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

arrival of a messenger from the Porte. The messenger reported that Prince Selim had
arrived near Edirne and taken the Province of Semendire. 1337
On the other hand, while Ali Pasha and Prince Ahmed were discussing how to
secure the throne, Şahkulu was in search of breaking the siege. 1338 As Kemalpaşazāde
explains there were two passages from the mountainous region that the rebels took
shelter in. One was secured by Ali Pasha while the other branch of the Ottoman army
under Haydar Pasha’s 1339 command was commissioned to blockade the other passage to
the Province of Karaman. 1340 Şahkulu must have understood that he had little chance
against the grand vizier so he assaulted Haydar Pasha’s forces. After a pitch battle
Haydar Pasha was defeated, he himself falling in the battlefield, 1341 and the qizilbashes
moved toward Konya on Rebī I 18, 917 (June 15, 1511). 1342
decision arguing that “Our sultan appointed Ali Pasha to our command. We would not accept any other
sultan while Sultan Bayezid is alive!” See ANMB, pp. 50-1.
1337
KPZ8b, p. 54; ANMB, p. 225; HSE4, pp. 59-60.
1338
HSE bitterly criticizes Ali Pasha for leaving aside the fight with the rebels and so much occupied in
preparations to ascend Ahmed to the throne. He says, “Ayaklananlarla uğraşmayı bir yana koymuş toy
gereklerini tedārike kendini vermişti.” HSE4, pp. 56-7.
1339
Haydar Pasha was the lala of Prince Sheinshah, who was the beylerbey of Karaman. See KPZ8b, p.
54; TNSB, p. 254.
1340
KPZ8b, p. 54. Also regard TNSB, p. 254; ANMB, p. 226; MNB, pp. 430-1. SLZ states, Ali Pasha
divided Ottoman army into three: one was commanded by Haydar Pasha, the other by Prince Ahmed, and
the third branch by Ali Pasha himself. Each branch blockaded different sides of the mountain. See SLZ1,
p. 453.
1341
ANMB, p. 227; HSE4, pp. 60-61; SLZ1, p. 453.
1342
Another reason for setting up towards Konya might well be Şahkulu’s friendship with Prince
Şehinşah, the governor of Karaman. Although we do not have clear evidence on the correspondence
between the two, it is evident from archival documents that Şehinşah somehow sympathetic towards the
qizilbash movement. Perhaps it was because of this fact that among the four living princes only he did not
join the struggle for the throne. Nonetheless his position was less appreciated because of his qizilbash
tendency. Haydar Pasha, when was the lala of the prince, first tried to persuade Şehinşah to abandon his
sympathetic attitudes toward qizilbashes. When he realized that the prince was convinced with qizilbash
ideas, he reported the situation to the Porte. According to his report, two qizilbash khalifas, called Fenāi
and Dellak, influenced the prince and caused him to appropriate qizilbahs ideals. Haydar Pasha states
further that the prince and qizilbashes, most possibly Şahkulu and his adherents, agreed on that sooner
either the prince or the qizilbashes would join the other. Haydar Pasha stressed the urgency of the issue
and warned the sultan not to regard this affair in parallel with others problems, but as the first priority; in
order to solve the problem the sultan should come in person and do whatever needed without any delay.
Otherwise the province of Karaman would be lost. The whole text of original letter runs,
“Sultanım Hazretlerinin hāk-i pāye-i ... arz-ı bende budur ki,
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