Bengi Ali of Karaman
Encyclopedia
Ali of Karaman was the ruler of Karamanids in what is now modern Turkey
in the 15th century .
after the disintegration of Seljuq Sultanate of Rûm
. The capital of Karamanid state was usually Karaman
(ancient Larende, renamed by the Karamanids) and sometimes Konya
and other cities as well. It was the main rival of the rising Ottoman Empire
.
. In 1398, Bayezid I
of the Ottoman Empire conquered the Karamanid state and jailed Mehmed and Ali. But in 1402, Bayezid himself was defeated by Timur
in the battle of Ankara
and the two brothers were set free with a permission from Timur to reign on former Karamanid territory. Timur also gave them a few forts in addition to their former possessions. While Mehmed acquired most of Karamanid territory, Ali had to content with Niğde
, a city at the east of Karamanid territory. Although Ali was a vassal of his brother, soon he began acting independently. But he was no match for his brother and in 1415 he escaped to Mamluk Sultanate
in Egypt
.
from the Dulkadirids, which was a vassal of Mamluk Sultanate. Mamluks intervened and Mehmed was defeated. Mamluks arrested Mehmed and supported Ali to gain the possessions of his brother. Ali began reigning on the Karamanid territory with the exception of Konya, the most important city of Karamanids. However Ali's reign was short. Because in 1421 Mehmed was released by the new Mamluk sultan Seyfettin Tatar. Mehmed returned to Anatolia and conquered his former possessions. Ali returned to Niğde.
. This gave Ali a second chance to reign. The second reign was also short. Mehmed's son Ibrahim
who was supported by the Ottomans defeated his uncle in 1424. However İbrahim chose to make piece with his uncle by giving him extra possession as iqta in addition to Niğde.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in the 15th century .
Karamanids
Karamanid was a Turkmen state in central AnatoliaAnatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
after the disintegration of Seljuq Sultanate of Rûm
Sultanate of Rûm
The Sultanate of Rum , also known as the Anatolian Seljuk State , was a Turkic state centered in in Anatolia, with capitals first at İznik and then at Konya. Since the court of the sultanate was highly mobile, cities like Kayseri and Sivas also functioned at times as capitals...
. The capital of Karamanid state was usually Karaman
Karaman
Karaman is a town in south central Turkey, located north of the Taurus Mountains, about south of Konya. It is the capital district of the Karaman Province. According to 2000 census, the population of the province is 231 872 of which 132,064 live in the town of Karaman. The district covers an area...
(ancient Larende, renamed by the Karamanids) and sometimes Konya
Konya
Konya is a city in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The metropolitan area in the entire Konya Province had a population of 1,036,027 as of 2010, making the city seventh most populous in Turkey.-Etymology:...
and other cities as well. It was the main rival of the rising Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
Background
Ali was the younger brother of Mehmed II of KaramanMehmet II of Karaman
Mehmet II of Karaman, Mehmed Beg , Mehmed Beg II, also known as Nasir al-Din Mehmed Beg was the ruler of Karaman in what is now modern Turkey in the 15th century.- Karamanids :...
. In 1398, Bayezid I
Bayezid I
Bayezid I was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1389 to 1402. He was the son of Murad I and Valide Sultan Gülçiçek Hatun.-Biography:Bayezid was born in Edirne and spent his youth in Bursa, where he received a high-level education...
of the Ottoman Empire conquered the Karamanid state and jailed Mehmed and Ali. But in 1402, Bayezid himself was defeated by Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
in the battle of Ankara
Battle of Ankara
The Battle of Ankara or Battle of Angora, fought on July 20, 1402, took place at the field of Çubuk between the forces of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I and the Turko-Mongol forces of Timur, ruler of the Timurid Empire. The battle was a major victory for Timur, and it led to a period of crisis for...
and the two brothers were set free with a permission from Timur to reign on former Karamanid territory. Timur also gave them a few forts in addition to their former possessions. While Mehmed acquired most of Karamanid territory, Ali had to content with Niğde
Nigde
Niğde is a small city and the capital of Niğde Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. The population is 109,724 per the 2010 statistics...
, a city at the east of Karamanid territory. Although Ali was a vassal of his brother, soon he began acting independently. But he was no match for his brother and in 1415 he escaped to Mamluk Sultanate
Mamluk Sultanate (Cairo)
The Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt was the final independent Egyptian state prior to the establishment of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty in 1805. It lasted from the overthrow of the Ayyubid Dynasty until the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517. The sultanate's ruling caste was composed of Mamluks, Arabised...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
First reign
In 1420 Mehmed tried to capture the city of KayseriKayseri
Kayseri is a large and industrialized city in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It is the seat of Kayseri Province. The city of Kayseri, as defined by the boundaries of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, is structurally composed of five metropolitan districts, the two core districts of Kocasinan and...
from the Dulkadirids, which was a vassal of Mamluk Sultanate. Mamluks intervened and Mehmed was defeated. Mamluks arrested Mehmed and supported Ali to gain the possessions of his brother. Ali began reigning on the Karamanid territory with the exception of Konya, the most important city of Karamanids. However Ali's reign was short. Because in 1421 Mehmed was released by the new Mamluk sultan Seyfettin Tatar. Mehmed returned to Anatolia and conquered his former possessions. Ali returned to Niğde.
Second reign
In 1423 Mehmed died during the siege of AntalyaAntalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
. This gave Ali a second chance to reign. The second reign was also short. Mehmed's son Ibrahim
İbrahim II of Karaman
-Background: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...
who was supported by the Ottomans defeated his uncle in 1424. However İbrahim chose to make piece with his uncle by giving him extra possession as iqta in addition to Niğde.