The Shah-Armens (lit. 'Kings of Armenia', tr, Ermenşahlar), also known as Ahlatshahs (lit. 'Rulers of Ahlat', tr, Ahlatşahlar), was a Turkoman

Sunni Muslim Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word ''Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagree ...

Anatolian beylik Anatolian beyliks ( tr, Anadolu beylikleri, Ottoman Turkish: ''Tavâif-i mülûk'', ''Beylik'' ) were small principalities (or petty kingdoms) in Anatolia governed by beys, the first of which were founded at the end of the 11th century. A secon ...

founded after the

Battle of Manzikert The Battle of Manzikert or Malazgirt was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Empire on 26 August 1071 near Manzikert, theme of Iberia (modern Malazgirt in Muş Province, Turkey). The decisive defeat of the Byzantine army and th ...

(1071) and centred in Ahlat on the northwestern shore of the

Lake Van Lake Van ( tr, Van Gölü; hy, Վանա լիճ, translit=Vana lič̣; ku, Gola Wanê) is the largest lake in Turkey. It lies in the far east of Turkey, in the provinces of Van and Bitlis in the Armenian highlands. It is a saline soda lake ...

. This region comprised most of modern-day

Bitlis Bitlis ( hy, Բաղեշ '; ku, Bidlîs; ota, بتليس) is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of Bitlis Province. The city is located at an elevation of 1,545 metres, 15 km from Lake Van, in the steep-sided valley of the Bitlis R ...

and Van, and parts of

Muş Muş (; hy, Մուշ; ku, Mûş) is a city and the provincial capital of Muş Province in Turkey. Its population is mostly Kurds. Etymology Various explanations of the origin of Muş's name exist. Its name is sometimes associated with the Arm ...

provinces. The dynasty is sometimes also called ''Sökmenli'' in reference to the founder of the principality,

Sökmen el-Kutbî Sökmen el-Kutbî (also spelled al-Qutbi) was a Turkmen military commander, a former slave ''amir'' in the service of the Seljuks, who became the founder of the Shah-i Arman dynasty, also known as the ''Shah-Armens'' or ''Ahlatshahs''. Early li ...

, literally "Sökmen the Slave", one of the commanders of the

Alp Arslan Alp Arslan was the second Sultan of the Seljuk Empire and great-grandson of Seljuk, the eponymous founder of the dynasty. He greatly expanded the Seljuk territory and consolidated his power, defeating rivals to the south and northwest, and his v ...

. The Ahlatshah Sökmenli should not be confused with the Muineddin Sokman, which ruled in

Hasankeyf Hasankeyf ( ar, حصن كيفا, translit=Ḥiṣn Kayfa‘, ku, Heskîf, hy, Հասանքեյֆ, translit=, el, Κιφας, translit=Kifas, lat, Cepha, syr, ܚܣܢܐ ܕܟܐܦܐ, Ḥesno d-Kifo) is a town and district located along the Ti ...

during approximately the same period. Another title Sökmen and his descendants assumed, as heirs to the local

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

princes according to

Clifford Edmund Bosworth Clifford Edmund Bosworth Fellow of the British Academy, FBA (29 December 1928 – 28 February 2015) was an English historian and Orientalism, Orientalist, specialising in Arabic studies, Arabic and Iranian studies. Life Bosworth was born on 29 ...

, was the Persian title ''Shah-i Arman'' ("Shah of Armenia"), often rendered as ''Ermenshahs''. This dynastic name, which the rulers adopted, was established through the "ethnic make-up and political history" of the region they ruled, which was primarily Armenian. The Beylik was founded by the Sökmen el-Kutbî who took over Ahlat (''Khliat'' or ''Khilat'') in 1100. Ahlatshahs were closely tied to Great Seljuq institutions, although they also followed independent policies like the wars against

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

in alliance with their neighbours to the north, the

Saltukids The Saltukids or Saltuqids (Modern Turkish: ''Saltuklu Beyliği'' ) were a dynasty ruling one of the Anatolian beyliks founded after the Battle of Manzikert (1071) and centered on Erzurum. The Saltukids ruled between 1071 and 1202. The beylik was ...

. They also acquired links with the branch of the Artuqids based in Meyyafarikin (now

Silvan Silvan may refer to: * Saint Silvan, Christian martyr * Silvan (illusionist), Italian magician * Silvan Byggemarked, Danish chain store that sells building materials * Silvan Elves, woodland elves of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium * ...

), becoming part of a nexus of principalities in

Upper Mesopotamia Upper Mesopotamia is the name used for the Upland and lowland, uplands and great outwash plain of northwestern Iraq, northeastern Syria and southeastern Turkey, in the northern Middle East. Since the early Muslim conquests of the mid-7th century, ...

and Eastern Anatolia. The Ahlatshahs reached their brightest period under the fifty-seven-year reign of

Sökmen II Nāṣir al-Dīn Sökmen II (died 1185) was the '' Shāh-i Arman'', the ruler of the Turkmen principality centred on Ahlat, from 1128 until his death. He married Shāhbānū, daughter of ′Izz al-Dīn Saltuq II, ruler of the Saltukids of Erzurum. ...

(1128–1185). He was married to a female relative (daughter or sister) of the Saltukid ruler

Saltuk II Saltuk II (İzzettin Saltuk) was a bey of Saltukids in the 12th century. Background After Alp Arslan of Seljukids defeated Byzantine army in the battle of Manzikert in 1071, a series of Turkmen beyliks (kingdoms) were formed in Anatolia befo ...

. Since Sökmen II was childless, the ''beylik'' was seized by a series of slave commanders after his death. In 1207, the ''beylik'' was taken over by the

Ayyubids The Ayyubid dynasty ( ar, الأيوبيون '; ) was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt. A Sunni Muslim of Kurdish origin, Saladin ...

, who had long coveted Ahlat. The Ayyubids had come to the city at the invitation of people of Ahlat after the last Sökmenli ruler was killed by Tuğrulshah, the ruler (''melik'') of

Erzurum Erzurum (; ) is a city in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. It is the largest city and capital of Erzurum Province and is 1,900 meters (6,233 feet) above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 367,250 in 2010. The city uses the double-headed eagle as ...

on behalf of the

Sultanate of Rum fa, سلجوقیان روم () , status = , government_type = Hereditary monarchyTriarchy (1249–1254)Diarchy (1257–1262) , year_start = 1077 , year_end = 1308 , p1 = By ...

and brother of Sultan

Kayqubad I Alā ad-Dīn Kayqubād ibn Kaykhusraw ( fa, علاء الدين كيقباد بن كيخسرو; tr, I. Alâeddin Keykûbad, 1190–1237), also known as Kayqubad I, was the Seljuq Sultan of Rûm who reigned from 1220 to 1237. He expanded the ...

. The Ahlatshahs left a large number of historic

tombstones A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a stele or marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. It is traditional for burials in the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim religions, among others. In most cases, it has the deceased's name, ...

in and around the city of Ahlat. Local administrators are currently trying to have the tombstones included in

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNES ...

, where they are currently listed tentatively.

Gallery

File:Ahlat Gravestones 8597.jpg, Ahlat Gravestones File:Ahlat Gravestones 0662.jpg, Ahlat Gravestones File:Ahlat Gravestone 8661.jpg, Ahlat Gravestone File:Ahlat Gravestone 0671.jpg, Ahlat gravestone Detail File:Ahlat Gravestones 0633.jpg, Ahlat Gravestone File:Ahlat Gravestones 8639.jpg, Ahlat Gravestone File:Ahlat Gravestones 8657b.jpg, Ahlat Gravestone File:Ahlat June 2010 8644.jpg, Ahlat Gravestone

List of Shah-Armens

Sökmen I Sökmen is a Turkish given name or surname. Notable persons with that name include: Given name * Sökmen (Artuqid) (died 1104), Turkish bey * Sökmen el-Kutbî (died 1111), Turkish bey * Sökmen II Nāṣir al-Dīn Sökmen II (died 1185) was the ...

(1100–1111) * Zahireddin İbrahim (1111–1127) * Ahmet (1127–1128) * Nasireddin Muhammed Sökmen II (1128–1185) * Seyfettin Beytemür (1185–1193) * Bedreddin Aksungur (1193–1198) * Şücaüddin Kutluğ (1198) * Melikülmansur Muhammed (1198–1206) * Izzeddin Balaban (1206–1207)

References

Sources

Claude Cahen Claude Cahen (26 February 1909 – 18 November 1991) was a 20th-century French Marxist orientalist and historian. He specialized in the studies of the Islamic Middle Ages, Muslim sources about the Crusades, and social history of the medieval Isla ...

, ''Pre-Ottoman Turkey'' *

External links

(limited preview)
{{Medieval states in Anatolia Anatolian beyliks Western Armenia History of Bitlis Province History of Van Province States and territories established in the 1100s Seljuk dynasty 1071 establishments in Asia 1207 disestablishments in Asia States and territories disestablished in the 1200s Sunni dynasties

Gallery

List of Shah-Armens

See also

References

Sources

External links