Beylik of Erzincan
Encyclopedia
Beylik of Erzincan was a principality in East Anatolia
, Turkey
in the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries.
became the de facto rulers of Anatolia. However after Ilkhanids disintegrated in the fourteenth century, former generals and bureaucrats of Ilkhanids as well as tribes under Ilkhanid yoke decleared independence. The beylik of Erzincan was one of them.
was an east frontier town of the beylik of Eretna. The governor of the town after 1379 was a certain Mutaharten (also known as Trata or Tahirten) . His origin is obscure. But probably he was of Uyghur
origin and a relative of the bey of Eretnids. (Uyghurs served as bureaucrats in Mongol states.) After the interregnum in Eretnids in 1380, he decleared independence. However, after Kadi Burhanettin decleared himself as the ruler of the former Eretnid territory in 1381, Mutaherten saw himself in a difficult situation; for all of his neighbours, namely dominions of Burhanettin, Empire of Trebizond
, Kingdom of Georgia
, Sultanate of Akkoyunlu (White sheep Turkmens) etc. were more powerful than his small principality. So he adopted a policy of intrigue to protect the independency.
sultan Beyazit I annexed the former Eretnid territory to his realm and began threatening the beylik of Eretna. Timur
’s invasion of Anatolia at the beginning of the fifteenth century was a brief period of relief for Mutaherten who readily accepted the suzerainty of Timur. But shortly after the Battle of Ankara
in 1402, victorious Timur left Anatolia. The next year Mutaherten died. After his death the beylik ceased to play any role in the affairs of Anatolia. In 1410 Kara Yülük Osman, the sultan of Akkoyunlu, captured Erzincan and put an end to the beylik.
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, Turkey
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 fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries.
Background
After the battle of Kösedağ in 1243, Ilkhanid MongolsIlkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
became the de facto rulers of Anatolia. However after Ilkhanids disintegrated in the fourteenth century, former generals and bureaucrats of Ilkhanids as well as tribes under Ilkhanid yoke decleared independence. The beylik of Erzincan was one of them.
Emergence of the beylik
ErzincanErzincan
-Trivia:Erzincan has the largest man made of Portrait of Atatürk, located north of the city, 176m×43m. It covers 7,500 square meter. Turkish Army made it 1982, in 29 days by 3,000 soldier, 100 tons of black and white paint was used...
was an east frontier town of the beylik of Eretna. The governor of the town after 1379 was a certain Mutaharten (also known as Trata or Tahirten) . His origin is obscure. But probably he was of Uyghur
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
origin and a relative of the bey of Eretnids. (Uyghurs served as bureaucrats in Mongol states.) After the interregnum in Eretnids in 1380, he decleared independence. However, after Kadi Burhanettin decleared himself as the ruler of the former Eretnid territory in 1381, Mutaherten saw himself in a difficult situation; for all of his neighbours, namely dominions of Burhanettin, Empire of Trebizond
Empire of Trebizond
The Empire of Trebizond, founded in April 1204, was one of three Byzantine successor states of the Byzantine Empire. However, the creation of the Empire of Trebizond was not directly related to the capture of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, rather it had broken away from the Byzantine Empire...
, Kingdom of Georgia
History of Georgia (country)
The nation of Georgia was first unified as a kingdom under the Bagrationi dynasty in the 9th to 10th century, arising from a number of predecessor states of ancient Colchis and Iberia...
, Sultanate of Akkoyunlu (White sheep Turkmens) etc. were more powerful than his small principality. So he adopted a policy of intrigue to protect the independency.
Last years of the beylik
Burhanettin died in 1398. But OttomanOttoman 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...
sultan Beyazit I annexed the former Eretnid territory to his realm and began threatening the beylik of Eretna. 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...
’s invasion of Anatolia at the beginning of the fifteenth century was a brief period of relief for Mutaherten who readily accepted the suzerainty of Timur. But shortly after 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...
in 1402, victorious Timur left Anatolia. The next year Mutaherten died. After his death the beylik ceased to play any role in the affairs of Anatolia. In 1410 Kara Yülük Osman, the sultan of Akkoyunlu, captured Erzincan and put an end to the beylik.