Until the end of the Safavid dynasty the city of Tabriz and the surrounding regions belonged to Iran and was the capital of the province of Azerbaijan. After the death of Nader Shah Afshar his empire was divided among his heirs and grandees, and Azad Khan Afghan, a Pashtun warlord got Azerbaijan. With the war of succession about the throne of Iran between the Qajar and Zand princes, the Donboli lords of Khoy and Salmas could establish their rule also in Tabriz and extended their influence over the whole province. Najaf Qoli Donboli, a khan of Kurdish origin and son of Shahbaz Khan I of Khoy, entered service of Nader Shah and remained also in the position of governor-general in the time of his successor. He founded the khanate with Tabriz as its centre. Najaf Qoli Khan and his nephew Shahbaz Khan II joined Fath Ali Khan Afshar-Arashlu, the khan of Urmia, who broadened its boundaries by occupying Ardabil, Khalkhal, and certain parts of southern Azerbaijan. Finally, Fath Ali Khan made himself supreme ruler over all of Azerbaijan, and Tabriz became capital of his kingdom broadened its boundaries by occupying Ardabil, Khalkhal. The acting ruler of the khanate was commissioned to Najaf Qoli Khan. After the death of Fath Ali Khan, the Tabriz khanate regained its independence. The Donboli khans pledged their allegiances then first to Mohammad Hassan Khan Qajar, later to Karim Khan Zand and at the end to Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, who was proclaimed 1792 shahanshah and emperor of all of Iran. The khanate of Tabriz with the home domains of the Donboli clan, the Khoy Khanate became a vassal to Iran and finally in 1809 was incorporated into the new established regency of the Qajar crown prince, who hold traditionally the post of vicegerent of Azerbaijan with his seat of power at Tabriz.
Khans of Tabriz
Najaf Qoli Khan I, *1713, †1785, succeeded his father 1731 in Churs, 1731-1785 ruler of Churs and Salmas, succeeded his brother Morteza Qoli Khan II 1747 as head of the Donboli tribe, 1747-1785 ruler in Azerbaijan, 1769-1785 governor of Tabriz, 1st Khan of Tabriz
Khodadad Khan, †1787, succeeded his father 1785 in Tabriz, 1785-1787 governor of Tabriz, 2nd Khan of Tabriz
Hossein Qoli Khan, *1756, †1798, 1786-1793 and 1797-1798 governor of Khoy, 4th Khan of Khoy, 1787 incorporated Tabriz in his domains as 3rd Khan of Tabriz.
Jafar Qoli Khan Donboli, opposed his brother 1793-1797 and 1799 in his brothers domains, 4th Khan of Tabriz.
Najaf Qoli Khan II, 1809 governor and ruling Khan of Tabriz. - After him Tabriz became the seat of the Persian crown prince of the Qajar dynasty who also was acting governor of Azerbaijan.
