Uzun Hasan Bey who had been the greatest assistant of Cihangir in the course of the struggles and fights with the Karakoyunlu State captured Diyarbakir upon a sudden attack in the year of 1453. Then, he defeated his brothers, Cihangir and Uveys and he totally defeated the Karakoyunlu forces that came to provide help to these brothers in a crushing manner (1457). Upon this success of him, his brothers were submissive to him. Uzun Hasan abolished the Eyyubi domination in Hisn Keyfa in the same year.

In the following year, he forced Dulkadir-oglu Arslan Bey that had attacked to the country of the Karamanoglu state to retreat. Uzun Hasan captured several castles in Georgia in the year of 1459 and abolished the dominion of Egil beys that alleged that they were from the Seljuk roots. He recaptured the places and regions that had been captured by Karakoyunlu State before and he also captured Sebinkarahisar and Koyulhisar and started to organise raids towards the Ottoman country.

When his country was captured by the Ottomans, Candaroglu Kızıl Ahmed took shelter in Uzun Hasan and Mehmed II set in motion in order to capture Trebizond. Upon these events, Uzun Hasan claimed for his rights upon the Trebizond-Greek State since he was married with the daughter of the Emperor Ioannes IV. Due to these reasons stated above, the relations between the Akkoyunlu State and the Ottoman State were on strained terms. The forces sent by Uzun Hasan in order to prevent the Ottoman army that advanced towards Trebizond were defeated by Gedik Ahmet Pasha. Upon this defeat, Uzun Hasan sent his mother, Sara Hâtûn to Fatih. He wanted the retreat of the Ottoman army; but his proposal was rejected. Ottomans captured Trebizond and abolished this state (1461). However, some of the treasury that was despoiled was divided for his wife and sent to Uzun Hasan.

When he slipped off from his occupation in the west, Uzun Hasan organised some raids and attacks against Georgia in the years of 1462, 1472 and 1477. Uzun Hasan who considered himself much more powerful gradually started to intervene in the internal affairs of his weak neighbours. Upon the death of Karaman bey Ibrahim Bey, Uzun Hasan provided the enthronement of his crown prince, Ishak Bey'. Uzun Hasan sent forces towards the Central Anatolia in the year of 1472 and captured Tokat, Kayseri and the regions of Hamideli. Meanwhile, the Akkoyunlu army tried to capture Konya together with Pîr Ahmed and Kasim Beys from the Karamanogullari principality; they could not achieve any success for the people of the city were faithful to the Ottomans. Moreover, they were defeated by the forces of of the prince Mustafa within the environs of Beysehir. In order to establish dominion in his country again, Pir Ahmed Bey continuously provoked Uzun Hasan who has taken shelter in him against the Ottoman State.

Upon the strained terms with the Ottoman State pursuant to the abolition of the Karakoyunlu State and their relations with Venetians forced the Akkoyunlu people to come down towards the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, their friendly relationship with the Mameluke State was destroyed. The military expedition organised by Uzun Hasan towards Syria (1472) ended up with failure. Therefore, the Euphrates River became the border between the Mameluke State and the Akkoyunlu State. Although Uzun Hasan was defeated by the Ottomans in Otlukbeli, the Mameluke State abstained from the Akkoyunlu State.

As for the movements of Uzun Hasan in the east, the reinforcement of the Akkoyunlu State had made their eternal rival, Karakoyunlu State suspicious of them. Cihan-shah set in motion from Tabriz in order to overwhelm Uzun Hasan in the spring of 1467. However, the ruler of the Akkoyunlu State sent letters of submission and fidelity, and he succeeded in gaining time. As a result, when the winter season drew near, Cihan-shah discharged some of his forces and tried to retreat from Muş. At the same time, Uzun Hasan organised a sudden attack and defeated the Karakoyunlu forces (11th November 1467). He took Cihan-shah as prisoner and then, executed him.

Cihan-shah's son, Hasan Ali who replaced him was involved in a war with the Akkoyunlu State with his jerry-built forces in the spring of the following year; but he was defeated in this war. He applied to Ebu Sa'id from Timur State and instigated him to capture Iraq and Iran. Ebû Sa'îd who set in motion from Herat in March 1468 came to Meshed over Serahs and Nîşâbûr. Then, when he came to Meshed, Uzun Hasan sent envoys to Ebû Saîd and proposed the state of peace; but he could not attain any result from this proposal. When Ebû Saîd passed through Bistâm and Rey and came to Sultâniye, Uzun Hasan gave up his thought about the capture of Tabriz that was still under the dominion of Karakoyunlu State. Then, he retreated to his winter residence in Karabag. However, Ebû Saîd advanced towards Karabag upon the encouragement of his commanders. He as defeated by Uzun Hasan within the environs of Mahmud-âbâd. While he tried to run away, he was caught and then, executed.

Hasan Ali who withdrew to Hamedan was killed by Uzun Hasan's son, Ugurlu Mehmed in April 1469. Therefore, Uzun Hasan had established dominion in the affluent regions of Azerbaijan and Iran and moved the capital city of the government to Tabriz.

Uzun Hasan was able to establish a powerful state that included Iran, the Eastern Anatolia and Iraq. He sent an envoy named as Hajji Mehmed to Venice with the intention of the capture of Egypt and the Ottoman countries (1472), and proposed for an alliance against the Ottoman State. The Republic of Venice accepted this proposal; and he sent the envoy together with some firearms to Tabriz. However, both states could not achieve the results that they hoped from this contact.

Fâtih Sultan Mehmed was occupied in the arrangements for a military expedition against this hostile stance and attitudes of Uzun Hasan. On the other hand, he proposed the state of peace to Venetia in order to prevent any Venetian attack. However, when the Venetians wanted the surrender of Euboea island to them, the negotiations were disconnected. Fatih who spent the winter of 1472 with the proper arrangements had stated as a reply to a letter of Uzun Hasan that "From now on, we do not need any envoys and will speak with our swords". Thus, he explained that he had decided for a war. The Ottoman army set in motion from Scutari towards the east under the command of the ruler in March 1473.

When Uzun Hasan heard of the arrival of Fâtih in Erzincan, he set in motion from Tabriz together with his forces composed of seventy thousands of people. The vanguard forces of both sides encountered within the environs of Tercan and the Akkoyunlu forces overwhelmed by superior force. Moreover, Uzun Hasan's son, Ugurlu Mehmed Bey trapped Has Murad Pasha who was the bey governor of Roumelia and put him and most of his soldiers to the sword. Upon this event, the Ottoman army started to retreat towards Bayburt. As a result of the arrangements that were organised by Uzun Hasan, the Ottomans were forced to accept the state of war in Otlukbeli (11th August 1473). In this war, the concentration of Ottoman firearms against the ruler of the Akkoyunlu State hindered the resistance of Uzun Hasan any longer. Therefore, he had to run away. The Ottomans acquired abundant prisoners and spoils.

Uzun Hasan not only lost his political prestige, but also incurred great damage and loss in respect of lands and military aspects. Despite these losses, he continued his military activities. However, he became sick in the course of his return from the fourth military expedition to Georgia (1477). Then he died in Tabriz on the date of 6th January 1478. He was buried in the Nasiriye theological school.

Uzun Hasan who turned the Akkoyunlu principality in to a big state was a tall, intelligent, reasonable, determined, brave, fair, and a modest ruler that protected the scholars and the artists. However, his addiction to the alcoholic drinks was his weakness. Uzun Hasan had constructed a magnificent palace in Tabriz and he was the founder of several scientific and charitable institutions. He had tried to organise the Akkoyunlu State taking the Ottoman State as a model in respect of the administrative and military organisation.

Upon the death of Uzun Hasn, the Akkoyunlu State lots its old power and strength. The princes that were the members of the dynasty and the beys that supported them started to neglect the central authority all around the country. Halil Sultan could establish dominion in the sultanate through the efforts of his mother, Seljuk-shah Begum. When he killed his brother, Maksud Bey, some rebellions burst out against him. Although Halil Sultan suppressed the rebellions of his uncle Cihangir's sons, Murad and Ibrahim Beys, he was killed by his brother, Yakup Bey who was the governor of Diyarbakir in the sixth month of his sultanate.

to be continued