By 1660 the Church of the East had become divided into two patriarchates: * the largest and oldest patriarchal See was based at the Rabban Hormizd Monastery of Alqosh. It spread from Aqrah up to Amid and Nisibis, covering in the South the rich plain of Mosul (it is known also as Eliya line). Since the 15th century its Patriarchs were appointed through an hereditary system. * the second patriarchal See was located in Khosrowa, near Salmas (from 1672 in Qochanis) and extended into the North East mountains (it is also known as the Shimun line). This patriarchal line began in 1553 when Mar Yohannan Sulaqa was consecrated bishop by the Pope in 1553, but soon it lost the connections with Rome. The last patriarch of this line recognized by the Holy See was Shimun IX Dinkha (died 1600) and l