Kaykaus II
Encyclopedia
Kaykaus II or Kayka'us II (Arabic
/, 'Izz al-Dīn Kaykā'ũs bin Kaykhusraw; ) was the eldest of three sons of Kaykhusraw II
. He was a youth at the time of his father’s death in 1246 and could do little to prevent the Mongol
subjugation of Anatolia
. For most of his tenure as the Seljuq Sultan of Rûm
, he shared the throne with one or both of his brothers, Kilij Arslan IV
and Kayqubad II
. His mother was the daughter of a Greek
priest, and it was the Greeks of Nicaea
from whom he consistently sought aid throughout his life. Baiju
threatened him and warned him of giving his Mongol cavalries new pastures in Anatolia and too late to pay tax. The Mongols defeated him and he,who defied Baiju, fled to the Byzantine Balkan in 1256. The Byzantine court detained him, though, they welcomed him as usual. So Kaykaus' brother Kayqubad appealed to Berke Khan of the Golden Horde
. Nogai invaded the Empire in 1265 and released him and his men after Michael detained an envoy from Cairo to Berke. Berke gave Kaykaus appanage
in Crimea
and had him married the Mongol woman. He died an exile
in 1279 or 1280 in the Crimea
.
was imprisoned for a time in 1271 for corresponding with him. It was from Kaykaus that Karamanoğlu Mehmed Bey in 1276 sought help in his uprising against the Mongols. Since Kaykaus was in no position to help, Mehmed Bey thought it best to have a representative of Kaykaus’ line on his side, even if only an imposter, and named Jimri
as head of the revolt. Kaykaus later dispatched several of his sons from the Crimea as pretenders, one of which, Masud II
, was ultimately successful in winning the Seljuq throne in 1280.
In the Ottoman period the rebel Sheikh Bedreddin, who drew support largely from Turkmen migrants to the Balkans
, claimed descent from Kaykaus II.
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
/, 'Izz al-Dīn Kaykā'ũs bin Kaykhusraw; ) was the eldest of three sons of Kaykhusraw II
Kaykhusraw II
Ghiyath al-Din Kaykhusraw II was the sultan of the Seljuqs of Rûm from 1237 until his death in 1246. He ruled at the time of the Babai uprising and the Mongol invasion of Anatolia. He led the Seljuq army with its Christian allies at the Battle of Köse Dağ in 1243...
. He was a youth at the time of his father’s death in 1246 and could do little to prevent the Mongol
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
subjugation of Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
. For most of his tenure as the Seljuq Sultan of Rûm
Sultanate of Rûm
The Sultanate of Rum , also known as the Anatolian Seljuk State , was a Turkic state centered in in Anatolia, with capitals first at İznik and then at Konya. Since the court of the sultanate was highly mobile, cities like Kayseri and Sivas also functioned at times as capitals...
, he shared the throne with one or both of his brothers, Kilij Arslan IV
Kilij Arslan IV
Kilij Arslan IV was Seljuq Sultan of Rûm after the death of his father Kaykhusraw II in 1246. For part of his tenure as sultan he ruled with his two brothers Kaykaus II and Kayqubad II. He was executed in 1266 by the Pervane Mu‘in al-Din Suleyman.-Sources:...
and Kayqubad II
Kayqubad II
Kayqubad II was the youngest of the three sons of the Seljuq Sultan of Rûm Kaykhusraw II. As son of the sultan’s favorite wife, the Georgian princess Tamar, he was designated heir. He had a weak constitution and was likely seven years old at the time of his father’s death in 1246, being born ca...
. His mother was the daughter of a Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
priest, and it was the Greeks of Nicaea
Empire of Nicaea
The Empire of Nicaea was the largest of the three Byzantine Greek successor states founded by the aristocracy of the Byzantine Empire that fled after Constantinople was occupied by Western European and Venetian forces during the Fourth Crusade...
from whom he consistently sought aid throughout his life. Baiju
Baiju
Baiju was a Mongol commander in Persia appointed by Ögedei Khan to succeed Chormagan, and expand Mongol power further in that area....
threatened him and warned him of giving his Mongol cavalries new pastures in Anatolia and too late to pay tax. The Mongols defeated him and he,who defied Baiju, fled to the Byzantine Balkan in 1256. The Byzantine court detained him, though, they welcomed him as usual. So Kaykaus' brother Kayqubad appealed to Berke Khan of the Golden Horde
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde was a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate that formed the north-western sector of the Mongol Empire...
. Nogai invaded the Empire in 1265 and released him and his men after Michael detained an envoy from Cairo to Berke. Berke gave Kaykaus appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
in Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
and had him married the Mongol woman. He died an exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in 1279 or 1280 in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
.
Legacy
Though deposed and exiled, Kaykaus remained popular among the Turkmen of Anatolia and a threat to the stability of the fragile Seljuq-Mongol relationship. The vizier Fakhr al-Din AliSâhib Ata
Fakhr al-Din Ali, better known as Sâhib Ata or Sâhip Ata, held a number of high offices at the court of the Sultanate of Rum from the 1250s until his death in 1288. He was the dominant personality in Anatolia after the death of the Pervane Mu’in al-Din Suleyman in 1277...
was imprisoned for a time in 1271 for corresponding with him. It was from Kaykaus that Karamanoğlu Mehmed Bey in 1276 sought help in his uprising against the Mongols. Since Kaykaus was in no position to help, Mehmed Bey thought it best to have a representative of Kaykaus’ line on his side, even if only an imposter, and named Jimri
Jimri
Jimri was a pretender to the Sultanate of Rum, promoted by the Turkmen in the chaos after Baibars’ invasion of Mongol-dominated Anatolia in 1277. He was executed the following year...
as head of the revolt. Kaykaus later dispatched several of his sons from the Crimea as pretenders, one of which, Masud II
Mesud II
Masud II or Mas'ud II bore the title of Sultanate of Rum at various times between 1284 and 1308. He was a vassal of the Mongols and exercised no real authority. History does not record his ultimate fate....
, was ultimately successful in winning the Seljuq throne in 1280.
In the Ottoman period the rebel Sheikh Bedreddin, who drew support largely from Turkmen migrants to the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, claimed descent from Kaykaus II.
Sources
- Claude Cahen, Pre-Ottoman Turkey: a general survey of the material and spiritual culture and history, trans. J. Jones-Williams, (New York: Taplinger, 1968) 271 ff.