Kidnapping of Şehzade Halil
Encyclopedia
The Kidnapping of Şehzade Halil was an important event in 14th century Ottoman
-Byzantine
relations. Şehzade Halil was an Ottoman prince who was born probably in 1346. His father was Orhan
, the second bey
of the Ottoman beylik (later empire). His mother was Theodora Maria Kantakouzene, the daughter of Byzantine emperor John VI Kantakouzenos
and Irene Asanina
.
and the Marmara Sea coasts was widespread. The pirates usually kidnapped people for ransom. In 1357 they kidnapped Halil near İzmit
(ancient Nikomedia) on the Marmara coast. It is not known whether they knew the identity of their prey beforehand, but upon learning it, they escaped to Phocaea
(modern Foça) on the Aegean coast. Phocaea was a Byzantine fort recently captured from Republic of Genoa
and commanded by Leo Kalontheros. Orhan appealed to the Byzantine emperor Andronikos IV Palaiologos
to rescue his son. He offered to cancel Byzantine debts and promised not to support the Kantakouzenos
family's claims on the Byzantine throne. Andronikos agreed and tried to rescue Halil, but Leo was reluctant and in 1358 Andronikos had to lay siege to Phocaea with a small fleet of three vessels (the expenses of which were paid by Orhan). He also called Ilyas Bey, the ruler of Saruhan
(a small Turkmen beylik in west Anatolia
formed after the disintegration of the Sultanate of Rum
), for a joint operation against Phocaea. However Ilyas was playing both sides and planning to kidnap Andronikos during a hunting party. Nevertheless Andronikos was able to forestall his plans by arresting him. Without Saruhan collaboration he lifted the siege. After the failure of the 1358 operations, Orhan came to Scutari
(modern Üsküdar) on the Asiatic shore of the Bosporus
for talks and agreed to pay 30000 ducat
s as a ransom. In 1359, Halil was released.
. Since Halil's elder brother Şehzade Süleyman
had already died, the Palaiologos
family hoped to see him as the new crown prince of the Ottoman beylik . But to their dismay, after Orhan’s death Murat I was enthroned as the new bey. Although Halil tried to fight for the throne he was executed in 1361 or 1362.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
-Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
relations. Şehzade Halil was an Ottoman prince who was born probably in 1346. His father was Orhan
Orhan I
Orhan I or Orhan Bey was the second bey of the nascent Ottoman Empire from 1326 to 1359...
, the second bey
Bey
Bey is a title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. Accoding to some sources, the word "Bey" is of Turkish language In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word...
of the Ottoman beylik (later empire). His mother was Theodora Maria Kantakouzene, the daughter of Byzantine emperor John VI Kantakouzenos
John VI Kantakouzenos
John VI Kantakouzenos or Cantacuzenus was the Byzantine emperor from 1347 to 1354.-Early life:Born in Constantinople, John Kantakouzenos was the son of a Michael Kantakouzenos, governor of the Morea. Through his mother Theodora Palaiologina Angelina, he was a descendant of the reigning house of...
and Irene Asanina
Irene Asanina
Irene Asanina was the Empress consort of John VI Kantakouzenos of the Byzantine Empire.-Family:Asanina was a daughter of Andronikos Asen and his wife Tarchanaiotissa.Her paternal grandparents were Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria and Irene Palaiologina...
.
Kidnapping
In the mid-14th century, piracy along the Aegean SeaAegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
and the Marmara Sea coasts was widespread. The pirates usually kidnapped people for ransom. In 1357 they kidnapped Halil near İzmit
Izmit
İzmit is a city in Turkey, administrative center of Kocaeli Province as well as the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality. It is located at the Gulf of İzmit in the Sea of Marmara, about east of Istanbul, on the northwestern part of Anatolia. The city center has a population of 294.875...
(ancient Nikomedia) on the Marmara coast. It is not known whether they knew the identity of their prey beforehand, but upon learning it, they escaped to Phocaea
Phocaea
Phocaea, or Phokaia, was an ancient Ionian Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia. Greek colonists from Phocaea founded the colony of Massalia in 600 BC, Emporion in 575 BC and Elea in 540 BC.-Geography:Phocaea was the northernmost...
(modern Foça) on the Aegean coast. Phocaea was a Byzantine fort recently captured from Republic of Genoa
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
and commanded by Leo Kalontheros. Orhan appealed to the Byzantine emperor Andronikos IV Palaiologos
Andronikos IV Palaiologos
Andronikos IV Palaiologos was Byzantine Emperor from 1376 to 1379.-Life:...
to rescue his son. He offered to cancel Byzantine debts and promised not to support the Kantakouzenos
Kantakouzenos
The House of Kantakouzenos , latinized as Cantacuzenus and anglicized as Cantacuzene, was one of the most prominent noble families of the Byzantine Empire in the last centuries of its existence. The family was one of the Empire's wealthiest and provided several prominent governors and generals, as...
family's claims on the Byzantine throne. Andronikos agreed and tried to rescue Halil, but Leo was reluctant and in 1358 Andronikos had to lay siege to Phocaea with a small fleet of three vessels (the expenses of which were paid by Orhan). He also called Ilyas Bey, the ruler of Saruhan
Saruhan
The Sarukhanids or Sarukhanid dynasty , also known as the Principality of Saruhan and Beylik of Saruhan , was one of the Anatolian beyliks, centered in Manisa.It was one of the frontier principalities established by Oghuz Turkish clans after the decline of the Anatolian Seljuk...
(a small Turkmen beylik in west Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
formed after the disintegration of the Sultanate of Rum
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...
), for a joint operation against Phocaea. However Ilyas was playing both sides and planning to kidnap Andronikos during a hunting party. Nevertheless Andronikos was able to forestall his plans by arresting him. Without Saruhan collaboration he lifted the siege. After the failure of the 1358 operations, Orhan came to Scutari
Üsküdar
Üsküdar is a large and densely populated municipality of Istanbul, Turkey, on the Anatolian shore of the Bosphorus. It is bordered on the north by Beykoz, on the east by Ümraniye, on the southeast by Ataşehir, on the south by Kadıköy, and on the west by the Bosphorus, with the areas of Beşiktaş,...
(modern Üsküdar) on the Asiatic shore of the Bosporus
Bosporus
The Bosphorus or Bosporus , also known as the Istanbul Strait , is a strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with the Dardanelles...
for talks and agreed to pay 30000 ducat
Ducat
The ducat is a gold coin that was used as a trade coin throughout Europe before World War I. Its weight is 3.4909 grams of .986 gold, which is 0.1107 troy ounce, actual gold weight...
s as a ransom. In 1359, Halil was released.
Aftermath
As a part of the agreement, Halil was engaged to Irene Palaiologina, the 10 year old daughter of John V PalaiologosJohn V Palaiologos
John V Palaiologos was a Byzantine emperor, who succeeded his father in 1341, at age nine.-Biography:...
. Since Halil's elder brother Şehzade Süleyman
Suleyman Pasha (son of Orhan)
Suleyman Pasha was the eldest son of Orhan I, the second bey of the newly established Ottoman Empire.-Assault on Byzantium:Suleyman Pasha struck a bold blow to the weakened Byzantine Empire on behalf of his race, which gave the Turks a permanent establishment on the European side of the Hellespont...
had already died, the Palaiologos
Palaiologos
Palaiologos , often latinized as Palaeologus, was a Byzantine Greek noble family, which produced the last ruling dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. After the Fourth Crusade, members of the family fled to the neighboring Empire of Nicaea, where Michael VIII Palaiologos became co-emperor in 1259,...
family hoped to see him as the new crown prince of the Ottoman beylik . But to their dismay, after Orhan’s death Murat I was enthroned as the new bey. Although Halil tried to fight for the throne he was executed in 1361 or 1362.