The central power in Persia was always depending on political agreements between the confederated tribes.
Khamseh, Afshari, Baluchi Bakhtiari, Turkoman were often sharing or fighting to get the leading part.
Qashqay, mostly nomads, constituted one of those strong confederations. They resided in Southern Iran, Fars and Khuzestan, but originally came from the North as they were Turkish tribes which had left Central Asia from the 11th century on. This explains why they make their rugs with a Turkish knot and speak a Turkic language.

Today most of them have settled in villages or cities. Their main clans or families are the Amalah, Dara Shuri, Kashkuli, Sish Baluki, Farsimadan, Qaracha, Rahimi en Safi Khani.
Approximately one and a half million Qashqays live in southern Iran, and they still are famed for their skill in handicrafts.