Already established by the 1380s, the founder of the emirate was Izz al-din Shir, a Kurdish noble descended from the Armenian Artsruni dynasty.[3][4] Shir reigned until 1423, having maintained his rule by switching his allegiance variously between the Timurids and the Qara Qoyunlu. Many of his sons and grandsons were later captured or executed by the Qara Qoyunlu Sultan, Qara Iskander.[5][6]