Second cultan of Anatolian Seljuks
(B. 1079 - D. 1107, Habur). He is the
second son of Kutalmisoglu Suleyman, founder of the first Turkish state in
Anatolia. He is buried in Silvan, Diyarbakir. Kılıçaslan has fought heroically
in the battle at Habur River in July 1107, but he lost the battle. He was
drowned and died as he tried to pass the Habur River. His dead body was taken
and buried in the tomb built by Atabeyi Mehmed Bey in Meyyafarkin (Silvan).
Famous historian Ibnul Erzak from
Silvan says that this tomb is named Kubbetü's- Sultan and many other Turkish
important figures and Kılıçaslan's daughter Saide Hatun (1130) were also buried
in here. Then the surroundings of the tomb have expanded and was called Sultan
Neighborhood. Today there are no trails of the tomb or the Sultan Neighborhood.
When his father lost the battle
against the big Seljuk army commanded by Tacettin Tutuş in Syria and killed
himself (1086); he remained in Isfahan until 1092 where he was taken as the
prisoner of Melikşah with his brother Davut.
He has received a fine education there and raised with Turkish-Islamic
manners. After the death of Melikşah, he returned to Anatolia. In 1092, with
the approval of Great Seljuk Sultan Berkyaruk, he came to Anatolia and ascended
the Turkish Seljuk State throne, which was empty for six years.
When Kılıçaslan declared his
enthronement in Iznik; he was under the threat of Byzantium and other Turkish
chiefdoms in Anatolia. He sent an army and took over Balikesir and Kapidag from
Byzantium; and he settled the Turcoman families he brought from eastern
provinces around Iznik, establishing the unity in Anatolia again. He has
constructed Iznik into a government center. When the Byzantium armies have
started to invade the Marmara shores; he made a deal with Caka Bey, who was in
ruling the Aegean shores and some Aegean islands, and started to struggle with
them. A big army sent by Emperor Alexios against the Turkish forces through the
sea was defeated. The attacks of Byzantiums to Iznik were asided and they were
sent out of Balikesir and Kapidag regions. Kılıçaslan married to the daughter
of Caka Bey and secured himself against the Byzantine.
Byzantine has tried to create conflict between
Kılıçaslan and Caka Bey. Kılıçaslan had already began to act in order establish
the Anatolian unity by collecting all the cities that have left the Anatolian
Seljuks. He made a deal with Alezios
Commanos within this context and get Caka Bey murdered (1094). He secured the
Western borders, then moved to Malatya where Danishmends wanted to invade and
encircled the town (1095). But, the region was exposed to the invasions of
Crusaders within this period. Crusades establish the most important phase of
struggle between the "Crescent and Cross" and "West against the
East". This lasted for centuries. This movement started as a result of
religious, social and economic reasons and it was led by the Vatican church.
Ignorant people were mobilized with the direction of Papacy, and a huge
encirclement movement started against the Muslims. But, contrary to the
arguments, holy lands were already visited by Christians and Muslims provided
them great help and support. They had hospitals and accomodations for them in
Palestine. They had churches, monasteries and libraries in the region. But the
real reason of the Crusades was to wipe the Turks out of Anatolia, Syria,
Palestine and Mediterranean in order to prevent their passage to Romalia. They
could only achieve that if the Christian world acted together. Byzantium had
the former role of defending the Cross against the Crescent; but it was no
longer able to conduct this duty. Christian world therefore began the movement
to conquer the holy land in order to protect themselves against the Turkish
threat.
As Kılıçaslan was about to conquer
the Malatya castle, he was informed about the Crusades, so he lifted the
encirclement and went back to Iznik. He was engaged in a battle at Hisaronu
against the Crusaders who encircled Iznik. Both sides had many casualties as a
result of the wars, many commanders of Crusaders were murdered. But the enemy
had a continuos reinforcement. Kılıçaslan has realized that it would be very
dangerous if this battle continued against the crowded enemy forces, so he had
to withdraw his army. Iznik, the capital of Seljuks for almost 22 years, was
captured by the Crusaders on June 29, 1097. After the loss of Iznik and First
Crusades, Kılıçaslan has gathered the Anatolian Turks and made Konya the new
capital. He attempted to conquer all the Islamic lands as the Great Seljuk
Empire was dissolved. Then he made a deal wirh Danisment Gazi and Kayseri ruler
Hasan Bey, and confronted the Crusaders in front of Eskisehir; but he could not
stop their advancement. Crusaders have moved to Kayseri from one side, and to
Toros mountains from another; and they achieved to reach Antioch via
Kayseri-Goksun-Maras. Kılıçaslan had to move his government to Konya. By the
end of century, the southern and western regions of Anatolia were conquered by
Crusaders and northwestern part was under the rule of Byzantium. Also,
Armenians wanted to establish an Armenian state in Cukurova region. Kılıçaslan
had to stop the attacks of Byzantium and Crusadres; and also to settle the
immigrating Turks.
When
the Seljuk commander Gumustigin defated an army of Crusaders in 1100 and
captured prince Bohemond and his cortege; a new Crusaders raid started.
Kılıçaslan asked for help from Danisment chiefdom, Syrian Seljuk ruler Ridvan
and other Turkish chiefdoms. He destroyed the Crusaders army around Amasya. He
saved Elbistan and Maras from the Crusaders in 1103 and defeated Danisment
Gazi, with whom he had a problem. He captured Malatya from Danisment chiefdom
in 1105.
But these developments made Great
Seljuk Sultan Muhammed Tapar concerned. When Cavlı Bey, the commander of Sultan
Muhammed who was sent to Mosul, murdered Kılıç Aslan's commander Cokurmus Bey
and started to torture the people of Mosul; they have called Kılıçaslan for
help. He took some of his army and went to Mosul. He was welcomed in Mosul, but
realized that many Mosul rulers were in favor of other side. He ignored his
commanders Ersagun and Iltutmus's advises to return; he conquered Mosul in
1107. Then, he attempted to conquer all the Islamic lands as the Great Seljuk
Empire was dissolved. But, Cavli, Ridvan and Artuklu Ilgazi made a deal and
attacked Kılıçaslan.
Kılıçaslan has fought heroically
in the battle at Habur River in July 1107, but he lost the battle. He was
drowned and died as he tried to pass the Habur River. His dead body was taken
and buried in the tomb built by Atabeyi Mehmed Bey in Meyyafarkin (Silvan).
I. Kılıçaslan ruled during the
most depressed era of Turkish Seljuk State. After defeating the attacks of
Byzantium to Iznik, he implemented a settlement policy and settled the Turks
arriving from khorasan in Anatolia; so he contributed a lot to the
Turkification of Anatolia. Kılıçaslan was an organized stateman. He had
superior command skills, a hero and a war veteran whose life was in struggle.
He has caused casualties to the Crusaders and showed everyone that Turks cannot
be expelled from the Anatolian lands. He made a lot of charity and gained the
love of his people. he treated with justice and compassion to the Christians.
The historians of that period have said "The death of Kılıçaslan caused
sorrow for Anatolian Christians". Kılıçaslan was known as a just,
charitable and fearless ruler. After his death, the struggle among his sons has
caused the Danisment and Byzantium to establish new plans in order to share the
land of Anatolian Seljuks.
REFERENCE: Büyük Larousse Sözlük ve
Ansiklopedisi (s. 6692, 1986), Fazlı Konuş / Selçuklular Bibliyografyası
(2006), Özden Süslü / Tasvirlere Göre Anadolu Selçuklu Kıyafetleri (1989),
Ülker Erginsoy / Anadolu Selçuklu Mimari Süslemesi ve El Sanatları (1988), TDV
İslam Ansiklopedisi (c. 25, s. 396, 2002), İhsan Işık / Ünlü Devlet Adamları
(Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, C. 1, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous
People (2013) - Diyarbakır Ansiklopedisi (2013).