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

argues that the real reason of Ismail’s visit to Erzincan was not solely to summon his
Anatolian disciples, as widely accepted by historians, but to enter into the Ottoman
territories from there and to join in the Karaman uprising. But since he could not
summon as many fighters as as he expected in Erzincan, he had to turn on a weaker
enemy, which was the ruler of Shirvan. 1070
Allouche calls attention to Venice’s effort to establish a coalition against the
Ottomans on the eastern front. It seems from contemporary reports of Italian diplomats
that diplomatic relations between Venice and Ismail had already been established in
1502. 1071 Upon the request of Ismail, Venice sent Constantino Laschari from Cyprus to
promise aid and artillery. 1072 Furthermore, Laschari was commissioned to convey the
message of Venice not only to ‘Nuovo Profeto’ (Ismail) but to Karaman and Persia as
well. 1073 Thus, Allouche deduces, this letter must have been written before the summer
of 1501 since Ismail became the ruler of Persia from then on. If it was written after this
date then Venice should not address Ismail and Persia separately. 1074 Consequently,
Venice, Ismail, and Mustafa acted in coordination against the Ottoman Empire in the
summer of 1500. But this coalition did not survive long since Venice was defeated on
Morean coasts on the one side and Ismail could not gather enough warriors from the
Ottoman territories on the other. After signing a treaty with Venice in the following
1070 Adel Allouche, Osmanlı-Safevî Đlişkileri. Kökenleri ve Gelişimi, çev. Ahmed Emin Dağ, Đstanbul:
Anka Yayınları, 2001. (Originally published in English: The Origins and Development of the Ottoman-
Safavid Conflict (906-962 / 1500-1555), Berlin: Klaus Schwarz Verlag, 1983.), p. 93. It should be noted,
however, that the available evidence does not support Allouche’s argument.
1071 Allouche, p. 90. The attempt of western powers to establish good relations with Shah Ismail against
the Ottoman Empire is a well-known historical fact. In addition to Venice, Portugal also sought ways of
co-operation with the new monarch of Iran. On the other hand, Ismail also pursued a policy to maintain
warm relationship with Venice, Portugal and other western states. For the diplomacy between Shah Ismail
and Portugal see Jean Aubin, “Les ambassades portugaises à la cour de Châh Isma’il”, Journal of
Azerbaijani Studies, 1, 1998, 20-29.
1072 FSH, p. 92.
1073 Allouche, p. 91.
1074 Allouche, p. 91.
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