Alā ad-Dīn Kayqubād ibn Kaykhusraw ( fa, علاء الدين كيقباد بن كيخسرو; tr, I. Alâeddin Keykûbad, 1190–1237), also known as Kayqubad I, was the
Seljuq Sultan of Rûm who reigned from 1220 to 1237. He expanded the borders of the sultanate at the expense of his neighbors, particularly the
Mengujek Beylik and the
Ayyubids
The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin ...
, and established a Seljuq presence on the Mediterranean with his acquisition of the port of
Kalon Oros , later renamed
Ala'iyya in his honor. The sultan, sometimes styled Kayqubad the Great, is remembered today for his rich architectural legacy and the brilliant court culture that flourished under his reign.
Kayqubad's reign represented the apogee of
Seljuq power and influence in
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
, and Kayqubad himself was considered the most illustrious prince of the dynasty. In the period following the mid-13th century
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member ...
invasion, inhabitants of Anatolia frequently looked back on his reign as a golden age, while the new rulers of the
Anatolian beyliks sought to justify their own authority through pedigrees traced to him.
Biography
Kayqubad was the second son of Sultan
Kaykhusraw I, who bestowed upon him at an early age the title ''
malik'' and the governorship of the important central Anatolian town of
Tokat. When the sultan died following the
battle of Alaşehir in 1211, both Kayqubad and his elder brother
Kaykaus struggled for the throne. Kayqubad initially garnered some allies among the neighbors of the sultanate:
Leo I, the king of
Cilician Armenia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (Middle Armenian: , '), also known as Cilician Armenia ( hy, Կիլիկեան Հայաստան, '), Lesser Armenia, Little Armenia or New Armenia, and formerly known as the Armenian Principality of Cilicia ( hy, ...
and Tughrilshah, the brothers' uncle and the independent ruler of
Erzurum
Erzurum (; ) is a city in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. It is the largest city and capital of Erzurum Province and is 1,900 meters (6,233 feet) above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 367,250 in 2010.
The city uses the double-headed eagle as ...
. Most of the emirs, as the powerful landed aristocracy of the sultanate, supported Kaykaus. Kayqubad was forced to flee to the fortress at
Ankara
Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, maki ...
, where he sought aid from the Turkman tribes of
Kastamonu
Kastamonu is the capital district of the Kastamonu Province, Turkey. According to the 2000 census, population of the district is 102,059 of which 64,606 live in the urban center of Kastamonu. (Population of the urban center in 2010 is 91,012.) The ...
. He was soon apprehended and imprisoned by his brother in a fortress in western Anatolia.
Upon
Kaykaus' unexpected death in 1219 (or 1220), Kayqubad, released from captivity, succeeded to the throne of the sultanate.
In the
Cilicia Campaign in 1225, Cilicia subjugated the Armenian Kingdom.
In 1221/1222 Kayqubad launched a
naval attack on Sudak which defeated the combined forces of
Rus and
Cumans
The Cumans (or Kumans), also known as Polovtsians or Polovtsy (plural only, from the Russian exonym ), were a Turkic nomadic people comprising the western branch of the Cuman–Kipchak confederation. After the Mongol invasion (1237), many so ...
. He attack the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in 1221 taking the city of
Alanya
Alanya (; ), formerly Alaiye, is a beach resort city and a district of Antalya Province on the southern coast of Turkey, in the country's Mediterranean Region, east of the city of Antalya. As of Turkey's 2010 census, the city had a population of ...
from its governor, Kir Fard.
In 1227/1228, Kayqubad advanced into
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
, where the arrival of
Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu, who was fleeing the destruction of his
Khwarezmian Empire
The Khwarazmian or Khwarezmian Empire) or the Khwarazmshahs ( fa, خوارزمشاهیان, Khwārazmshāhiyān) () was a Turko-Persian Sunni Muslim empire that ruled large parts of present-day Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran in the app ...
by the
Mongols
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...
, had created an unstable political situation. The sultan settled
Turcomans along the
Taurus Mountains
The Taurus Mountains ( Turkish: ''Toros Dağları'' or ''Toroslar'') are a mountain complex in southern Turkey, separating the Mediterranean coastal region from the central Anatolian Plateau. The system extends along a curve from Lake Eğird ...
frontier, in a region later called
İçel. At the end of the 13th century, these Turcomans established the
Karamanids. The
Ayyubids
The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin ...
, who were disturbed by the rapid expansion of Sultan Kayqubad I, especially in eastern Anatolia, took action against the sultan under the leadership of
Al-Kamil
Al-Kamil ( ar, الكامل) (full name: al-Malik al-Kamil Naser ad-Din Abu al-Ma'ali Muhammad) (c. 1177 – 6 March 1238) was a Muslim ruler and the fourth Ayyubid sultan of Egypt. During his tenure as sultan, the Ayyubids defeated the Fifth Cr ...
in
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
. In 1234 Kayqubad I completely defeated the allied
Ayyubid forces. Afterward,
Harput
Harpoot ( tr, Harput) or Kharberd ( hy, Խարբերդ, translit=Kharberd) is an ancient town located in the Elazığ Province of Turkey. It now forms a small district of the city of Elazığ. p. 1. In the late Ottoman period, it fell under the ...
expanded its borders further in the south-east Anatolia region by capturing
Siverek,
Urfa
Urfa, officially known as Şanlıurfa () and in ancient times as Edessa, is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province. Urfa is situated on a plain about 80 km east of the Euphrates River. Its climate features ex ...
,
Harran
Harran (), historically known as Carrhae ( el, Kάρραι, Kárrhai), is a rural town and district of the Şanlıurfa Province in southeastern Turkey, approximately 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Urfa and 20 kilometers from the border cr ...
and
Raqqa
Raqqa ( ar, ٱلرَّقَّة, ar-Raqqah, also and ) (Kurdish: Reqa/ ڕەقە) is a city in Syria on the northeast bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. The Hellenistic, ...
.
[Claude Cahen, Anatolia Before the Ottomans, p. 85-86.] The sultan defeated the
Artuqids and the
Ayyubids
The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin ...
and absorbed the
Mengujek emirate into the sultanate, capturing the fortresses of
Hısn Mansur,
Kahta, and
Çemişgezek
Çemişgezek ( ku, Melkişî; hy, Չմշկածագ, translit=Čmškacag) is a town and district of Tunceli Province, Turkey. The mayor is Levent Metin Yıldız ( AKP).
The district has a population of 7,418 as of 2021.
Demographics
The town an ...
along his march. He also put down a revolt by the
Empire of Trebizond and, although he
fell short of capturing their capital, forced the
Komnenos dynasty family to renew their pledges of vassalage.
At first Kayqubad sought an alliance with his
Turkish kinsman
Jalal ad-Din Mingburni against the
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member ...
threat. The alliance could not be achieved, and afterwards Jalal ad-Din took the important fortress at
Ahlat. Kayqubad finally defeated him at the
Battle of Yassıçimen between
Sivas
Sivas (Latin and Greek: ''Sebastia'', ''Sebastea'', Σεβάστεια, Σεβαστή, ) is a city in central Turkey and the seat of Sivas Province.
The city, which lies at an elevation of in the broad valley of the Kızılırmak river, is ...
and
Erzincan
Erzincan (; ku, Erzîngan), historically Yerznka ( hy, Երզնկա), is the capital of Erzincan Province in Eastern Turkey. Nearby cities include Erzurum, Sivas, Tunceli, Bingöl, Elazığ, Malatya, Gümüşhane, Bayburt, and Giresun. The ...
in 1230. After his victory, he advanced further east, establishing Seljuq rule over
Erzurum
Erzurum (; ) is a city in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. It is the largest city and capital of Erzurum Province and is 1,900 meters (6,233 feet) above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 367,250 in 2010.
The city uses the double-headed eagle as ...
, Ahlat and the region of
Lake Van
Lake Van ( tr, Van Gölü; hy, Վանա լիճ, translit=Vana lič̣; ku, Gola Wanê) is the largest lake in Turkey. It lies in the far east of Turkey, in the provinces of Van and Bitlis in the Armenian highlands. It is a saline soda lake ...
(formerly part of Ayyubids). The Artuqids of
Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır (; ; ; ) is the largest Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. It is the administrative center of Diyarbakır Province.
Situated around a high plateau by the banks of the Tigris river on which stands the historic Diyarbakır Fortress, ...
and the Ayyubids of
Syria recognized his sovereignty. He also captured a number of fortresses in
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, whose queen sued for peace and gave her daughter
Tamar in marriage to Kayqubad's son,
Kaykhusraw II
Ghiyath al-Din Kaykhusraw ibn Kayqubād or Kaykhusraw II ( fa, غياث الدين كيخسرو بن كيقباد) 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 ...
.
Mindful of the increasing presence and power of the
Mongols
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal membe ...
on the borders of the Sultanate of Rum, he strengthened the defenses and fortresses in his eastern provinces. He was given poison during a feast at
Kayseri and died at an early age on 31 May 1237, the last of his line to die in independence.
Historian
Ibn Bibi
Ibn Bibi was a Persian historiographer and the author of the primary source for the history of the Seljuq Sultanate of Rum during the 13th century. He served as head of the chancellery of the Sultanate in Konya and reported on contemporary events. ...
mourned his death with these words,''"With Kayqubad's death, the back of Islam was broken and the bond of kingdom and religion snapped".''
Succession
Kayqubad had three sons:
Kaykhusraw II
Ghiyath al-Din Kaykhusraw ibn Kayqubād or Kaykhusraw II ( fa, غياث الدين كيخسرو بن كيقباد) 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 ...
, eldest son of his
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
wife Mah Pari Khatun, Rukn al-Din and Kilic Arslan, sons of his
Ayyubid princess wife Malika Adila Khatun. According to
Ibn Bibi
Ibn Bibi was a Persian historiographer and the author of the primary source for the history of the Seljuq Sultanate of Rum during the 13th century. He served as head of the chancellery of the Sultanate in Konya and reported on contemporary events. ...
, Kayqubad wanted Rukn al-Din as his successor who was the elder one of his two sons from his Ayyubid wife, Malika Adila Khatun, but Kaykhusraw usurped the throne and had Rukn al-Din, Kilic Arslan and their mother strangled.
Architectural and cultural legacy
Kayqubad sponsored a large scale building campaign across
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
. Apart from reconstructing towns and fortresses, he built many
mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
s,
medrese
Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...
s,
caravanserais, bridges and hospitals, many of which are preserved to this day. Besides completing the construction of the Seljuq Palace in
Konya
Konya () is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of Konya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium (), although the Seljuks also called it ...
, he also built the
Kubadabad Palace on the shore of
Lake Beyşehir,
Alanya Castle
Alanya (; ), formerly Alaiye, is a beach resort city and a district of Antalya Province on the southern coast of Turkey, in the country's Mediterranean Region, east of the city of Antalya. As of Turkey's 2010 census, the city had a population of ...
and
Red Tower in
Alanya
Alanya (; ), formerly Alaiye, is a beach resort city and a district of Antalya Province on the southern coast of Turkey, in the country's Mediterranean Region, east of the city of Antalya. As of Turkey's 2010 census, the city had a population of ...
and
Kayqubadiyya Palace near
Kayseri.
Kayqubad, like the other Seljuq sultans of Rum, was quite well versed in the fine arts and would recite quatrains in Persian during wine drinking parties.
Identity
According to
Rustam Shukurov, it is very probably that Kayqubad and his brother
Kaykaus I, who both spent considerable time in
Byzantium with their father, had the same dual religious (Christian and Muslim) and dual ethnic (Turkic/Persian and Greek) identity as
Kaykhusraw I,
Kaykaus II
Kaykaus ibn Kaykhusraw or Kayka'us II ( fa, عز الدين كيكاوس بن كيخسرو, ''ʿIzz ad-Dīn Kaykāwus ibn Kaykhusraw'') was the sultan of the Seljuqs of Rûm from 1246 until 1262. Life
Kaykaus was the eldest of three sons of Kayk ...
, and
Mesud II
Ghiyath al-Dīn Me’sud ibn Kaykaus or Mesud II ( 1ca, مَسعود دوم, ''Ghiyāth ad-Dīn Mas'ūd bin Kaykāwūs'' ( fa, غياث الدين مسعود بن كيكاوس) bore the title of Sultan of Rûm at various times between 1284 and 1 ...
.
Relations with Scholars
Kayqubad I had good relations with the Muslim scholars, sufis and poets. Many Muslim sufis and poets such as
Mūhyūddīn İbnūl-Arābī,
Abd al-Laṭīf al-Baghdādī,
Ahi Evran,
Necmeddīn-i Dāyē,
Kāniî-i Tūsī,
Shihab al-Din 'Umar al-Suhrawardi
Shahab al-Din Abu Hafs Umar Suhrawardi (c. 1145 – 1234) was a Persian Sufi and nephew of Abu al-Najib Suhrawardi.
He expanded the Sufi order of Suhrawardiyya that had been created by his uncle Abu al-Najib Suhrawardi, and is the person respons ...
and
Sultanulūlemā Bâhâeddīn Veled came to Anatolia during his reign.
Portrayal in media
In the Turkish historical television series, ''
Diriliş: Ertuğrul'', Kayqubad I is portrayed by Turkish actor
Burak Hakkı.
References
Sources
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Further reading
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External links
Coins minted during the reign of Kayqubad I
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kayqubad 01
Sultans of Rum
History of Alanya
1188 births
1237 deaths
Seljuk dynasty
13th-century Turkic people