Abstract:

After the Manzikert Victory, the crowded Turcoman masses that came to Anatolia in search of a fatherland were settled in the Byzantine frontiers step by step. As a result of the settlement policy of the predecessors, incoming crowded Turcoman masses played an important role in Turkification of Anatolia by moving towards the edges and extending the borders. After XII.century, many Turkic tribes lost their grips in Khorasan and Mawara’unnahr in the wake of Mongol invasions and immigrated to Anatolia through Iranian Plateau. The masses which came to Anatolia because of Mongol’s conquest increased Turkish population. By 1243, at the Battle of Kösedağ Mongols defeated Seljuk Turks and as a result of that Seljuk Turks joined Mongol population leading to the strengthening of the beys of Turcoman principalities in the western and southern parts of Anatolia. As the Mongols and Seljuk Turks tried to invade these Turcoman beys, these beys (Karaman, Germiyan, Eşrefoğulları etc...) allied against them. As a matter of fact there was no other way for these Turcoman principalities since they squeezed between Byzantine and Mongols. During that period rebellions went on incessantly in Anatolia. The main reasons of those rebellions were over taxation by Mongols and highpressure was put by Seljuk Sultans to please Mongols. In 1335, after the death of Ebu Said Bahadır Khan who was the Ilkhanid Ruler, Ilkhanid power declined and this relieved Turcomans. From this date on, Turcomans gained their independence fully. We will try to analyze the struggle of Ilkhanids with particularly Karamans and other Turcoman beys by mentioning the period of Mongol’s entrance of Anatolia.

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