Alqas Mirza was born on 15 March 1516 (10 Safar 922 AH) in a winter camp near Tabriz as Shah Ismail's third son.

According to a source, his name was a word play on Qisas (retaliation) referring to a desire to beat Ottomans back after Battle of Chaldiran.

[1] According to Tāriḵ-e Rawżat al-ṣafā-ye nāṣeri by Reza-Qoli Khan Hedayat, he was born as soon as the news of Selim I's death reached Safavid realm.

The Shirvanese nobles brought Shahrukh, his nephew from Gazikumukh Shamkhalate and enthroned him, instead of Khalilullah's half-Safavid son Burhan Ali.

According to Khurshah ibn Qubad, queen-dowager Parikhan Khanum approved the revolt and sent envoys to Tahmasp,[5] inviting him to invade the country.

[8] Tahmasp subsequently ordered the Bughurt Fortress to be demolished on 19 October and appointed Alqas as first beylerbey of Shirvan, ending 677-year-long independent state of Shirvanshahs.

According to Ahmad Monshi Ghomi, a certain Begoglu Ustajlu wanted to marry Khanbegi Khanum, Alqas' mother and Tahmasp allowed him.

[4] Walter Posch argues that after execution of Ghazi, Alqas received his soldiers and with Shirvanshah treasury and robust economy, he felt powerful enough to act de-facto independent.

[9] Soon in 1545, Tahmasp sent an envoy from Qazvin named Ali agha Akhcha Sakal Urganch oghlu[10] and demanded execution of Alqas' Shirvanian vizier Sayyid Mir Azizullah Shirvani.

[4] Alqas agreed to provide 1000 tomans and 1000 horsemen every year as a tribute, join Tahmasp's upcoming campaign to Georgia and execute Shirvanian nobles.

Several officiers, including Parvandi agha Rumlu and Shahnazar beg, brother of Darvish Muhammad fell in battle while fighting against Circassians.

Unable to withstand the Shah's forces, Alqas fled to Khinalug but had to face Safavid army on the banks of Samur river.

[4] Despite Alqas fleeing, Gulustan Fortress continued to resist, its commander Dawlatyar killing Safavid emir Hamza beg Kashani.

Tahmasp granted Shirvan to his son, future shah Ismail II with Gokcha Soltan as his regent.

Aided by Ulama Pasha Takalu, a renegade Safavid, now beylerbey of Erzurum, he occupied Khoy on 27 July 1548 with 40,000 men.

As a result, Alqas successfully captured Hamadan and seized his brother Bahram Mirza's family on 5 November 1548.

Going further, he conquered Qom, raided Ray, besieged Isfahan, captured Izad-Khast Castle, went as far as Shiraz before returning to Behbahan.

Six months later, Alqas was thrown from the ramparts of the fortress to his death on 9 April 1550 by Hasan Yuzbashi, whose father was Begoglu Ustajlu.

In Constantinople, he left his nishanji, Fethullah Arif who authored Shahnama-yi Al-i Osman, as well as his court librarian Aflatun Shirvani.