Conquest of Karaman and conflict with the Akkoyunlu (1464-1473)[edit] During the post-Seljuks era in the second half of the middle ages, numerous Turkmen principalities which are collectively known as Anatolian beyliks emerged in Anatolia. Initially Karamanids centered around the modern provinces of Karaman and Konya, was the most important power in Anatolia. But towards the end of the 1300s, Ottomans began to dominate on most of Anatolia, reducing the Karaman influence and prestige. İbrahim II of Karaman was the ruler of Karaman, during his last years, his sons began struggling for the throne. His heir apparent was İshak of Karaman, the governor of Silifke. But Pir Ahmet, a younger son, declared himself as the bey of Karaman in Konya. İbrahim escaped to a small city in western territories where he died in 1464. İshak of Karaman was at the time of his fathers death a local governor in Silifke. When he tried to march to his capital Konya, he learned that his younger brother Pir Ahmet had also put a claim on the throne. This resulted in an interregnum in the beylik. Nevertheless, with the help of Uzun Hasan, the sultan of the Akkoyunlu (White Sheep) Turkmens, he was able to ascend to the throne. However his reign was short. Because Pir Ahmet appealed to Ottoman sultan Mehmet II for help. He offered Mehmet some territory which İshak refused to cede. With Ottoman help, Pir Ahmet defeated İshak in the battle of Dağpazarı. İshak had to be content with Silifke up to an unknown date.[47] He kept his promise and ceded a part of the beylik to Ottomans. But he was uneasy about the loss. So during the Ottoman campaign in the West, he recaptured his former territory. However, Mehmet returned and captured both Karaman (Larende) and Konya, two major cities of the beylik, in 1466. Pir Ahmet berely escaped to the East. A few years later, Ottoman vizier (later grand vizier) Gedik Ahmet Pasha captured the coastal region of the beylik.[48] Battle of Otlukbeli is considered one of the largest battle of the 15th century in terms of tactics, technology and manpower by many historians, 1473 Pir Ahmet as well as his brother Kasım escaped to Uzun Hasans territory. This gave Uzun Hasan a chance to interfere. In 1472, the Akkoyunlu army invaded and raided most of Anatolia. (This was the reason behind the Battle of Otlukbeli in 1473.) But then Mehmed led a successful campaign against Uzun Hasan in 1473 which resulted with the decisive victory of the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Otlukbeli. Before that, Pir Ahmet with Akkoyunlu help had captured Karaman. However Pir Ahmet couldnt enjoy another term. Because immediately after the capture of Karaman, the Akkoyunlu army was defeated by the Ottomans near Beyşehir and Pir Ahmet had to escape once more. Although he tried to continue his struggle, he learned that his family members had been transferred to İstanbul by Gedik Ahmet Pasha, so he finally gave up. Demoralized, he escaped to Akkoyunlu territory where he was given a tımar (fief) in Bayburt He died in 1474.[49] Uniting the Anatolian beyliks was first accomplished by Sultan Bayezid I, more than fifty years earlier than Mehmed II but after the destructive Battle of Ankara back in 1402, the newly formed Anatolian unification was gone. Mehmed II recovered the Ottoman power on other Turkish states. These conquests allowed him to push further into Europe. Another important political entity which shaped the Eastern policy of Mehmed II were the White Sheep Turcomans. Under the leadership of Uzun Hasan, this kingdom gained power in the East; but because of their strong relations with the Christian powers like the Empire of Trebizond and the Republic of Venice and the alliance between the Turcomans and the Karamanid tribe, Mehmed saw them as a threat to his own power.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 21:59:06 +0000
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