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

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

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instead of Amasya can be accounted for the principal force, namely ex-Karamanid tribal<br />

forces, on that he relied against the Kapı kulu and Janissaries. 1569 Upon receiving the<br />

repudiation of the Porte, Ahmed besieged the city. Sultan Mehmed could not resist long<br />

and Konya fell to Ahmed’s control. 1570 What Ahmed did was an open violation of the<br />

subordination to his father. 1571<br />

The Janissaries and Kapı kulu took advantage of this situation and rose up again<br />

in Istanbul. 1572 According to the letter of one of Ahmed’s sympathizers, upon learning<br />

the fall of Konya, the Janissaries sent a letter to Prince Selim informing him that Ahmed<br />

captured the province of Karaman and most of Anatolia. Selim gathered a great number<br />

of soldiers among which were some akıncı begs such as Mihallu, Evrenuslu, and Yahya<br />

Paşalu. 1573 Janissaries feared that Ahmed would capture the whole country and then<br />

execute them. 1574<br />

The archival evidence clearly reveals that the Janissary corps and the other<br />

branches of slave troops were ultimately determined to enthrone Selim. They even dared<br />

the insubordination to the royal authority of the legitimate sultan for this purpose. 1575<br />

They forced Bayezid II to leave the throne to Selim through most disrespectful and<br />

brutal means. Bayezid could no longer resist cruel pressure of his rebellious soldiers and<br />

1569<br />

ALI states that he gathered soldiers among the vagrants of Karaman region and prepared to oppose the<br />

sultan of the time. See ALI, p. 1059.<br />

1570<br />

KPZ8b, p. 61; ANMB, p. 263; ALI, p. 948. TNSB, p. 293.<br />

1571<br />

See .” KPZ8b, p. 61; HSE4, pp. 83-84; ALI, p. 949; SLZ1, p. 461.<br />

1572<br />

“Konya şehrini ... muhasara itdüğüne kapu halkı ve Yeniçeri cemaati ziyāde bī-huzur oldılar.<br />

‘Fermān-ı āli-şanla tasarruf olunan sancağun tasarrufuna māni’ olmak isyan u tuğyandur’ diyu<br />

müctemi’an divana geldiler.” KPZ8b, p. 61. ALI gives a similar account: “... bu husūs içün leşker Sultan<br />

Ahmed’den yüz döndürmeğe sebep oldı. ‘Padişah-ı cihān vali nasb eyledüği Şehzādeyi bilā-emr u cürm<br />

muhāsara itmek mahzā isyandır’ diyū her kişi kendüden el çekti. ...” ALI, p. 946.<br />

1573<br />

TSA, document E 2667, published in ULCY2, p. 24.<br />

1574<br />

See ULCY2, p. 24.<br />

1575<br />

CLZ states that Bayezid II was still searching ways to bring Ahmed to Istanbul. But the head of the<br />

Janissary corps (Yeniçeri ağası) warned the Sultan on that it was impossible to persuade Janissaries for the<br />

saltanat of Ahmed. If he [Bayezid II] would not accept their demand, then they would conduct further<br />

banditry. See CLZ, p. 154.<br />

458

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