mihrab'' is considered as a masterpiece of ''mo'araq'' technique, a type of decorative technique started during the Ilkhanid period in the early 14th century in the cities of Sham,
Tabriz Tabriz (; ) is a city in the Central District (Tabriz County), Central District of Tabriz County, in the East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan province of northwestern Iran. It serves as capital of the province, the county, and the distric ...
and Sultaniyya. From an architectural and stylistic standpoint, the Imami Madrasa itself is considered as belonging to the " Ilkhanid era". In
Shiraz Shiraz (; ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the popu ...
, the '' Khuda Khane'' ("House of God") kiosk at the center of the Atigh Jame' Mosque was commissioned by the Injuids in 1351, in order to store Qur'ans. In Shiraz also, Abu Ishaq reportedly had a building constructed that reflected the
Sasanian The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranians"), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign ...
palace Taq-e Kasra at
Ctesiphon Ctesiphon ( ; , ''Tyspwn'' or ''Tysfwn''; ; , ; Thomas A. Carlson et al., 窶廚tesiphon 窶 ワゥワ巖杲」ワヲワ俐「 窶 in The Syriac Gazetteer last modified July 28, 2014, http://syriaca.org/place/58.) was an ancient city in modern Iraq, on the eastern ba ...
. However, the construction was never finished and no remains of the building stand today.


Injuid rulers

* Sharaf al-Din Mahmud Shah (1304窶1335) * Amir Ghiyas al-Din Kai-Khusrau (1336窶1338/9) * Amir Jalal al-Din Mas'ud Shah (in opposition to Kai-Khusrau) () * Shams al-Din Muhammad (in opposition to Mas'ud Shah) (1339) * Shaikh Jamal al-Din Abu Ishaq ()


Genealogy of House of Inju


References


Sources

* * Peter Jackson (1986). ''The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume Six: The Timurid and Safavid Periods''. * Arthur J. Arberrt (1960). ''Shiraz: Persian City of Saints and Poets''.


External links

{{Iran topics 14th century in Iran Former countries in West Asia States and territories disestablished in 1357 States and territories established in 1335