TURKOMANS BETWEEN TWO EMPIRES: THE ... - Bilkent University

was in 1484 and the Shaykh’s real intention was to invade Shirvan but for some reasons
he firstly directed his followers towards Circassia. 669 On the way home, after pillaging
Circassia, however, he wanted to materialize his intention regarding Shirvan. But some
influential sufis in his court persuaded him not to do so, arguing sufis needed to have
some rest and obtain further weaponry. 670 So, having created great havoc in Circassia,
Shaykh Haydar triumphantly returned to Ardabil with a great deal of captives and spoils,
ordering to spend all the booty in order to reinforce the arsenal of the Tekke. 671
Sultan Haydar waged three more campaigns on Circassia and Dagistan. His first
two expeditions in 1484 or 1486, and 1487 were not opposed by Shirvanshah
Farruhyasar, who was the ruler of Shirvan, the territory through which Haydar had to
cross in order to reach Circassia and Dagistan. After his first successful expedition in
1484 or 1486, Haydar organized a second incursion, which again ended victoriously
with many slaves and booty. 672 These military successes waxed Shaykh Haydar’s
prestige while astonishing the rulers of outlying regions. 673 Consequently Sultan Yakup
called him to Tabriz in order to oblige the Shaykh to take an oath to leave the habits of
kings and to forbid him intercourse with his supporters, especially his khalifas in
669
Ahsenu’t-tevārih, IX, p. 579. Hinz, who used the ninth volume of Ahsenu’t-tevārih, probably relying
on Venetian sources, writes the date of Haydar’s first expedition as 1483. See Hinz, p. 68. In TA this date
is vaguely suggested as 1486. (Indeed Khunji does not specify the date of the first incursion. Nonetheless,
after stating that Shaykh Haydar launched two expeditions in successive years, he records that he returned
from his second raid in 1487.) See TA, pp. 69-70. Also consider Savory, Iran under the Safavids, p. 18.
670
Ahsenu’t-tevārih, IX, p. 580. Also see Hinz, p. 69.
671
Ahsenu’t-tevārih, IX, p. 580.
672
TA says Shaykh Haydar returned with 6.000 captives from his second raid. TA, p. 70. Learning from
Josaphat Barbaro, to whom Vicenzo spoke of it, that Haydar’s expedition reached far beyond Daghestan,
may be to Darial and Kabarda. See “Haydar’s Second Expedition Against the ‘Cherkes’”, in TA, p. 119.
Also see Ahsenu’t-tevārih, IX, p. 582; Caterino Zeno, “Travels in Persia”, A Narrative of Italian Travels
in Persia, edited and translated by Charles Grey, London: Hakluyt Society, 1873, p. 44; “The Travels of a
Merchant in Persia”, A Narrative of Italian Travels in Persia, edited and translated by Charles Grey,
London: Hakluyt Society, 1873, p. 185.
673
TA, p. 69. Here there is a very interesting note in TA: Khunji says, “The Lord of Rum, despite all his
army and dominions, was afraid of the turbulence (bī-bākī) of the subjects of the Shaykh.” TA, p. 69.
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