Nur-Ali Khalifa

Nur-Ali Khalifa, also known as Nur-Ali Khalifa Rumlu, was an early 16th-century Safavid military leader and official from the Turkoman Rumlu tribe, who served as the governor of Erzincan from 1508 to 1514. Nur-Ali Khalifa was a pivotal figure in the early days of the Safavid realm. His large-scale campaign in Anatolia in 1512, with troops levied on the spot from Sufis belonging to the Safawiyya order and which coincided with the ascension of Selim I (r. 1512-1520) to the throne, was one of the casus belli that lead to the Battle of Chaldiran (1514). This Safavid force led by Nur-Ali Khalifa penetrated deep into Anatolia, captured and sacked the town of Tokat, had the khotbeh read there in Ismail I's name, and managed to defeat an Ottoman army led by Sinan Pasha that was sent after them. During the decisive Chaldiran battle, Nur-Ali Khalifa and Mohammad Khan Ustajlu were Ismail I's (r. 1501-1524) commanders who had first-hand experience with the Ottoman ways of warfare. Nur-Ali Khalifa supported Mohammad Khan Ustajlu's suggestion to attack the Ottoman army at once, but they were both rudely rebuffed by Durmish Khan Shamlu. Ismail I's choice, to endorse Durmish Khan Shamlu's own suggestion for the attack would prove costly, and contributed to the sound Safavid defeat at Chaldiran.