Sâbık Amasya hükümdârı Sultân Şâhenşâh olup 562 evâhirinde Amasya'yı harben zabt ederek Cemâl Gâzi Bey'in hükûmetine hitâm verdikden sonra mûmâ-ileyhi ta'kîbe devâm eylediği esnâda [340] tekarrüb eden İbrâhim Gâzi Bey'le kadîmen Yavaş³⁶¹ (Yuvaş) dendiği hâlde ba'dehû "Cum'a Pazarı, Âzîne Pazarı, İnepazar" denmiş olan nâhiye-i meşhûrede harbe girişdi.
Bu muhârebede İbrâhim Gâzi Bey mağlûben maktûl olduğu cihetle mahdûmu Şemseddîn İsmâ'il Bey pederinin cesedini alıp Niksâr'a firâr ve Yağıbasan Beyzâde Cemâleddîn İsmâ'il Gâzi dahi Sultân Şâhenşâh'a dehâlet etmekle Şemseddîn İsmâ'il Bey pederinin makâmında i'lân-ı istiklâl ve sultân-ı müşârün-ileyhe karşı harb etmeğe kıyâm etmiş idi.
Amasya hükümdârı Sultân Şâhenşâh Hân bu muzafferiyyetden sonra tedârikâtını ikmâl ederek 563'de Şemseddîn İsmâ'il Bey üzerine gidip Sivas'da emîr-i mûmâ-ileyhi harben ber-taraf etdikden sonra avdet ve 564'de Kayseriyye hâkimi olan Zünnûn Gâzi Bey'i def' edib Ankara, Sivas vilâyetlerinde Âl-i Dânişmend'in ufak tefek hükûmetlerine hitâm vermekle Malatya³⁶² livâsından mâ-adâ memleket-i Dânişmendiye Âl-i Selçûk'a intikâl etmişdir.
Tevârîh-i şarkiyye, Sultân Mes'ûd'un vefâtından sonra cereyân eden on senelik vekâyi'i mezc ederek muhtelif sûretde zabt etdikleri [341] görülmekdedir. Ez-cümle Ikdu'l-Cümân'da Bedreddîn Mahmûd el-Aynî 566 senesi³⁶³ vekâyi'inde diyor ki: "Bu sene Konya hükümdârı Kılıç Arslan bin Mes'ûd ile Malatya ve havâlîsi emîri Yağı Arslan bin ed-Dânişmend arasında harb-i şedîd olup Kılıç Arslan münhezim olduğu esnâda Yağı Arslan vefât etmekle birâderinin oğlu İbrâhim bin Muhammed bin ed-Dânişmend, yerine Dânişmendiye hükümdârı oldu. Bunu müte'âkib birâderi Zünnûn bin Muhammed bin ed-Dânişmend, gidip Kayseriyye'yi istîlâ ve Kılıç Arslan'ın birâderi Şâhenşâh bin Mes'ûd-ı Selçûkî dahi Ankara'yı temellük ederek aralarında kavâ'id-i sulh ve müsâlemet tekarrür etdikden bir müddet sonra Şâhenşâh bin Mes'ûd memâlik-i Dânişmendiye'yi istîlâ etmişdir".
Câmiu'd-Düvel'de Ahmed bin Lütfullâh el-Muglevî diyor ki: "Yağı Arslan bin Gümüştigin 560'da Kılıc Arslan ile harb etdikden sonra vefât etmekle birâderzâdesi İbrâhim bin Muhammed bin Gümüştigin Dânişmendiye hükümdârı oldukda birâderi Zünnûn bin Muhammed gidip Kaysâriyye'yi zabt ve temellük ederek Engûriyye hâkimi Şâhenşâh bin Mes'ûd-ı Selçûkî ile akd-i sulh eyledi. Ba'dehû oğlu İsmâ'il, ba'dehû birâderi Zünnûn bin Muhammed Dânişmendiye hükümdârı olup 564'de münkarız ve memleketleri Âl-i Selçûk'a müntakil olmuşdur".
El-Aylemü'z-Zâhir'de Mustafa Cenâbî Efendi Yağı Arslan yerinde [342] Yağıbasan bin Muhammed bin Dânişmend Ahmed Gâzi yazıyor. Bu vekâyi'in cereyânını da 562 hudûdunda gösteriyor. Hâlbuki Nizâmeddîn Yağıbasan Gâzi'nin 560 Zilhiccesi evâhirinde tanzîm edilen vakıf-nâmesinde "el-Melikü'l-Merhûm Nizâmeddîn Yağıbasan bin el-Melik İbrâhim bin el-Melik Dânişmend Ahmed Gâzi" muharrer olduğuna nazaran müşârün-ileyhin irtihâlinden az sonra tanzîm edildiği anlaşılmakdadır.
Emîr Gümüştigin Gâzi, melik-i Dânişmend Ahmed Hân'ın mahdûmu olmadığı 500 ramazân târîhli vakıf-nâmesinde musarrah ve Melik Muhammed Gâzi Bey, Melik Dânişmend'in mahdûmu olduğu Târîh-i Âl-i Dânişmend'de mestûrdur. Malatya emîri Yağı Arslan bin ed-Dânişmend, Niksâr'da Dânişmendiye hükümdârı Yağıbasan bin ed-Dânişmend'in aynı olmadığı meydândadır. Melik Cemâleddîn İsmâ'îl bin Yağıbasan'ın Amasya'da ibtidâ emîr, ba'dehû hükümdâr olduğu kuyûd-ı târîhiyyeden müstebân olup Sultân Şâhenşâh'a dehâleti evlâd ve ahfâdının Selçûkiyye zamânında emâretlerinden müstefâd olmakdadır.
Amasya hükümdârı Sultân Nâsıreddîn Şâhenşâh³⁶⁴ zamânında şimdiki Burma Minâre aşağısından ırmağa kadar olan yerlere "Şehenşâh Bahçesi" ve "Şehenşâh Mülkü" dendiği Mukaddime'de mezkûrdur. Sultân Şâhenşâh, burada bir hamâm-ı âlî ve sâ'ir mebânî inşâ etdirip iki def'asında Amasya'da on beş sene kadar hükûmet etdikden sonra Behcetü't-Tevârîh ile Gülşen-i [343] Tevârîh'in kısmen muvâfık olan zabtı üzere 575'de irtihâl-i dâr-ı bekâ etmekle³⁶⁵ yerine küçük birâderi Gıyâseddîn Muhammed Selçûkî Amasya hükûmetine isti'lâ eylemişdir.
In Modern English
Sultan Şâhenşâh, who was earlier ruler of Amasya, took Amasya by war at the end of the year 562 and put an end to the government of Cemâl Gazi Bey; while continuing to pursue him, he met İbrahim Gazi Bey. The battle took place in the famous district formerly called Yavaş (Yuvaş), later given the names "Cuma Pazarı, Âzîne Pazarı, İnepazar."
In this battle İbrahim Gazi Bey was defeated and killed. His son Şemseddin Ismail Bey took his father's body and fled to Niksar; Yağıbasan Beyzâde Cemâleddin Ismail Gazi took refuge with Sultan Şâhenşâh. Şemseddin Ismail Bey declared his independence in his father's post and set out to fight against the sultan.
After this victory, Sultan Şâhenşâh Han, ruler of Amasya, completed his preparations and in 563 marched against Şemseddin Ismail Bey; he eliminated the said emir by war at Sivas and returned. In 564 he also drove out Zünnûn Gazi Bey, the lord of Kayseri, and ended the small governments of the Danishmendoğulları in the provinces of Ankara and Sivas. Thus, apart from the sanjak of Malatya, the Danishmendid realm passed to the Seljuks.
The eastern histories have recorded the events of the ten years after Sultan Mesud's death in a confused and varying manner. For example, in Ikdu'l-Cümân, Bedreddin Mahmud el-Aynî says among the events of the year 566: "This year there was a fierce war between Kılıç Arslan ibn Mesud, ruler of Konya, and Yağı Arslan ibn Danişmend, emir of Malatya and its surroundings. While Kılıç Arslan was being defeated, Yağı Arslan died; his brother's son İbrahim ibn Muhammed ibn Danişmend became Danishmendid ruler in his place. Following this his brother Zünnûn ibn Muhammed ibn Danişmend went and seized Kayseri, and Şâhenşâh ibn Mesud-ı Selçukî, brother of Kılıç Arslan, took Ankara as his own. After rules of peace and conciliation were established between them, some time later Şâhenşâh ibn Mesud seized the Danishmendid lands."
In Câmiu'd-Düvel, Ahmed ibn Lütfullah el-Muglevî says: "Yağı Arslan ibn Gümüştigin died in 560 after fighting Kılıç Arslan; when his brother's son İbrahim ibn Muhammed ibn Gümüştigin became Danishmendid ruler, his brother Zünnûn ibn Muhammed went and seized Kayseri and made peace with Şâhenşâh ibn Mesud-ı Selçukî, the lord of Ankara. Then his son Ismail, and then his brother Zünnûn ibn Muhammed, became Danishmendid ruler; in 564 their line came to an end and their lands passed to the Seljuks."
In Âlemü'z-Zâhir, Mustafa Cenâbî Efendi writes Yağıbasan ibn Muhammed ibn Danişmend Ahmed Gazi in place of Yağı Arslan. He also places these events around 562. Yet since the endowment deed of Nizâmeddin Yağıbasan Gazi, drawn up at the end of Zilhicce 560, reads "el-Melikü'l-Merhûm Nizâmeddin Yağıbasan ibn el-Melik İbrahim ibn el-Melik Dânişmend Ahmed Gazi," it is understood that the deed was drawn up shortly after his death.
That Emir Gümüştigin Gazi was not a son of Melik Danişmend Ahmed Han is stated plainly in the endowment deed dated Ramazan 500. That Melik Muhammed Gazi Bey was a son of Melik Danişmend is written in Târîh-i Âl-i Dânişmend. It is evident that Yağı Arslan ibn Danişmend, emir of Malatya, and Yağıbasan ibn Danişmend, the Danishmendid ruler in Niksar, are not the same person. That Melik Cemâleddin Ismail ibn Yağıbasan was first emir and then ruler in Amasya is understood from the historical records; it is also understood from his taking refuge with Sultan Şâhenşâh and from the emirates held by his children and grandchildren in the Seljuk period.
It is written in the Mukaddime that in the time of Sultan Nâsıreddin Şâhenşâh, ruler of Amasya, the places from below the present Burma Minare down to the river were called "Şehenşâh Bahçesi" (Shahanshah's Garden) and "Şehenşâh Mülkü" (Shahanshah's Domain). Sultan Şâhenşâh had a lofty bathhouse and other buildings built there. After ruling in Amasya for about fifteen years in total over two periods, he died in 575 according to the partly agreeing record of Behcetü't-Tevârîh and Gülşen-i Tevârîh; his younger brother Gıyâseddin Muhammed Selçukî took over the government of Amasya in his place.
Notes and Research
Old Words in the Text
- sâbık: former, earlier
- harben: by war, by force
- hitâm vermek: to put an end to
- tevârîh-i şarkiyye: eastern histories, Arabic and Persian history books
- mezc etmek: to mix up
- dehâlet: taking refuge
- münkarız: extinct, come to an end
- münhezim: routed
- kavâid-i sulh ve müsâlemet: rules of peace and conciliation
- kuyûd-ı târîhiyye: historical records
- müstebân: clearly understood
- hamâm-ı âlî: lofty, magnificent bathhouse
- mebânî: buildings
- livâ: sanjak, administrative district
The Passing of the Danishmendid Realm to the Seljuks
The end of the Danishmendid dynasty is summarized in today's sources as follows: after Yağıbasan's death in 1164 a struggle broke out among members of the dynasty. Kılıç Arslan II took advantage of this confusion and in 1165, beginning with Elbistan, set about taking the Danishmendid lands; in 1168 he marched on Zünnûn, and Danishmendid rule at Kayseri and Zamantı ended in 1169, or in other accounts in 1171 or 1173. Zünnûn briefly held Sivas as well (1172-1175); in the summer of 1175 Kılıç Arslan took Sivas, Niksar, Komana and Tokat, while the Malatya branch lasted until 1178. Hüsameddin's picture of Şâhenşâh ending the Danishmendid realm in 563-564 has no place in this account; today's sources attribute this work to Sultan Kılıç Arslan. The older sources Hüsameddin cites (Aynî, Muglevî), however, show the Danishmendid realm passing to Şâhenşâh or to the Seljuks around 564; the dates and persons do not match one another.
Confusion of Dates and the Footnotes
Hüsameddin himself sees that the sources he cites attach the same events to different years and different names. In a footnote he writes that the date 566 given by Aynî may be an error for 556, because in 566 neither Yağı Arslan nor Yağıbasan was alive. In another footnote he writes that Fahreddin Kâsım, the Danishmendid emir of Malatya, died in 565, that his brother Ferîdun, who succeeded him, died in 567 or 573, and that the sanjak of Malatya also passed to the Seljuks. Today's source, however, reports that in Malatya Kasım died in 1171 falling from his horse on a wedding day, that his brother Efridun was placed on the throne, and that the Malatya branch lasted until 1178; the dates are not the same. That is, the dates in Hüsameddin's entry do not match one-to-one the sequence accepted today.
The Death of Şâhenşâh
Hüsameddin says that Şâhenşâh died in 575, and that some of the sources mistakenly write this as 675. No record confirming this date was found in today's research. Encyclopedic sources on Şâhinşah mention him as melik around Ankara and Çankırı and write that Yağıbasan died at his side in 1164; after 1175 they report that he took refuge in Byzantium together with Zünnûn. That is, the information that Şâhinşah ruled in Amasya for fifteen years and died in 575 could not be verified in other sources.
Şehenşâh Garden and Domain
Hüsameddin writes that the places from below today's Burma Minare down to the river were formerly called "Şehenşâh Bahçesi" and "Şehenşâh Mülkü," and adds that Şâhenşâh had a bathhouse and other buildings built there. Hüsameddin bases this on the Mukaddime; no information was found in other sources on whether the buildings have survived to the present.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- Abdîzâde Hüseyin Hüsâmeddîn Yasar, Amasya Tarihi, Amasya Belediyesi Kültür Yayınları, 2022, vol. 2, p. 336–337. amasya.bel.tr
Academic studies