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

of the princes for the throne. The most important issue occupying the attention of all
high statesmen, especially during the last two years of Bayezid II’s reign, became the
problem of determining the successor of Bayezid. Already before the outbreak of the
Şahkulu revolt Selim left Trebizond for Kefe in 1510. As expressed above, Korkud also
left his province Antalya on the eve of the rebellion. Strange enough is that although
Şahkulu rose up almost simultaneously with Korkud’s departure from Antalya, the
prince did not return but continued on his way to Manisa, leaving the job of the
suppression to his subaşı and defterdār. As clearly observed, the primary concern of his,
and of the other two princes, was to get closer to the capital city. The revolt seems to
have been nothing more than a secondary problem to be solved in the aftermath of
ascendance to the throne. It must be due to this that Korkud did not deal with the
rebellion.
Prince Ahmed, who was assigned to punish the rebels, did not strive to suppress
the rebellion either. Rather he decided to punish his two brothers since they deserted
their provinces for the sake of the throne. 1301 With this incentive he also left Amasya and
moved toward Ankara. 1302 He sent an envoy to the Porte and explained his complaints
1301 CLZ bitterly criticizes Prince Ahmed for esteeming himself as the most fitting nominee for the throne
and for not suppressing the rebellion: “Sultan Ahmed saltanat ümidi ile bunca lāf u güzāf urub, ‘ale’lhusūs
ayağı rikābda pādişāhlık sevdasıyla şām u seher cüst ü cüdā ıztırābda idi. Henüz kendü memālik-i
mevrūsesi içinde yanında bunca tevābi’ u hadem, bi’l-cümle ‘asker-i kevākib-şümār u encüm-haşem birle
hāzır u müheyyā iken, birkaç etrāk-i bī-idrākin ‘isyān u tuğyānları oldı. Đrişüb şimşīr-i zafer-te’sīr ile ol
ateş-i pür-tāb-ı fitneye itfā veirmeğe kādir olmadı. Cümle ehl-i Đslāmın ma’lūmı oldı ki Sultan Ahmedin
kāmeti bī-dirāyetine hilkāt-i saltanat elyak ve ahrā değildir...” CLZ, p. 125.
1302 “[Ahmed summoned his dīvan and reminded them Selim’s and Korkud’s movement. Then he said:]
‘Babam māriz ü bī-mecāl olub, kendü hāline iştigalinden vilāyet ahvāli kemāl mertebede ihtilāl bulubdurur.
Münāsib oldur ki mukaddemā varub Kurkud’u te’dīb eyleyem, andan Rumili’ne geçüb, karındaşım
Selim’i çıkarub, babam yirine pādişāh olam!’ Hazır olanlar bu tedbiri beğenüb, tahrīk ü tahsīn itdiler.
Ertesi hemān sefer tedārikin idüb, Ankara cānibine müteveccih oldı...” KPZ8b, p. 48. For similar accounts
consider ANMB, pp. 186-7; HSE4, p. 51. MNB states that Prince Ahmed and the grand vizier Ali Pasha
were moving coordinally and Ahmed’s leaving of his province was planned by the both. He also
underscores that Ahmed’s main concern was nothing than to capture the throne. See MNB, p. 430. ALI
recites Ahmed’s words as follows: “Çünki Korkud bilā-izn-i Pādişāhī sancağını koyub, livā-i Saruhan’a
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