Ikdu'l-Cümân gibi tevârîh-i mühimmede "Ferûh, Ferûc" nâmıyla mezkûr [421] olan emîr-i müşârün-ileyhin nâmı binâ eylediği Burma Minâre Câmii kapısında "Ferruh bin Selçûk bin Yûsuf" şeklinde mahkûk olup "Buruk" lafzından mu'arreb olduğu şübhesizdir. 665 târîhli vesâ'ik-i atîkada "el-emîrü'l-kebîr Necmeddîn Buruk" şeklinde görülmüşdür. Alîşîr Bey'in yeğeni olan Necmeddîn Ferruh Bey 681 evâsıtında Amasya vâlîsi olmuşdur.
Teküdar Ahmed Hân, Kongurtay'ı azl etdikden sonra Anadolu'ya üç nâzır ta'yîn edib oldukça akıl ve insâf ile meşhûr ve Niksâr'da el-yevm Samgar Karyesi demekle ma'rûf olan çiftliğinde mukîm Samgar Noyin'i Amasya'da, Uygur beylerinden meşhûr Tagrilbay'ı Kayseriyye'de ve Tatar beylerinden Molay Balargı nâm noyini de Aksarây'da ikâme etmişdir.
682 târîhinde Amasya kadısı Ziyâ'eddîn Îsâ bin Alî el-Hakkârî olduğu taharriyât-ı kaydiyyeden nümâyân ise de târîh-i nasbı anlaşılamadı. Bu târîhde kadı nâibi Şemseddîn Muhammed bin el-Hallâtî ve kâtibi Hayreddîn Hızır bin et-Tiflîsî bulunup Gıyâseddîn Mahmûd el-Garmînî sadru'l-ulemâ ve me'zûn bi'l-iftâ ve Alâ'eddîn Alî Dede mevlevî şeyhi ve Baba İlyâs Horasânîzâde Ebu'l-Fazl Muhlis Baba Hânkâh-ı Mes'ûdî şeyhi idi.
Moğol hükümdârı Teküdar Ahmed Hân Tatarlar'ı kabûl-i İslâma imâle ve ahkâm-ı Cengiziyye'den muhâlif-i şer'-i şerîf olan ba'zılarını izâle etmesi, Hristiyânlara vesîle-i igfâl olarak Tatar beylerini husûsiyle [422] Âl-i Cengiz'i muttasıl tahrîk ediyorlardı. Nihâyet 683'de ta'assubât-ı câhiliyyesi galeyâna gelen Tatar beyleri hân-ı müşârün-ileyhi hal' ve şehîd ederek Abaka Hân'ın oğlu Argun Hân'ı serîr-i İlhânî'ye iclâs etdiler.
Argun Hân Moğol hükümdârı oldukda derhâl eski mezâlim avdet edib sultân-ı sâbık Gıyâseddîn Keyhusrev bin Kılıç Arslan'ı Erzincan'a celb ve katl ediyor, Sultân Gıyâseddîn Mes'ûd Hân'ı azl ve hal' ederek Gıyâseddîn Keyhusrev bin Keykubâd'ı Anadolu hükümdârı nasb eyliyor, pervâne-i sultânî İzzeddîn Muhammed Bey eski makâmını tutuyor, Mücîreddîn Emîr Şâh Bey dahi nâib-i saltanat olarak Anadolu a'yânı arasında mümtâz oluyordu.
684 evâ'ilinde sadru'l-ulemâ Gıyâseddîn Mahmûd el-Garmînî Amasya kadısı olup kibâr-ı fuzalâdan Sa'deddîn İsmâ'il er-Rûmikî sadru'l-ulemâ ve me'zûn bi'l-iftâ ve sâbık Amasya vâlîsi Nâsıreddîn Muhammed Bey emîrü's-sevâhil olduğu taharriyât-ı kaydiyyeden anlaşılmış ve Seyfeddîn Sunkurca Bey kale dizdârı ve Hâbiloğlu İzzeddîn Hasan Bey Amasya'da subaşı bulunmuşdur.
685'de Argun Hân'ın birâderi Geyhatu Hân ile Hülâcu Hân Erzincan kışlağına gelip birkaç ay sonra avdet ederken etbâ'ları Erzurum ve Sivas vilâyetlerini yağmâ eyledikleri cihetle her tarafda zuhûr eden kaht u galâ, halkı fenâ hâlde ifnâ ediyordu. Kedi, [423] fâre, köpek gibi hayvânât etleri bile kesb-i nedret ederek keçi, koyun ve öküz etleri gibi narha tâbi' olmuşdur.
Târîh-i İbni Bîbî, Câmiu'd-Düvel, Ikdu'l-Cümân, Uyûnü't-Tevârîh, Mesâlikü'l-Ebsâr gibi müdevvenât-ı târîhiyyede mestûr olduğu üzere bu esnâda Tatar beyleri bir tarafdan, Sultân Gıyâseddîn Keyhusrev'in erkân-ı devleti diğer tarafdan erkân-ı devlet-i İlhâniyye'yi memnûn edebilmek için tahsîl-i emvâl uğurunda irtikâb-ı mezâlim ediyorlardı. Bunların mezâlimi zâten kaht u galâya ma'rûz olan Anadolu halkını cânından bîzâr ediyor, bundan dolayı halkın ref' etdikleri şikâyâtı Argun Hân'a vâsıl olamıyor, olsa da ısgâ edilmiyordu.
Binâ'en-aleyh Mısriyyûn'a karşı iki def'a mağlûb olarak nüfûz-ı idârîlerini izâ'a eden Tatarlar'ın ve halkı tenfîr eden erkân-ı devlet-i Selçûkiyye'nin nüfûz ve haysiyetleri gitdikçe azalıyor, Anadolu'da meskûn olan Türkmen beylerinin her biri kendi oymağının kesret ve kuvvetine istinâden bunların mezâliminden dolayı i'lân-ı istiklâl ederek kendi ilini kurmak istiyor, bunların etrâfında bulunan halk dahi dînini, cânını, evlâd ve ayâlini mezâlim ve mehâlikden kurtarmak için i'lân-ı istiklâl eden beylere ilticâ ve onları mâlen, bedenen takviye ediyorlardı.
Argun Hân, Türkmen beylerinin ve Anadolu halkının bu hissiyâtına vâkıf oldukda Anadolu sükkânını memnûn etmek için pek ziyâde lisâna gelmiş olan Tatar ümerâsını 686'da geri çağırıyor, devlet-i Selçûkiyye'nin erkânını [424] azl ediyor, halkın bir derece memnûn olduğu sâhib-i a'zam Fahreddîn Alî bin Hüseyin el-Konevî'ye nüfûz ve istiklâl veriyordu.
Fakat yeni ta'yîn olunan Tatar şıhneleri eski hâli idâme etdikleri cihetle eşhâsın tebeddülünden bir fâ'ide-i mâddiye görülemiyor, müte'âkiben 687 evâsıtında sâhib-i müşârün-ileyhin vefâtına binâ'en nüfûz ve istiklâli Sultân Gıyâseddîn Keyhusrev'e intikâl etmekle Türkmen beylerinin muzâhareti Argun Hân'ı telâşa düşürüyordu.
Târîh-i İbni Bîbî, Heşt Behişt, Câmiu'd-Düvel'de mezkûr olduğu üzere Argun Hân, derhâl birâderi Keyhatu Hân'ı Anadolu nâzır-ı umûmisi nasb ve irsâl etdikden sonra memleket-i Selçûkiyye'yi iki kısma taksîm ederek Kızılırmak'ın cihet-i şarkiyyesini ya'nî memleket-i Dânişmendiye'yi Simre (Amasya)'de birâderleriyle beraber sâkin olan Sultân Mes'ûd'a i'tâ ve bi'l-istiklâl idâre-i memleketi nâib-i saltanat ta'yîn eylediği Mücîreddîn Muhammed Emîr Şâh Bey'e tefvîz eyledi.
In Modern English
The name of this emir, who is called "Ferûh, Ferûc" in important histories such as the Ikdu'l-Cümân, is carved on the door of the Burma Minare Mosque he had built in the form "Ferruh bin Selçuk bin Yûsuf", and is undoubtedly an Arabicised form of the word "Buruk". In old documents of 665 [1266-67] he is seen in the form "el-emîrü'l-kebîr Necmeddîn Buruk". Necmeddîn Ferruh Bey, nephew of Alîşîr Bey, became governor of Amasya in mid-681 [1282-83].
After dismissing Kongurtay, Teküdar Ahmed Han appointed three nâzırs to Anatolia. He placed in Amasya Samgar Noyin, well known for his intelligence and fairness, who lived on his farm at Niksar, today called Samgar Village; in Kayseri the famous Tagrilbay, one of the Uighur beys; and in Aksaray a noyin of the Tatar beys named Molay Balargı.
Although it is understood from research in the records that in 682 [1283-84] the judge of Amasya was Ziyâ'eddîn Îsâ bin Alî el-Hakkârî, the date of his appointment could not be established. At this date the judge's deputy was Şemseddîn Muhammed bin el-Hallâtî and his scribe Hayreddîn Hızır bin et-Tiflîsî. Gıyâseddîn Mahmûd el-Garmînî was sadru'l-ulemâ (head of the scholars) and authority for fatwas, Alâ'eddîn Alî Dede was Mevlevî sheikh, and Ebu'l-Fazl Muhlis Baba, son of Baba İlyâs Horasânî, was sheikh of the Hankâh-ı Mes'ûdî.
The Mongol ruler Teküdar Ahmed Han's efforts to draw the Tatars to Islam and to abolish those of the Genghisid laws that were contrary to the sharia gave the Christians a constant opportunity to incite the Tatar beys, especially the Genghisid dynasty. In the end, in 683 [1284], the pagan fanaticism of the Tatar beys surged up, and they deposed and killed the said khan and seated Argun Han, son of Abaka Han, on the Ilkhanid throne.
When Argun Han became Mongol ruler, the old oppressions at once returned. He summoned the former sultan Gıyâseddîn Keyhusrev bin Kılıç Arslan to Erzincan and killed him; he deposed Sultan Gıyâseddîn Mes'ûd Han and removed him from the throne; and he appointed Gıyâseddîn Keyhusrev bin Keykubad ruler of Anatolia. The sultanic pervane İzzeddîn Muhammed Bey regained his former post, and Mücîreddîn Emîr Şâh Bey, as regent of the sultanate, became distinguished among the notables of Anatolia.
In early 684 [1285-86] the sadru'l-ulemâ Gıyâseddîn Mahmûd el-Garmînî became judge of Amasya. As is understood from research in the records, Sa'deddîn İsmâ'il er-Rûmikî, one of the great scholars, was sadru'l-ulemâ and authority for fatwas, the former governor of Amasya Nâsıreddîn Muhammed Bey was emir of the coasts, Seyfeddîn Sunkurca Bey was castle warden, and Hâbiloğlu İzzeddîn Hasan Bey was subaşı in Amasya.
In 685 [1286-87] Argun Han's brother Geyhatu Han and Hülâcu Han came to the winter quarters at Erzincan, and when they returned a few months later their men plundered the provinces of Erzurum and Sivas; the famine and dearness that appeared everywhere put the people in a bad state. Even the meat of animals such as cats, mice and dogs became hard to find, and was sold as dear as goat, sheep and beef.
According to what is written in history books such as İbn Bîbî's history, the Câmiu'd-Düvel, the Ikdu'l-Cümân, the Uyûnü't-Tevârîh and the Mesâlikü'l-Ebsâr, at this time the Tatar beys on the one hand, and the notables of Sultan Gıyâseddîn Keyhusrev's state on the other, were committing oppression in the pursuit of collecting money to satisfy the Ilkhanid notables. Their oppression made the people of Anatolia, already stricken by famine, weary of life; the people's complaints could not reach Argun Han, and if they did they were not heard.
Thereupon the prestige and dignity of the Tatars, who had lost their ruling influence by being twice defeated by the Egyptians, and of the Seljuk notables, who had alienated the people, was gradually declining. Each of the Turkmen beys living in Anatolia, relying on the numbers and strength of his own clan, wanted because of their oppression to declare independence and found his own province. The people around them, too, to save their religion, lives, wives and children from oppression and disaster, took refuge with the beys who declared independence and supported them with property and body.
When Argun Han learned of these feelings of the Turkmen beys and the people of Anatolia, in 686 [1287-88], to please the people of Anatolia, he recalled the Tatar emirs who had become much talked about, dismissed the Seljuk notables, and gave authority and independent power to the sâhib-i a'zam Fahreddîn Alî bin Hüseyin el-Konevî, with whom the people were to some extent content.
But since the newly appointed Tatar shihnas (governors) continued the old state of affairs, no material benefit was seen from the change of persons. Then, in mid-687 [1288], with the death of the sâhib-i a'zam, his authority and independent power passed to Sultan Gıyâseddîn Keyhusrev; the solidarity of the Turkmen beys alarmed Argun Han.
As mentioned in İbn Bîbî's history, the Heşt Behişt and the Câmiu'd-Düvel, Argun Han at once appointed his brother Keyhatu Han general nâzır of Anatolia and sent him. Then he divided the Seljuk country in two: the east bank of the Kızılırmak, that is, the Danishmendid country, he gave to Sultan Mes'ûd, who lived in Simre (Amasya) with his brothers, and left the administration of the country independently to Mücîreddîn Muhammed Emîr Şâh Bey, whom he appointed regent of the sultanate.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- sadru'l-ulemâ: head of the scholars
- me'zûn bi'l-iftâ: authorised to issue fatwas
- kadı nâibi: the judge's deputy
- emîrü's-sevâhil: emir of the coasts
- kaht u galâ: famine and dearness
- şıhne: in Mongol administration the military and administrative head of a region, governor
- ta'assub-ı câhiliyye: blind attachment, fanaticism
- hâzin-i sultânî: the sultan's treasury official
The Burmalı Minare Mosque
The mosque named in the text is known today as the Burmalı Minare Mosque; it is also called the Ulu Camii or the Mahkeme Camii. According to the inscription over its door, the mosque was built in the time of the Seljuk sultan Gıyâseddin Keyhusrev II (1237-1246) by Ferruh (or Ferah) bin Selçuk, one of his emirs. According to İ. Hakkı Uzunçarşılı's reading, the inscription also names his brother, the treasurer Yusuf. Hüsameddin, however, describes the same person nearly half a century later, around 681 [1282-83], as governor of Amasya and, in the next entry, as vizier. Whether the Ferruh of the inscription and Hüsameddin's Necmeddin Ferruh are the same person could not be verified in other sources because of this difference between the dates.
Beside the mosque is a tomb with a pyramidal roof in which the founder and his son Yusuf Bey are buried. Hüsameddin writes that Ferruh Bey's son-in-law İzzeddin Mehmed Pervâne Bey had a waqf deed drawn up for the mosque in 699 [1299-1300]. The TDV entry relates this information with reference to Hüsameddin.
The author of the TDV entry directly corrects two of Hüsameddin's views. The first is Hüsameddin's saying that this mosque was in fact a Byzantine church of the Komnenos period; the author notes that in the work on which Hüsameddin relies there is no reference to the mosque, and that only the remains of a church of the Komnenos period in Amasya are mentioned there. The second is the minaret: according to Hüsameddin the minaret was built in 1143 (1730-31) by Hacı Ahmed Efendi; the TDV author finds it hard to accept that a minaret with a twisted (burmalı) shaft was built at a late period when Western influences were beginning to seep into Ottoman art, and thinks that the minaret belongs not to the eighteenth century but to the mosque's own period or the early Ottoman period. According to what Hüsameddin relates, the mosque was damaged by an earthquake in 999 [1590-91], burned in 1011 [1602-03], and burned again in 1143 [1730-31]; the trusteeship later passed to the Müeyyedzâdes.
The building was left abandoned and ruinous for a long time, and in the 1930s was used by the Ziraat Bank as a depot for agricultural tools. In 1962 it was thoroughly repaired and opened for worship, and in 1974 its domes were covered with copper. The mosque has a rectangular plan extending in the qibla direction, with three tile-covered domes in succession on the central axis. In plan it is a smaller and simpler example of the plan type applied in buildings such as the Torumtay Mosque in Amasya and the Divriği Great Mosque. Its mihrab has a frame of navy-blue tiles and the inscription "amel-i Muhammed bin Mahmûd el-Errânî"; whether this person was an architect, a mihrab master or a tile master is not clear.
Famine and the Argun Period
The famine and dearness of 685 that Hüsameddin describes is a reflection of the burden that the coming of Mongol armies to Anatolia placed on the people. According to the sources, Argun Han in 684 (1285) sent a force of 20,000 under his brother Geyhatu to Anatolia, its expenses being met from taxes collected from the people. It is written that the coming of Mongol armies to Anatolia meant increased taxes taken from the people, hunger and misery.
The Fall of Teküdar
Hüsameddin ties the deposition of Teküdar Ahmed Han to the fanaticism of the Tatar beys. We could not find an independent source confirming this interpretation; the sources report only that Argun defeated Ahmed Teküder and became khan.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 2, p. 364–365. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies