[4][5] The parentage of Qara Mehdi is not known for certain, but according to Russian historian Ekaterina Kusheva, there is a possibility that Chupan Shamkhal (d. 1588) may have been a strong candidate.

A descendant of Qara Mehdi, Ahmad II (1735–1747) joined Qaplan I Giray's invasion of Caucasus[7] and fought against Nader Shah's Dagestan campaign and reportedly was instrumental during Battle of Andalal in 1741.

[5] Although Ottoman sultan Mahmud I initially appointed him as Shamkhal of Tarki[7] (a claim he put forward through his maternal line)[5] this title was revoked shortly to be given to Khaspulat (1734–1758).

Nevertheless, coalition defeated Fath Ali's army of 8,000 in the battle of Gavdushan, near the city of Khudat in July 1774 and forced him to flee to Salyan.

Avars offered the throne of khanate to Sultan Ahmad in 1802, since Umma had no surviving sons and his brother was killed by Gikhilay.

After Ali Sultan's death in 1807, Ahmad demanded his patrimony from his elder brother Hasan Khan, who granted him villages of Dorgeli, Kaka-Shura [pl; ru], Paraul and Urum.