Shams al-Din Mehmed
Beg of Karaman from 1263 to 1277/9
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Shams al-Dīn Meḥmed I Beg (Turkish: Şemseddin Mehmed Bey; died 20 June 1277 or 30 May 1279) was bey of the Karamanids from 1263 until his death. Karāmān was a Turkish principality in Anatolia in the 13th century. His father was Karim al-Din Karaman.
| Mehmed I. Beg of Karaman | |
|---|---|
| شمس الدین | |
| |
| Beg of Karāmān | |
| Reign | 1261–1277 |
| Predecessor | Karim al-Din Karaman |
| Successor | Güneri |
| Born | 1246 |
| Died | 20 June 1277 or 30 May 1279 (aged 30/31) Mut, Beylik of Karaman |
| House | Karamanid |
| Father | Karim al-Din Karaman |
| Mother | Daughter of Kaykhusraw II |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Early life
Meḥmed was the eldest son of Karim al-Dīn Ḳarāmān, the soubashi of the region around Ermenek, Mut, Silifke, Gülnar, and Anamur. Upon Ḳarāmān's death in 1263, Sultan of Rum Kilij Arslan IV arrested his children and brother, emir-i jandar Bunsuz. When Kilij Arslan died in 1266 and Muʿīn al-Dīn Parwāna assumed full power, the latter released Ḳarāmān's children, except for ʿAlī, who was kept in Kayseri.[1]
Joining the Rebellion
Meḥmed and his brothers joined Hatīroghlu Sharaf al-Dīn's revolt against the Mongols. Sharaf al-Dīn granted Mehmed the lands his father formerly ruled over and dismissed Badr al-Dīn Ibrāhīm from that position. Meḥmed further expanded his territory towards the Mediterranean coast and eliminated the Mongol force of 200 men in Ulukışla. When Sharaf al-Dīn was killed by the Mongols in 1276, Badr al-Dīn attempted to take revenge on Meḥmed but was defeated by him at the Göksu.[1]
Vizierate of the Seljuks
The next year, he allied himself with Baybars of the Mamluk Sultanate. In May, he captured the capital of the Seljuk Sultanate and placed Jimri, who claimed to be the son of Kaykaus II, on the throne as a puppet ruler; in turn Jimri appointed him as vizier of the Seljuks on 12 May 1277.[2] As vizier, Mehmet issued his famous firman ordering the Turkish language to be used instead of New Persian or Arabic in government offices.[1]
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Upon hearing news of Mehmed's capture of Konya, Tāj al-Dīn Ḥusayin and Naṣīr al-Dīn Ḥasan, the sons of the Seljuk vizier Sahib Ata, marched towards him with a large army. Mehmed gathered his forces, and the two armies clashed in Akşehir. Mehmed led the Karamanids to victory in the battle, in which both sons of Sahib Ata were killed, and subsequently returned to Konya.[1]
However, his overall tenure in Konya lasted for 37 days. Hearing news of the approaching Mongol Empire, Mehmed and Jimri left Konya. Sahib Ata pursued them along with the Mongol army. Mehmed sent Jimri away from the region and traveled to the vicinity of Mut to observe the Mongol army. There, the Mongols set an ambush, leading to a clash in which Mehmed lost his life alongside two of his brothers and a cousin. Their severed heads were brought to Konya.[3] He was succeeded by his brother Güneri.
Firman
Mehmet is known as a devotee of the Turkish language. During his brief term as a vizier, he issued a firman dated 13 May 1277:
Legacy
Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University in Karaman is named after him.[2]