Khoy

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Khoy
native_name =

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imagesize = 250px
image_caption = "Darvazeh Sangi" («Rocky door»), Khoy's Bazaar.


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pushpin_label_position =bottom
pushpin_mapsize = 250
pushpin_map_caption =Location in Iran
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name =‎
subdivision_name1 = West Azarbaijan Province
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timezone = IRST
utc_offset = +3:30
timezone_DST = IRST
utc_offset_DST = +4:30
latd=38|latm=33|lats=9|latNS=N
longd=44|longm=56|longs=52|longEW=E
elevation_footnotes=
elevation_m = 1148
elevation_ft = 3769
elevation_footnotes = [cite web
url = http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IR/2/Khvoy.html
title= Khoy, Iran Page
accessdate=2008-07-07 ]
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Khoy ( _fa. خوی, _az. خوی), also spelt Khoi, Khuy, [van Donzel, E. J. (compiler) (1994) "Khoi" "Islamic Desk Reference" E.J. Brill, Leiden, p. 208 ISBN 90-04-09738-4] Khvoy and Xoy, is a city in West Azarbaijan Province, Iran. It is located north of the state capital, Urmia, and 807 km north-west to Tehran. The region's economy is based around agriculture, particularly the production of fruit, grain, and timber. Khoy is nicknamed as the Sunflower city of Iran. As of 2006 census, the city had a population of 178,708, with an estimated 2008 population of 184,409. [" [http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gpro&lng=en&des=wg&geo=-106&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&pt=c&va=&geo=462730497 Khvoy] ," "World Gazetteer".]

Architecture

Khoy was fortified at various times in its history, most recently by the Qajar dynasty in the Nineteenth Century. It is well known for the tomb of Shams Tabrizi, renowned Iranian poet and mystic.

History

Khoy was located on the Silk Road.

Khoy was the capital of the Emirate of Khoy (Her), born out of the Vaspurakan Kingdom between 908 and 1021. Between 1208 and 1210 it was occupied by the forces of Tamar of Georgia. [Cook, Bernard A. (2006) "Women and War: A Historical Encyclopedia From Antiquity to the Present" ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, Calif., p. 579, ISBN 1-85109-770-8]

On 15 July 1478 (14 Rabi' II 883), in the Battle of Khoy, Sultan Khalil (Khalil Mirza) was killed and his forces dispersed by generals Bayandur and Sulayman Beg leading the confederated forces of Ya'qub, who then took the Akkoyunlular throne. [Woods, John E. (1999) "The Aqquyunlu: Clan, Confederation, Empire" University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, p. 128, ISBN 0-87480-565-1]

Khoy again came under Persian rule during the Seljuq period. After the death of Persian Emperor Nadir Shah Afshar in 1747 by the leader of the Dumbuli Azeri tribe, Khoy once again broke away from Persia along with several other states, including Afghanistan, becoming the Khanate of Khoy (1747-1813). The return of Khoy to Persia was precipitated by the Russian threat during the Russo-Persian Wars.

Khoy was attacked by Russia in 1827. In 1911 it was occupied by Turkish troops, followed in World War I by Russian troops, who withdrew in 1917. In World War II it was again occupied by Soviet troops, who remained until 1946.

Famous places

* Tomb of Shams Tabrizi
* Bastam and Bolourabad historical castles
* Khatoon [old] bridge
* Old stone gate of the city
* Old bazaar of Khoy

Famous people

* Grand Ayatollah Abul-Qassim Khoei
* Javad Khan Qajar Khoei

References