Karamanids

SUMMARY
Mustafayev Sh.M. From the Seljuks to the Ottomans. Ethno-political processes in the Turkic milieu of Asia Minor in the 11-15 centuries.

The monograph analyzes the complex ethno-political processes in Asia Minor on a broad chronological background since the time of the conquest of the region by the Oghuz-Turkmen tribes in the 11 century up to the final establishment of the Ottoman political hegemony at the end of the 15 century. It attempts to trace the stages of the ethnic history of the Turkish people in the Middle Ages, and to establish the connection between its ethnic integration and political changes in Anatolia. The book examines the formation of the Turkic ethnic milieu in Anatolia in the Seljuk period, its subsequent evolution following the collapse of the Seljuk Sultanate in Asia Minor under impingements of the Mongols, the fragmentation of political power in Anatolia and the establishment of a number of principalities, as well as the fierce struggle for leadership in the region between the new entities, and the gradual rise of the Ottoman State. It also assesses the impact of historical events on the dynamics of the Turkic ethnic consciousness and identity.
The book introduces a number of milestones in the evolution of Turkic ethnic milieu of Asia Minor. Seljuk conquest of the Middle East in the 11 century paved the way for the gradual formation of a Turkic ethnic milieu in a large geographical area from the Caspian coast in the east to the Aegean Sea coast in the west. In the second half of the 12 – early 13 centuries there was relative political integrity of this area, when a large part of Anatolia was united under the Seljuk Sultanate in Asia Minor. This fragile stability was breached in result of Mongol conquest in the mid-13 century. However, the political domination of the Mongols in Asia Minor lasted until the early 14 century. Last Seljuk sultans, vassals of Ilkhanid court in Azerbaijan, lost their power over Anatolia, as well as the legitimacy in the eyes of their subjects, particularly bellicose Turkmen tribes who settled in “uj” zone or the border with Byzantium. The Ilkhanid control over Asia Minor also gradually weakened, which opened the way for the appearance of new power centers on the scene. Thus the era of political fragmentation in Turkey’s medieval history began.
By the beginning of the 14 century the whole territory of Anatolia disintegrated into smaller state formations – principalities. New Turkic emirates were competing with each other for the military and political leadership and mission of the “gatherer” of the Anatolian lands or fragments of the Seljuk Sultanate. At the same time, in the public mind of Turkic Anatolia it was a replacement of cultural ideals of Seljuk era, inspired by the influence of Persian literature and art, by other values caused by new political realities. This was manifested in the growth of interest of political elites in the Anatolian emirates to the national language, the birth and rapid development of Turkish literature in Asia Minor, the start of translation activity in the courts of the rulers, the growth of the number of manuscripts in Turkish, etc.
Two main political centers or poles, which can be roughly described as “Western” and “Eastern”, gradually stood out in the course of the confrontation within the Turkic milieu in Asia Minor. The Western pole has always been associated with the Ottoman Empire, while the Eastern pole, which was opposing the Ottomans, was represented by traditional Turkic principalities in Asia Minor (Karaman principality, State of Kadi Burhan ad-Din Ahmed, Aqqoyunlu State) successively replacing each other. The question of which of them would be able to take on the mission of “heir” of the Seljuk Sultanate and accomplish the task of unification of Asia Minor under its own rule had crucial significance for the whole history of the Turkic Anatolia. In other words, there was a question about the guiding direction line of new centralization of Asia Minor – from west to east or vice versa? Thus, the struggle between the two poles determined all further historical evolution of the Turkic milieu of Asia Minor. The final victory of the Western or the Ottoman pole promoted further political consolidation and integration of the Turkic ethnic and cultural milieu of Asia Minor around the Ottoman Empire.


В книге на широком хронологическом фоне анализируются сложные этнополитические процессы в Малой Азии со времени завоевания региона в XI столетии огузо-туркменскими племенами и до окончательного установления османской политической гегемонии в конце XV в. На основе обширного круга источников делается попытка проследить различные этапы этнической истории турецкого народа, установить органическую связь процессов этнической интеграции с политическими изменениями в Анатолии. Выявляются особенности формирования в Анатолии тюркской этнической среды в сельджукский период, ее последующей эволюции после распада централизованного Сельджукского государства Малой Азии под ударами монголов, дробления политической власти в Анатолии и образования ряда эмиратов (бейликов); исследуются отношения и ожесточенная борьба за лидерство в регионе между этими государственными образованиями и постепенное возвышение Османского государства, оценивается влияние исторических событий на динамику развития тюркского этнического сознания и идентичности.

Öz Bu çalışmada, çoğunlukla orta Anadolu havzasında yaşamaış olan Türkçe konuşan Ortodoks Hristiyan nüfus hakkında araştırma yapmaya isteklilere katkı sunulması amaçlanmaştır. 1924 yılında Türkiye ile Yunanistan arasında gerçekleşen mübadele sonrası Türkiye'den gönderilenler, Türkçe konuşur, fakat Hristiyan Ortodoks mezhebine mensup idiler. Karamanlılar adıyla bilinen bu topluluğun kökenleri konusunda uzunca tartışmalar yapılmış ve bir türlü sonuçlanamamıştır. Bu nüfusun kökenlerine dair birbirinden faklı düşünceler bulunmaktadır. Ağırlıklı olarak iki kanatta toplanan fikirlerin tartışması bu metinde yapılmaya çalışılacaktır. Bu çalışmada bir yüz yıl boyunca yaşamış gerek tarihçi gerekse konuya ilgili yazarlar tarafından ortaya atılmış ya da aktarılmış görüşler ile bu görüşleri elde etme yolunda izledikleri yol, kaynak kullanımları ve yaklaşım farkları değerlendirilmiştir. Abstract This study aims to contribute those who are willing to study about Turksih speaking Orthodox Christian population where mostly lived in central Anatolian basin. Those Karamanlids people were able to speak only Turkish and they have been send to Greece after the population exchange decision made between Turkey and Greece in 1924 eventhough they were not able to * İstanbul Medeniyet Üniversitesi, S.B.E. , Tarih A.B.D. , tezli yüksek lisans öğrencisi, hasanbarisaki@gmail.com ,7 Mayıs 2017

Karamanlı Türkmenleri Moğol baskısıyla Aral gölünün doğusundaki ana yurtlarını terk ederek önce Azerbaycan’ın Şirvan eyaletinde bir süre kalıp bazı mensuplarını burada bıraktıktan sonra günümüzde Taşeli olarak adlandırılan coğrafi bölgeye bilhassa Ermenek ve Mut yörelerine göç etmişlerdir. Karamanlı Türkmenleri, XIII. asrın ilk çeyreği I. Alaeddin Keykubad zamanında Taşeli’nde konar-göçer bir topluluk şeklinde örgütlenmişlerdir. Taşeli’ye yerleşen Karamanoğulları beyliğinin başında görülen ilk siyasi şahsiyet, Nure Sofî olarak zikredilen Nureddin b. Sadeddin Bey’dir. Karamanlı Türkmenlerin kökeni hakkında kaynaklarda farklı rivayetlerin aktarılması tarihçilerin muhtelif yorumlarda bulunmasına sebep olsa da araştırmacıların çoğunluğu Yazıcızade Ali’nin Tevarih-i Al-i Selçuk adlı eserindeki kayıtlara atıfta bulunarak Nure Sofî’nin 24 Oğuz boyundan Avşar boyuna mensup olduğunu zikreder. Nure Sofî babası Sadeddin Bey ile Anadolu’ya göç ederek önce Sivas bölgesine yerleşmiş, daha sonra kendisine tabi Karamanlı Türkmenler ile I. Alaeddin Keykubad tarafından yurt olarak verilen Ereğli, Ermenek, Mut ve Silifke bölgesinde hâkimiyet kurmuştur. Nureddin Bey’in “Sofî veya Sûfî’’ lakabını almasında Baba İlyas Horasani’ye intisabı ile siyasi hayattan uzaklaşarak yönetimi oğluna bırakıp Babailere bağlı bir derviş gibi münzevi hayatı tercih etmesinin rolü büyüktür. Onun bu harekete katılması zaten üzerinde bulunan siyasi kimliğine dini bir kuvvet eklemiş ve göçebe Türkmenler arasında siyasi ve manevi nüfuzunu güçlendirmiştir. Ancak Babai isyanına katılan Nure Sofî, Selçuklu kuvvetlerinin isyancıları şiddetle bozguna uğratmasından dolayı buradan Baba İlyas’ın oğlu Muhlis Paşa ile beraber kaçarak Ermenek yöresine, ailesinin ve oymak halkının yanına gelmiş, burada ölünceye değin münzevi bir hayat yaşamıştır. Karaman, Zeynü’l Hac ve Bunsuz adında üç veya dört oğula sahip olan Nure Sofî’nin ölüm zamanı bilinmemekle birlikte günümüzde kalıntıları hala görülebilen mezarı Mut ilçesine bağlı Değirmenlik yaylasındadır. Bu bildiride Nure Sofî ve ailesinin kökeni, siyasi ve menkıbevi kişiliği, Ermenek ve Mut yöresine gelişleri, Baba İlyas Horasani’ye bağlanması ve isyan sonrasındaki hayatı, ölümü ve öldüğü yer ile ilgili değerlendirmelerde bulunulacaktır.

Karamanli Turks that left their motherlands in the east of the Aral Sea due to the Mongol pressure firstly lived in Sirvan for a short period of time, a province of Azerbaijan region and later migrated to Ermenek and Mut territory in particular, a part of a greater region called Taseli. Karamanids were organized in a semi-nomadic way of life in Taseli during the reign of Aladdin Keykubad I in the first quarter of the 13th century. First political figure of Karamanids settled to Taşeli was Nureddin b. Sadeddin Beg who was called Nure Sofi. Although, there are different data in sources that caused various comments by historians over the origin of Karamanli Turkmens, majority of researchers citing to the work of Yazicizade Ali, Tevarih-i Al-i Selçuk, claims that Karamanids were related to Afshar tribe, one of twenty four Oghuz tribes. Nure Sofi who was migrated to Anatolia with his father Sadeddin Beg was settled firstly in Sivas. After that, he moved to the regions of Eregli, Ermenek, Mut and Silifke donated to himself by Aladdin Keykubad I with Karamanli Turkmens that was under his authority. Nureddin Bey's preference for his nickname as “Sofî or Sufi’ was mostly associated with the role of his ascetic life as a dervish loyal to the Babais after he was attached to the father İlyas Horasani and left the administration to his son. His attachment to this movement was further strengthened his political identity through a religious side and boosted his political and spiritual influence among nomad Turkmens. However, Nure Sofî, who participated in the Babai rebellion, escaped with Muhlis Paşa, the son of Baba İlyas, because of the Seljuk forces' violent repression of the rebels and came to the Ermenek region along with his family and the people of the tribe, and lived a reclusive life until his death. Nure Sofi’s death time who had three or four sons called Karaman, Zeynül Hac and Bunsuz is not known but his tomb that is visible today is Degirmenlik plateau of district of Mut. This study aims at evaluating the origin of Nure Sofî and his family, his political and moral personality, his arrival to the region of Ermenek and Mut, his attachment to Baba Ilyas Horasani and his life after his rebellion, his death and the place where he died.

Konya, which is in the Central Anatolian Region, is one of the greatest cities of Turkey as far as surface area is concerned. It has been densely populated in every historical period since its land is distributed into plateaus, plains and closed river systems and its soil is fertile. It was an important center of trade, culture and politics all through the First and Middle Ages at the intersection points of historical trade routes that connect the Anatolian towns to each other, to Asia and to Europe. It still keeps that importance today.

Karaman People (or Karamanlides) lived in Anatolia in the period of Ottoman Empire and spoke their mother language, Karamanli Turkish from the 14th to the 19th centuries. Despite the fact that the official goverment language was written in Arabic Script, this Anatolian Orthodox Christian community published their Turkish works in Greek Script. Many Karamanlides had to leave their homes during the population exchange in 1923 between Greece and Turkey, because of being an Orthodox although they didn’t speak Greek. Some refugees from Kutahya settled in and around Thessaloniki at that time. The first generation continued to speak Turkish and wrote this book to preserve their historical and cultural information about individuals, families or important events such as the period of Sultan Abdulhamid II, Ottoman Constitution, Mahmud Shevket Pasha who played an important role in ending the 31 March Incident. This article is about a book written by Karaman People from Kutahya, who settled in and around Thessaloniki: Savva S. Efremidu, Istoria-laografia tov Kotieu (Kütaheias), Poleos tis Kentrikis M. Asias (History and folklore of a city in the center of Asia Minor, Kutahya), Selanik, 1960. All data of Karaman Turkish in the book written in Greek language, was studied. Also the explanations in Greek were translated to Turkish before chapters in Karaman Turkish.

Karamanlıca İstanbul’un Fethi: Feth-i Konstantiniye
(The Conquest of Constantinople in Karamanli Turkish with Greek Script)

Sevim Yılmaz Önder - Elif Özcan Uğur
Dergah Yayınları, İstanbul/2021

The Karamanli People (Καραμανλήδες) who are an Orthodox, Turkish-speaking people, lived in Anatolia in the Ottoman Empire and spoke their mother tongue, called Karamanli Turkish. They published three books on the conquest of Constantinople. One of these works—probably the last one—was written by Arhimandritis Athanasios Simeonidis (Αρχιμανδρίτης Αθανάσιος Συμεωνίδης) in 1909.
A few passages from the book: The Byzantine Empire's Struggles during the Siege
While Sultan Mehmet ll was dealing with the preparations for war in Edirne, Emperor Konstantinos sent three ships to Mediterranean islands to get supplies and ammunition after escorting the people of the villages around Istanbul and their supplies into the city itself.
The Pope's envoy, Cardinal Isidoros took Leonardo, the Catholic Episcopal of Lesbos, 150 Catholics, and a ship with him and arrived in Istanbul. When he arrived, the issue of the unification of churches was discussed again, and on December 12 of 1452, Catholics and Greeks together held a ritual in the Hagia Sophia Church. This ritual angered the people no end.
Georgios Sholarios, who had become a monk named Gennadios, wouldn’t come out when many people arrived at the monastery where he was. He wrote on a piece of paper, “Miserable and poor Greeks! You despaired of Allah and took the side of the Europeans? Istanbul will be conquered by the Ottomans anyway. You will only have atheism, shame on you!” Then he hung this on the door of the room known as the Califactory, or warming room. The emperor's emissary, Grand Duke Lukas Notaras, was also not willing to unite with the Catholics. He said “I would rather see a Turkish turban in Constantinople than the Latin mitre.” This angered the people all the more.
The people of Istanbul were divided in two, and those who wanted to remain Orthodox cursed those who supported unification with the Catholics. Some 700 Greeks decided to leave the country to escape Catholicism. Although the beloved Gennadios Sholarios had said "Istanbul will be conquered by the Ottomans anyway," no one committed treachery by ceasing to stand up to the enemy and taking shelter under Ottoman protection.
On Tuesday, May 29, 1453: When the sun rose, the flag with the eagle—the symbol of the Greek Empire—was still flying around Topkapi. The soldiers were encouraged once more and the emperor said with great joy “Brothers! God is our helper. Don't be afraid, we'll save our homeland with a little patience. At that time, cannons began to beat the fortress from the outside.
The Ottomans entered in waves through the Sulukule Gate (now closed), which had been opened when the guards were killed, and they spread to the inner parts of the city. When Emperor Konstantinos Paleologos lost hope during the crisis, he immediately remembered that he was the last of the Greek emperors. According to a rumor, he said “There's no Christian left to kill me” and  according to another rumor he said “Despite Constantinople being conquered, is Constantine alive?” At the moment that the emperor wanted to die, a Janissary soldier hit his forehead with a sword and the emperor fought for the last time and knocked down the soldier who wanted to kill him. Meanwhile another Janissary stabbed him in the back with the sword of revenge and he felled the last emperor.

Karamanli Turkish is a Turkish Language spoken by Karamans who are Anatolian Orthodox Christians from the 14th to the 19th centuries in Anatolia in the period of Ottoman Empire. Their works that were published in Ottoman Turkish using Greek Script are called Karamanlidika (Καραμανλήδικα / Καραμανλήδεια γραφή) or Karamanli Turkish. Some of the Karamans lived in the part of Anatolia Trabzon- Fırat-Toros- Silifke line to the west, especially in Kayseri, Nevşehir, Niğde, Konya areas and Black Sea’s coast and Istanbul, some other part of them lived in Syria, Balkans, Crimea and Cyprus until many Karamanlides had to leave their homes during the population exchange in 1923 between Greece and Turkey, because of being an Orthodox although they didn’t speak Greek. In the Karamans’ works published in their own accent, they define their language as “prosaic Turkish, simple Turkish, clear Turkish or Anatolian language". They wrote novels, stories, novel translations, poetry, theater scripts, songs, epics, dream interpretations, entertaining books as horoscopes and books about Anatolian folk, the stories and anecdotes reflecting Anatolian folklore such as Stories of Şah İsmail, Köroğlu, Âşık Garip, Âşık Kerem and Anecdotes of  Nasreddin Hoca. In this paper we will talk about Karamanli Turkish Anecdotes of Nasreddin Hoca and its multicultural Anatolian life such as some social syterotypes, professions, neighborhoods and the relationship between husband and wife etc.

In Turkey, there are a few carved inscriptions (tombstones, building and commemorative inscriptions) belonging to the Qaramanids in the provinces of Antalya, Larende, Ermenak, Konya, Laranda, Niğde, and Aksaray. Most of these inscriptions were published between 1911 and 1912 by the Turkish scholar Halil Edhem Eldem (1861-1938), who was the director of the Museum of Antiquities in Istanbul in 1910. In addition to them, the late Turkish historian Mükrimin Halil Yinanç (1900-1961), from Istanbul University, recorded copies of the inscriptions belonging to the Anatolian Seljuks and Anatolian Principalities, including that of the Qaramanids into the daftars (notebooks). These notebooks, which have not been published yet, are protected by the family of the deceased Professor Refet Yinanç (1939-2019). Most of the inscriptions, I used in this article, are basically based on these two sources.
The Qaramanids, a Turkish-Islamic State and politically opposed to the Ottomans, used Turkish, Arabic and Persian words as titles and epithets. They inherited most of these titles and epithets from the Anatolian Seljuks. While emphasizing the Central Asian Turkish roots with the Turkish words they used, they also emphasized that they supported Islam and the caliphate with Arabic words. With these words, they openly stated that they were the helpers of Islam and Muslims and that they were engaged in jihad. In addition to making conquests in the name of Islam, they also declared that they were fighting against polytheism and atheism. They always expressed their support for the caliph. Karamanoğlu Ibrahim Bey II declared himself as a caliph. They claimed that they were the heirs of the Iranian shahs with Persian words. They stated that they attach importance to justice and bestowal. They clearly wrote in the inscriptions that they were protecting the believers but were the enemies of the unbelievers.

A New Source About Hatunsaray-Sheikh Shibli Zawiya: Waqfiyya of Karamanoghlu Suleiman I

The archive record of the zawiya built by Elvan Sheikh, on behalf of Abu Bekr Shibli in the Gilisra, a village in Konya, is limited and although there are documents referring to the waqfiyya, itself could not be identified. In May 2019, an Arabic document provided by the Konya Manuscripts Regional Directorate by donation was shared with us by Director Bekir Şahin and we reached the waqfiyya that we could not find in the archives. The waqfiyya, which shows that the religious endowment of Sheikh Shibli’s zawiya in Gilisra was founded by Karamanoghlu Suleiman I in 1307, is very important in several ways, therefore a general assessment will be made by giving latinization and Turkish translation in this study.