Shah Ismail’s Period (1501-1524) 

Ismail was hidden by a woman called with the title or nickname as Aba or Ebe (Midwife) that dwelled in the Anatolian (Greek) quarter in Erdebil. Aba (Ebe) was from the country of Dulkadi. However, Akkoyunlu Ibe Sultan had initialised a strict search in the city in order find Haydar’s other sons that were alive. The notable disciples such as Şamlu Lala Huseyin and Dulkadirli Dede Abdal Bey and he Anatolian Gök Ali had understood that the sons of their sheikh would be caught as a result of this search. Therefore, they took them to Gilan in secret (1493). Ismail had stayed in Giran for more than six years (six years and several months) and he had spent most of his time residing in the city of Lahcivan. However, he was not ever forgotten by the devotees. Furthermore, most of the devotees from Anatolia and few of the devotees from Karaca Mountain and Eher in Azerbaijan had visited him with votive offerings and presents. The time passed by in favour of Ismail. Actually, the struggles for sultanate among the members of the Akkoyunlu dynasty had carried on in a bloody and cruel manner.

Göde Ahmed Bey, the son of Ugurlu Mehmed who was the son of Uzun Hasan Bey was brought in the Ottoman palace. He came from Istanbul to Azerbaijan as a result of the insistent invitation of some of Akkoyunlu Beys. Then, he was involved in a struggle with Rustem Bey. Afterwards, he defeated and killed Rustem Bey (July 1497= Kazb) and he ascended the throne of Akkoyunlu State. However, before long, he was killed in a fight that took place in Haze Hasan-i Marzi in one of the regions of Isfahan by Ibe Sultan and Fars Governor, Pürnek Kasim Bey (Rabi I 903= December 1497). Ilbe Sultan enthroned Yusuf Bey’s son, Elvend that was one of the grandsons of Hasan Bey as the sovereign of the Akkoyunlu State in Tabriz (903=1498). In the following year, the other son of Yusuf Bey who was called as Muhammedî Aziz defeated Elvend in the war that took place in Kendi (Shawwal 904= May-June 1499) and Ibe Sultan was also killed. Therefore, the last powerful character of the dynasty was annihilated. However, Muhammedi retreated to Sultaniye upon the collection of soldiers by Elvend and his advance from Diyarbakir towards him. Then, he went to the region of Isfahan and he was killed in a battle that he fought against Yakub Bey’s son, Murad (1500). 

Before long, Elvend Bey and Sultan Murad encountered each other in the region of Ebher; however, a state of peace was established due to the efforts of a dervish called as Baba Hayrullah. According to this peace treaty, Murad Bey would establish domination in both states of Iraq, Farsi and Kirman regions and Elvend would establish dominion in the Akkoyunlu country in Azerbaijan, Erran, Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia. Kizil Oten would constitute the border between them (1500). While all these struggles went on, Ismail departed from Gilan. 

         In the middle of Muharram 1499, in the middle of August, Ismail had been in full age of twelve at the same time. However, the rulers of the Akkoyunlu State were not elder than him. Of these rulers, Sultan Murad was only at the age of ten (birth: 13th Ramadan 895). The departure of Ismail from Gilan was related with the suitable condition of the political circumstances. Ismail came to Tarum in Deylem country that was located in the west corner of the Caspian Sea. It was rumoured that Ismail had collected one thousand and five hundreds of disciples in this place that were composed of the people from Anatolia and the Damascus. However, it is not possible to consider this figure as a definite figure due to various reasons. Ismail came from Tarum to firstly Halhal, and then, to Erdebil. However, he left this city upon the warning of Cakirlu Sultan Ali Bey who was the governor of this city and he went to Ercuvan in Astara region that was located on the coasts of the Caspian Sea in order to spend the winter.