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

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is certain from the available sources is that it was written by Mevlāna Mürşid-i ‘Acem<br />

somewhere between Izmit and Erzincan. Its full text is available in the Münşeat of<br />

Feridun Bey and Ruznāme of Haydar Çelebi. 1883 It repeats the content of the first letter<br />

authored by Tāci-zāde Cafer. The third letter of Selim was written in Erzincan in mid-<br />

August 1514 (Evāhir-i Cemāzi II, 920) shortly before the arrival of Ismail’s answer to<br />

his first two letters. 1884<br />

Selim’s last two letters which were written in Turkish were recognizably<br />

different from the first two ones in terms of style and content. These two letters were far<br />

beyond the diplomatic language and the international rules of diplomacy. On the<br />

contrary, they were written in a somewhat arrogant, despising, and insulting style.<br />

Selim’s aim by these letters was evidently to provoke Ismail to battle as soon as<br />

possible. 1885 The apparently despising attitude of Selim comes out immediately in the<br />

introduction of the third letter. He totally abandons the customary way of diplomatica by<br />

not using any epithet before the name of Ismail; rather addresses Ismail by simply his<br />

name that “Ismail Bahadır”. Then comes a wish, or demand from the God (dua), which<br />

was as despising as the addressing was: “Eslahallahu şāneh” meaning “shall God<br />

improve his fame”. 1886 Then the letter starts by reminding the heretical status of Ismail<br />

according to the Sunni religious scholars who also unanimously sanctioned the<br />

execution of all the qizilbashes for the sake of Islam. Then Selim affirms that according<br />

to the already reached decision of ulemā he waged war and that he is resolute to finish<br />

this affair. He reminds his former letters in an insulting manner that “I have explained<br />

1883<br />

See Feridun Bey, pp. 354-5; Ruznāme, Manuscript in Topkapı Sarayı Kütüphanesi, R. 1955.<br />

1884<br />

Feridun Bey, p. 356; HYDR, p. 46.<br />

1885<br />

As delineated above, Janissaries had already begun to speak loudly about the fruitlessness of such a<br />

march without enemy.<br />

1886<br />

IDRS, p. 151; CLZ, p. 227; Feridun Bey, p. 355; Lütfi Paşa, p. 213; HYDR, pp. 44.<br />

573

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