Ahlatshahs
Encyclopedia
Ahlahshahs were the 11th-12th century rulers of an Anatolian beylik of the first period founded after the Battle of Manzikert
, and centered in Ahlat
on the northwestern shore of the Lake Van
in Eastern Anatolia. This region comprised most of Bitlis
and Van
provinces and parts of Batman, Siirt
and Diyarbakır
.
The dynasty is sometimes also called Sökmenli in reference to the founder of the principality, Sökmen el Kutbî, literally Sökmen the Slave, one of the commanders of the Great Seljuq
Alp Arslan
. Ahlatshah Sökmenli should not be confused with the Artuqid branch of Sökmenli which ruled in Hasankeyf
during approximately the same period.
Another title Sökmen and his descendants assumed, as heirs to the local Armenian princes according to Clifford Edmund Bosworth
, was Shah-i Arman, often rendered as Ermenshahs (Ermenşahlar).
The Beylik was founded by the Turkish slave commander Sökmen who took over Ahlat (Khliat or Khilat) in 1100. Ahlatshahs were closely tied to Great Seljuq institutions, although they also followed independent policies like the wars against Georgia
in alliance with their neighbors to the north, the Saltukids. They also acquired links with the branch of the Artuqid dynasty
based in Meyyafarikin (now Silvan
), becoming part of a nexus of Turkish principalities in Jazira and Eastern Anatolia.
The Ahlatshahs reached their brightest period under the fifty-seven year reign of Sökmen the Second (1128–1185). He was married to a female relative (daughter or sister) of the Saltukid ruler Saltuk. Since Sökmen II was childless, the beylik was seized by a series of slave commanders after his death. In 1207, the beylik was taken over by the Ayyubids who had long coveted Ahlat and had come to the city at the invitation of people of Ahlat after the last Sökmenli ruler's kill by Tuğrulshah, who was Erzurum melik of Sultanate of Rûm and brother of Kayqubad I.
The Ahlatshahs left a large number of historic tombstones in and around the city of Ahlat. Local administrators are currently trying to have the tombstones included in UNESCO
's World Heritage List, where they are currently listed tentatively.
Battle of Manzikert
The Battle of Manzikert , was fought between the Byzantine Empire and Seljuq Turks led by Alp Arslan on August 26, 1071 near Manzikert...
, and centered in Ahlat
Ahlat
Ahlat is a historic town and a district in Turkey's Bitlis Province in Eastern Anatolia Region. The center town of Ahlat is situated on the northwestern coast of the Lake Van. She was the district in Van Province between 1929-1936...
on the northwestern shore of the Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
in Eastern Anatolia. This region comprised most of Bitlis
Bitlis Province
Bitlis Province is a province of eastern Turkey, located to the west of Lake Van.-History:Bitlis was formed as an administrative district in the 17th Century...
and Van
Van Province
Van Province is a province in eastern Turkey, between Lake Van and the Iranian border. It is 19,069 km2 in area and had a population of 1,035,418 at the end of 2010....
provinces and parts of Batman, Siirt
Siirt Province
Siirt Province is a province of Turkey, located in the southeast. The province borders Bitlis to the north, Batman to the west, Mardin to the southwest, Şırnak to the south, and Van to the east. It has an area of 5,406 km² and a total population of 300,695...
and Diyarbakır
Diyarbakir Province
Diyarbakır Province is a province in eastern Turkey. The province covers an area of 15,355 km² and the population is 1,528,958. The provincial capital is Diyarbakir...
.
The dynasty is sometimes also called Sökmenli in reference to the founder of the principality, Sökmen el Kutbî, literally Sökmen the Slave, one of the commanders of the Great Seljuq
Seljuq dynasty
The Seljuq ; were a Turco-Persian Sunni Muslim dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries...
Alp Arslan
Alp Arslan
Alp Arslan was the third sultan of the Seljuq dynasty and great-grandson of Seljuk, the eponymous founder of the dynasty...
. Ahlatshah Sökmenli should not be confused with the Artuqid branch of Sökmenli which ruled in Hasankeyf
Hasankeyf
Hasankeyf is an ancient town and district located along the Tigris River in the Batman Province in southeastern Turkey. It was declared a natural conservation area by Turkey in 1981...
during approximately the same period.
Another title Sökmen and his descendants assumed, as heirs to the local Armenian princes according to Clifford Edmund Bosworth
Clifford Edmund Bosworth
Clifford Edmund Bosworth FBA is an English historian and orientalist, specializing in Arabic studies. He received his B.A. degree from Oxford University and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Edinburgh University. He held permanent posts at St. Andrews University, Manchester University, and the Center...
, was Shah-i Arman, often rendered as Ermenshahs (Ermenşahlar).
The Beylik was founded by the Turkish slave commander Sökmen who took over Ahlat (Khliat or Khilat) in 1100. Ahlatshahs were closely tied to Great Seljuq institutions, although they also followed independent policies like the wars against Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
in alliance with their neighbors to the north, the Saltukids. They also acquired links with the branch of the Artuqid dynasty
Artuqid dynasty
The Artquids or Artuqid dynasty was a Turkmen dynasty that ruled in Eastern Anatolia, Northern Syria and Northern Iraq in the eleventh and twelfth centuries...
based in Meyyafarikin (now Silvan
Silvan, Turkey
Silvan is a district of the Diyarbakır Province of Turkey. Its population is 41,451 Notable attraction is Malabadi Bridge.-History:Silvan has been identified by several scholars as one of two possible locations of Tigranakert, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Armenia, which was built by...
), becoming part of a nexus of Turkish principalities in Jazira and Eastern Anatolia.
The Ahlatshahs reached their brightest period under the fifty-seven year reign of Sökmen the Second (1128–1185). He was married to a female relative (daughter or sister) of the Saltukid ruler Saltuk. Since Sökmen II was childless, the beylik was seized by a series of slave commanders after his death. In 1207, the beylik was taken over by the Ayyubids who had long coveted Ahlat and had come to the city at the invitation of people of Ahlat after the last Sökmenli ruler's kill by Tuğrulshah, who was Erzurum melik of Sultanate of Rûm and brother of Kayqubad I.
The Ahlatshahs left a large number of historic tombstones in and around the city of Ahlat. Local administrators are currently trying to have the tombstones included in UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
's World Heritage List, where they are currently listed tentatively.
Rulers of Ahlatshahs
- Sökmen I (1100–1111)
- Zahireddin İbrahim (1111–1127)
- Ahmet (1127–1128)
- Nasireddin Muhammed Sökmen II (1128–1185)
- Seyfettin Beytemür (1185–1193)
- Bedreddin Aksungur (1193–1198)
- Şücaüddin Kutluğ (1198)
- Melikülmansur Muhammed (1198–1206)
- Izzeddin Balaban (1206–1207)